1. Widely regarded as the greatest writer in English Literature

2.  1564-1616  Stratford-on-Avon, England  wrote 37 plays  about 154 sonnets  started out as an actor

3.  Actor for Lord Chamberlain’s Men (London theater co.)  Principal playwright for them  1599> Lord Ch. Co. built Globe Theater where most of Sh. Play’s were performed

4.  Comedies  Histories  Tragedies

5.  Written about 1595  Considered a tragedy  West Side Story (Movie) based on R&J

6.  Plays produced for the general public  Roofless>open air  No artificial lighting  Courtyard surrounded by 3 levels of galleries

7.  Wealthy got benches  “Groundlings”>poorer people stood and watched from the courtyard (“pit”)  All but wealthy were uneducated/illiterate  Much more interaction than today

8.  Stage>platform that extended into the pit  Dressing & storage rooms in galleries behind & above stage  second-level gallery> upper stage> famous balcony scene in R & J  Trap door>ghosts  “Heavens”> angelic beings

10.  No scenery  Settings > references in dialogue  Elaborate costumes  Plenty of props  Fast-paced, colorful>2 hours!

11.  Only men and boys  Young boys whose voices had not changed play women’s roles  Would have been considered indecent for a woman to appear on stage

12.  An,and: If  Anon: Soon  Aye: Yes  But:Except for  E’en:Even  E’er: Ever

13.  Haply:Perhaps  Happy:Fortunate  Hence:Away, from her  Hie:Hurry  Marry:Indeed

14.  Whence:Where  Wilt: Will, will you  Withal:In addition to  Would:Wish

15.  Much of R & J is written in it: ◦ unrhymed verse ◦ iambic (unstressed, stressed) ◦ pentameter( 5 “feet” to a line)  ends up to be 10 syllable lines

16.  Ordinary writing that is not poetry, drama, or song ◦ Only characters in the lower social classes speak this way in Shakespeare’s plays ◦ Why do you suppose that is?

17.  The sequence of events in a literary work

18.  Often called “initial incident” ◦ the first bit of action that occurs which begins the plot ◦ Romeo and Juliet “lock eyes” at the party

19.  The plot usually begins with this: ◦ introduces>>>>  setting  characters  basic situation

20.  The struggle that develops ◦ man vs. man ◦ man vs. himself ◦ man vs. society ◦ man vs. nature

21.  The point where the protagonist’s situation will either get better or worse ◦ protagonist>good guy ◦ antagonist>bad guy

22.  The turning point of the story>everything begins to unravel from here ◦ Thus begins the falling action

23.  The end of the central conflict

24.  The final explanation or outcome of the plot ◦ If this is included in literature, it will occur after the resolution.

25.  Drama where the central character/s suffer disaster/great misfortune ◦ In many tragedies, downfall results from>  Fate  Character flaw/Fatal flaw  Combination of the two

26.  Central idea or >>  Insight about life which explain the downfall

27.  Comparison of unlike things > ◦ Paris standing over the “lifeless body” of Juliet, “Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew…” ◦ “Thou detestable maw…”Gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth…” Romeo

28.  A character whose purpose is to show off another character ◦ Benvolio for Tybalt  look for others in R & J

29.  Characters who have many personality traits, like real people.

30.  One-dimensional, embodying only a single trait ◦ Shakespeare often uses them to provide comic relief even in a tragedy

31.  Characters within a story who remain the same. They do not change. They do not change their minds, opinions or character.

32.  Characters that change somehow during the course of the plot. They generally change for the better.

33.  One person speaking on stage > may be other character on stage too ◦ ex > the Prince of Verona commanding the Capulets and Montagues to cease feuding

34.  Long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage. In R & J, Romeo gives a soliloquy after the servant has fled and Paris has died.

35.  Words spoken, usually in an undertone not intended to be heard by all characters

36.  Shakespeare loved to use them!!! ◦ Humorous use of a word with two meanings > sometimes missed by the reader because of Elizabethan language and sexual innuendo

37.  Words that tell the reader who is being addressed:  “A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit.”  “Ah, my mistresses, which of you all/ Will now deny to dance?”

38.  A contradiction between what a character thinks and what the reader/audience knows to be true

39.  Words used to suggest the opposite of what is meant

40.  An event occurs that directly contradicts the expectations of the characters, the reader, or the audience

41.  Use of comedy within literature that is NOT comedy to provide “relief” from seriousness or sadness.  In R & J, look for moments of comic relief that help “relieve” the tragedy of the situation