Juliet didn’t even know about Romeo until the end of the party. When she first learns about the party her mother tells her that Paris wants to marry her. To this she replies : ‘ I look to like , if looking liking move but no more deep…gives strength to make it fly.’ This quote means that Juliet will look at Paris to see if just seeing Paris will make her like him but she will give him no encouragement then her mother would allow. She then instantly also falls in love with Romeo whilst dancing with Paris. When Juliet first hears about the banishment of Romeo she cries and cries her family thinks that she is crying over the death of Tybalt her cousin. Whilst she is crying, her father arranges her marriage to Paris. Juliet does not want to marry him as she is already married to Romeo. She goes and sees the friar for help and he gives her a drug that makes everyone think that she is dead but she is only sleeping for 24hours. During that time the friar sends a message to Romeo to tell him of the plan but the message never gets there.
Juliet’s funeral is held and she is buried in the tomb.
When she comes around she sees that Romeo is over her and not breathing she then realises that he had poison. She takes his dagger and stabs herself.
The characters suicide brings the Capulet and Montague families together.
Friar Lawrence:
Friar Lawrence played a big part in the play. He was the one that married Romeo and Juliet thinking that the families will both reconcile. He is a kind priest who gives advice to both of the teenagers through out the play. When Romeo got banished the friar helped Romeo and Juliet spend their first night as husband and wife together. Friar Lawrence also sent Romeo letters telling him about Juliet. Juliet came to the friar for help when she found out that she was marrying Count Paris. The friar brings the fate about the play in simple words he causes most of the things to happen. If it was not for the friar then the whole play would fall apart.
Mercutio:
Mercutio is the funny comical character throughout the play. He was the one that suggested to gate crash the Capulet party. He is always making jokes and teases. He makes fun of Romeo when he finds out he is in love. He is Romeos friend and the Princes cousin. He also makes fun of Tybalt.
As Mercutio dies he says: a plague a’ both houses they have made worms meat of me’ this means that as Mercutio was dying he cursed both of the families as he blamed both for his dead and that they killed him and as he is buried he will be worms food.
Action and Structure
Particular scenes fit together at different times for example the prologue at the beginning fits with the act 5 scene 3 when the chorus says: ‘doth with their…nought could remove’ this particular sentence means that the feud between both families was ended by the death of both Romeo and Juliet. This comes together in a later scene (act 5 scene 3) because the head of both household reconcile: ‘rise her statue…by her lady’s lie’ this sentence means that Lord Montague will make a statue of Juliet in gold and lord Capulet will do the same of Romeo so they can stand side by side.
Another scene that connects together is Act 3 Scene 1: a plague a’ both houses’ Mercutio recites this line just as he is going to die. It is believed that Mercutio blames both household for his death.
The scene that connects with this is Act 5 scene 3 where both teenagers are found dead. I feel that this connects with the previous mentioned scene as losing your children is a curse.
Themes
There are three themes of the play but the main one is the forcefulness of love which I will describe.
Romeo and Juliet is the most famous love story in England. Love is the most dominant theme throughout the play. The play uses romantic love in the play. Love is an intense that replaces all other values and responsibilities. Throughout the play the love-struck teenagers disobey their family and their friends. Juliet disobeys her family name: ‘deny thy father refuse thy name or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love and I’ll no longer be a Capulet’ when Juliet says this she means that she would rather lose her name then her true love. Romeo leaves friends Benvolio and Mercutio in order to see his wife to be Juliet.
Romeo also risks his life when coming back to Verona (after being exiled to Mantua for killing Tybalt) to see his ‘deceased’ wife Juliet. If he was found in Verona he would be killed as the Prince of Verona said: ‘else when he is found that hour is his last.’ This means that if Romeo his found in Verona he will be killed.
Historical context
In the 16th Century things were very different compared to the 21st century.
England in the 16th century was run by Queen Elizabeth I the average man had no vote and his wife had no rights. England in the 16th century was mainly white race country. It was not till the early 20th century when other races started to come to England.
Religion
England was a Christian country. The religion was very strict. It was compulsory for everyone to come to church and if they were absent without a good reason they could be fined. Everyone was baptized soon after they were born. Marriages were only performed by the licensed clergy. It was the same with funerals.
Education
Only boys were allowed to go to school whilst girls had to stay home and learn to cook, sew and perhaps music. At the age of four boys might have gone to a ‘petty school’ (French for petite ecole) and at seven they would have started grammar school if their fathers could pay the school fees.
