Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

7. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

1. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

• probably the greatest dramatist of England and all the time

• born on 23 April in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England

• he lived in period of Renaissance

• one of 8 children of Mary Arden and John Shakespeare - successful tradesmen working with leather, respected man

• he went to the local grammar school in Stratford - free form of education

• in 1582 he married Anne Hathaway - he was only 18, Anne was 8 years older

• together they had 3 children - Susanna and twins Hamnet (died at age 11) and Judith

• in spite of his love for his family, in 1587 he moved to London where he started his career

CARRER IN LONDON

• at first he was an actor, later on he become writer of plays

• he joined a group of actors/acting company The Lord Chamberlain’s Men - soon became the leading playing company in London

• his plays were really popular and sucessful (his language was very rich) - they were often played for the Queen Elizabeth I., who loved music and drama

• when James I came to the throne after Elizabeth’s death, he recognized Shakespeare‘s

company as the leading group of actors and from then on they were known as the King’s Men

• in those times Shakespeare made enough money to build a comfortable life

WORK

• he wrote 37 plays - comedies, tragedies, historical plays and about 154 sonnets (poems)

• comedies - A Midsummer-Night’s Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, Comedy of Errors

• tragedies - Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello

• historical plays - Henry V., Richard III., Julius Ceasar

THE GLOBE

• theater in London in the south bank of the River Thames

• without roof

• built in 1599 by The Lord Chamberlain’s Men - Shakespeare’s playing company many of

Shakespeare’s plays were played here

going in the theater become very popular

• Shakespeare retired in 1613, before the Globe Theatre burned down during the performance of Henry VIII on 29 June

• Shakespeare died on 23 April 1616, at the age of 52

2. ROMEO AND JULIET

• play - tragedy

• published in 1597

• Shakespeare’s most famous romantic tragedy of love

• the story takes place in Verona, Italy

MAIN CHARACTERS

• Romeo Montegue

• Juliet Capulet

• their parents Lord and Lady Montague/Capulet

• Mercutio - Romeo’s friend

• the Nurse - Juliet’s confident

• Benvolio - Romeo’s cousin

• Tybalt - Juliet’s cousin

• Friar Lawrence - religious man

• the Prince - ruler of Verona

• Paris - Juliet’s suitor

THE STORYLINE

Romeo and Juliet begins as the Chorus introduces two warring families of Verona - the Capulets and the Montagues. On a hot summer’s day, the young men of each family fight until the Prince of Verona intervenes and threatens to banish them. Soon after, the head of the Capulet family plans a feast. His goal is to introduce his 14-year-old daughter to a Count named Paris who seeks to marry Juliet (it is her birthday).

Montague’s son Romeo and his friends (Mercutio and cousin Benvolio) hear of the party and resolve to go in disguise. Romeo hopes to see his beloved Rosaline at the party. Instead, he meets Juliet and falls instantly in love with her. Juliet’s cousin Tybalt recognises the Montague boys and forces them to leave just as Romeo and Juliet meet each other.