1. Characters and Family Associations
“ROMEO & JULIET”
Characters and Family Associations

2. ROMEO AND JULIET BACKGROUND
Setting
Characters
Montague Family
Capulet Family
Neutral Characters

3. SETTING FOR ROMEO AND JULIET
15TH Century
Verona, Italy
Play takes place over a 5 day period
Two families feuding: Montagues and Capulets
Montague family symbolizes nobility and old money
Capulet family symbolizes new money (rich merchants) infringing on nobility
Some also interpret the families representing the Catholic and Anglican churches and their feud in England

4. CHARACTERS Dynamic Characters Static Characters
These are characters that mature and change over the course of a play or a novel
Romeo and Juliet are the two dynamic characters
Static Characters
These are characters who do not change over the course of a play
All of the other characters in the play are static
Lord Montague, Lord Capulet and Lady Capulet change regarding the feud at the end of the play, but it is too late.

5. MONTAGUE FAMILY Romeo Only son of Lord and Lady Montague
Very Romantic as his name suggests
Passionate and sensitive
In love with the idea of love, until he meets Juliet and discovers true love
In love with a different girl when the play opens
Likeable and popular in Verona
True gentleman
Becomes self-confident
A man of action

6. MONTAGUE FAMILY Lord Capulet Lady Capulet Benvolio Romeo’s Father
Enjoys the feud with the Capulets (Fault)
Loves his son deeply, wants to know what is troubling him
Lady Capulet
Romeo’s mother
Hates the feud
Loves son deeply, dies of a broken heart when Romeo is banished
Benvolio
Romeo’s cousin
Romeo’s best friend and a good friend
Has a reputation throughout Verona as an honest, kind and trustworthy person
Reliable and sensible

7. CAPULET FAMILY Juliet Only daughter of Lord and Lady Capulet
Young and beautiful
She loyal
Nurse is her only friend
Practical: balcony scene is an example
At first obedient, then takes charge of her own life
Idealistic: She thinks love can overcome all her problems
Transforms from a girl to a woman throughout the course of the play.

8. CAPULET FAMILY Lord Capulet Lady Capulet
Wealthy and likes to be well-thought of
Wants everything his way
Strained relationship with his wife
Lady Capulet
Bitter and guarded
A young mother
Does not know how to relate or talk to Juliet
My be having an affair with Tybalt

9. CAPULET FAMILY Nurse Tybalt Juliet’s nurse and best friend
Says what she thinks even if it isn’t appropriate
Loves to plot and plan
Does not understand the depth of love between Romeo and Juliet
Abandons Juliet when she needs the nurse most
Tybalt
Hot-headed
Full of hate
Embodies the feud

10. NEUTRAL CHARACTERS Friar Lawrence Mercutio Catholic
Means well, tries to settle feud
Loves nature
Loves Romeo like son he can’t have
Understand’s lover’s problems and changes him
Mercutio
Witty and sarcastic
Center of attention
Clever and intelligent
Jokester of the play
Fiery and excitable
One of the top swordsman in Verona
Loyal to Romeo despite not understanding his feelings
Related to the Prince

11. NEUTRAL CHARACTERS Prince Escalus Paris
Understands the seriousness of the feud
Tries to end the feud
Symbolizes law and order and/or Royalty
Takes his share of the blame at the end
Paris
Honorable
Wealthy
Handsome
Related to the Prince
Unwelcome party in love triangle
We see his love for Juliet at the end of the play