1. Romeo and Juliet

2. Facts Written some time between 1591 and 1595 – He was between 27 and 31 years old Published in two quartos before being published in the First Folio of 1623 – Q1 – 1597 – Q2 – 1599

3. Background and Inspiration Romeo and Juliet is an adaptation of an adaptation… of an adaptation.. – Arthur Brooke’s poem The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet – Ovid’s Metamorphoses Pyramus and Thisbe – Italian roots Giulietta e Romeo

4. Structure Shifts between tragedy and comedy – Hope to despair, reprieve, and new hope Sub-plots – Keep the story interesting

5. Language Sonnets Blank verse – Type of poetry having a regular meter, but no rhyme Iambic Pentameter – Poetic meter Rhythm is measured in “feet” An iambic foot is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (da DUM) Iambic pentameter is 5 of these feet in a row (da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM)

6. More Language Thou/Thy/Thine/Thee= you/yours – Where art thou? = Where are you? – Love thy neighbor = Love your neighbor – With thine own hand = With your own hand – We thank thee = We thank you Wherefore = why I ate the sandwich. I the sandwich ate. Ate the sandwich I. Ate I the sandwich. The sandwich I ate. The sandwich ate I.

7. Tragedy Literary, especially dramatic, representations of serious actions which eventuate in a disastrous conclusion for the protagonist – Aristotle: Protagonist must be an admirable but flawed character Tragedies end in death – Comedies end with a marriage – In love tragedies, death is the consummation of the relationship

8. Themes Love – “…for I never saw true beauty ‘til this night…” – “…parting is such sweet sorrow…” Fate and Chance – “… a pair of star crossed lovers take their life…” – “… some consequence yet hanging in the stars…” – “…he that hath the steerage of my course / direct my sail…”