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«Romeo and Juliet»
Two households, both alike in dignity
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
Why a comedy?
• romantic and courtly love
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the instant attraction of the young lovers
the masked balls
the theme of equivocation
the comic servants
the surface life of street fights.
Why a tragedy?
• death and misfortune of the two
protagonists
• the tragic role of chance in spite of the
absence of a villain
A tragic plot
INTRODUCTION: the presentation of hero/heroine
DEVELOPMENT: the hero/heroine’s rise to power or happiness
CLIMAX: the high point of the hero/heroine’s fortunes
CRISIS: the turning point in the hero/heroine’s fortunes
DECLINE: deterioration of the hero/heroine’s situation
CATASTROPHE: the hero/heroine’s fall, often to a
condition of humiliation, degradation and death.
Time Line
Sunday: Romeo is turned down by Rosaline – goes to the Capulets’
masked ball – falls in love with Juliet – they promise to marry
Monday: Romeo asks Friar Lawrence to marry them - the secret wedding
takes place – death of Mercutio and Tybalt – Romeo is exiled – Juliet is
promised to Paris – first wedding night before the exile
Tuesday: Romeo leaves for Mantua – Juliet refuses to marry – the friar gives
her the potion – Juliet takes the potion
Wednesday: the Nurse discovers Juliet dead – Juliet ‘s corpse is carried to the
Capulets’ family vault – Balthasar reaches Romeo and tells him of Juliet’s
death – Romeo leaves for Verona – paris is killed by Romeo near Juliet’s tomb
and poisons himself – Juliet awakes and stabs herself with Romeo’s dagger
Thursday morning : the friar explains what happened and
reconcile the Capulet and Montague families
The protagonists
Juliet
• a submissive and obedient girl living a sheltered
life, and a Capulet
• develops into a resolute, firm-minded young
woman
• more practical than Romeo, she always speaks
frankly and directly
• honest with both Romeo and herself
• a tragic heroine
• though she is set within the courtly love convention,
she is unconventional because she stands for
innocence, belongs to no characterisation, is a real
woman
Romeo
• a popular, lively, sociable member of the
Veronese society, and a Montague
• a courteous lover with intense adoration of
a chaste woman
• impassioned but impractical impulsive and
impetuous
Secondary characters
The Nurse
• Juliet’s equivalent of Romeo’s Mercutio
• feels genuine love for Juliet
• supplies a good deal of humour
• her attitude to love contrasts with that of the heroine
• speaks a lot but says very little
• changes her mind with great rapidity and agrees with
whatever seems to be the opinion of the moment
• can mainly talk of sex, child rearing and old memories
Mercutio
• Romeo’s equivalent of Juliet’s Nurse
• Romeo’s best friend and a foil to him
• a winning personality: gay, witty, shrewd,
always talking and jesting, he provides
comedy
• makes caustic comments on Italian duels and
fashionable courtiers
• his death turns the comedy into tragedy
Functional characters
Tybalt
• a Capulet and Juliet’s cousin
• the quarreller and
the troublemaker
• a contrast to Benvolio
• behaves according to type
• lack the liveliness and individuality of Mercutio
or the Nurse
• always angry and seeking revenge
• a plot device
Benvolio
• a Montague and
Romeo’s cousin
• the peacemaker
• a contrast to Tybalt
• a foil to Mercutio and Tybalt
• a plot device
http://francismagnificentworks.tumblr.com/post/91594947544/brucerobinson-as-benvolio-in-romeo-juliet
Friar Lawrence
Paris
• very different from Romeo,
but not the unpleasant opposite
• calm and decorous, shows the normal form of courtship
• his affection lacks passionate involvement but is sincere,
genuine and tender
• he wishes to be with Juliet in death
• a holy man
• the one person Romeo and Juliet can turn
to throughout the play
• his is the voice of moderation in a stormy
and violent world
• a plot device: the means that promotes the plot
MAIN FEATURES of the PLAY
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universal themes
love and death are combined
rivalry and hostility: the feud between the two families.
old hate vs young love
foreboding and fate
lack of knowledge coming from bad communication
(tragedy of unawareness)
• speed as the medium of fate.
• the reflection upon the language made by Juliet
(appearance vs reality).
STYLE
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regular rhythm and use of rhymes.
use of sonnets in dialogues.
word play and plain speaking
punning for comic effect
wordplay for serious dramatic effect.
use of prose for comic characters and
characters of a low position in society
• imagery of light
(linked to life and the courtly love convention)
• imagery of darkness
(linked to death)