Romeo & Juliet Introduction

1. ROMEO & JULIET
William Shakespeare

2. RULES FOR TRAGEDY
 Drama must be about the HIGH BORN.
 Must consist of FIVE ACTS.
• Act I – exposition, or INCITING action
• Act II – RISING action
• Act III – CLIMAX
• Act IV – FALLING action (focus on forces against main characters)
• Act V – moment of final SUSPENSE and DESTRUCTION of
main characters
 Drama must be written in POETRY.

3. INTRODUCTIONS
THE CAPULETS THE MONTAGUES
• Juliet Capulet: naïve 13 year • Romeo Montague: impulsive 18
old who is madly in love year old who is madly in love
• Lord & Lady Capulet: • Lord & Lady Montague:
Juliet’s parents Romeo’s parents
• Tybalt: Juliet’s cousin; very • Benvolio: Romeo’s cousin; a
aggressive peacemaker
• Nurse: Juliet’s confidant • Friar Laurence: Romeo’s confidant

4. INTRODUCTIONS ( C O N T. )
THE OTHERS
• Mercutio: Romeo’s
jokester friend
• Paris: Engaged to Juliet
• Prince Escalus: Prince of
Verona; wants peace

5. THEMES
Keep the following themes in mind while we read:
 Love vs. Hate
 Light vs. Dark
 Fate & Destiny
 Violence