William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet A Tragedy

The Life and Times of William Shakespeare Shakespeare’s Life Little is known about his early life Born April 23, 1564 in Stratford-on-Avon Died April 23, 1616 (on his birthday) Mother-Mary Arden Father-John Shakespeare Little formal education Married Anne Hathaway (8 years older) The “Lost Years”-between 1583-1592 there is little known about Shakespeare Life in London By 1592 Shakespeare had become recognized on the London Stage Wrote 37 plays and numerous sonnets Acted as part of the “King’s Men” and “Chamberlain’s Men” in the Globe Theatre Retired between 1611 and 1613 and returned to Stratford

Shakespeare’s Theatre “The Globe” 5 levels Trapdoor Main stage Balcony Pulleys under roof Musician’s room No profanity used, little scenery, no microphones, 1 actor had 4 or 5 parts Plays often lasted 2 hours Audience: Loved to be entertained Royalty sat up in balcony Groundlings stood in front of stage. Paid 1¢ Actors: No females-female roles played by young men Actors were well trained (speech, dance, fencing, etc.)

Shakespeare’s Tomb Inscription Good friend, for Jesus’ sake forbear To dig the dust enclosed here; Blest be the man that spares these stones, And cursed be he that moves my bones.

Characters in Romeo & Juliet House of Montague Lord Montague Lady Montague Romeo (son) Benvolio (cousin & friend) Balthasar (servant) Abram (servant) House of Capulet Lord Capulet Lady Capulet Juliet (daughter) Tybalt (cousin & nephew) Nurse Peter (servant) Sampson & Gregory (servants)

The Others Prince Escalus (Ruler of Verona) Mercutio (Romeo’s best friend) Friar Laurence Friar John Count Paris (wants to marry Juliet) Apothecary (pharmacist) Character Notes cont.

Romeo and Juliet Setting: 1300’s Verona, Italy Mantua, Italy

Vocabulary Notes ACT: large division of a play. Romeo & Juliet has 5 acts. SCENE: small division of a play. Act I has 5 scenes EXEUNT: plural of exit; several people leave the stage. ANON: soon SOFT: wait ASIDE: comment to the audience other actors can’t hear. FRIAR: priest, monk SOLILOQUY: speech a character gives when he is alone on stage; it is a way for the audience to know what a character is thinking. SHRIFT: confession; a regular part of the Catholic faith. CELL: apartment; the priest’s living space. EXILE: forced by law to live somewhere else. BANISHMENT: the same as exile.

Vocabulary cont. BIER: platform where a corpse or a coffin is placed during a funeral. ERE: before Romeo will visit Juliet ere he leaves for Mantua. NE’ER: never; a contraction. The apostrophe shows where a letter has been left out. VIAL: a small bottle

Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night til it be morrow. O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet These violent delights have violent end