Romeo and Juliet GCSE Coursework

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ALI MOHSEN

ENGLISH COURSEWORK:

ROMEO AND JULIET ESSAY

The tragic play called “Romeo and Juliet” was written by William Shakespeare. The play was produces at about 1595. William Shakespeare was born in Stratford upon Avon in April, 1564. He was the third child of john Shakespeare and Mary Arden. In December, 1582, William Shakespeare marries Ann Hathaway. Their first child was baptized on May 6th 1583 and twins, Hamnet and Judith, on Friday 22nd 1585. Not very much is known about William Shakespeare only that he wrote around 40 plays.

“Romeo and Juliet” is still relevant today because nowadays there is a lot of romantic and teenage love. Some people would be interested in reading this play.

In this essay I will be summarising the play, talking about arranged marriages, love, giving the views of Juliet, Capulet, Lady Capulet and the Nurse. I will also be talking about the theatre that Shakespeare used for Romeo and Juliet.

The plays of Shakespeare, during his lifetime, were performed in stages in private theatres, provincial theatres and playhouses. His plays were acted out in the yards of inns and in the great halls of the London Inns of court. The Globe Theatre is the most well known theatre that is to do with Shakespeare. The theatre that was used for “Romeo and Juliet” was the Fortune Theatre. The outside measurement of the Fortune Theatre, which was built in 1600 to rival the new globe theatre, was 8 square feet. The stage stuck out into the yard so that the actors came out close to the audience. There was a roof over the stage and doors on either side where the characters entered or disappeared. Over the back of the stage there was a gallery which was used whenever an upper scene was needed, like when Romeo climbs up to Juliet's bedroom. The space under the upper stage was known as the tiring house; it was hidden away from the audience by a curtain which would be drawn back to show an inner stage which was used for Juliet's tomb.

The Montagues and the Capulets are the two most important families in Verona. Romeo is a Montague, but Juliet is a Capulet and their families are enemies. Romeo loves Chaste Rosaline. When he finds out that Rosaline has been invited to Capulets banquet, Romeo disguises himself and goes to the banquet. Romeo sees Juliet and falls in love with her, little does he know that their families are enemies. They see each other at Juliet's window. They meet in secret and decide to get married. Romeo encounters Tybalt, they fight; Romeo kills Tybalt then flees to Mantua. Capulet orders Juliet to marry Paris within three days. She fakes a suicide. In Mantua, Romeo finds out about Juliet's death. He doesn’t receive Friar Lawrence’s letter. He decides to die beside her. Paris sees Romeo breaking into Capulet’s crypt, they fight beside Juliet's body, Paris is killed. Romeo drinks poison and dies. Lawrence comes to wake Juliet and sees the carnage. Juliet grabs Romeo’s dagger, kisses him and stabs herself.

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In “Romeo and Juliet”, a lot of fore-shadowing takes place. Fore-shadowing is when the audience is told what will happen in the play before it even happens. That is what the prologue is; it is read out at the beginning of the plat. It catches the audience’s attention.

The background to act three scene five is where Juliet has been ordered to marry Paris.

“Marry my child, early next Thursday morn, the gallant young and noble gentlemen, the county Paris at saint Peters Church…” (Lady Capulet to Juliet)

Obviously Juliet refuses to marry Paris because she wants ...

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