Romeo and Juliet: settings

Verona
POINT: The result of the play is justified yet unclear
EVIDENCE: In fair Verona where we lay our scene - Prologue
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE): Double entendre of the adjective fair
EXPLAIN: The ambiguity of the adjective provokes tension. The connotations of fair are
beautiful or validated reasonably.
+ CONTEXT: The law in Elizabethan times was considered fair and absolute.

POINT: The events that take place are all in the eyes of the public.
EVIDENCE: Verona. A public place
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE): Stage direction and adjective public
EXPLAIN: The adjective public emphasises the dishonour on both families caused by their
feud
+ CONTEXT: Conflict was a taboo subject during the Elizabethan period

POINT: The events that occurred affected all the citizens of Verona
EVIDENCE: thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE): Juxtaposition of disturbed and quiet
EXPLAIN: The connotations of quiet are peace and a lack of conflict which emphasises how
the familys feud has changed that and thus affected all the citizens of Verona
+ CONTEXT: Feuds were usually private affairs and to publicise them was dishonourable
Garden/ Balcony
POINT: The orchard walls are a symbol of the barrier created by the family feud
EVIDENCE: The orchard walls are high and hard to climb
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE): Alliteration in the adjectives high and hard
EXPLAIN: This reference to Romeos difficulty getting to Juliet signifies the restriction of their
relationship.
+ CONTEXT: The security of wealthy families was considered crucial during the Elizabethan
period.

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POINT: Their surroundings creates a romantic surrounding
EVIDENCE: That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE): Metaphor of being decorated with silver by the moon
EXPLAIN: The connotations of silver being a precious metal and therefore beautiful and
thus creates a romantic surrounding
+ CONTEXT: The moon was a reference to the Queen which adds to the idea of beautiful
surroundings from her beautiful jewellery (?)

POINT: Their summer setting represents their new forming love

EVIDENCE: This bud of love, by summers ripening breath
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE): Personification of summer
EXPLAIN: The connotations of ripening are new forming and fresh starts and thus signify
their new love.
+ CONTEXT: Summer was also considered the season of fertility during Elizabethan times

Romeo and Juliet: themes

Family
Point: The only thing that could stop the conflict would be for someone to impartially die
Evidence: Their death doth bury their parents strife chorus, prologue
Technique: Forsees death of characters, chiasmus (death & bury)
Explain: The families feud will die with the lovers
Context:
- Prologues act as a preface to the play, and to introduce themes, ideas & settings

Point: Romeo treats the Capulets as family, even though it isnt mutual
Evidence: Love thee better than thou canst devise Romeo to Tybalt 3:1
Technique: Dramatic irony audience knows what R really means, but T doesnt
Explain: Romeos extending his love of Juliet to her family, as he sees Tybalt as cousin-in-law
Context:

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 -

Point: Lady Capulet and Juliets relationship isnt maternal, more tough love
Evidence: What, wilt thou wash him from his grave with tears? LC 3:5
Technique:
Explain:
- Do you think that your tears going to bring Tybalt back to life?
- Shows that to LC, everything must have something beneficial come from it
- LC and Js non-maternal relationship is evident
- LC thinks J is mourning over Tybalt; however, she is crying about Rs banishment
Context:

Romantic Love

Point: The fact that they come from rival families doesnt prevent their love for one another
Evidence: That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet Juliet 2:2
Technique: Metaphorical rose represents Romeo
Explain: What matters is who you are, not what your name is. The rose symbolises love and
passion.
Context:
- It is thought to be a joke at the Rose Theatres expense a rival to the globe at the
time.

Point: Romeo has overcome the obstacles only with the power of love
Evidence: With loves light wings did I oerperch these walls Romeo 2:2
Technique: Alliteration, personification (love), metaphor (walls = obstacles), cupid reference
Explain: I flew over these walls with the light wings of love.
Cupid, the Roman God of desire and love, is portrayed to have wings
Obstacles are metaphorically described as walls
Context:

3
 - In 1597, Greek Mythology was still believed to be true

Point: Romeo and Juliets love takes place in darkness (J is represented as light)
Evidence: Loves shadows are so rich in joy! Romeo 5:1
Technique: Juxtaposition (shadows v. joy), personification (love), intensifier so emphasis
Explain: Merely thinking about love gives Romeo joy. Rich emphasises the joy in excess
Context:

- Context for Romeos next soliloquy in which he is resolved for death in the form of a
meeting with Juliet
- They could only meet at night to share true love, in the day J couldnt go out without
a chaperone. She was young and valuable to her family.

Parental Love
POINT: Theme of parental love conveyed by Lady Montague when portraying her deep
concern for the welfare of her son after the brawl between the two feuding families. She
asks Benvolio:
EVIDENCE: O, where is Romeo? Saw you him to-day?
Right glad I am he was not at this fray.
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE): verb
EXPLAIN: archaic word for fight.
+Context
POINT: A theme of parental love is illuminated when Lord Montague makes it clear that he
has been observing his son, taking note of his actions. Truly the acts of a caring father. He
mentions how Romeo had been keeping to himself, closing his curtains and staying in his
room, how he has seen him in tears. He expresses concern for his son's apparent
depression, stating:
EVIDENCE: Black and portentous must this humour prove, unless good counsel may the
cause remove.
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE): portentous is an adjective
EXPLAIN: the adjective portentous implies a large significance. Thus meaning that the father
is clearly making a big deal over the welfare of his son.
+Context

4
POINT: here is very little interaction between Romeo and his parents throughout the play,
but we do learn in Act 5 that they were deeply distraught by Romeo's banishment, so much
so that Lady Montague died on hearing the devastating news. Lord Montague declares:
EVIDENCE: Alas, my liege, my wife is dead to-night; Grief of my son's exile hath stopp'd
her breath:
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE): punctuation
EXPLAIN: pause in punctuation after dead to-night creates a sad effect
+Context

POINT: Lord Montague is utterly overwhelmed by his son's death and on seeing Romeo's
lifeless body wails:
EVIDENCE: O thou untaught! What manners is in this? To press before thy father to a
grave?
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE): exclamation
EXPLAIN: The exclamation emphasises Lord Montague's feeling. thus meaning he genuinely
cares for his son.
+Context
Platonic love
POINT: Romeo and Mercutio share a relationship of platonic love in the play Romeo and
Juliet. This is not like a relationship that Romeo and Juliet share, it is a loving relationship
that is intimate and affectionate but not sexual, like a close friendship. In Act 3 Scene 1
before Mercutios death, Tybalt and Mercutio are about to fight.
EVIDENCE: Romeo says gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE): The adjective gentle highlights that he wants Mercutio to be careful
and to stay safe.
EXPLAIN: This implies that Romeo really cares for Mercutio and does not want him getting
hurt.
+Context: Although this would have made Mercutio look unmanly and may have given him
a bad reputation, Romeo didn't want him to fight because he didn't want Mercutio getting
hurt.
POINT: This kind of relationship is also present between Romeo and friar Lawrence. In Act 5
Scene 3 when Romeo and Juliet have both died, Friar Lawrence is talking to the Prince and
Montague about the two deaths.
EVIDENCE: He says Doth make against me of this direful murder;.

5
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE): The use of the adjective direful, meaning extremely bad or dreadful,
highlights how upset he is about the deaths.
EXPLAIN: This presents how close theyre relationship was as he is extremely upset about it.
These two quotes both suggest that both Mercutio and Friar Lawrence had a close, loving
relationship with Romeo as both deaths brought out the emotions and sadness in the
character story.
+Context:
Unrequited love
POINT: Unrequited love is present between Romeo and Rosalind in the play as Romeo
begins to fall in love with Juliet, rather than Rosalind.
EVIDENCE: Talking to Friar Lawrence, he speaks about the difference in his love between
Juliet and Rosalind saying I pray thee chide not. Her I love no Doth grace for grace and love
for love allow. The other did not so.
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE): ?
EVIDENCE: This quote suggests that Romeo no longer has any interest in Rosalind as he has
now fallen in love with Juliet. Then he says the other did not so shows that the love was an
unrequited love as love was not present between both of them, making it unbalanced love.
+Context:

Physical Conflict

Point: The rivalry between the families was so severe, even exterior parties have taken sides
Evidence: I do bite my thumb, sir Sampson (Capulet servant) 1:1
Technique: .verb bite
Explain: Sampson had no excuse to insult the Montague servants, and is looking to stir up
trouble, but Sampson is too cowardly to own up to his gesture as the law wont
be on his side if it causes a brawl.
Context:
- Biting your thumb was an insulting, immature gesture in Elizabethan England

Point: Romeos dual with Tybalt wouldnt have happened if Mercutio wasnt killed
Evidence: Either thou or I, or both, must go with him Romeo 3:1

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Technique:
Explain:

- Romeo is angry as Tybalt has just killed his best friend

- Romeo is also angry as before Mercutio died, they were arguing
Context:

Point: The two families are still in conflict over their previous generations disputes
Evidence: from ancient grudge break to new mutiny chorus; prologue
Technique:
Explain:

- A long-standing hatred between two families erupts into new violence

- ancient emphasises how long the quarrel has lasted
- breaks has connotations of violence, which refers to the ideas of conflict
Context:
lnternal Conflict
POINT: Theme of inner (physiological conflict) is evident when Juliet discovers her true love.
EVIDENCE: "That I must love a loathed enemy."
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE): must is is a modal auxiliary verb
EXPLAIN: Juliet uses 'must' which indicates that she has no other choice - she loves Romeo
and cannot change the fact. This presents a conflict for Juliet, as she cannot change what
she feels - despite knowing that she should.
+Context

POINT: Romeo portrays inner conflict when comparing falling in love to being wounded.
EVIDENCE: "I have been feasting with mine enemy"
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE):
EXPLAIN:
+Context

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POINT: this is where Juliet has come to terms with the fact that Romeo has been banished
from Verona.
EVIDENCE: "And bid him come to take his last farewell"
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE):
EXPLAIN:
+Context

Societal Conflict
POINT: Shakespeare opens the play with a prologue and it is here that he first depicts the
conflict between the Montagues and the Capulets.
EVIDENCE: Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean."
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE): connotations of fight and rebellion.
EXPLAIN: Shakespeare opens his play with the first line, illustrating the "ancient" grudge
that has been happening in Verona. Shakespeare does this to show that the conflict has
been ongoing and isn't likely to stop. He describes it as "ancient" to illustrate how ingrained
the conflict is with the families - it is a part of their daily lives.
+Context: This is the Prologue and.

POINT: Tybalt believes Romeo to have greatly dishonoured his family when he gate-crashes
the Capulet party. He decides that Romeo must pay and offers to duel with Romeo.
EVIDENCE: "Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me; therefore turn
and draw."
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE): the punctuation of the semi colon emphasises the drama that is
within Tybalt's intentions.
EXPLAIN: This shows that Tybalt believes he has been injured with Romeo's actions. He
commands Romeo to 'turn and draw', taking part in a fight.
+Context

POINT:
EVIDENCE:
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE):

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EXPLAIN:
+Context

Romeo and Juliet: Characters

Lord and Lady Capulet
POINT: Lord and Lady Capulet are head of the Capulet household, the mother of Juliet. In
the beginning of the play they are perceived to the audience as strong willed and dependent
on one another. As when Paris spoke to Lord Capulet About the marriage he wanted to
enforce with his daughter (Juliet), He said that he would have to discuss it with his wife, this
gave the impression that Lord Capulet wanted the thought of his wife meaning he trusted
her opinion and believed she should have a say in her daughters marriage to Paris.
EVIDENCE:
EXPLAIN:
TECHNIQUE (DEVICE):
+Context
POINT: However, later on in the play Lord Capulet ends up enforcing his own decisions as to
what happens to Juliet and what happens for the Capulet family, as he believes hes head of
house hold; like Lord Montague. As he decides that Juliet should marry Paris even though he
had stated

EVIDENCE: she hasn't even lived to her teenage birthday,

EXPLAIN: but after believes she should marry Paris and thats his decision without Lady
Capulet acknowledgment.

+Context:

Mercutio

POINT: Mercutio is known in the play, Romeo and Juliet, as Romeos best friend. He is
presented in the play as persuasive with what happens between the two families. As he
made some false assumptions to Romeo to entice him in to going to the Capulet Ball, even
knowing that both families have hatred for each other. Even though Romeo know going was
a bad idea he was easily persuaded by Mercutio, his best friend, as he saw what could
happen.

EVIDENCE:

EXPLAIN:

TECHNIQUE (DEVICE):

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+Context:

POINT: But later on in the play Mercutio became more violent in the sense that when Tybalt
wanted to fight he was against Romeo for not fighting back; so then took his punch harder
for him. The then caused for a fight and a death in one of both families. Romeo refused to
fight Tybalt because even though no one knows he know he was married to Juliet which
would mean Tybalt is under a relation to him through marriage; so its known that you
cannot fight someone who is fairly to you. Mercutio didn't know this so he stepped in
believing that Romeo had just not fault back because he was scared and not strong enough,
but Mercutio wouldnt be heard of to back down from a battle against the Capulets as he
didn't want to be a coward.

EVIDENCE:

EXPLAIN:

TECHNIQUE (DEVICE):
+Context:

Romeo

Point- The name Romeo, in popular culture, has become almost synonymous with lover.
When we meet Romeo he is head over heels in love with Rosaline and Mercutio like to
make fun of him because of it.
Evidence -Romeo admits his love for Rosaline when he says out of her favour, where I am
in love.
Explain- This quote exhibits Romeo being impulsive towards Rosaline exclaiming he is in
love and at his young age it is obscured that he is admitting to love, when really he doesn't
know what love is.
Context- Romeo has a crush on Rosaline but she has turned him down. He is heart broken
and announces he will never love again.
Point- Romeo loves Juliet and thinks she is very beautiful.
Evidence- O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright
Explain- Romeo meets Juliet and falls instantly in love with her, forgetting about Rosaline.
He is romantic and often rushes into things.
Context- Romeo was head over heels in love with Rosalie but she does not like him and
rejects him, he is heart broken.

Point- Romeo believes he is unlucky.

Evidence- O I am fortunes fool!
Explain- Romeo kills Tybalt after Tybalt kills Mercutio, and Romeo has to run away because
prince Escalus will give him the death penalty if he catches him.
Context- Romeo wants to get along with Tybalt because he will be his wife's cousin and
doesn't want any trouble. Mercutio is Romeos best friend and out of anger Romeo turns.

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Juliet

Point- Juliet is in love with Romeo but needs to be sure of his love.
Evidence: O, swear not by the moon, thinconstant moon, that monthly charges in her
circle orb
Explain- Romeo and Juliet declare their love for each other and Romeo swears by the moon
that he loves her. Juliet says that the moon is always changing and she wants Romeo to
assure her he will always love her
Context- Romeo and Juliet meet at a party and fall in love instantly in love. They become
obsessed with each other.

Point- Juliet is shocked that Romeo killed Tybalt.

Evidence: O, Serpent heart, hid with a flowring face! Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?
Explain- The Nurse comes to tell Juliet that Romeo has killed Tybalt and has been banished.
Juliet says that Romeo is handsome but really he is a bad person.
Context- Tybalt is a Capulet and Romeo is a montage. Their family feud makes them not get
along and Tybalt had been provoking Romeo all along.

Point- Juliet trusts Friar Lawrence to help and advise her when she is very unhappy.
Evidence: I'll to the Friar to know his remedy. If all else fail, I have power to die.
Explain- Romeo has left and Juliet is very upset because she has to marry Paris. She trusts
that Friar Lawrence will think of some solution.
Context- Friar Lawrence married Romeo and Juliet and is a faithful friend to Romeo meaning
Juliet probably feels she can trust him.

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