...It could be argued that Romeo and Juliet is the most popular of William Shakespeare’s thirty-seven plays. In Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare uses many different approaches to keep the whole audience interested. These assist in creating his ability to attract a wide audience and are a great contributor to Shakespeare’s success. Shakespeare uses foils to highlight various attributes of characters. Two foils in Romeo and Juliet are the Nurse and Lady Capulet, Juliet’s mother. The foils highlight certain traits of each other. Shakespeare uses the contrast between the Nurse and Lady Capulet to emphasize the difference between their relationships with Juliet, but it emphasizes other differences too. One significant difference between Juliet’s caregiver...
Words: 588 - Pages: 3
...ROMEO & JULIET Prologue (ACT 1) As a prologue to the play, the Chorus enters. In a fourteen-line sonnet, the Chorus describes two noble households (called “houses”) in the city of Verona. The houses hold an “ancient grudge” (Prologue.2) against each other that remains a source of violent and bloody conflict. The Chorus states that from these two houses, two “star-crossed” (Prologue.6) lovers will appear. These lovers will mend the quarrel between their families by dying. The story of these two lovers, and of the terrible strife between their families, will be the topic of this play. ANALYSIS This opening speech by the Chorus serves as an introduction to Romeo and Juliet. We are provided with information about where the play takes place, and given some background information about its principal characters. The obvious function of the Prologue as introduction to the Verona of Romeo and Juliet can obscure its deeper, more important function. The Prologue does not merely set the scene of Romeo and Juliet, it tells the audience exactly what is going to happen in the play. The Prologue refers to an ill-fated couple with its use of the word “star-crossed,” which means, literally, against the stars. Stars were thought to control people’s destinies. But the Prologue itself creates this sense of fate by providing the audience with the knowledge that Romeo and Juliet will die even before the play has begun. The audience therefore watches the play with the expectation that it must...
Words: 15625 - Pages: 63
...which are cheesy (C). Circle the letter you think describes each compliment best. 1. You’re the most attractive person I’ve ever met. F R C 2. You look nice today. F R C 3. Flowers are jealous of your beauty. F R C 4. 4. You’re my favourite cook. F R C 5. You cook very well. F R C 6. I would walk a thousand miles for one of your meals. F R C Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet are the son and daughter of two families at war with each other. They meet at a party and immediately fall in love. Later that night Romeo stands under Juliet’s balcony hoping to catch sight of her. Suddenly, to Romeo’s delight, Juliet appears. Answer these questions in your books: 1. How do you think Juliet is feeling? Why? 2. Do you think that people sometimes fall in love with their enemies in real life? 3. If you were Juliet, would you try to forget about Romeo? 4. Do you think that the story of Romeo and Juliet will have a happy or sad ending? Task 2 – Romeo’s in love When Juliet appears on the balcony, Romeo is full of compliments for her. 1 But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? 2 It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. 3 Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, 4 Who is already sick and pale with grief, 5 That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she. 6 Be not her maid since she is envious. 7 Her vestal livery is but sick and green, 8 And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off. 9 It is...
Words: 757 - Pages: 4
...ROMEO AND JULIET Verona city in Italy is where the upsetting story of the unlucky love affair was set. Romeo a Montague and Juliet a Capulet are 'a pair of star crossed lovers who took their lives in an attempt to bury their parents strife'. The Montague's and the Capulet 'both alike in dignity,' were engaged in an ancient feud, which sadly nothing but the death of their children could stop. Romeo and Juliet two adaptations. Franco Zeffirelli [1968] Original version Baz Luhrmann [1996] Hollywood version Luhrmann chose Leonardo Di Caprio to play Romeo and Claire Danes as Juliet. * The updated Luhrmann picture best captures the essence of Shakespeare for the present-day viewer. Through the ingenious use of modernisation and location, while preserving Shakespearean language, the spirit of Shakespeare emerges to captivate a large audience. * Luhrmann modernises "Romeo and Juliet," through constant alterations of the props, which entice the audience into genuinely feeling the spirit of Shakespeare. * First, the movie starts with a prologue masked as news broadcast on television. This sets the scene of the play by illustrating the violence occurring between the two wealthy families, the Montagues and the Capulets. * In Luhrmann's film, the actors, instead of carrying swords with them, hide guns in their shirts and wield them expertly. * The death of Romeo and Juliet is (as always) blamed on the post office, for not delivering the letter properly...
Words: 2552 - Pages: 11
...Examine how Shakespeare presents the treatment of Juliet by Romeo, her Parents and Society in general. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare presents the treatment of Juliet by Romeo, her Parents, and Society in general through the interactions and conversations between Juliet and the other characters. Shakespeare uses the interactions between not only Juliet and the other characters but the interactions between the other characters themselves as well. Many of the ways the Juliet is treated stay the same between characters because there is an overall patriarchal feel to the play which reflects on the authority of men at the time but her treatment does differ slightly with different characters and their importance to her. One of ways the Shakespeare presents the treatment of Juliet is through the prologue. All though the prologue is not a character is gives us an idea of how Shakespeare and ‘fate’ treat Juliet. Part of the function of the prologue is to introduce the play and the key themes and ideas. The prologue tells us that ‘a pair of star crossed lovers take their life’ telling us that Romeo and Juliet were born to die. From the beginning Juliet has been destined to die, she has no control and neither to the other characters. This is an example of how fate is controlling the whole play. Another way that Shakespeare presents the treatment of Juliet is through her parents. Juliet’s Father and Mother both treat Juliet differently but there are similarities in the way they treat...
Words: 837 - Pages: 4
...way with the information given. Another way that can help out with characterization is with figures of speech.William Shakespeare never uses direct characterization on any of his characters in his play Romeo and Juliet. To find out what a character is like, the reader must read in between the lines of the play. The reader can also use the speeches, thoughts, effects on others, actions, and looks in the play to indirectly characterize them. Shakespeare uses indirect characterization when he uses oxymorons, paradoxes, and juxtaposition to describe Romeo and Juliet’s complex star crossed love. William Shakespeare uses oxymorons to emphasize how Romeo’s romantic nature leads to tragedy. Romeo, in one of his speeches, is talking about loving Juliet with “serious vanity”(1.1.171). The deeper Romeo falls in love, the...
Words: 611 - Pages: 3
...In the prologue of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare calls Romeo and Juliet "star crossed lovers", introducing from the opening minutes of the play the possibility that their tragic end was unavoidable. Fate is seen by many of the characters in Romeo and Juliet as the reason for their downfall. In truth, however, it is the character flaws and actions of Romeo, Juliet, and Lord Capulet that cause their deaths. One character who contributes greatly to the tragic end of Romeo and Juliet is in fact Romeo himself. The reason why Romeo is involved in the death of Juliet and himself is because of his impulsive and rash decision making. Romeo reveals this flaw to Friar Lawrence in this quote:"I stand on sudden haste"[Act 2 scene 3 line 93.] Friar Lawrence recognizes this flaw and reminds him to "Go wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast." This impulse leads Romeo to rashly marry his latest love, the thirteen year old daughter of an enemy. Impulsiveness also leads Romeo to hold such anger at Tybalt, who killed his cousin, that he kills him. This starts a period of unlucky events that follow. Firstly, it forces Prince Escalus to banish Romeo from Verona, which ultimately leads to Romeo committing suicide. Juliet, along with Romeo, plays a role in their death. In a speech on her balcony, Juliet says, "Leap to these arms untalked of and unseen so lovers can see to do their amorous rites"[Act 3, Scene 2, Line 7-8.] In this quote, Juliet makes it quite clear to the reader that she is...
Words: 515 - Pages: 3
...The adolescent brain is partly to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet because having adolescent brains, they were more prone to making dangerous decisions. In her speech, Sarah-Jayne Blakemore says, “We know that adolescents have a tendency to take risks. They do. They take more risks than children or adults and they are particularly prone to taking risks when they’re with friends. There’s an important drive to become independent from one’s parents and to impress one’s friends in adolescence” (Document A). As described in the quote, the intense and often times irrational drive in Romeo and Juliet’s juvenile brains to take risks and to prove maturity inevitably led to their untimely passing. Additionally, Blakemore later says, “So what’s...
Words: 648 - Pages: 3
...Romeo’s Speech and ‘After A Journey’ by Thomas Hardy The poem ‘After a Journey’ by Thomas Hardy, is an ‘Emma Poem’ where Hardy mourns the death of his wife, Emma, showing his regrets about how he treated her when she was alive. Both the Shakespeare play and the poem have a strong sense of sorrow, Romeo’s sorrow is created by the use of dramatic irony throughout his last speech, whilst ‘After a Journey’ contains a lot of contrasting imagery of Emma when she was alive and then later as a ghost. In Act 5 scene 3, Romeo has just found Juliet in the tomb following her funeral. Romeo is struck by the way Juliet's beauty appears to defy death she still looks alive to him, "Why art thou yet so fair? Shall I believe That unsubstantial Death is so amorous?" These rhetorical questions create a sense of sorrow for Romeo as he appears to believe that her beauty preserves her from dying. The dramatic tension is emphasised by the reader’s awareness that Romeo is seeing the physical signs of Juliet's recovery from her sleep. Secondly, Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to create a feeling of horror and despair. For example ‘Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavoury guide. Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on The dashing rocks thy seasick, weary bark. Here’s to my love!’ The reader is aware that Juliet is not dead and can only watch with horror when Romeo is drinking the poison. ‘The dashing rocks thy seasick, weary bark’ foreshadows Romeo’s death, as in Act 1 Scene 1 Romeo also mentions...
Words: 501 - Pages: 3
...audience’s understanding of Juliet’s character and her predicament in Act 3 Scene 5? At the start of III v when Juliet is talking to Romeo, Shakespeare shows their relationship with the use of natural imagery. For example he makes references to birds such as “Lark” and “Nightingale”. Shakespeare also uses natural locations such as “pomegranate tree” and “misty mountain tops”. The use of natural images is a metaphor for Romeo and Juliet’s love as it their love is natural and it was love at first sight. He also says in the prologue that they were “Star-crossed lovers” which means that their love was fate and that is was nature that dictated their love. .Shakespeare also uses the structure of the script to show the relationship between Romeo and Juliet. Romeo: How is’t, my soul? Let’s talk, it is not day Juliet: It is, it is, hie hence, be gone, away! (III v 25, 26) This symbolises how much Romeo and Juliet understand each other and how well they connect (They speak together and their conversations shows a structure). Shakespeare makes their relationship apparent through these techniques and it helps show how hard Romeo’s exile from Verona is going to be for Juliet after he leaves in the morning. As Romeo’s leaving Juliet says: “The window, let day in, and life out” (III v 41) In this line Juliet is saying farewell to Romeo and she’s saying now that day has come and Romeo has to leave or he’ll die...
Words: 1104 - Pages: 5
...makes himself an artificial night He talks about Romeo as he is depressed and locked himself in a room. Capulet says: At my poor house look to behold this night Earth treading stars that make heaven light He means there will be a lot of beautiful ladies at the party and their beauties will light up the night sky. Romeo says: Give me a torch: I am not for this ambling Being but heavy, I will bear the light Romeo said this to Benvolio at Capulet party. He doesn’t want to wear a mask because he is in the bad mood, heavy and he will stand still and carry the light. Romeo says: But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun Romeo said this to Juliet. He is saying that her beauty is like the sun. Shining beauty, pure, shiny. Romeo says: Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou her maid art far more fair than she Romeo said this to Juliet at the balcony. He is saying that he does not want the sun to arise because that means he will have to go home and there are chances that he will see Juliet again. Act 1 scene 5 Romeo says: O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear; Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows Romeo describes Juliet's beauty in terms of dark and light. "She doth teach...
Words: 2389 - Pages: 10
...In this essay I will explain how Romeo shows the strength of his feelings by reading between Romeo’s lines, looking at the techniques that Shakespeare uses and by understanding the text. Extract one, act one, scene one, it is shown that Romeo does not like the feud that is going on and on between the Montagues and the Capulets and he thinks it is stupid. This impression is given to us when Romeo says: “Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all”. This quote makes us feel like he has better things to worry about than a stupid feud and it also shows he is not keen to talk about the feud either. He does not want to hear any more about the fight and he seems a little angry. When he says: “Here’s much to do with hate, but more to do with love” it shows that he thinks that the people feuding are stupid because they nearly love each other. He is saying that love and hate are very similar to each other and therefore the feud is useless. We know Romeo is feeling sad when he speaks of himself in the third person, “Tut, I have lost myself. I am not here. This is not Romeo: he’s some other where”, it shows how depressed Romeo is because his love was rejected by Rosaline. That tells us that Romeo is serious about his feelings and love. The use of oxymoron in Romeo’s speech makes him seem confused but wise, for example, “love is heavy and light” or “hot and cold”. “Love is heavy and light, bright and dark, hot and cold, sick and healthy, asleep and awake—it’s everything except what...
Words: 1146 - Pages: 5
...Romeo and Juliet Essay A writer has more power when they create life like characters, when having them use juxtaposition, and paradox. When william Shakespeare creates the two main dueling genders in romeo and Juliet, he makes them more realistic with such power. He gives them life coming from paradox, oxymoron, paradox, and juxtaposition characterization. The power William Shakespeare puts to use, allows the audience to see the characters interact, and contrast. Speech like paradox, oxymoron, paradox, and juxtaposition express the characters even more, as they are constantly on this rise if life's next challenge. Helping hand Friar Laurence uses both juxtaposition, and paradox, saying their love to the terrible fall it might create. he...
Words: 716 - Pages: 3
...Testing the Waters : Relationships in Of Mice and Men and Romeo and Juliet “Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything.” This was said by Muhammad Ali talking about how being in relationships, romantic or not, are not something that is black or white. There are no rules that state what is right or wrong, or what can and cannot be done. The main characters in John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men represent the love found in a friendship. George and Lennie are best friends who travel together to find work in order to earn enough money to make their dream of owning their own land come true. In Soledad, California,...
Words: 1275 - Pages: 6
...Fleeting Love In Act 2 of the tragic play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, two star-crossed lovers begin their whirlwind romance. After meeting Juliet at the Capulet party, Romeo Montague confesses his love to her, and despite his awkward, somewhat unconventional confession, Juliet’s reciprocated feelings are also revealed, and the two are married the next morning. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the ever-oblivious Romeo, his new cousin-in-law, Tybalt, sends him a letter demanding a duel. Time plays a menacing force in the play, and drives the protagonists to rush their relationship. Two acts of the play pass in just two days, creating fast-paced action The sun and the moon, two opposite celestial beings, are destined to chase each other, falling into a cycle, never managing to truly catch the other. In this way, the orbs are similar to Romeo and Juliet, who face an obstacle at every turn in their dizzying...
Words: 693 - Pages: 3
