1. William Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet
Background Notes
William Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet

2. Shakespeare: A brief biography
Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 in Stratford-on-Avon, England to an upper/middle class family.

3. Shakespeare: A brief biography
He learned Latin and Greek history in his grammar school as a child. This would explain the Latin and Greek references in his works.
There is not evidence that Shakespeare continued his schooling after elementary school.

4. Shakespeare: A Brief Biography
In 1582 at the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway who was 26. She was pregnant before they were married.

5. Shakespeare: A Brief Biography
After a few years of marriage, Shakespeare left Stratford-on-Avon and his family for London to pursue his career in acting and writing.

6. Shakespeare: A Brief Biography
Shakespeare wrote and acted with The Lord Chamberlain’s Men. This was an acting troupe that would perform during Shakespeare’s time.

7. Shakespeare: A Brief Biography
It is believed that Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616.
In his will, Shakespeare left his daughters the majority of his wealth and possessions. He left his wife his “second best bed”.

8. Shakespeare: A Brief Biography
The inscription on his tomb states:
"Good friend for Jesus sake forbeare, To dig the
dust enclosed here. Blessed be the man that
spares these stones, And cursed be he that
moves my bones.”
Shakespeare wrote this because in his time,
old bodies were dug up and burned to make
room for new burials. Shakespeare
despised this treatment of bodies, so he
wrote this.

9. Romeo and Juliet and Elizabethan Theater
Shakespeare did not create the story of Romeo and Juliet. In fact, it was done at least twice before.
The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet was written by Arthur Brooke in This is considered Shakespeare’s chief source for Romeo and Juliet.
However, the Roman myth, Thisbe and Pyramus, is also a story with the same plot as Romeo and Juliet.

10. Romeo and Juliet and Elizabethan Theater
Much of Shakespeare’s wealth came from his investment in The Globe Theater.
The Globe Theater was the primary home of Shakespeare’s acting company beginning in late 1599.

11. Romeo and Juliet and Elizabethan Theater
Anyone could attend a performance at The Globe. However, where the person watched it from depended on how much he or she could afford.
Groundlings, or poor people, stood closest to the stage, which cost a penny.
People could pay a $.02 to sit in a seat and another penny for a cushion.
Queen Elizabeth also frequently attended the theater. This time was called The Elizabethan Era.

12. Romeo and Juliet and Elizabethan Theater
Because of the lack of special effects in the Elizabethan Era, the scenery, costumes, and language were used to set the mood for the play.
During the Elizabethan Era, all parts were played by males (even female parts).

13. By William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet
By William Shakespeare

14. Setting
The story is set in the late 1500s mostly in the town of Verona, Italy. However, there are a few acts set in Mantua, Italy a smaller town just a few miles away.

15. Timeline
Sunday – Act One
Monday – Act Two
Tuesday – Act Three
Wednesday – Act Four
Thursday – Act Five

16. The Feud
Romeo’s family, the Montagues, have a long standing feud with Juliet’s family, the Capulets. While the audience never learns about the source of the ancient quarrel, we do learn that it has recently grown stronger.

17. Comedy and Tragedy
Romeo and Juliet begins as a comedy but ends as a tragedy.
Elements of a tragedy
Must have a tragic hero/heroine
Ends in the death of many of the main characters
Elements of a comedy
A struggle of young lovers to overcome difficulty that is often presented by elders
Separation and unification
Heightened tensions, often within a family
The shift from comedy to tragedy is what sets Romeo and Juliet apart from the rest of Shakespeare’s plays.

18. Themes Love The power of love Love as a cause for violence Fate
The inevitability of fate
Hate
Hate as a forced emotion

19. Interesting…
“Star-crossed lovers” refers to two people who are in love but have conflicting astrological signs. In Shakespeare’s times, people believed the course of their lives was determined by the exact second they were born.

20. Verona Today
The Italian city of Verona, where Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet every Valentine's Day.
Verona has an incredible amount of graffiti, which is legal, provided that you are writing about your love for someone.

21. Romeo
Is a Montague
16 years old
Cute, smart, sensitive and romantic

22. Lady Montague
Romeo’s Mom

23. Lord Montague
Romeo’s dad
Worries about Romeo’s sadness

24. Balthasar
Romeo’s servant

25. Abram
Montague’s servant
Fights Sampson and Gregory in the beginning

26. Benvolio Romeo’s cousin & friend
Tries to break-up fights and keep the peace.

27. Juliet
is a Capulet, 13 yrs old
Juliet is very close with the nurse.

28. Lord Capulet
Juliet’s dad

29. Lady Capulet Juliet’s mom
Ineffectual mother- relies on the nurse to “mother” Juliet

30. Nurse Has cared for Juliet since she was born
Vulgar, long-winded, loyal and a confidante to Juliet

31. Gregory & Sampson Servants to the Capulets
Start a fight w/ Montagues at the beginning of the play

32. Tybalt
Juliet’s cousin
Quick tempered

33. Mercutio Related to the prince Good friends W/ Romeo
Believes love is about the physical contact and nothing else.

34. Prince Escalus
Prince of Verona
Related to Mercutio and Paris

35. Count Paris Related to the prince
Preferred by the Capulets to marry Juliet

36. Rosaline
The woman who Romeo is obsessed with at the beginning of the play.

37. The Apothecary Like a pharmacist He sells the poison to Romeo.
Values money more than morals

38. Friar Lawrence Friend to Romeo and Juliet Kind, civic-minded
Secretly marries R & J in hopes that their marriage will end the feud.
He is a Catholic holy man and also familiar with potions and herbs.

39. Friar John
A Catholic holy man