Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet Introduction andIntroduction and

BackgroundBackground

William William Shakespeare’sShakespeare’s

The Tragedy The Tragedy ofof

William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare

Shakespeare was born in Shakespeare was born in

1564 and died in 1616.1564 and died in 1616.He grew up in a town called He grew up in a town called

Stratf0rd-on-Avon and later Stratf0rd-on-Avon and later moved to London to become an moved to London to become an actor and playwright.actor and playwright.

The PlaysThe Plays

Shakespeare’s plays include Shakespeare’s plays include comedies, histories—and tragedies comedies, histories—and tragedies such as Romeo and Juliet.such as Romeo and Juliet.

Some of his other famous plays Some of his other famous plays include include Julius CaesarJulius Caesar, , HamletHamlet, , MacbethMacbeth, , OthelloOthello, and , and A A Midsummer Night’s DreamMidsummer Night’s Dream..

In addition, Shakespeare wrote In addition, Shakespeare wrote love poems called sonnets.love poems called sonnets.

Will the real Shakespeare Will the real Shakespeare please stand up?please stand up?

Some scholars Some scholars have suggested have suggested Shakespeare, Shakespeare, who had little who had little formal education, formal education, could not have could not have written such written such powerful and powerful and creative plays.creative plays.

However, However, nobody in nobody in Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s day thought to day thought to question his question his authorship. authorship. Apparently, he Apparently, he was just a was just a genius!genius!

Elizabethan TheaterElizabethan TheaterShakespeare’s time period was during Shakespeare’s time period was during

the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Literature was used and taught very Literature was used and taught very often in London because they thought often in London because they thought it was important for them to write. it was important for them to write. They began to value writing and They began to value writing and theater. theater.

Elizabethan theaters were makeshift, Elizabethan theaters were makeshift, dirty, and loud, but nevertheless they dirty, and loud, but nevertheless they attracted audiences as large as 3,000 attracted audiences as large as 3,000 from all social classes. from all social classes.

Elizabethan TheaterElizabethan TheaterSince Ancient Greece, theater had gained Since Ancient Greece, theater had gained

popularity and now was a common event popularity and now was a common event and form of entertainment. and form of entertainment.

Theater was still extremely political. It Theater was still extremely political. It addressed “hot” topics that the country addressed “hot” topics that the country was facing. was facing.

Being an actor was not a highly regarded Being an actor was not a highly regarded profession; actors were looked down upon profession; actors were looked down upon in society. Actors were looked down upon in society. Actors were looked down upon by the church because they used profanity, by the church because they used profanity, heresy, or politics. heresy, or politics.

The GlobeThe GlobeShakespeare’s Shakespeare’s plays were plays were performed in a performed in a theater called theater called the Globe—the Globe—sometimes sometimes called “The called “The Wooden ‘O’” Wooden ‘O’” because of its because of its circular shape.circular shape.

The The reconstructed reconstructed stage of the stage of the

GlobeGlobe

Theaters had no Theaters had no lighting, so lighting, so performances performances took place during took place during the day.the day.

There were few There were few special effects or special effects or props; props; Shakespeare Shakespeare used detailed used detailed verbal description verbal description to paint a picture to paint a picture of his scenes.of his scenes.

ContextContextThe time period in which Shakespeare lived—Elizabethan England, named for the queen—influenced the content of his plays as well as the way in which they were performed.

MarriageMarriageIn Shakespeare’s day, marriages In Shakespeare’s day, marriages

were generally contracts set up were generally contracts set up by the parents. by the parents.

When Juliet’s parents arrange a When Juliet’s parents arrange a marriage for her, it seems marriage for her, it seems strange to us; Shakespeare’s strange to us; Shakespeare’s audience would have thought it audience would have thought it was completely normal.was completely normal.

Why we read…Why we read…So why do we still read plays like Romeo So why do we still read plays like Romeo

and Juliet? When Shakespeare’s world and Juliet? When Shakespeare’s world was so different from ours, what can we was so different from ours, what can we learn from his plays?learn from his plays?

Well, the plays are not only great, Well, the plays are not only great, powerful stories—they also teach powerful stories—they also teach lessons about life that apply to people in lessons about life that apply to people in all cultures and time periods, and those all cultures and time periods, and those lessons can help us when we come lessons can help us when we come across hard times in our own lives.across hard times in our own lives.

Keep in Mind:Keep in Mind: Don’t be alarmed by Don’t be alarmed by

the old-fashioned the old-fashioned language: this is language: this is really a play about really a play about people who are a lot people who are a lot like us, and the like us, and the difficult words, when difficult words, when you look at them you look at them carefully, express carefully, express emotions anyone emotions anyone can understand.can understand.

And remember, the And remember, the play is POETRY: it’s play is POETRY: it’s not supposed to be not supposed to be written exactly the written exactly the way people talk. way people talk. The poetry is part The poetry is part of what makes it of what makes it beautiful and beautiful and powerful—and powerful—and worth reading.worth reading.

Reading the Reading the PlayPlay

Shakespeare’s plays Shakespeare’s plays were meant to be were meant to be performed—they were performed—they were some of the most some of the most popular entertainment popular entertainment of their time. So when of their time. So when we read the play, the we read the play, the point is to try and point is to try and imagineimagine it happening it happening onstage!onstage!

Because of the minimal props and scenery, the action in Shakespeare’s plays hadto be conveyed through words and conversations. A conversation betweencharacters is called DIALOGUE.

So Who’s Who Here?So Who’s Who Here?

Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s plays can have plays can have LOTS of LOTS of characters. characters. Let’s try to get Let’s try to get them straight them straight in our minds…in our minds…

First of all, all of the First of all, all of the characters in characters in

Romeo and Romeo and JulietJuliet

are arranged around a are arranged around a central conflict central conflict between two rival between two rival families: the families: the

MontaguesMontagues and the and the

CapuletsCapulets..

The MontaguesThe Montagues

Romeo

MontagueRomeo’s Dad

Lady MontagueRomeo’s mother

MercutioRomeo’s

best friend

BenvolioRomeo’s cousin

The CapuletsThe Capulets

juliet

CapuletJuliet’s father

TybaltJuliet’s cousin

NurseJuliet’snanny

LadyCapulet

Juliet’sMother

The Peacemakers:The Peacemakers:

The Prince of Verona:The Prince of Verona: This ruler tries to This ruler tries to

mediate between mediate between the feuding the feuding families. families.

He is pretty tired of He is pretty tired of all the bloodshed all the bloodshed caused by their caused by their “ancient grudge.”“ancient grudge.”

Friar Lawrence:Friar Lawrence: This religious leader is This religious leader is

respected as a holy respected as a holy man by both sides, and man by both sides, and would like to see them would like to see them reconciled.reconciled.

As a friar, he’s As a friar, he’s interested not only in interested not only in religion, but also in religion, but also in medicinal herbs—which medicinal herbs—which becomes important becomes important later.later.

And finally…And finally…

One other “character”:One other “character”:

The ChorusThe ChorusThe Chorus is not a part of the action, The Chorus is not a part of the action, but a speaker who comes onstage to but a speaker who comes onstage to make comments on the action. The make comments on the action. The Chorus is kind of like a TV announcer in Chorus is kind of like a TV announcer in contemporary life—as far as the contemporary life—as far as the characters know, the chorus doesn’t characters know, the chorus doesn’t exist, but he helps explain things to us. exist, but he helps explain things to us.