William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare

Shakespeare was born in Shakespeare was born in

1564 and died in 1616.1564 and died in 1616.He grew up in a town called He grew up in a town called

Stratf0rd-on-Avon and later Stratf0rd-on-Avon and later moved to London to become an moved to London to become an actor and playwright.actor and playwright.

The PlaysThe Plays

Shakespeare’s plays include Shakespeare’s plays include comedies, histories—and tragedies comedies, histories—and tragedies such as Romeo and Juliet.such as Romeo and Juliet.

Some of his other famous plays Some of his other famous plays include include Julius CaesarJulius Caesar, , HamletHamlet, , MacbethMacbeth, , OthelloOthello, and , and A A Midsummer Night’s DreamMidsummer Night’s Dream..

In addition, Shakespeare wrote In addition, Shakespeare wrote love poems called sonnets.love poems called sonnets.

The GlobeThe GlobeShakespeare’Shakespeare’s plays were s plays were performed in performed in a theater a theater called the called the Globe—Globe—sometimes sometimes called “The called “The Wooden ‘O’” Wooden ‘O’” because of its because of its circular circular shape.shape.

The The reconstructed reconstructed stage of the stage of the

GlobeGlobe

Theaters had no Theaters had no lighting, so lighting, so performances performances took place during took place during the day.the day.

There were few There were few special effects or special effects or props; props; Shakespeare Shakespeare used detailed used detailed verbal description verbal description to paint a picture to paint a picture of his scenes.of his scenes.

Actors and ActressesActors and Actresses In Shakespeare’s time, it was In Shakespeare’s time, it was

considered immoral for a woman to considered immoral for a woman to appear onstage. So the female appear onstage. So the female roles in Shakespeare’s plays were roles in Shakespeare’s plays were performed by young men.performed by young men.

Why we read…Why we read…So why do we still read plays like Romeo So why do we still read plays like Romeo

and Juliet? When Shakespeare’s world and Juliet? When Shakespeare’s world was so different from ours, what can we was so different from ours, what can we learn from his plays?learn from his plays?

Well, the plays are not only great, Well, the plays are not only great, powerful stories—they also teach lessons powerful stories—they also teach lessons about life that apply to people in all about life that apply to people in all cultures and time periods, and those cultures and time periods, and those lessons can help us when we come across lessons can help us when we come across hard times in our own lives.hard times in our own lives.

Romeo and Juliet

By William Shakespeare

SettingThe story is set in the late 1500’s mostly in the town of Verona, Italy. However, there are a few acts set in Mantua, Italy a smaller town just a few miles away.

Timeline

Sunday – Act One

Monday – Act Two

Tuesday – Act Three

Wednesday – Act Four

Thursday – Act Five

Montagues

Capulets

The Feud

Romeo’s family, the Montagues, have a long standing feud with Juliet’s family, the Capulets. While the audience never learns about the source of the ancient quarrel, we do learn that it has recently grown stronger.

Star-Crossed Lovers

“Star-crossed lovers” refers to two people who are in love but have conflicting astrological signs. In Shakespeare’s times, people believed the course of their lives was determined by the exact second they were born.

Comedy and Tragedy

Elements of a tragedy

•Must have a tragic hero/heroine

•Ends in the death of many of the main characters

Romeo and Juliet begins as a comedy but ends as a tragedy

Elements of a comedy

The shift from comedy to tragedy is what sets Romeo and Juliet apart from the rest of Shakespeare’s plays

•A struggle of young lovers to overcome difficulty that is often presented by elders

•Separation and unification

•Heightened tensions, often within a family

PROLOGUE