r & j characters 2008

William William ShakespeareShakespeare

Widely regarded as Widely regarded as the greatest writer in the greatest writer in

English LiteratureEnglish Literature

ShakespeareShakespeare1564-16161564-1616Stratford-upon-Avon, Stratford-upon-Avon, EnglandEngland

ChildhoodChildhood

Father was John ; Mother was MaryFather was John ; Mother was Mary In 1567 he became Bailiff of In 1567 he became Bailiff of

Stratford; like a modern-day Mayor.Stratford; like a modern-day Mayor.William was the 3William was the 3rdrd child. Legend child. Legend

says he was born on April 23says he was born on April 23rdrd. He . He died exactly 52 years later.died exactly 52 years later.

Shakespeare attended very good Shakespeare attended very good schoolsschools

FamilyFamily

When Will was 18, he married 26 When Will was 18, he married 26 year old Anne Hathaway.year old Anne Hathaway.

NOT THIS ONENOT THIS ONE

More FamilyMore Family

They had 3 Kids:They had 3 Kids:SusannaSusanna (Baptised 6 (Baptised 6 months after their wedding)months after their wedding)

Twins: Twins: HamnetHamnet and and JudithJudithHamnet died at age 11.Hamnet died at age 11.

ShakespeareShakespearestarted out as an actor started out as an actor wrote 37 playswrote 37 playsabout 154 sonnetsabout 154 sonnets

Stage CelebrityStage CelebrityActorActor for Lord Chamberlain’s for Lord Chamberlain’s

Men (London theater co.)Men (London theater co.)Also > principal Also > principal playwrightplaywright

for themfor them1599> Lord Ch. Co. built 1599> Lord Ch. Co. built

Globe TheaterGlobe Theater where most of where most of Sh. Play’s were performedSh. Play’s were performed

Shakespeare Shakespeare wrote:wrote:

ComediesComediesHistoriesHistoriesTragediesTragedies

Romeo and Romeo and JulietJuliet

Written about 1595Written about 1595Considered a tragedyConsidered a tragedy

The TheaterThe TheaterPlays produced for the Plays produced for the

general publicgeneral publicRoofless>open airRoofless>open airNo artificial lightingNo artificial lightingCourtyard surrounded by Courtyard surrounded by

3 levels of galleries3 levels of galleries

SpectatorsSpectatorsWealthy got benchesWealthy got benches““Groundlings”>poorer people Groundlings”>poorer people

stood and watched from the stood and watched from the courtyard (“pit”)courtyard (“pit”)

All but wealthy were All but wealthy were uneducated/illiterateuneducated/illiterate

Much more audience Much more audience interaction than todayinteraction than today

Staging AreasStaging AreasStage>platform that extended Stage>platform that extended

into the pitinto the pitDressing & storage rooms in Dressing & storage rooms in

galleries behind & above stagegalleries behind & above stagesecond-level gallery> upper second-level gallery> upper

stage> famous balcony scene stage> famous balcony scene in R & Jin R & J

Trap door>ghostsTrap door>ghosts““Heavens”> angelic beingsHeavens”> angelic beings

DifferencesDifferencesAlmost no sceneryAlmost no scenerySettings > actors used Settings > actors used

references in dialoguereferences in dialogueElaborate costumesElaborate costumesPlenty of propsPlenty of propsFast-paced, colorful>2-3 Fast-paced, colorful>2-3

hours!hours!

ActorsActorsOnly men and boysOnly men and boysYoung boys whose voices Young boys whose voices

had not changed play had not changed play women’s roleswomen’s roles

Would have been Would have been considered indecent for a considered indecent for a woman to appear on stagewoman to appear on stage

Elizabethan (QE1) Elizabethan (QE1) WordsWords

An,and:An,and: If IfAnon:Anon: Soon SoonAye:Aye: YesYesBut:But: Except forExcept forE’en:E’en: EvenEvenE’er: E’er: EverEver

QE1 Words QE1 Words (contin.)(contin.)

Haply:Haply: PerhapsPerhapsHappy:Happy: FortunateFortunateHence:Hence: Away, from Away, from herher

Hie:Hie: HurryHurryMarry:Marry: IndeedIndeed

QE1 Words QE1 Words (contin.)(contin.)

Whence:Whence: WhereWhereWilt:Wilt: Will, will youWill, will youWithal:Withal: In addition In addition toto

Would:Would: WishWish

Blank VerseBlank VerseMuch of R & J is written Much of R & J is written in Blank Verse:in Blank Verse:unrhymed verseunrhymed verseiambic (unstressed, stressed)iambic (unstressed, stressed)pentameter( 5 “feet” to a line)pentameter( 5 “feet” to a line)

ends up to be 10 syllable ends up to be 10 syllable lineslines

THE CHARACTERSTHE CHARACTERS

Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet

RomeoRomeo - The son and heir of Montague - The son and heir of Montague and Lady Montague. and Lady Montague. A young man of about sixteen, Romeo is A young man of about sixteen, Romeo is

handsome, intelligent, and sensitive. handsome, intelligent, and sensitive. He lives in the middle of a violent feud between He lives in the middle of a violent feud between

his family and the Capulets, but he is not at all his family and the Capulets, but he is not at all interested in violence. His only interest is love. interested in violence. His only interest is love.

-At the beginning of the play he is madly in love -At the beginning of the play he is madly in love with a woman named Rosaline, but the instant with a woman named Rosaline, but the instant he lays eyes on Juliet, he falls in love with her he lays eyes on Juliet, he falls in love with her and forgets Rosaline. and forgets Rosaline.


JulietJuliet - The daughter of Capulet and - The daughter of Capulet and Lady Capulet. Lady Capulet.

-A beautiful thirteen-year-old girl. -A beautiful thirteen-year-old girl.

-Romeo is the son of her family’s -Romeo is the son of her family’s great enemy. great enemy.


Friar LawrenceFriar Lawrence - A Franciscan friar, - A Franciscan friar, friend to both Romeo and Juliet.friend to both Romeo and Juliet.- Friar Lawrence secretly marries the - Friar Lawrence secretly marries the impassioned lovers in hopes that the impassioned lovers in hopes that the union might eventually bring peace union might eventually bring peace to Verona. to Verona. -As well as being a Catholic holy -As well as being a Catholic holy man, Friar Lawrence is also an expert man, Friar Lawrence is also an expert in the use of seemingly mystical in the use of seemingly mystical potions and herbs. potions and herbs.


MercutioMercutio - A kinsman to the Prince, - A kinsman to the Prince, and Romeo’s close friend. and Romeo’s close friend.

-He can be quite hotheaded, and -He can be quite hotheaded, and hates people who are affected, hates people who are affected, pretentious, or obsessed with the pretentious, or obsessed with the latest fashions. latest fashions.


The NurseThe Nurse - Juliet’s nurse, the - Juliet’s nurse, the woman who raised Juliet when she woman who raised Juliet when she was a baby and has cared for Juliet was a baby and has cared for Juliet her entire life. her entire life.

-A vulgar, long-winded, and -A vulgar, long-winded, and sentimental character, the Nurse sentimental character, the Nurse provides comic relief with her provides comic relief with her frequently inappropriate remarks and frequently inappropriate remarks and speeches. (connects to commoners) speeches. (connects to commoners)


TybaltTybalt - A Capulet, Juliet’s cousin on her - A Capulet, Juliet’s cousin on her mother’s side. mother’s side.

-Vain, fashionable, supremely aware of -Vain, fashionable, supremely aware of courtesy and the lack of it, he becomes courtesy and the lack of it, he becomes aggressive, violent, and quick to draw his aggressive, violent, and quick to draw his sword when he feels his pride has been sword when he feels his pride has been injured. injured.

-Once drawn, his sword is something to be -Once drawn, his sword is something to be feared. feared.

-He loathes Montagues.-He loathes Montagues.


CapuletCapulet - The patriarch of the - The patriarch of the Capulet family, father of Juliet, Capulet family, father of Juliet, husband of Lady Capulet, and husband of Lady Capulet, and enemy, for unexplained reasons, of enemy, for unexplained reasons, of Montague. Montague.

-He truly loves his daughter,but -He truly loves his daughter,but never listens to her.never listens to her.

-He seems to think that what is best -He seems to think that what is best for her is a “good” match with Paris. for her is a “good” match with Paris.


Lady CapuletLady Capulet - Juliet’s mother, - Juliet’s mother, Capulet’s wife. Capulet’s wife. -A woman who herself married young -A woman who herself married young (by her own estimation she gave birth (by her own estimation she gave birth to Juliet at close to the age of to Juliet at close to the age of fourteen).fourteen).-she is eager to see her daughter -she is eager to see her daughter marry Paris. marry Paris. -She relies on the Nurse for moral and -She relies on the Nurse for moral and pragmatic support.pragmatic support.


MontagueMontague - Romeo’s father, the - Romeo’s father, the patriarch of the Montague clan and patriarch of the Montague clan and bitter enemy of Capulet. bitter enemy of Capulet.

Lady MontagueLady Montague - Romeo’s mother, - Romeo’s mother, Montague’s wife. Montague’s wife.

-She dies of grief after Romeo is -She dies of grief after Romeo is exiled from Verona.exiled from Verona.


ParisParis - A kinsman of the Prince, and the - A kinsman of the Prince, and the suitor of Juliet most preferred by Capulet. suitor of Juliet most preferred by Capulet.

BenvolioBenvolio - Montague’s nephew, Romeo’s - Montague’s nephew, Romeo’s cousin and thoughtful friend.cousin and thoughtful friend. He makes a genuine effort to defuse violent He makes a genuine effort to defuse violent

scenes in public places, though Mercutio scenes in public places, though Mercutio accuses him of having a nasty temper in accuses him of having a nasty temper in private. private.

He spends most of the play trying to help He spends most of the play trying to help Romeo get his mind off Rosaline, even after Romeo get his mind off Rosaline, even after Romeo has fallen in love with Juliet. Romeo has fallen in love with Juliet.


Prince EscalusPrince Escalus - The Prince of - The Prince of Verona. Verona. A kinsman of Mercutio and Paris. A kinsman of Mercutio and Paris. As the seat of political power in Verona, As the seat of political power in Verona,

he is concerned about maintaining the he is concerned about maintaining the public peace at all costs.public peace at all costs.


Friar JohnFriar John - A Franciscan friar - A Franciscan friar charged by Friar Lawrence with charged by Friar Lawrence with taking the news of Juliet’s false death taking the news of Juliet’s false death to Romeo in Mantua. (small to Romeo in Mantua. (small character)character)


BalthasarBalthasar - Romeo’s dedicated - Romeo’s dedicated servant.servant.

Sampson & GregorySampson & Gregory - Two - Two servants of the house of Capulet, servants of the house of Capulet, who, like their master, hate the who, like their master, hate the Montagues. Montagues.


AbramAbram - Montague’s servant, who - Montague’s servant, who fights with Sampson and Gregory in fights with Sampson and Gregory in the first scene of the play.the first scene of the play.

The ApothecaryThe Apothecary - An apothecary in - An apothecary in Mantua. Mantua. Makes and sales poison.Makes and sales poison.


RosalineRosaline - The woman with whom Romeo - The woman with whom Romeo is infatuated at the beginning of the play. is infatuated at the beginning of the play. Rosaline never appears onstage, but it is said Rosaline never appears onstage, but it is said

by other characters that she is very beautiful by other characters that she is very beautiful and has sworn to live a life of chastity.and has sworn to live a life of chastity.

The ChorusThe Chorus - The Chorus is a single - The Chorus is a single character who, as developed in Greek character who, as developed in Greek drama, functions as a narrator offering drama, functions as a narrator offering commentary on the play’s plot and commentary on the play’s plot and themes.themes.

r & j characters 2008

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