William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Romeo and

Juliet

Goal: Build background knowledge about the author and historical time period

William Shakespeare

Life and timesHis works

(plays and sonnets)

Shakespeare today Common Archaic words

April 23, 1564-April 23, 1616Born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon (center of England). It is said that he was born on April 23rd

He was said to have died on April 23rd, 1616

His early years…

Believed that he went to junior school and then on to Stratford Grammar School by the age of sevenRemained in school until about 14, which was normal in Elizabethan Age.

Marriage and family…November 27, 1582, Shakespeare (18) married Anne Hathaway (26)

The couple’s daughter, Susanna, was born on May 26, 1583

Dates???

They had three children Susanna, and twins Judith and Hamnet

“The Lost Years”: 1586-1592

(We are not really sure what he was doing.)

His writing years…Shakespeare became an actor and a playwright by 1592.Lord Chamberlain’s Company—later called the Kings Men when King James came to the throne—Later, Elizabeth I was the royal who really fostered the arts Total of 37 plays and 154 sonnets (14 line poem with a specific rhyme scheme) None of his plays were published until seven years after his death.Shakespeare also coined many words and expressions such as into thin air, catch a cold, too much of a good thing, it was Greek to me, and the green-eyed monster.

His Theater…

The Globe-opened in 1599. Shakespeare referred to it as the “Wooden O” as it was a large, round theater made from wood. Plays were performed in the afternoon-no artificial lighting.Probably accommodated an audience of 3,000 from all social classes.The “groundlings”-paid a penny to get in and stood on three sides of the stage. Upper classes sat or stood in tiers covered from rain.Worked with limited “props”: the outcome of each play depended solely upon Shakespeare’s words, the actor’s talents, and the participation of the audience.

His Theater… (cont.)Three stories high, three-level seatingOctagon-shapedHad a thatched roofLarge platform stage that projected into the audienceNo fancy setsThe theatre was closed in 1593 due to the plagueEventually burned in 1613, was rebuilt, but later torn down in 1644. A new Globe Theater stands today.

The Globe …

Outside of the new Globe Theatre (opened in 1997)

Touring the Globe Theater

Let’s take a quick tour of Shakespeare’s theater.

Virtual Tour

About the plays…In Shakespeare’s time, all characters were played by male actors—even female roles.

He wrote comedies, tragedies, and histories, and sometimes romance (types of plays)

His plays should be read in the same fashion that you would read poetry but even more so, his swere meant to be watched

Shakespeare’s PlaysA few of his 37 plays include:

1. Macbeth

2. Hamlet

3. Julius Caesar

4. The Taming of the Shrew

5. Othello

6. A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Shakespeare in today’s culture

Song 1

Song 2

Song 3

Song 4

Movie Adaptations

1968

1998

2011

Here are some of the most popular Shakespeare phrases in common use today:

A laughing stock (The Merry Wives of Windsor)

A sorry sight (Macbeth)

As dead as a doornail (Henry VI)

Eaten out of house and home (Henry V, Part 2)

Fair play (The Tempest)

I will wear my heart upon my sleeve (Othello)

In a pickle (The Tempest)

In stitches (Twelfth Night)

Continued…

In the twinkling of an eye (The Merchant Of Venice)

Mum's the word (Henry VI, Part 2)

Neither here nor there (Othello)

Send him packing (Henry IV)

Set your teeth on edge (Henry IV)

There's method in my madness (Hamlet)

Too much of a good thing (As You Like It)

Vanish into thin air (Othello)

Five-Part Dramatic Structure

Act I

Exposition/

Introduction

Act II

Rising Action/

Complications

Act V

Climactic Moment/

Resolution (denouement)

Act IV

Falling Action

Act III

Crisis or Turning Point

Elements of a Shakespearean Tragedy

Supernatural

Abnormal psychological states

Use of coincidence or luck (usually bad)

These elements lend the plays a Gothic atmosphere and a sense of Fate necessary to tragedy, but are not essential to the action

Elements of a Shakespearean Tragic Hero

High ranking; his fate affects the destiny of his country, city, or family

An extraordinary and admirable man—usually good and noble, but even when evil, he has compensating traits, such as strength, courage, or ambition, in epic proportions.

Hero has a basic flaw, bias, or fixation which, with the help of outside circumstances leads the hero to catastrophic calamity and death which contrasts sharply to the hero’s former happiness and glory.

Elements of a Shakespearean Tragic Hero Continued

Dual conflict generates the play’s action: external conflict between persons and groups, AND internal conflict of the hero.

Good always triumphs in the end: Even though the tragic hero has pulled his flawed world down on his head, there is another character there to restore order.

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

Based on an Italian story—most famous love story of all time Two feuding families—the Montague family and the Capulet family.Two “star-crossed lovers”Set mainly in Verona, Italy; some scenes are set in Mantua, Italy during the 14th century.

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet (cont.)

Written between 1594-1596

“star-crossed”-Elizabethans believed in astrology, believed that their lives were influenced by the “star” they were born under (look for references to the stars as we read)

Motifs in Romeo and Juliet

Motif—recurring pattern, object, idea, symbol, etc. in a text that helps develop a theme

family / societal feud

violence

innocence / immaturity

fate / destiny

You will also be in charge of identifying more motifs.

Themes of Romeo and Juliet

Remember: A theme statement is a one sentence message explaining the author’s purpose in a text

1. Unresolved feuds lead to severe consequences and suffering.2. Stubbornness and selfishness can trigger violence.3. Innocence/immaturity leads to rash actions that cause irreversible problems.4. Personal decisions alter one’s fate or destiny.5. Disorder and chaos lead to disaster.

Language: Some Archaic Words…

Archaic Word Modern Meaning

‘a He

a’ On

an’, and If

but If, only

hap, happy Luck or lucky

Jack Common fellow or ordinary man

Maid Young married girl

Marry! A mild swearing

nice Foolish, trivial

Language: Some Archaic Words…

Archaic Word Modern Meaning

Owes Owns

Wot Know

Good morrow Good morning

Good day Afternoon greeting/parting

Good eve or eventide Good evening

God ye good den God grant

I bid you adieu Goodbye

By your leave With your permission

Shrift Confession

Unit Objectives: Reading Goals

I CAN…

Explain and justify an interpretation of a text.

Summarize and make generalizations from content and relate them to the purpose of the material.

Use questions and predictions to guide reading.

Recognize and analyze literary elements and drama terms in chosen passages.

Unit Objectives: Writing Goals

I CAN…

Write an essay appropriate to purpose and audience, with clarity of focus, logical organization, appropriate explanation and support.

Proofread for spelling, capitalization and punctuation (commas, semicolons, colons, apostrophes, quotation marks, etc.)

Ensure that documents are MLA formatted.

Unit Objectives: Listening and Speaking

I CAN…

Interpret and preform a scene from the play

Act out a role with correct inflection and tone

Verbally articulate my analytical thoughts