Romeo and Juliet Background

Shakespeare's education

King's New School in Stratford; a free grammar school; his education was classical in nature, meaning it was centered on the study of Latin and classical Latin and Greek authors, such as Vergil and Homer.

Romeo and Juliet

Perhaps the most famous of Shakespeare's tragedies, composed 1594-1595

virtue

A good habit formed by performing good deeds repeatedly. Traditionally there are four "cardinal" virtues which were identified since the time of the ancient Greeks: wisdom, courage, temperance (self-control) and justice.

vice

a bad habit formed by performing evil deeds repeatedly; traditionally such acts weaken the will and prevent a person from making good decisions.

Shakespearean Tragedy

a classification for some of Shakespeare's plays which involve a protagonist who is in some way flawed and then put in a very difficult situation where the ending is always fatal (death).

The English Renaissance

a cultural movement in England that dated from the late 15th century to the early 17th century. Shakespeare is the greatest literary figure from this era.

hedonism

a lifestyle in which people see the only purpose of life is physical pleasure and self-indulgence. Shakespeare surrounds Romeo and Juliet with many characters who live this lifestyle, and R/J are torn between hedonism and the ideals of Rosalina (virtue).

William Shakespeare

author of the play Romeo and Juliet; born April 1564; died April 1616; arguably the greatest playwright in the history of the world

three degrees of love

in Greek thought, there were three kinds of love: eros, philos, and agape. Among these, agape is considered the greatest and most complete expression, surpassing the others.

love

perhaps the central theme of RJ; Shakespeare contrasts the various levels of love through his characters and puts Romeo and Juliet in the position of searching for love's true meaning.

chastity

the Christian virtue of purity by which one not only exercises self-control in sexual matters but also is able to "see" the image of God in all humans. The character Rosalina embodies this virtue, while Romeo and Juliet are searching for pure love in their youth.

philos

the Greek word used to express brotherly or filial love; this is symbolized by the friendships between Romeo and his friends

agape

the Greek word used to express complete or total self-giving love; love without any conditions; the main characters, Romeo and Juliet are searching for this; it is also embodied by the "unseen" Rosalina

eros

the Greek word used to express erotic love; this level of love is depicted in many of the characters of RJ

vulgarity

the end result of focusing only on the "eros" level of love; this is embodied by the crude behavior and language of Mercutio and also the Nurse

The Elizabethan Age

this age in the history of England lasted from 1558-1603 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. This is when Shakespeare became popular. It is also a time of brutal repression for Catholics whose religion was outlawed in England.

Shakespeare's religion

unclear, but likely Roman Catholic; Roman Catholicism was outlawed in England at the time but his mother was a devout Catholic. Shakespeare's children were baptized by the Church of England, however.

Famous examples of Shakespeare's Tragedies

Romeo and Juliet, MacBeth, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Julius Caesar

Stratford-upon-Avon

Shakespeare's hometown in England

Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith

Shakespeare's three children

Anne Hathaway

Shakespeare's wife