Romeo and Romeo and JulietJuliet

ByZachary Isaacs

Notes About Romeo and Juliet

• Plot not conceived by Shakespeare

• Dramatization of Arthur Brooke’s narrative poem The Tragicall History of Romeus and Juliet

• Written around 1594

• First printed edition appeared in 1597 in a “bad quarto”

Publishing in His TimePublishing in His Time• Rarely were entire copies of the script available due to cost

• Actors knew own lines and cues only

• Drama not meant to be read as serious literature

• Shakespeare’s plays were printed (often without his permission) in quartos

• Compiled in First Folio (1623)

Gustave Freytag’s Pyramid

• From Die Technik des Dramas (1863)• Divided drama into five parts which

correspond to the five acts• These parts are:

– Exposition (Act I)– Rising action (Act II)– Climax (Act III)– Falling action (Act IV) – Denouement or catastrophe (Act V)

DRAMATIC STRUCTURE

Exposition

• The exposition provides the background information necessary to understand the play.

• The protagonist(s), the basic conflict, the setting, and other dramatic elements are all introduced in this portion of the play.

Exposition in R&J

• Prologue explains the plot; mini-play– “ancient grudge”– “star-cross’d lovers”

• Setting of Verona• Internal and external conflicts• The gravity of Prince Escalus• All characters introduced and developed• Love lives of Romeo and Juliet (Rosaline and Paris)• Foreshadowing (Tybalt’s anger)

Inciting Moment

• The inciting moment is the event that sets the remainder of the story in motion

• Occurs at the end of the exposition (Act I)• In Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex: the oracle• In R&J: the meeting of Romeo and Juliet• Without their meeting at the party, the rest

of the story is impossible

[The Spark]

Rising Action

• Rising action is the period in which events intensify and/or complicate the conflict.

• In Oedipus Rex: Oedipus kills Laius, solves Sphinx’s riddle, marries Jocasta

Rising Action in R&J

• Romeo is enamored of Juliet and pays her a late-night visit

• Act II, Scene II: famous “balcony scene”

• The two make wedding plans

• Act II ends with Friar Laurence about to perform marriage ceremony

It’s complicated…

• Romeo is in love with Juliet, a Capulet

• Juliet understands this (“doff thy name”)

• The Rosaline factor

• Tybalt sends challenge to Montague house

• Nurse and Friar implicated

Climax

• Turning or tipping point• Zenith of tension and emotion• Peripateia: “plot reversal”• Hamartia: “tragic flaw”• Anagnorisis: “tragic recognition”• In Oedipus Rex: Jocasta and Oedipus learn the

truth

“I coulda been a comedy!”

• Without the death of Act III, it is possible that R&J would not end tragically

• Possible second half of play:– Capulets, Montagues, Tybalt, and/or Paris attempt to

thwart marriage ceremony– Romeo and Juliet overcome intervention and

happily marry– Capulets and Montagues reconcile– Others marry (Paris and Rosaline?)

Climax in R&J

• Contrast between Act II, VI and Act III, I

• First sign: death of Mercutio

• Hamartia and peripateia: death of Tybalt

• Anagnorisis: – “And fire-ey’d fury be my conduct now!” (III,I,126)– “O, I am fortune’s fool.” (III,I,138)

Act III by scene

1. Mercutio, Tybalt killed; Romeo banished2. Juliet gets news from Nurse3. Romeo hears from Friar about banishment;

Nurse tells Romeo to meet Juliet4. Paris meets with Capulets to arrange

wedding5. R&J meet; Capulets tell Juliet of wedding

plan

Falling Action

• The falling action is the period after the climax in which the characters deal with the climax and consequences of the climax become evident

• In Oedipus Rex: Jocasta hangs herself and Oedipus blinds himself with her brooches

Falling Action in R&J

• Paris and Juliet are set to marry• Friar gives Juliet sleeping potion and plans

for Romeo and Juliet to run away• Capulet changes date of wedding• Juliet takes potion in her chamber• Nurse goes to fetch Juliet, finds her

unconscious, and assumes her dead• Capulets and others mourn Juliet’s “death”

Denouement

• The denouement (or catastrophe) of a tragedy serves as a conclusion to the story

• Untangling of the plot• Resolution of conflict• Brings about a sense of catharsis for the

audience• In Oedipus Rex: Oedipus gives his children

to Creon and goes into exile

Denouement in R&J

• Balthasar brings news of Juliet’s death of Romeo• Romeo buys poison from apothecary• Friar Laurence finds out from Friar John that Romeo

never received his letter• Romeo kills Paris in Juliet’s tomb• Romeo commits suicide by poison• Juliet wakes to find Paris and Romeo dead and dies by

stabbing herself with a dagger• Friar explains himself• Capulets and Montagues resolve their feud

Mercutio

• Name is evocative of “mercurial,” meaning lively, witty, and unpredictable; suits him well

• Goes from one extreme to the other• Example: Mercutio is stabbed and vacillates between

graveness and lightheartedness– “I am hurt. A plague o’ both your houses” (III,I,91-2)

– “Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch” (III,I,94)

The Nurse

• Breast-fed and raised Juliet• Serves as a motherly figure, confidante, and

messenger• Provides comic relief• Offers practical alternative to Juliet’s

idealistic view of love

Other Characters

• Benvolio: acts as a moderator when Romeo and Mercutio debate; foil to Romeo

• Capulet: stock character of the angry father

• Prince: represents law and order

Themes

• Moderation vs. excess

• The nature of love

• Fate vs. personal responsibility

Theme of Moderation

• Aristotle’s belief in the necessity of moderation is found in Nicomachean Ethics

• Moral virtues are found between extremes of action (golden mean)

• For example, generosity is the moral virtue found between a deficiency (stinginess) and an excess (prodigality)

• Found in Eastern philosophy: the Buddhist “middle way” is meant to avoid extremism

The Friar

• Embodies Aristotle’s concept of the “golden mean”• Acts as a foil to Romeo, who represents youth’s

impatience, haste, and short-sightedness• Preaches the values of moderation

– “Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast” (II, IV,90)

– “Therefore love moderate; long love doth so.

Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.” (II,VI, 14-5)

– “Uneven is the course. I like it not.” (IV,I,5)

Immoderate Romeo

• Dotes on Rosaline• Quickly falls in love with and marries Juliet

(Rosaline who?)• Slays Tybalt after condemning fighting• Views banishment as death• Refuses to listen to Friar’s counsel:

– “O, then I see that mad men have no ears” (III,III,61)

• Fights stranger (Paris) in the tomb• Commits suicide right before Juliet wakes

Extreme Juliet

• Falls in love with Romeo immediately• Describes her love as “boundless” and “infinite”• Requires that Romeo’s “purpose” is “marriage”• Ignores Friar’s offer to hide her with nuns• Prepared to die if she cannot live with Romeo:

– “If all else fail, myself have power to die” (III,V,242)

Love

• Fickleness (Romeo and Rosaline?)

• Romeo and Juliet have love at first sight

• Love is inhibited by both families

• Arranged marriage

Who’s to blame?

Circumstances/Fate

• Doomed from the prologue

• Not responsible for family feud

• Romeo does not provoke Tybalt or Paris

• Unable to change their destiny (like Oedipus?)

• Accidents (errant letter, Mercutio)

The Friar

• Performs secret wedding ceremony hoping to end feud (he succeeds)

• Gives sleeping potion to Juliet

• Aids and abets banished Romeo

• Conceives plan for Romeo and Juliet’s new life in Mantua

“Juliet and Her Romeo”

• Go against their parents’ wishes

• Operate in secrecy

• Ignore the advice of counselors like the Friar and Nurse

• Are ultimately responsible for their actions because they have free will (murder, suicide)

Thank you

QUESTIONS?COMMENTS?