THE TRAGEDY OF ROMEO AND JULIET William Shakespeare

THE TRAGEDY OF ROMEO AND JULIET William Shakespeare

PLOT v A tragedy of star crossed lovers who due to feuding families are doomed to die instead of flourishing in their love.

SETTING v Verona, Italy during the 14 th or 15 th century

HOUSE OF MONTAGUE v Montague is the patriarch of the house of Montague. v Montague's wife is the matriarch of the house of Montague. v Romeo is the son of Montague, and the play's male protagonist. v Benvolio is Romeo's cousin and best friend. v Abram and Balthasar are servants of the Montague household.

HOUSE OF CAPULET v Capulet is the patriarch of the house of Capulet. v Capulet's wife is the matriarch of the house of Capulet. v Juliet is the 13 -year-old daughter of Capulet, and the play's female protagonist. v Tybalt is a cousin of Juliet, and the nephew of Capulet's wife. v The Nurse is Juliet's personal attendant and confidante. v Peter, Sampson and Gregory are servants of the Capulet household.

RULING HOUSE OF VERONA v Prince Escalus is the ruling Prince of Verona v Count Paris is a kinsman of Escalus who wishes to marry Juliet. v Mercutio is another kinsman of Escalus, and a friend of Romeo.

OTHER CHARACTERS v Friar Laurence is a Franciscan friar, and is Romeo's confidant. v A Chorus reads a prologue to each of the first two acts. v Friar John is sent to deliver Friar Laurence's letter to Romeo. v An Apothecary who reluctantly sells Romeo poison.

SUMMARIZATION OF EVENTS PT. 1 v Romeo attends the Capulet ball in hopes of meeting Rosaline. v Romeo instead meets Juliet where he falls in love with her. v Romeo sneaks the Montague’s orchard where he hears Juliet vowing her love to him despite the hatred of their families. v Romeo shows himself and they agree to get married.

SUMMARIZATION OF EVENTS PT. 2 v Romeo and Juliet get married next day from meeting. v Tybalt challenges Romeo to duel which he declines so Mercutio accepts the challenge. v Mercutio is fatally wounded when Romeo tries to break up the fight. v Romeo kill Tybalt and is exiled with the threat of exections if he returns to Verona.

SUMMARIZATION OF EVENTS PT 3 v Capulet agrees to marry Juliet to Count Paris and threatens to disown her if she refuses v Juliet goes to Friar Laurence for help and he gives her a drug to make her go into a dead like coma for 24 hr v Friar Laurence promises to send a message to Romeo to let him know of their plan. v Juliet takes the drug the night before her wedding to Paris.

THE TRAGIC PART OF THE STORY v Romeo doesn’t get the message and is informed by his servant that Juliet offed herself. v So Romeo buys some poison drinks to drink at the Capulet crypt. v He encounter Paris who he kills. v Then drinks the poison only to be found by the waking Juliet. v Juliet stabs herself with Romeo’s dagger. v The lovers are found dead by their families and the Prince mending their hatred.

FORESHADOWING EPIC DOOM v Through the chorus first speech declaring Romeo and Juliet are doomed to die and “star-crossed” v Juliet “my grave is like to be my wedding bed” v The lovers’ thoughts of suicide, as when Romeo threatens to kill himself after killing Tybalt. v Friar Lawrence’s warnings to behave moderately if Romeo and Juliet wish to avoid tragedy: “These violent delights have violent ends. . . Therefore love moderately”

FORESHADOWING PT 2 v The lovers’ mutual impression that the other looks pale and deathlike after their wedding night v Juliet’s faked death by Friar Lawrence’s potion. Romeo’s dream-vision of Juliet kissing his lips while he is dead

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE PLAY v Written in present tense v Point of view that is third person following Romeo and Juliet occasionally used point of view from the servants of both families to illuminate action of their masters. v Theme • The forcefulness of love; love as a cause of violence; the individual versus society; the inevitability of fate

THE END!