Pre+1914+Drama

__Romeo and Juliet:__

We will be focusing on Act 3 Scene 5 but will still need an understanding of the whole play.


 * //__ The Basics... __//**

//
 * __Romeo and Juliet__** // is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright ** William Shakespeare ** about two young " star-cross'd lovers ” whose untimely deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with // Hamlet //, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal (typical) young lovers

The play starts with a street brawl between ** Montagues ** and ** Capulets **. The ** Prince of Verona ** intervenes and declares that further breach of the peace will be punishable by death. Later, ** Count Paris ** talks to ** Lord Capulet ** about marrying his daughter, but **Capulet** is wary of the request because ** Juliet ** is still only thirteen. **Capulet** asks **Paris** to wait another two years and invites him to attend a planned Capulet ball. After the brawl, ** Benvolio ** talks with his cousin ** Romeo **, **Lord Montague**'s son, about Romeo's recent depression. Benvolio discovers that it stems from unrequited love for a girl named ** Rosaline **, one of **Lord Capulet**'s nieces. Persuaded by **Benvolio** and ** Mercutio **, **Romeo** attends the ball at the Capulet house in hopes of meeting **Rosaline**.
 * Lady Capulet ** and **Juliet's nurse** try to persuade Juliet to accept Paris' courtship.

However, **Romeo** instead meets and falls in love with **Juliet**. After the ball, in what is now called the "balcony scene", **Romeo** sneaks into the Capulet courtyard and overhears **Juliet** on her balcony vowing her love to him in spite of her family's hatred of the **Montagues**. **Romeo** makes himself known to her and they agree to be married. With the help of ** Friar Laurence ,** who hopes to reconcile the two families through their children's union, they are married secretly the next day.


 * Juliet's ** cousin ** Tybalt **, offended that **Romeo** had sneaked into the Capulet ball, challenges him to a duel. **Romeo**, now considering **Tybalt** his kinsman (Family), refuses to fight him.
 * Mercutio ** is incensed by Tybalt's insolence, as well as **Romeo's** "vile submission" (Romeos’ submission to Tybalt) and accepts the duel on **Romeo's** behalf.
 * Mercutio ** is fatally wounded and **Romeo**, angered by his friend's death, pursues and slays (kills) **Tybalt**. The Prince exiles **Romeo** from Verona for the killing. He also adds that if **Romeo** returns, "that hour is his last".


 * Lord Capulet **, misinterpreting **Juliet's** grief, agrees to marry her to **Count Paris** and threatens to disown her when she refuses to become Paris's "joyful bride". When she then pleads for the marriage to be delayed, her mother rejects her.

Romeo secretly spends the night in Juliet's chamber, where they consummate their marriage.
 * Juliet ** visits **Friar Laurence** for help, and he offers her a drug that will put her into a death-like coma for "two and forty hours". **The Friar** promises to send a messenger to inform **Romeo** of the plan, so that he can rejoin her when she awakens. On the night before the wedding, she takes the drug and, when discovered apparently dead, she is laid in the family crypt.

The messenger, however, does not reach <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 9.75pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-armenian-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-currency-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-default-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-greek-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-latinext-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Romeo  and, instead, he learns of <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 9.75pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-armenian-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-currency-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-default-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-greek-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-latinext-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Juliet 's apparent death from his servant <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 9.75pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-armenian-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-currency-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-default-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-greek-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-latinext-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Balthasar . Grief-stricken, <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 9.75pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-armenian-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-currency-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-default-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-greek-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-latinext-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Romeo  buys poison from an apothecary (like a pharmacist) and goes to the Capulet crypt. He encounters <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 9.75pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-armenian-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-currency-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-default-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-greek-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-latinext-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Paris  who has come to mourn <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 9.75pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-armenian-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-currency-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-default-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-greek-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-latinext-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Juliet  privately. Believing <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 9.75pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-armenian-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-currency-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-default-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-greek-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-latinext-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Romeo  to be a vandal <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 9.75pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-armenian-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-currency-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-default-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-greek-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-latinext-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Paris  confronts him and, in the ensuing battle, <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 9.75pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-armenian-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-currency-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-default-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-greek-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-latinext-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Romeo  kills <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 9.75pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-armenian-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-currency-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-default-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-greek-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-latinext-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Paris . Still believing <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 9.75pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-armenian-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-currency-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-default-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-greek-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-latinext-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Juliet  to be dead, he drinks the poison. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 9.75pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-armenian-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-currency-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-default-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-greek-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-latinext-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Juliet  then awakens and, finding <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 9.75pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-armenian-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-currency-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-default-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-greek-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-latinext-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Romeo  dead, stabs herself with his dagger. The feuding families and the Prince meet at the tomb to find all three dead. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 9.75pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-armenian-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-currency-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-default-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-greek-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-latinext-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Friar Laurence  recounts the story of the two "star-cross'd lovers". The families are reconciled by their children's deaths and agree to end their violent feud. The play ends with the Prince's elegy for the lovers: <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.75pt; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Arial; mso-armenian-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-currency-font-family: Arial; mso-cyrillic-font-family: Arial; mso-default-font-family: Arial; mso-greek-font-family: Arial; mso-hebrew-font-family: Arial; mso-latin-font-family: Arial; mso-latinext-font-family: Arial;">

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; msoansilanguage: EN; text-align: center;">** "For never was a story of more woe ** __House of Capulet__ ** <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; msolist: Ignore;">· **<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; textunderline: none;">Montague **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> is the patriarch of the house of Montague. <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; msolist: Ignore;">· **<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; textunderline: none;">Lady Montague **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> is the matriarch of the house of Montague. <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; msolist: Ignore;">· **<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; textunderline: none;">Romeo **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> is the son of the Montagues, and is the play's male protagonist. <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; msolist: Ignore;">· **<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; textunderline: none;">Benvolio **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> is a cousin, and friend, of Romeo. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">
 * Than this of Juliet and her Romeo” **
 * __ Character List __**
 * **<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; textunderline: none;">Capulet **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> (Lord) is the patriarch of the house of Capulet.
 * **<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; textunderline: none;">Lady Capulet **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> is the matriarch of the house of Capulet.
 * **<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; textunderline: none;">Juliet **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> is the daughter of the Capulets, and is the play's female protagonist (main character).
 * **<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; textunderline: none;">Tybalt **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> is a cousin of Juliet, and the nephew of Lady Capulet.
 * **<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; textunderline: none;">The Nurse **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> is Juliet's personal attendant and confidante.
 * **<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; textunderline: none;">Rosaline **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">, a niece to Lord Capulet, is an unseen character with whom Romeo is in love before meeting Juliet
 * __House of Montague__**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">__Ruling house of Verona__ **
 * **<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; textunderline: none;">Prince Escalus **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> is the ruling Prince of Verona
 * **<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; textunderline: none;">Count Paris **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> is a kinsman of Escalus who wishes to marry Juliet.
 * **<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; textunderline: none;">Mercutio **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> is another kinsman of Escalus, and a friend of Romeo.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> __Others__ **
 * **<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; textunderline: none;">Friar Laurence **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> is a Franciscan friar, and is Romeo's confidant.
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">A Chorus **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> reads a prologue to each of the first two acts.
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Friar John **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> is sent to deliver Friar Laurence's letter to Romeo.
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">An Apothecary **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> reluctantly sells Romeo poison.

__The Context:__

Find out the context in which the play was written and add it to the discussions page.