Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
Tragic flaw
Character defect that causes the downfall of the protagonist of a tragedy; also called hamartia
One of the early supporters of Shakespeare's acting troupe, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, was none other than Queen _____________.
Elizabeth
Hyperbole
Exaggeration for effect (I have 100 tests tomorrow)
Metaphor
Figure of speech that expresses an idea through the image of another object
Denouement
French for "untying"; the final outcome to the main dramatic complication in a literary work; resolution
In 1599, Shakespeare's theater company built the _________, and a few years later, when King James I ascended to the throne of England, Shakespeare's troupe became known as the _____________.
Globe, King's Men
Lady Montague
In contrast with Lady Capulet, Lady Montague is peace-loving and dislikes the violence of the feud. Like her husband, she is concerned by her son's withdrawn and secretive behavior. The news of Romeo's banishment breaks her heart, and she dies of grief.
Capulet
Juliet's father is quick-tempered and impetuous but is initially reluctant to consent to Juliet's marriage with Paris because Juliet is so young. Later, he changes his mind and angrily demands that Juliet obey his wishes. The deaths of Romeo and Juliet reconcile Capulet and Montague.
Nurse
Juliet's nursemaid, who acts as confidante and messenger for Romeo and Juliet. Like Mercutio, the Nurse loves to talk and reminisce, and her attitude toward love is bawdy. The Nurse is loving and affectionate toward Juliet, but compromises her position of trust when she advises Juliet to forget Romeo and comply with her parents' wishes and marry Paris.
Originally patronized by Queen Elizabeth, the LCM changed their name in 1603 to the __________ when James I ascended to the throne and continued to support them.
King's Men
Mercutio
Kinsman to the prince and friend of Romeo. His name comes from the word mercury, the element which indicates his quick temper. Mercutio is bawdy, talkative, and tries to tease Romeo out of his melancholy frame of mind. He accepts Tybalt's challenge to defend Romeo's honor and is killed, thus precipitating Romeo's enraged reaction during which Romeo kills Tybalt.
Lady Capulet
Lady Capulet is vengeful and she demands Romeo's death for killing Tybalt. In her relationship with Juliet, she is cold and distant, expecting Juliet to obey her father and marry Paris.
Tybalt
Lady Capulet's nephew and Juliet's cousin. Tybalt is violent and hot-tempered, with a strong sense of honor. He challenges Romeo to a duel in response to Romeo's attending a Capulet party. His challenge to Romeo is taken up by Mercutio, whom Tybalt kills. Romeo then kills Tybalt.
Imagery
Language that evokes one or all of the five senses
From 1594 on, his plays were performed by his own troupe, the _______________.
Lord Chamberlain's men
Benvolio
Montague's nephew and friend of Romeo and Mercutio. Benvolio is the peacemaker who attempts to keep peace between Tybalt and Mercutio. After the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt, Benvolio acts as a Chorus, explaining how events took place.
Romeo
Montague's son, who is loved and respected in Verona. He is initially presented as a comic lover, with his inflated declarations of love for Rosaline. After meeting Juliet, he abandons his tendency to be a traditional, fashionable lover, and his language becomes intense, reflecting his genuine passion for Juliet. By avenging Mercutio's death, he sets in motion a chain of tragic events that culminate in suicide when he mistakenly believes Juliet to be dead.
Most versions of Romeo and Juliet nowadays borrow heavily from _________, or Q2, because they see it as a more reliable text than Q1.
Quarto 2
Shakespeare lived during the period know as the English _____, a time period during which English artists, playwrights, and scholars produced a diversity of influential works.
Renaissance
Meter
Rhythm of line of poetry
However, in 1592, he was well-known enough on the London stage to be criticized by the playwright ____________.
Robert Greene
Montague
Romeo's father, who is concerned by his son's melancholy behavior.
Balthasar
Romeo's servant. He brings Romeo the news in Mantua that Juliet is dead.
Gregory
Servant of the Capulet household.
Sampson
Servant of the Capulet household.
Iambic pentameter
The rhythm of Shakespeare's verse; consists of small groups of syllables called iambs, which consist of an unstressed followed by a stressed syllable; five of these iambs in a line of verse
Escalus, Prince of Verona
The symbol of law and order in Verona, but he fails to prevent further outbreaks of the violence between the Montagues and Capulets. Only the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, rather than the authority of the prince, restore peace.
Comic relief
The use of humor to lighten the mood of a serious or tragic story (grave digger in Hamlet)
Petruchio
Tybalt's companion and Capulet's cousin.
Unstressed symbol
U
The major action takes place in _______, Italy, where Romeo, a member of the Montague family, falls in love with Juliet, a Capulet; the families are bitter ________, which creates some "problems."
Verona, enemies
What does "alack" mean in Shakespearean language?
alas
What does "prithee" mean in Shakespearean language?
beg of you
Shakespeare grew up with access to a good education, most notably in the form of ________, which were still seen as a great luxury in England and most of Europe.
books
What does "droppeth" mean in Shakespearean language?
drops
The Globe was set up in a _______ style a small landing behind the stage (used for the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet, among others), and a door behind the stage to keep costumes and props.
familiar
As his plays became more widely published, publishers began to impose the _________ on Shakespeare's plays for various reasons.
five-act structure
What does "thence" mean in Shakespearean language?
from there
The individuals who stood in the pit were referred to as _____________.
groundlings
What does "a" mean in Shakespearean language?
he
What does "hither" mean in Shakespearean language?
here
The rhythm of Shakespeare's verse is best described as _________ _________, a line of verse composed of five two-syllable pairings made up of an unstressed, and then a stressed, syllable.
iambic pentameter
What does " 'tis " mean in Shakespearean language?
it is
A small ________ behind the stage (used for the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet, among others)
landing
What does "anon" mean in Shakespearean language?
later on
Most Shakespearean scholars assume his career began anywhere from the _________ to right before Greene's remarks.
mid-1580s
Elizabethan theater performances relied heavily on the actors to maintain a sense of realism, as the playhouses typically featured _______ lighting, scenery, and no amplification for the actors' voices.
minimal
Often called England's _________, "The Bard of Avon," or simply "The Bard"
national poet
The wide-open portion in front of the stage with no seats was called the ______;
pit
Shakespeare wrote for people from all walks of life: the rich and the _____, the literate and the _____
poor, illiterate
None of Shakespeare's works were ever _________ during his lifetime.
published
What does "sirrah" mean in Shakespearean language?
sir
Most Shakespearean works feature ___________, which are speeches where a character expresses his or her thoughts aloud, and __________, where a character talks directly to the audience.
soliloquies, asides
Not much is known about Shakespeare between 1585 and 1592, giving this time period the name of "___________."
the lost years
Greene's criticism was the first mention of Shakespeare's name in the arena of ________.
theater
What does "thither" mean in Shakespearean language?
there
Shakespeare's original play would have most likely resembled the _________ of traditional plays.
three-act structure
What does "knave" mean in Shakespearean language?
villian
What does "whither" mean in Shakespearean language?
where
What does "wilt thou" mean in Shakespearean language?
will you
What does "woo" mean in Shakespearean language?
win over
All of the women's parts in Shakespearean plays, as well as in all drama of the Elizabethan Age, were played by ________.
young boys
What does "thy" mean in Shakespearean language?
your
The original Globe was destroyed by a fire in ______; it was rebuilt in 1614 and closed again in _______.
1613, 1642
At age 18, he married the _____-year-old Anne Hathaway; they had ______ children.
26, 3
Responsible for ____ plays and ______ sonnets (that we know of)
38, 154
All of Shakespeare's plays are arranged basically the same way: they have ______ acts with ______ scenes in each act.
5, 5-6
Peter
A Capulet servant attending the Nurse.
Friar Lawrence
A brother of the Franciscan order and Romeo's confessor, who advises both Romeo and Juliet. The Friar agrees to marry the couple in secret in the hope that marriage will restore peace between their families. His plans to reunite Juliet with Romeo are thwarted by the influence of fate. The Friar concocts the potion plot through which Juliet appears dead for 42 hours in order to avoid marrying Paris. At the end of the play, the Prince recognizes the Friar's good intentions.
Friar John
A brother of the Franciscan order, sent by Friar Laurence to tell Romeo of his sleeping potion plan for Juliet. The Friar is prevented from getting to Mantua and the message does not reach Romeo.
Dramatic foil
A character who by contrast helps to accentuate another character's opposite personality (e.g., Romeo and Tybalt)
Aside
A comment made by a stage performer that is intended to be heard by the audience but supposedly not by other characters
Soliloquy
A monologue in a drama used to give the audience information and to develop the speaker's character. It is typically a projection of the speaker's innermost thoughts
Paris
A noble young kinsman to the Prince. Paris is well-mannered and attractive and hopes to marry Juliet. Romeo fights and kills Paris at the Capulet tomb when Paris thinks that Romeo has come to desecrate the bodes of Tybalt and Juliet.
Apothrcary
A poverty-stricken chemist, who illegally sells poison to Romeo.
Allusion
A reference to a familiar literary or historical person or event (red death=black death)
Abram
A servant to Montague.
Monologue
A speech given by a single individual
Apostrophe
A statement, question, or request addressed to an inanimate object or concept or to a nonexistent or absent person ("to autumn" poem)
What were three major political and social developments prior to Shakespeare's birth that made people more likely to indulge in a night (or day in most cases, as most plays relied upon natural lighting or candles) at the theater?
-Growth of English economy -Growth of Middle Class -Growth of overall literacy
Stressed symbol
/
Shakespeare was born in the year _______ in the town of _______.
1564, Stratford-upon Avon
By the year ______, Shakespeare was writing plays and performing them in London.
1592
The Quarto version of Romeo and Juliet that was published in ______ (also called Q1) was actually very different from the version you might buy at your local bookstore.
1597
Conceit
An elaborate, fanciful metaphor, especially one of a far-fetched nature
_________ around the stage for wealthy members of society
Balconies
The playwright _____ ______, one of Shakespeare's colleagues as well as a major rival, said that Shakespeare's works were "not of an age, but for all time."
Ben Jonson
Juliet
Capulet's daughter. She is presented as a young and innocent adolescent, not yet 14 years old. Her youthfulness is stressed throughout the play to illustrate her progression from adolescence to maturity and to emphasize her position as a tragic heroine. Juliet's love for Romeo gives her the strength and courage to defy her parents and face death twice.
Paradox
Statement that appears illogical or contradictory at first, but may actually point to an underlying truth ("cold fire")
Iamb
Symbol pairing with unstressed then a stressed syllable
Shakespeare got the idea for the play from Arthur Brooke's "________________," published in 1562.
The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet
