William

Shakespeare’s
Romeo and Juliet
An Introduction
April 14
 Background
 Born in 1564 in a small English town called
Stratford-upon-Avon.
 He grew up during the Elizabethan Era

2
 Background
 Shakespeare entered the world of theater as a
principal actor, playwright, and manager.
 He was part owner of the Globe Theater, one of the
main theaters in London during this time.

3
 Master of Vocabulary
 In less than 25 years Shakespeare wrote 38 plays,
154 sonnets, and several other poems.
 He used between 25,000 and 29,000 different
words in his works. The entire King James Bible
used 6,000.

4
 Sonnets
• Four parts: Three Quatrains, each having its own
rhyme scheme and a rhymed couplet

• Quatrains are four lines of poetry that rhyme

• Couplets are two-lined rhymes
• Rhyme Scheme is the pattern of end rhyme in a
poem
• The typical rhyme scheme of a Shakespeare poem is
abab cdcd efef gg

5
 Romeo and Juliet
 It’s a tragedy- but is it the most tragic love story
ever told?
 Modeled after Aristotle’s Tragic Hero
• Person is of high status or importance

• Usually has a flaw

• Events that lead to a hero’s downfall are connected

• Hero realizes what has happened and quickly falls to

their demise
• Hero’s fall destroys the hero and all those around
them

6
 Sonnet 116
So what does Shakespeare really think?
• True love:
• does not ask the other to change (Quatrain 1)
• remains even through the toughest of situations
(Quatrain 2)
• looks at the inner beauty of a person and doesn’t
go away with age (Quatrain 3)
• Prove me wrong and I’ll never write again, and no
man will ever love again (Couplet)
 Songs
Inspired by Romeo & Juliet
Directions:

• Each partner will read through a song and answer

the two questions as you read.
• YOU WILL HAVE 4 MINUTES
• Next, you will share your responses with your
partner using evidence from the text to justify you
answers
• You will each have 2 minutes to share...
• Finally, both of you will answer the Drawing
Conclusion Questions 1-3.
• You will have 4 minutes to complete
 The Prologue
• Homework tonight will be to read The Prologue and
answer the questions.

• The Prologue of every Shakespearean play basically

tells the audience the plot of the entire play. It is
usually sung by the Chorus.

• Let’s take a look...

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.
 From forth the fatal
loins of these two foes,
A pair of star-cross’d
lovers take their life.
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

During the 1300s, in the northern Italian

city of Verona, two kids from families that
hate each other fall in love.
The families have been fighting for so long,
they don’t remember why the fighting
started. This is called a feud.
Romeo belongs to the House of
Montague.
Juliet belongs to the House of Capulet.
Juliet’s family wants her to marry Count
Paris, a relative of the Prince of Verona.
Romeo and Juliet have other plans that
get destroyed because of their families’
feud.
The “star-cross’d lovers” would rather
die then live without each other.
 Romeo
Montague (Father)

Balthasar (Romeo’s
Benvolio (Romeo’s cousin) Servant)
Lady Capulet (Juliet’s Mother)

Nurse Juliet
(Raised
Juliet)

Tybalt (Juliet’s cousin) Capulet (Juliet’s Father)

 Friar
Lawrence

Paris (Most
preferred Mercutio (Cousin of
Prince Escalus suitor of Juliet, Prince Escalus and
(Prince of Verona) relative of the Romeo’s best
Prince) friend)
 Romeo and Juliet = Drama
A story acted out in the form of a play
Includes the following elements:
• Acts, setting, characters, plot, conflict, &
climax

Unlike a movie filmed in very realistic

settings, a stage play has to use artificial
means to bring drama to life.
• All the action is spelled out in a script (the
written form of a play).
 Look For…
Dialogue
• The words that the characters speak
Stage directions
• Are the instructions and other
information for staging the play
• Usually in parentheses ( ) or brackets
[ ] and written in italics
 Staging
The act of putting on a play that includes all
the elements that bring drama to life:
• Scenery, props, costumes, makeup,
lighting, visual effects, music, sound
effects, directing, and acting.
 Dialogue Vs. Stage Directions
Scene 1. [Verona. A public place.]
Stage
Directions

Enter Sampson and Gregory, with swords and Bucklers,

of the house of Capulet
Dialogue
Sampson. Gregory, on my word, we’ll not carry coals.
Gregory. No, for then we should be colliers.
 Community Circle
NORMS: Mutual Respect, Active Listening, No Put-Downs

Topic: To me love means…

Is this love you describe capable of changing?

10 pts. Answer both questions in complete sentences using textual evidence

5pts. Answer one question in complete sentences using textual evidence
 Why Shakespeare?
Illumination of the human experience
Great stories
Compelling characters
Ability to turn a phrase
Infinite and worldly influence
 Why Romeo And Juliet?
His most famous play
Considered greatest love story ever told
Complexity of the characters
Resonating tragedy
Relatable and timelessness