Romeo and Juliet Prologue and ACT I

Prologue and ACT I In the prologue, the chorus primarily functions as a narrator, describing Romeo and Juliet as “star-crossed lovers”. In Act I, scene i, Romeo is struggling with a specific grievance: He is in love with Rosaline, who does not return his love.

“Loving Hate” What does Shakespeare mean by “loving hate”? What literary device is this? Oxymoron: a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction  Shakespeare presents both families: Montagues and Capulets What separates the two families? Is there “loving hate”?

ACT I (continued) Romeo goes to the Capulet’s ball. He read an illiterate servant their invitation and “crashed” the ball. He quickly has eyes for Juliet. Juliet, a Capulet, is 13. Throughout ACT I there is comic relief in this Shakespearean drama. Two characters provide comic relief: Mercucio and Nurse

Line-by-line What does Lady Capulet mean by the following line? “By my count, I was your mother much upon these years that you are now a maid.” She means that she was Juliet’s age when she became Juliet’s mother. To whom is Lady Capulet referring when she says this line? “Verona’s summer hath not such a flower.” Paris