Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Romeo and JulietbyWilliam Shakespeare Act 1

Act I, scene i - Summary • Deliberately opens with a full-scale riot to illustrate the extent of the feud • Montague servants argue with Capulets • Tybalt challenges Benvolio to a fight • The citizens all join in to try to stop it • Prince Escalus declares these ‘civil brawls’ must end on ‘pain of torture’ and on ‘pain of death’

The Servants • Crude and bawdy: “I am a pretty piece of flesh” • A shock as it is far from the love story we expect • Filled with masculine pride: “I strike quickly being moved” • Introduce the theme of conflict and goad each other to fight: “Quarrel I will back thee” • They reveal how deeply the conflict has established itself – from lords to the serving men

Benvolio • Sensible:“part fools you know not what you do” – he knows there will be consequences to this brawl • Peace keeper:“I do but keep the peace” • Brave: Will defend himself when Tybalt attacks • Honest: account of the fight is truthful • Good friend:“I’ll know his grievance or be much denied”

Tybalt • Benvolio describes him as, “The fiery Tybalt” • Aggressive:“Peace? I hate the word” • Threatening:“look upon thy death” • Hot-headed: immediately provokes a fight: “have at thee coward!”

Veronese Society • Important as shows how society regards the feud • Officer cries: “Down with the Capulets! Down with the Montagues” • Regards them both as being equally to blame • Animosity towards the two families • He asks the citizens to “Strike, beat them down.” • Prince describes Verona as: “cankered with peace” – it is usually peaceful

Capulets • Lord Capulet: • Hot-headed and ready for fight: “Give me my long sword, ho!” • Masculine Pride: offended that: “Old Montague is come/ And flourishes his blade in spite of me.” Sounds similar to the serving men (“Do you bite your thumb at us sir?”) • Love: Poor relationship with Lady Capulet who mocks him: “A crutch a crutch! Why call you for a sword?”

Montagues • Lord Montague is ready to fight,too • Regards Lord Capulet with contempt: “villain” • Lady Montague reveals love for her husband • Holds on to him to prevent him from fighting: “Hold me not, let me go” • Tries to stop him with kinder words: “thou shall not stir one foot to seek a foe.” • They are loving parents: • Concerned about the whereabouts of their son: “O where is Romeo? Saw you him today? • Want to help understand Romeo’s melancholia: “Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow”

Prince • Angry with families: “Rebellious subjects” • Uses rich language: “Purple fountains issuing from your veins” – suggests intelligence • Upset and angry: “moved Prince” – he cares • Lenient in the past allowing “three civil brawls” • Implements harsh law of “torture” and “death” – strong and values peace • Asks Capulet and Montague to speak to him: “To know our further pleasure” suggesting he will reason with them

Introduction to Romeo • Insight into Romeo’s character before on stage • Benvolio’s language changes from plain to romantic when talks of Romeo - suggests this is how Romeo speaks • We learn that Romeo: • likes to be alone: “most sought where most might not be found” • cries “tears augmenting the fresh morning’s dew” • locks himself in his room during the day “private in his chamber pens himself” • is secretive: “to himself so secret and so close”

Romeo – Hero? • Sad and time drags: “sad hours seem long” • Self indulgent, focusing on himself and makes Benvolio work hard to find out what is wrong • Over dramatic:“love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs” • But… • Self aware:“Tut I have lost myself, I am not here./ This is not Romeo, he’s some other where.” • Romeo is not usually like this – there is hope for our hero! Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Romeo and Love • Shock: he is in love with ‘Rosaline’! • She symbolises Romeo’s tendency to fall in love easily and his readiness to BE in love • Painful view of love: “tyrannous and rough” • Unrequited love: sad because he is: “out of her favour where I am in love” • In love with being in love: • Doesn’t really know Roseline and makes superficial observations of her beauty: “she’s fair I love” • Not genuine love as he moves quickly from discussion of love to: “Where shall we dine?” • Speaks in rehearsed rhymed couplets – learned and artificial

Romeo and Conflict • Peaceful: “O me what fray was here, yet tell me not for I have heard it all” • Angry and disappointed that there has been another fight • Mirrored in his language – oxymorons to show confusion: “o brawling love, o loving hate” • Suggests the feud is caused by trivial reasons:“O any thing of nothing first create” • He regrets the absence of love in the Montagues and Capulets’ dealings with each other: “Here’s much to do with hate, but more wit love.”

Conflict • Evident from the beginning of the scene • It draws all levels of society; young and old • Dramatic as the fight ensues very quickly • Prince describes: “Three civil brawls bred of an airy word” • This fighting involves innocent civilians • Has happened before • Caused due to trivial reasons

Masculine Honour • Sexual and physical bravado of the serving men introduces the strong theme of masculine honour • A man must defend his honour if he feels it has been offended, whether verbally or physically • This crosses all social levels from Lords to serving men • This notion of ‘honour’ will be partly responsible for the subsequent tragedy Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Love and Conflict • Love and conflict are linked • Vulgar references to “tool” and “naked weapon,” creates link with sex and violence • Romeo uses battle imagery when describing Roseline: “She will not stay the siege of loving terms / Nor bide th’ encounter of assailing eyes.” • Structure of scene is divided into conflict (1st half) and love (2nd half) to demonstrate how closely intertwined love and hate can be • Ominously anticipates the play’s conclusion when the love of Romeo and Juliet is destroyed by the feud Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Dramatic Tension • The sudden switch from the comic banter of the servants to a potentially life-threatening situation demonstrates the quick movement to conflict • The peaceful actions of Benvolio are destroyed by the quick-tempered Tybalt changing the atmosphere from harmony to hatred within a few lines • The uncertain nature of the play wrenches the characters and audience into and out of pleasure and pain – creates a dramatic and unsettling feel Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Why is this scene important? • Dramatic - contrasts to elevated nature of the Prologue and quick change from peace to conflict • Introduced to important characters: • Romeo, Benvolio, Montagues, Capulets, Prince, Servingmen, Citizens • Romeo – shocked by his moody nature • Introduced to important themes: • Conflict: plunged into a fight and we see the extent and nature of the feud • Love: family, friendship, romantic • Masculine Pride – cause of conflict Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Writing Task • Write a short paragraph, summarising your first impressions of Romeo • What kind of character does he appear to be? • What adjectives would you use to describe him? • Try to include a short quote which you think illustrates your interpretation of his character Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Act I, Scene ii - Summary • Paris asks Capulet for Juliet’s hand in marriage • Capulet initially reluctant to give consent because Juliet is so young: “My child isyet a stranger in the world,” • Finally, he agrees to the match if Paris can gain Juliet’s consent: “get her heart” revealinghis consent to is influenced by her wishes • Romeo and Benvolio find out about the party and decide to gatecrash! Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Conflict • Scene begins with Lord Capulet accepting that both he and Montague are obliged to keep the peace: “Montague is bound as well as I” • He also states that they are wise enough to keep the peace: “’tis not hard, I think,/For men so old as we to keep the peace.” • The scene offers the audience hope, but Paris notes that the Montagues and Capulets have “lived at odds so long” Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Paris • Paris is persistent in his pursuit of Juliet • Capulet reveals he has asked to marry her before: “But saying o’er what I have said before” • Paris is pushy arguing that: “Younger than she are happy mother made” • BUT, he is also a model suitor: well-to-do relative of Prince and courteous toward Capulet • He complies with social convention in his public proposal of marriage whereas Romeo woos her in secret • Unlike Romeo who quickly moves from loving Rosaline to Juliet, Paris remains constant Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Marriage • Juliet is thirteen, yet is considered for marriage • Capulet suggests Paris wait two more years: “Let two more summers wither in their pride” • He thinks too many women are ruined as they are married too early: “too soon marred are those so early made” • It is a decision Capulet can make for Juliet, but he suggests he wants her to have a say in her marriage: “My will to her consent is but a part.” • He says he wants her marriage to be based on love: “woo her gentle Paris, get her heart” Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Capulet • Our initial view of Capulet is sympathetic • seems to regret the fight • gives Juliet a choice in who she marries and • has lost all his other children • However, there are suggestions that he may not be thinking solely of Juliet • speaks in rehearsed rhymed couplets • His status in life will depend on Juliet and as he has no other children: “she is the hopeful lady of my earth” • He will not wish her to make a poor choice in marriage Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Juliet • Although we have not met Juliet, Shakespeare emphasises her age • She is a teenage girl poised between childhood and adulthood • This highlights that Juliet is a very young tragic heroine who is forced to mature extremely quickly during the course of the play Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Fate • Capulet has planned a traditional masquerade feast • He dispatches a servant to invite a list of people to the feast, but Peter cannot read • He happens upon Romeo and Benvolio • He asks them to help him read the list • Rosaline’s name is on the list causing Romeo to attend • Benvolio thinks it will be a perfect opportunity for Romeo to see other women • SO, is this crucial decision to go to the partyt just bad thinking, fate at work or luck? • This chance meeting contributes to a sense of inevitability that Romeo and Juliet are destined to meet Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Love • A business-like view of love is seen in the marriage market – two men bartering over Juliet • Benvolio regards love flippantly and suggests Romeo forget Roseline by looking elsewhere: “one fire burns out another’s burning” • Romeo still regards love as painful: “Shut up in prison, kept without my food” • The swift change from Romeo’s melodramatic language to his casual greeting of Peter: “Whipped and tormented, and – Godden good fellow”, suggests it is not genuine love • Romeo describes his feelings for Rosaline through religious imagery he has learned from poetry books • His borrowed images of love as a religious quest suggests that he is in love with an ideal, not a real person Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Importance of the scene • Paris is introduced as Capulet’s choice for Juliet • Juliet’s role as a young woman, with no social power, is introduced (she will be passed from the care and control of one man to another) • It is made clear (implicitly) that her father has the power to force her if he chooses – he is implying that he will not force her at the moment • The power of social structures (the family) are already showing their influence over the fate of individuals • Fate seems to be pushing the lovers together Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Writing Task • Writing task: Write a short paragraph describing your first impressions of Capulet • What kind of father does he appear to be? • Find a short quote(s) which you think illustrate his feelings for his daughter at this point in the play • Are there any suggestions that he may not be entirely thinking of Juliet? Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Act I, Scene iii - Summary • Another short scene introducing Juliet, her mother, and the Nurse • Lady Capulet calls Juliet to her, and asks what she thinks about being married to Paris • Juliet confesses it is something she is not interested in but will try to like him if it is what her mother wants • We learn of the affectionate relationship between Nurse and Juliet and the cold relationship between Juliet and her mother Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Female view of Love • So far we have seen the male view of love • Paris considers marriage as a business proposition • Capulet dangles Juliet before Paris as a prize possession • Romeo is in love with the idea of being in love • Now we are to have the reactions of the women • Nurse, Lady Capulet, and Juliet reveal different attitudes towards love and marriage • The Nurse reveals an uninhibited attitude towards sex • This is contrasted with Lady Capulet’s material view of marriage • While Juliet is innocent of love Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Lady Capulet • Lady Capulet’s relationship with Juliet is distant and cold • She expects Juliet’s complete obedience in agreeing to the marriage and orders her: “Nurse, where’s my daughter? Call her forth to me.” • Nurse contrasts to Lady Capulet as her reflections on Juliet reveal great intimacy and affection • Lady Capulet considers Juliet to be old enough for marriage, feeling little sympathy for her position, (even though her own marriage seems lacking in love) • She gave birth when she was younger than Juliet • She concentrates on the marriage to Paris as bringing increased social status and wealth observing: “So shall you share all that he doth possess.” • Lady Capulet sees he is a socially advantageous match for the family, rather than a match made through love Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Juliet and Sexuality • The Nurse’s reminiscence about Juliet learning to walk anticipates her move towards sexual maturity • When Juliet fell over learning to walk, the Nurse recalls that her husband noted bawdily: “Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit.” • Such comments help depict Juliet as an adolescent on the threshold of womanhood • It also reinforces the idea that Juliet has been objectified as a marriage commodity since birth Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

The Nurse • The Nurse interrupts constantly, making bawdy remarks and seems unable to get to the point • Her coarser outlook on life acts as a contrast to Juliet’s youthful innocence • It becomes clear that the Nurse has taken more to do with Juliet’s upbringing than her mother has • Nurse regards marriage as a physical relationship and reinterprets Lady Capulet’s line that marriage increases a woman’s wealth and status as referring instead to the way in which marriage increases a woman through pregnancy • She is a comic character Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Juliet • Juliet is clearly reluctant to marry as she says demurely: “It is an honour that I dreamt not of.” • Juliet is obedient and agrees to go to the party, look upon Paris, and ‘look to like’ him (try to like him) if this is what her mother wants • Neither her mother nor her Nurse addresses the romantic concept of love that Juliet harbours • Juliet’s attitude anticipates her rebellion against her parents later in the play; as the gap between Juliet and her family widens • Juliet’s view of love also points to the spiritual quality of her love for Romeo, untainted by economic and sexual concerns Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Three female characters • Lady Capulet: flighty, ineffectual, controlling of her daughter • The Nurse: vulgar, but devoted to Juliet, and instrumental in her upbringing • Juliet: at first, appears acquiescent, but with a quiet strength hinted at in her speeches Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Why is this scene important? • It introduces the second title character, and we get our first impressions of her (sweet, biddable, obedient?) • BUT she displays sense, intelligence and strength of character in handling the Nurse • Introduces the notion, through the Nurse’s story, that Juliet has been destined to be given away in sex/marriage since birth Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Act I, Scene iv - Summary • Romeo, Benvolio, and Mercutio, all wearing masks, are on their way to the feast • Mercutio mocks Romeo, and his romantic pretensions, by using blatantly sexual metaphors • Mercutio delivers his Queen Mab speech which suggests a dark view of mankind and of love • The scene ends with Romeo’s sense of foreboding – he fears some ill fortune will come from this night Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Mercutio and Love • Mercutio contrasts to the lovestruck Romeo and the peaceful Benvolio - he is a witty and quick-tempered skeptic • Mercutio teases Romeo for his love melancholy by sarcastically using conventional images of love: “You are a lover, borrow Cupid’s wings / And soar with them above a common bound.” • Mercutio is an anti-romantic; for him, love is a physical pursuit, which he emphasizes through his bawdy wordplay: “If love be rough with you, be rough with love / Prick love for pricking and you beat love down.” • Mercutio’s repeated references to the sexual aspect of love casts Romeo’s transcendent love for Juliet in a more spiritual light Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

The Queen Mab Speech • Shows Mercutio at his best – clever, punning, teasing • His wild speech and flights of fancy show a man of excess • Mercutio does not believe that dreams foretell the future • He suggests Queen Mab brings dreams to humans as a result of their worldly desires and anxieties • Lawyers dream of collecting fees and lovers dream of lusty encounters; the fairies merely grant wishes • In juxtaposing lawyers and lovers, soldiers and fairies, he shows the more negative image of life • Contrasts love/hate, fantasy/reality, idealism/cynicism • Dark descriptions dominate his speech as we see with of the bloodthirsty image of the soldier who dreams of “cutting foreign throats” and that he sees love as a base and often corrupting force Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Fate • Romeo’s final speech anticipates his meeting with Juliet and creates an atmosphere of impending doom which undercuts the festivities • He foretells a date with destiny • The heavy tone of this premonition is far more serious than the shallow melancholy Romeo has so far expressed • The cosmic imagery of “some consequence hanging in the stars” echoes the Prologue in which Romeo and Juliet are presented as “star-cross’d” lovers, whose destinies are tragically interlinked Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Task • This scene continues and reinforces the notion of ‘fate’ determining lives • Romeo reveals that his mind ‘misgives some consequence, yet hanging in the stars’, and that ‘this night’s revels’ will offer ‘some vile forfeit of untimely death.’ • WRITING TASK: • Why does Shakespeare introduce this atmosphere of impending doom even before Romeo and Juliet meet? • What is the effect of this dramatic technique? Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Act I, Scene v - Summary • Romeo sees Juliet and falls in love with her instantly • He declares that he has never loved until that moment (Rosaline is forgotten instantly) • Tybalt recognises Romeo’s voice and swears he will avenge this insult • Romeo and Juliet kiss confirming their reciprocated feelings of love • However, they also discover that they are from opposing households and recognise the grave consequences of their love Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Youth/Age • The theme of youth versus old age is evident in this scene through Capulet’s memories of his youth • The reminiscence with his cousin about the masques they danced in as young men emphasises his position as an old man past his “dancing days.” • This contrasts with the youth and vitality of Romeo and Juliet Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Genuine Love • Romeo believes that he can now distinguish between the artificiality of his love for Rosaline and the genuine feelings Juliet inspires: “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight / For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.” • He speak spontaneously and comments on Juliet’s personal beauty • This is ‘love at first sight’ Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Imagery • Romeo’s use of imagery from this point on is genuine as he moves away from the inflated, rehearsed and overacted descriptions of his love for Rosaline • His imagery describes Juliet as a source of light, against the darkness: “she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night” – she offers hope in this dark world • Romeo has often sought sanctuary in the dark, (he locked himself away in his room and shut the windows to create an “artificial night”) • Juliet transports him from the dark into the light • Their first conversation is an extended religious metaphor which implies that their love is spiritual and pure Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Juliet’s Strength • Their interaction provides an insight into how their relationship will develop • Romeo is the instigator of the first kiss - Juliet simply stands still and lets him, but • She instigates the second kiss proving herself self-assured, sharpwitted and resourceful in getting him to kiss her again • She says to Romeo ‘You kiss by th’ book’ – indicating that she recognises Romeo’s tendency to mimic the forms of love but also reveals how skilfully he kisses Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Sonnet • They speak just 14 lines to each other before their first kiss • Rhyme scheme ABABCDCDEFEFGG – a perfect, idealized sonnet form (often used for love poetry) and the same rhyme scheme as the Prologue • Elevates their love • Links the lovers as one as they speak together in one poetic form • Ironic juxtaposition of sonnets: • Prologue (tells us they are going to die) • Their 1st meeting (they fall in love and set the whole train of events in motion) Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Conflict • Such expression of true love never lasts long within this feuding society • The threat of violence immediately interrupts the romantic atmosphere created by Romeo’s sonnet when Tybalt recognises Romeo’s voice and wants to kill him then and there • He is forced to endure Romeo’s presence due to Capulet but vows that he will not let this pass • The play explores not only the conflict between the two feuding families but also the conflict within the families and across the generations Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Capulet • Old Capulet insists that Tybalt does nothing about Romeo as this will ruin the party • He also indicates that he likes Romeo, ‘Verona brags of him/To be a virtuous and well-governed youth’, and will not have him harmed in his house • However, he shows his ability to act pleasantly while being angry at the same time - we cannot always trust his words Created by Maureen Meeke and Claire Donaghey

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare