1. Answer the following questions
Why do you think we are still reading a play this old today?
Do you think that the story of Romeo & Juliet could be important to your life today as a teenager?
Why or why not?
Define “tragedy” in your own words
Give an example from real life (from the news, your life, or someone else’s life).
What does “tragic love” mean? Give an example of “tragic love” from stories, movies, or TV shows.
Answer the following questions
In FULL sentences

2. TRAGEDY
An event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress, such as serious accident, crime, or natural catastrophe

3. Conventions of a Shakespearean tragedy
The Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet
By: William Shakespeare

4. Definition of a tragedy
a tragedy can be defined as a serious work with the downfall of an otherwise heroic figure

5. Shakespearean tragedy checklist
Dramatic Work
Play
Serious or somber theme
The first two acts unfold like a classic "comedy"
Dirty jokes, slapstick humor, and lovers struggling to be together
Theme becomes “somber” from the events that occur
Hero has a major flaw of character or conflict with some overpowering force
Long-standing family feud
Hero is destined for destruction or downfall
Prologue
Always ends in death, but promises continuity

7. Exposition – Act i
Describes the mood and conditions existing at the beginning of the play
Time and place will be identified
Main characters introduced, their positions, circumstances, and relationships to one another introduced as well

8. Exciting force
Also sometimes called the complication or initial incident
This is what “gets things going”
Begins the conflict which will continue throughout the play

9. Rising action – act ii
Series of events which lead up to the climax
Provides a building intensity of interest for the audience
Normally involves more than one act

10. Climax – act iii
Represents the turning point of the play
From this point on, the hero moves towards an inevitable end

11. Falling action – act iv
Includes events occurring from the time of the climax to the hero’s death
Actions will show both advances and declines in the various forces acting upon the hero
Falling action events will occur in more than one act

12. Denouement/resolution/Catastrophe – act v
Concerns the NECESSARY consequences of the hero’s previous actions
Will be simple and brief

13. Analysis of writing: Romeo & Juliet
Tone
Writing Style
Romantic, Passionate, Violent
Epic, Passionate, Poetic
Blank Verse
Prose
Commoners

14. Literary Terms for Writing
Aside
Term used in drama and theater
Occurs a character's dialogue is spoken but not heard by the other actors on the stage
Useful for giving the audience special information about the other characters onstage or the action of the plot
Soliloquy
Device often used in drama
Reveals the innermost thoughts of a character
Used to convey the progress of action of the play by means of expressing a character’s thoughts about a certain character or past, present or upcoming event while talking to himself without acknowledging the presence of any other person

15. Blank verse A poem written in unrhymed Iambic Pentameter
Iamb: an unaccented syllable followed by an accented one (da DUM).
Penta: five
Iambic Pentameter is a rhythmic pattern that consists of 5 iambs per line.
/ / / / /
But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?

16. Setting Verona, Italy Setting is vague
Neutral place – Friar Lawrence’s church
Romeo
Masculine world – almost always in the streets
Juliet
Feminine world – almost always in her bedroom

17. Symbolism, allegory and Imagery
Thumb biting
Sex and death
Oxymoron and paradox
Plants and poison
Queen Mab
Light in Darkness
Night
Love
Death

18. Themes The forcefulness of love Love vs. Hate Youth Fate vs. Free will
Individual vs. Society
Love as a cause of violence

19. Major players
The Cast of Romeo & Juliet

20. The montagues The capulets Romeo Montague Romeo’s Dad Lady
Romeo’s mother
Mercutio
Romeo’s
best friend
Benvolio
Romeo’s cousin
The capulets
juliet
Capulet
Juliet’s
father
Lady
Mother
Tybalt
cousin
Nurse
nanny

21. The Peacemakers: The Prince of Verona: Friar Lawrence:
This ruler tries to mediate between the feuding families.
He is pretty tired of all the bloodshed caused by their “ancient grudge.”
Friar Lawrence:
Respected as a holy man by both sides
Would like to see them reconciled
Interested in medicinal herbs too - becomes important later.

22. The Chorus Not a part of the action
A speaker who comes onstage to make comments on the action
As far as the characters know, the chorus doesn’t exist
Purpose is to explain things to the reader