William Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet in the 16th century
What can we learn about Elizabethan England when we consider what a performance of Romeo and Juliet would have been like at the Globe theatre in London?
William Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet in the 16th century. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon in 1564 and died in 1616. He married Anne Hathaway when he was 18.
Romeo and Juliet is one of William Shakespeare's most popular and lasting plays. This maybe because of contrasts within the play; intense action combined with a steady flow of jokes and wordplay, on the other hand the strong bond between Romeo and Juliet captures the audiences heart and imagination.
In Shakespeare's time plays were performed in the Globe theatre, this no longer stands, however in its place is a replica building. The stage was in the centre with three tiers surrounding. The theatre its self was open air, as electricity had not been invented yet so natural light was needed, hence all of the plays were staged during the afternoon. This meant the stage was permanently lit, proving a problem when it came to a night scene. This was solved by the use of a huge cloth being hung on one of the walls. One side of the cloth had pictures of a moon and stars, the other with a picture of the sun. One actor would simply turn and point at the relevant side to the time of day. In the area below the stage the groundlings stood. These were the poorer, common people who paid their penny at the entrance to simply go for fun and laugh and cheer loudly at the stream of jokes riddled with sexual innuendo. The higher-class people sat in the upper tiers. Through out the plays they continually fanned themselves, as to try and disperse the smell that rose from the groundlings below.
During Shakespeare's time the prologue played a key part in the opening of the play. As the crowd were loud, the opening of the play had to compete with the noise and aims to settle them as quickly as possible. This is done by a single figure appearing on stage that captures the audience's attention. His second objective is to read what is called the 'prologue'.
This explains to the audience they are in Verona and the city in divided by civil war between two noble families: the Montague's and the Couplet's.
The opening of the play is fast and exciting as to right away gain concentration and interest of the crowd. The reason for the fighting is to show the intensity of hatred between to rival families. The powerful fight also demonstrates the loyalty of the servants to their respective families. During the build up to the fight Shakespeare 'played' with the words to give a second meaning: Sampson who was ...
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This explains to the audience they are in Verona and the city in divided by civil war between two noble families: the Montague's and the Couplet's.
The opening of the play is fast and exciting as to right away gain concentration and interest of the crowd. The reason for the fighting is to show the intensity of hatred between to rival families. The powerful fight also demonstrates the loyalty of the servants to their respective families. During the build up to the fight Shakespeare 'played' with the words to give a second meaning: Sampson who was defending the Capulet family said
"They would not carry coals".
In 16th century England this was seen as a slang insult.
Gregory, servant of the montage family retaliates with,
"No, for then we would be colliers".
A collier being a man who does carry coals. These double meanings of phrases would excite the Elizabethan crowd, although in modern day society the meanings are not as insulting. Gregory then states,
" The quarrel is between our masters and us their men".
He specifically states men, as he believes women should not be involved in the feud. Sampson's views are on the contrary and that gender makes no difference. Once he has fought them men he will the cut off the maids' heads. This is another double meaning, he confirms the heads of the maids, or maidenheads, meaning their virginity, and this would again arouse the crowd.
The fight breaks out, the prince arrives. The role of the prince is to maintain law and order in both the play and the audience. The atmosphere around the prince is tense; his commands are obeyed and in a very short space of time the mood of the play is transformed, high tension now clinches the audience. The prince issues a warning,
"If you ever disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace".
All including the audience obeys the prince; they listen to what he has to say.
Not every Montague shared in the intense hatred for caplets. Romeo Montague was quite the opposite; he was infatuated with Rosaline, a Capulet. However Rosaline did not have an interest in Romeo.
Juliet is introduced before she is seen on stage. This is done as men played all parts, so some background of the character is established before hand to prevent any confusion. As an effort to distract Romeo from his love to Rosaline, he is taken to a masque ball, hosted by the Capulet's. The purpose of the ball is to allow Juliet to meet 'Paris'. Paris was a prospective husband for Juliet, arranged by both their parents. Capulet was so excited by the news Juliet had agreed to marry Paris he moved the ball forward a day to hasten the proceedings. So it can be seen arranged marriages were present and indeed common in Elizabethan England. When Tybalt spots Romeo and his associates at the masque ball, he immediately informs lord caplet of their presents. As lord Capulet does not want to break the piece, Romeo and his party are allowed to leave, without confrontation.
Although lord Capulet is unwilling to part with his daughter, this is because she is all he has left. All he has left, he has had other daughters, but with a high birth mortality rate, loosing children was a part of life. And at only fourteen she is too young to be married and they should wait longer until he sees her fit to be ready.
"My child is yet a stranger to the world, she hath not seen the change of fourteen years, let two more summers wither their pride, ere we may think her ripe to be a bride".
From Paris's next statement we can see young marriages and motherhood were common.
"Younger than she, are happy mothers made".
The parents usually claim arranged marriages protect the child, some parents may mean this but other won't like Capulet he wanted his daughter to marry Count Paris so that he would gain a higher social status, as this was a very big part of Elizabethan life.
Juliet herself is happy to marry as her mother gives consent.
The nurse who looked after Juliet from birth knows her better than Juliet's mother herself. This is taken to the extent that her mother is uneasy being alone with Juliet. The order is given for the nurse to leave.
" Nurse give leave awhile".
Immediately she wants the nurse to return. We can lean upper class families had the money to pay others to look after their children, to the degree that the nurse has a much better relationship with the child in her care, than the mother does.
In this case the nurse is especially fond of Juliet and treats her as her own, as her child, like so many others, died at birth.
"Well, Susan is with god".
This backs-up there was a high infant mortality rate at the time.
The nurse has several roles within the play; she is the link between rich and poor. Many young women went and worked for richer families, acting as a carer of their children, Mainly as it offered a good home. She also acted as a messenger between Romeo and Juliet. The first time she seeks Romeo to discover his intent on behalf of Juliet she becomes a source of humour and ridicule.
Often in Shakespeare's play actors would soliloquize. This is how Romeo discovered Juliet's love for him after the masque ball, in the famous 'balcony scene'.
Friar Lawrence is another important character. He tried to get the two rival families, to unite and end their rivalry. Romeo and Juliet, each from the different families. Romeo asks Friar Laurence to help him wed Juliet, and the Friar has doubts at first about the true intentions of Romeo. When Friar Laurence realizes that the one Romeo wishes to wed is a Capulet, he thinks that their uniting in marriage would lead the families to end their emulation.
"In one respect thy assistant be; for this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households"
Friar Laurence's decision to help the young couple was not unusual, because to form alliances and settle disputes by arranging marriages was common at time.
However, this decision would later prove detrimental to the families' unification because Romeo and Juliet were married without the permission of the parents. By thinking in hurriedness, the Friar tried to mend one problem while creating another.
Friar Lawrence plays a significant role in the plan for Juliet to "sleep." Friar Lawrence calms a frantic Juliet by giving her and telling her to
"Take thou this vial, being then in bed, and this distilled liquor drink though off".
Later, Juliet is uneasy and unsure of the effects of the potion. She hopes that this is only a temporary sleep and not a permanent one. He also tells Juliet that,
"Shall Romeo by my letters know our drift, and hither shall hem come; and he and I shall watch thy waking, and that very night shall Romeo bear thee to Mantua".
Unexpected to both the Friar nor Juliet that such an error would occur, proven to be deadly. Romeo was not able to receive the letter.
Friar Lawrence plays an important rule in the actual deaths of Romeo, Juliet, and Paris. Friar Lawrence is unable to reach Romeo with the news of Juliet's "death." Romeo, thinking Juliet is dead rushes to Verona, but not before buying some fast poison. There he finds his true love in a deep sleep not yet kissed by death. When Juliet awakes, Friar tells her of the unfortunate deaths. Juliet, unable to handle the situation decides to kill herself. Taking Romeo's sword she stabs herself.
Liam McGrath.
