Write about the play 'Romeo and Juliet', showing that you understand some of the literary traditions and some of the social and historical background to the play. Include a comment on how the language of Shakespeare's time affects our language today.
Romeo and Juliet Write about the play 'Romeo and Juliet', showing that you understand some of the literary traditions and some of the social and historical background to the play. Include a comment on how the language of Shakespeare's time affects our language today. 'Romeo and Juliet' was written in 1595 and the plot was taken from Arthur Brooke's poem 'Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Iuliet' of 1562. It is set in Verona and Mantua, Italy, several centuries earlier than 1595. English people of Shakespeare's time regarded Italy as an immoral country famous for illicit sexual affairs and violent crime. Shakespeare depicts Italy thus, with duels, street fights and feuds between opposing families. There were no police to enforce law and order, but the Prince of Verona could decide the fate of criminals and others - often death or exile. Daughters belonged to their fathers, wives to husbands. Fathers and husbands could dispose of their women as they chose. Arranged marriages were normal practice, particularly for the wealthy, and husbands were selected from a range of possible suitors. Daughters obeyed their fathers' wishes whether they liked it or not and romantic love was not the basis of marriage which is why the feelings that Romeo and Juliet shared were not only forbidden but unusual for that day and age. Like all of Shakespeare's plays, 'Romeo and Juliet' contains and
What are your impressions of the opening scene in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet?
What are your impressions of the opening scene in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet? The Prologue The prologue is the first thing that is said in the play, and it's point is to tell you what the play is about. It is written in sonnet form giving a brief outline of the play, that is the first four lines are leading you into the play, setting the scene, giving you the background information you need so you can understand the play. This is so the first scene is not spent describing life up until that point. The rest of the prologue is spent telling you what you should expect in the play, this is so you can understand it better when it happens. Then on the last line it says, "What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend." This means that what you have not understood from the prologue, the play shall try to explain, again this is a reason for the prologue. You have the basic outline in the prologue but it is explained fully in the actual play, so in the end you come out with a better overall understanding. Act One, Scene One The play begins straight away with two of Capulet's servants, Sampson and Gregory. The two are in good spirits, joking of how they are far more brave and superior to the Montague's, the Capulet's sworn enemy. Then two more servants enter, from the house of Montague, insults are flying around so the mood becomes very tense, and all it needs is a spark
Comment on various sorts of love in the play 'Romeo and Juliet. How does Shakespeare use language to reinforce these feelings?
Romeo and Juliet Comment on various sorts of love in the play 'Romeo and Juliet. How does Shakespeare use language to reinforce these feelings? Romeo and Juliet, a tale of two 'Star-crossed' lovers, is similar to any modern-day, magazine featured love story. It features a typical teenage romance, which is destined for tragedy. Take West Side Story or even Grease; they all thrive around the same plot. William Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet in the 16th Century. It is set in the 12th Century in the thriving city of Verona amongst the hate of two rival families; The Capulets and The Montagues. The plot intertwines itself around different types of love and ends with an act of truelove. Only through the young lover's death do the two feuding families finally shake hands in a sign of reconciliation. Throughout the play Romeo and Juliet depend on one another as a source of support and love. One prime example of this is of Juliet and her nurse. This type of love is also featured at the beginning of the play between Romeo and his cousin, Benvolio. Throughout the beginning of Act 1 Scene 1 both Lord and Lady Montague (Romeo's parents) and Benvolio show concern toward how Romeo has been behaving. They describe him as being 'tearful' and 'unsociable'. Benvolio then shows himself as a close, sensitive friend to Romeo. He talks to Romeo sympathetically even though he has been pushed
What changes can you observe in Romeo's language and behavior once he has fallen for Juliet and left behind his infatuation for Rosaline?
What changes can you observe in Romeo's language and behavior once he has fallen for Juliet and left behind his infatuation for Rosaline? The name Romeo has become the synonym of a lover in popular culture, but as we may see from the play, Romeo's relation to love is not so simple. At the beginning of the play, Romeo pines for Rosaline, proclaiming her a goddess upon the earth who no women can ever be compare to, but after he meets Juliet his love matures from the shallow desire to be in love, to a profound and intense passion. At the beginning Romeo places Rosaline on a pedestal, raising her above all human beings. His feelings aren't of love for Rosaline, but love of the situation where he is in love, he feels sorry for himself, locks himself out of the world: Montague: Many a morning hath he there been seen, With tears augmenting the fresh morning's dew, Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs: But all so soon as the all-cheering sun Should in the farthest east begin to draw The shady curtains from Aurora's bed, Away from light steals home my heavy son, And private in his chamber pens himself; Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out And makes himself an artificial night: Black and portentous must this humour prove, His love is almost hateful, he doesn't speak of love a wonderful tender thing but as a rose that "pricks like thorn", and he is
Is the love between Romeo and Juliet true?
Is the love between Romeo and Juliet true? In the classic tragic tale of Romeo and Juliet we appose the question "was the love true between the two characters?" There are many scenes in the play that show the compassion and understanding of Romeo and Juliet's love. This compassion could be mistaken for infatuation, love at first sight, or something more meaningful such as destiny. This tragic play is written by William Shakespeare, in the 16th century and this beautifully demonstrates how people of the opposite sex act towards each other. The strong character-Romeo is part of the Montague family, willing to fight for his family and the people he loves. Juliet is part of the Capulet family; her character is seen to be very sensitive and alone as she was neglected by her parents and so was raised by her nurse. There has been an existent feud between the two families for years. Therefore a dilemma was presented as the result of Romeo and Juliet's passionate love. The dilemma is that both lovers do not want to disappoint their respective families, nor do they want to disappoint each other. In the relationship between Romeo and Juliet, a lot of romance is involved and is exemplary of their true love too. Juliet is incredibly anxious and eager to get married to Romeo even though she knows her family could never accept him into the family. This shows the strong bond they had and
Romeo & Juliet
Romeo & Juliet Many people consider a tragedy to be a play or story, which includes an element of death and disaster, the play Romeo and Juliet fits into this category. With their fate already mapped out, Shakespeare ends the secret love affair of Romeo and Juliet with their deaths. The tragedy has a didactic purpose; Shakespeare wants the audience to learn how to avoid making the same mistakes as the characters. Shakespeare cleverly begins the play with a prologue, which sets the scene for the rest of the play. The prologue tells us about an "ancient grudge" between two families and how only the deaths of "star-crossed lovers", one from each enemy, could end the feud. This brief revelation of the plot of the play allows the audience to concentrate on how and what led to the two lovers deaths instead of a surprise ending with death. The fact that the prologue is written as a sonnet emphasises the theme of love. A sonnet typically uses very elaborate and poetic language and this can be seen in the prologue, such as "their death-marked love". However this also creates a theme of violence and death, which carries on throughout the rest of the play by mentioning "civil blood makes civil hands unclean" and "their parents rage", it sets the scene for the rest of the play. The opening scene of the play is in complete contrast to the prologue. We go from a sonnet describing love in
The Modern setting of 'Romeo and Juliet' is an extreme change to the original version. The director & producer Baz Luhrman introduces a modern setting of full violence in only the first scene of the film
'Romeo & Juliet.' (Year 10 Media Assignment) The Modern setting of 'Romeo and Juliet' is an extreme change to the original version. The director & producer Baz Luhrman introduces a modern setting of full violence in only the first scene of the film. The first scene is set in a very modern American city. The first shot is a TV screen with a lady reading a short script which gives you a ruff idea of what the film is about, this is also known as the prologue. The prologue is spoken differently in this modern version of the film the prologue is read as a news documentary. A female is sat at a desk with a modern news background behind her. She reads the prologue but showing that the prologue is not an act in anyway she shows no enthusiasm, tone or emotions in her voice. The words spoken in the prologue are: "Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge to break new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean, from forth the fatal lions of these two foes, a pair of star-crossed lovers take their lives Whose misadventure piteous over throws, Doth with their death bury their parent's strife, The fearful passage of their death marked love, And the continuous of their parents rage, Which but their children's end nought could remove, Is now the two hour traffic of our stage" To someone who has never read the
![What structures and devices would I incorporate in my own productionof "Romeo and Juliet" [Act II. Scene II.].](https://mbt-essays-prod-public.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/47808/listing/47808_1.jpg)
What structures and devices would I incorporate in my own productionof "Romeo and Juliet" [Act II. Scene II.].
What structures and devices would I incorporate in my own production of "Romeo and Juliet" [Act II. Scene II.] I have chosen to do a modern version of "Romeo and Juliet;" it will be set in the 21st century. I have decided to use all the language in the original play but create my own settings, use up to date clothes and a collection of music. I am going to relate to the text and use my own interpretation of the text to present the balcony scene (act2 scene2). I have chosen to set the balcony scene in a theatre as I want to make sure that my ideas are purely my own. I feel that the recent version of "Romeo and Juliet" (featuring Leonardo Dicaprio and Claire Danes) would influence my ideas if I'd decided to run my production as a film. I also feel that it's more challenging running "Romeo and Juliet" as a theatre production as I've never seen a proper stage production of the play. Since the nineteenth century, Juliet has been portrayed as an archetypal, ruined virgin, a naïve, innocent, young beauty who has been ravished before our eyes, first by life and then by death. Juliet is a spirited, lively girl with a mind of her own. She has even been described as a 'mellow dramatic, heroine' as she plays her life as if she were watching it on stage. After researching Juliet's character and looking at different ways in which people have interpretated her character, I have decided
What do we learn about Romeo and Juliet in Act 2 Scene 2? Do we see a change in their characters in the rest of the play?
What do we learn about Romeo and Juliet in Act 2 Scene 2? Do we see a change in their characters in the rest of the play? The play 'Romeo and Juliet' is a tragic tale written by William Shakespeare, and is set in Verona, Italy. The play is about two "star-crossed" Lovers from rival families. Juliet, a Capulet and Romeo, a Montague. The families have been in conflict for many years, but despite this, Romeo and Juliet fall in love, and marry in secret. The two feuding families are finally brought together through the "death-marked love" of Romeo and Juliet. Act 2, Scene 2, takes place soon after the Capulet party (Act 1, Scene 5), and is the famous balcony scene of the two lovers. It is one of the few romantic scenes in the play. This scene contrasts with the violent, and disturbed ones that have taken place before it. The night sky, stars and moon under which the lover's declarations are made to one another, and the beautiful and evocative language used create the romantic atmosphere. In Act 2, scene 2, When Romeo begins to speak of his love for Juliet; the words that he uses are very similar to the earlier portrayal of his love for Rosaline. He uses courtly love language and images: He describes Juliet as being so radiant that she outshines the torches in Act 1, scene 5, "O she doth teach the torches to burn bright." He continues to speak of Juliet's beauty in Act 2,
Give anaccount of the rôle of Friar Laurence in the play “Romeo and Juliet”.
Give an account of the rôle of Friar Laurence in the play "Romeo and Juliet" Romeo and Juliet was written (most probably) between 1594 and 1596, when Shakespeare himself would be just over thirty years old - old enough to see the events in perspective, and young enough to understand. His understanding extends beyond the characters of his hero and heroine: it includes the Nurse - garrulous, bewildered, and panic-stricken. And it takes in Mercutio, with all his vitality, as well as Friar Laurence, who (although things go sadly wrong) is motivated by the best intentions in the world - to make peace, and to use love to conquer hate. Friar Laurence appears in all of the following scenes: * Act II Scene III * Act II Scene VI * Act III Scene III * Act IV Scene I * Act IV Scene V * Act V Scene II * Act V Scene III The Friar is a friar of the Order of Saint Francis, and a herb-gatherer and herbalist, which is his immediate role. His good intentions in fact precipitate the tragedy. Shakespeare was himself an actor, and he is likely to have played the part of Friar Laurence in this poem, rather than that of Romeo. Friar Laurence's part in this poem is very small, but it is his quick thinking in times of crisis that alter the whole outcome of the story, and this makes him a very important character. Nearly all of the characters look up to him, and seek his advice. We know that
