Romeo and Juliet

1. The Renaissance in Europe
➛ an awakening from the slumber of the Dark Ages
➛ promise of material and spiritual gain
➛ belief that humanity was making progress
14th through the 16th centuries
➛ break with feudal modes of living
➛ urban centers
➛ aristocracy x lower classes

2. The Invention of the
Printing Press
➛ Johannes Gutenberg
(around 1440)
➛ Protestant Reformation
Humanism
➛ mankind was believed capable of earthly perfection
➛ rise of nationalism and democracy
➛ birth of the middle class
➛ trade and commerce
Boundaries expanded
➛ Fashions in Venice soon
became the fashions in Paris
and eventually London.

3. The Arts & Literature
➛ Italian Renaissance
➛ the literary output of Renaissance England (1500-1660)
➛ John Milton composed his epic Paradise Lost
Drama
William Shakespeare
➛ variety, profundity, and exquisite use of language
➛ shift between comedy and tragedy
English court life
➛ profound influence on he arts
➛ poetry and drama
Mid 17th century
➛ the quest for human perfection had given way to
decadence, cynicism, and introversion

5. Love
• The most archetypal love story in the English language:
young, irrational, passionate love. Their youthful lust is one
of many reasons why their relationship grows so intense
so quickly.
• Shakespeare respects the power of such a youthful,
passionate love but also laments the transience of it.
Death
• In Romeo and Juliet, death is everywhere.
• The journey of the play is the cycle from love to death -
and that is what makes Romeo and Julie so lasting and
powerful.

6. Age
• Throughout Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare establishes the
ideological division that often separates youths from adults.
• Shakespeare suggests that the cynicism that comes with
age is one of the many reasons that leads humans to
disagreement.
Identity
• Romeo and Juliet suggests that individuals are often forced
to adopt an identity from outside.
• A strong sense of identity can certainly be helpful in life, but
in the play, it only forces separation between the characters.

7. Gender
• Romeo arguably displays feminine characteristics, at least
as defined by his peers.
• Juliet makes quick decisions and is not easily discouraged
by bad news.
• Shakespeare’s Juliet was actually threatening the
patriarchal society.
Revenge
• Romeo and Juliet suggests that the desire for revenge is
both a natural and a devastating human quality.
• Though Shakespeare rarely, if ever, moralizes, Romeo and
Juliet certainly presents revenge as a senseless action that
always causes more harm than good.

8. 1. Compare and contrast the characters of Romeo and Juliet.
How do they develop throughout the play? What makes them
fall in love with one another?
2. Several characters criticize Romeo for falling in love too
quickly. Do you believe this is true? Does his tendency
towards infatuation give the audience any reason to question
Romeo's affection for Juliet?
3. How does Shakespeare use symbols of gold and silver
throughout the play? What does each element represent?

9. Romeo and Juliet tells the story of two young lovers who
fall deeply in love and do everything they can to be
together. If we were to compare and contrast the actions
of this couple with those of typical teenagers we see
today, what similarities and differences would we find?
What can we learn from Shakespeare’s tale?
• How do the different cultures affect dating norms?
• How does age play a role in decision-making?
• How much parental involvement is expected in a dating
relationship?
• What is acceptable behavior if parents and children do
not see eye to eye?