1. William Shakespeare’s
Romeo and Juliet
A Tragedy

2. 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 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

3. 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.)

4. 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.

5. 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)

6. 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.

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

8. 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.

9. 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

10. 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