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Romeo & Juliet

An Interactive
Study Guide
Click the mouse to continue.
2010, ShakespeareHelp.com

Frank Dicksee
Romeo and Juliet (1884)

Whats in This Study Guide?

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Introduction

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Romeo & Juliet The Basics

Romeo & Juliet was Shakespeares

first major tragedy, his 14th play.

One of Shakespeares earlier plays,

written in 1595
Shakespeare was 33 years old; he

had not developed fully as a

dramatist.
Use of dramatic structure combining

comedy and tragedy and use of

minor characters were early signs of
his dramatic skill.
Romeo & Juliet was one of

Shakespeares most popular plays

during his lifetime.

Introduction

O, Romeo, Romeo, Wherefore Art Thou

Romeo?
William Hatherell, 1912

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Romeo & Juliet The Text

Romeo & Juliet was first

published in a poor quality

quarto version in 1597
Mistakes and omissions were

corrected by later versions.

The play focuses on two lovers,

driven to destruction by:

The inevitability of Fate
Their parents hatred
Their own impetuous actions
All of the above?

Title page of theSecond Quarto

ofRomeo and Julietpublished in 1599

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Romeo & Juliet - Sources

1. Pyramus and Thisbe, by the Roman

poet Ovid in The Metamorphoses.

2. The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and

Iuliet, written by Arthur Brooke in

1562.
Similar plot details and characters
Shakespeare condensed time frame

from 9 months to 4 days.

Shakespeare also added Mercutio

and Paris.
3. A popular tale of Romeo and Juliet

Thisbe, John William Waterhouse,

1909

Introduction

also existed in a collection by William

Painter, called The Palace of
Pleasure, written in 1582.
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Romeo & Juliet Adaptations

Romeo & Juliet has been adapted many times for stage,

film, and opera.

18th century productions often omitted scenes that were

considered indecent.
An 18th century operatic adaptation added a happy ending.
19th and 20th century adaptations focused more on realism
and are more faithful to Shakespeares original language.
20th century adaptations
1936 Romeo & Juliet, dir. By George Cukor
1957 West Side Story, music Leonard Bernstein, lyrics

Stephen Sondheim
1968 Romeo & Juliet, dir. by Franco Zeffirelli
1996 Romeo & Juliet, dir. by Baz Luhrmann
Introduction

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Romeo & Juliet Quizzes

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Romeo & Juliet Act I Quiz

Click the hand for an answer.

1. Whats the purpose of the Prologue?

2. Which Montague tried to stop the fight in Scene 1, and

which Capulet challenges him to a fight?

3. What does Romeo tell Benvolio is the cause of his
melancholy (sadness)?
4. What request does Paris make of Lord Capulet?
5. Why does Benvolio think Romeo should attend the
Capulet's feast?
6. At the end of the act, what does Juliet discover about
Romeo?

Romeo & Juliet Quizzes

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1. What's the purpose of the Prologue?

Click anywhere to show answer.

The Prologue is delivered by one actor. It's in the form of a

sonnet--three quatrains and a couplet.
The Prologue serves several purposes. It introduces the
play and provides some general information, such as the
location of the play ("fair Verona") and the length of the
play ("two hours"). It also provides the dramatist's view of
the tragedy that is about to be performed, citing two
causes of the disaster--fate ("star-crossed lovers") and the
feud between the families ("parents rage").
The tone of the Prologue is serious and formal, as befits
tragedy.

Romeo & Juliet Quizzes

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Romeo & Juliet Quotes

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Romeo & Juliet Act I Quotes

Who said it, and what is he/she talking about?
Click the hand for an answer.

1. If ever you disturb our streets again,

Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.

2. ...For my mind misgives

Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars,

Shall bitterly begin his fearful date
With this nights revels.
3. O she doth teach the torches to burn bright!

It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night

As a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear
4.

My only love sprung from my only hate.

Romeo & Juliet Quotes

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1. If ever you disturb our streets again,

Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.
Click anywhere to show answer.

After the street brawl that opens the play is quelled, the
Prince of Verona warns both Montagues and Capulets that
death will be the penalty of future disruptions of the civil
peace.
Further, he summons the leaders of both houses to meet
with him that afternoon. Prince Escalus represents the civil
authority in the play.

Romeo & Juliet Quotes

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Romeo & Juliet Characters

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Romeo
At the beginning of the play, Romeo was immediately recognizable

to Elizabethan audiences as a symbol of courtly love.

He stays alone, broods, recites poetry, etc.
Romeo agrees to attend the Capulet ball, but is convinced he will not

see anyone more beautiful than Rosaline.

His immature infatuation with Rosaline will contrast with his love for

Juliet later in the play.

Upon entering the party, Romeo has his first premonition.
for my mind misgives

Some consequence yet hanging in the stars

Shall bitterly begin his fearful date
With this night's revels and expire the term
Of a despised life closed in my breast
By some vile forfeit of untimely death. (I, 4)
This is the first foreshadowing of what happens later in the play.

Characters

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Romeo, the Young Lover

When Romeo meets Juliet at the

party, he immediately falls headover-heels in love with her, instantly

forgetting Rosaline.
The Prologue of Act II points out that

even though Romeo was willing to die

for Rosaline, now that he has met
Juliet, Rosaline doesnt seem so
fair.
That fair for which love groan'd for

and would die, / With tender Juliet

match'd, is now not fair.(II, Prologue)
Is Shakespeare criticizing Romeo as
fickle, or is he simply presenting an
example of young love?
Characters

Richard Burbage, 1567-1619

Probably the first actor to play
Romeo.

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Romeo The Balcony Scene (II,

2)
In the most celebrated love scene in literature,

Romeos poetry is filled with images of

brightness:
Juliet is the sun
She doth teach the torches to burn bright
Speak again, bright angel

Romeo curses his name, which makes him

Juliets enemy.
Romeos words in this scene contain references

to death that foreshadow the tragedy.

My life were better ended by their hate,

Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love

By the end of this scene, Romeo and Juliet

have agreed to meet and marry the next day.

Characters

Romeo and Juliet, Ford Madox Brown,

1867

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Romeo The Fight Scene (III, 1)

When Romeo is confronted by Tybalt, he is reluctant to fight.
He sincerely wants to end the feud between the two families.
Now that he and Juliet are married, Romeo and Tybalt are

relatives.
Romeo inadvertently causes Mercutios death by intervening in

the fight with Tybalt.

Romeos good intentions bring about a tragedy.
I thought all for the best

After killing Tybalt as vengeance for Mercutios murder, Romeo

realizes his predicament:

O, I am fortunes fool!
Romeos fatal mistake occurs in a moment of hate in the

middle of a play about love.

Characters

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Romeo s Exile
After learning of his exile, Romeo is

desperate.
Tries to stab himself, preferring death over life

without Juliet.
In III, 5, the morning after their first night

together, Romeos poetry continues the

pattern of bright images:
Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day

Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.

(III, 5)
Daylight is now Romeos enemy.
Light is now hateful to their love, which had

been associated with brilliance in the darkness.

More light and light; more dark and dark our

woes. (III, 5)
Where's Romeo, William Hatherell,
1912

Characters

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The Death of Romeo

Romeos desperate state of mind is emphasized in the final

act.
When Romeo learns of Juliets death, he resolves to join her:

Then I defy you, stars! (V, 1)

Romeo rashly decides to commit suicide, not waiting to hear

from Friar Laurence.

Romeos final metaphor is a pilot who has lost control of his

ship to the forces of nature:

Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on

The dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark! (V, 3)

As he drinks the poison and dies, he praises the apothecary:
Thy drugs are quick. (V, 3)
Ironically, if he had waited a few minutes, the tragedy might

have been averted.

Characters

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Imagery in Romeo & Juliet

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Light and Dark

The love of Romeo and Juliet is often associated with light in

the darkness.
These images are appropriate for a play about love trying to exist

against a backdrop of hate (the Montague-Capulet feud).

Romeo and Juliet are two enemies who fall in love.

Light is also represents the potential destructiveness of their

love.
Like lightning, their love is brief, intense and explosive.

When Romeo first sees Juliet, he uses images of light and dark:
O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright.
She hangs upon the cheek of night

As a rich jewel in an Ethiops ear

a snowy dove trooping with crows. (I, 5)

Imagery

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Light and Dark 2

Light imagery recurs throughout the balcony scene (III, 2).
Romeos first words about Juliet are images of light:
It is the East, and Juliet is the sun
her eyes in heaven

Would through the airy region stream so bright

That birds would sing and think it were not night.
O speak again, bright angel!

When Juliet expresses her fears in this scene, the light

imagery changes for the first time, becoming explosive.

It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden;

Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be

Ere one can say it lightens.

Imagery

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Light and Dark - 3

Friar Laurences image of destructive light predicts that

violent ends will be the result of violent delights, i.e.,

hasty, intense love.
These violent delights have violent ends,

And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,

Which, as they kiss, consume. (II, 6)
Its interesting to note that both Romeo and Juliet die with a kiss.

After Romeo is banished, Friar Laurence cautions him not to

turn his vows of love to perjury, killing that which he

cherishes:
He compares Romeos situation to powder accidentally set

afire by an unskilled soldier.

Like powder in a skilless soldiers flask,

Is set afire by thine own ignorance. (III, 3)

Imagery

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Light and Dark - 4

As Juliet waits for Romeo in Act III, unaware that he has

killed Tybalt and been exiled, she describes him in images of

light in the darkness:
Come, thou day in night;

For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night

Whiter than new snow upon a ravens back; (III, 2)
Give me my Romeo; and, when I shall die,

Take him and cut him out in little stars

And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with the night
And pay no attention to the garish sun. (III, 2) *
*

In 1964, Robert Kennedy used this quote to eulogize his brother, John F. Kennedy,
at the Democratic National Convention. JFK had been assassinated the previous
November.

Imagery

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Light and Dark - 5

The reversal of the light-dark imagery begins in III, 5.
Romeo and Juliet have just consummated their marriage.
Though their love has been associated with brilliance in the

darkness, now daylight is hateful to them.

More light and lightmore dark and dark our woes. (III, 5)

When Romeo buys poison from the apothecary, he asks that

it work quickly, unconsciously alluding to Friar Laurences

earlier references to fire and powder and violent ends.
That the life-weary taker may fall dead

And that the trunk may be discharged of breath

As violently as hasty powder fired
Doth hurry from the fatal cannon's womb.

Imagery

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Light and Dark - 6

In the final scene (V, 3) , Shakespeare visually repeats the

image of a light in the darkness:

Paris enters with a torch and puts it out, so as not to be seen.
Romeo enters the darkness, holding a torch.

After killing Paris, Romeo comments on Juliets corpse:

For here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes

This vault a feasting presence full of light. (V, 3)

Romeo vows to never from this pallet of dim night depart

again.
Romeo and Juliet will exist eternally in night and darkness.
At the end of the play, the Prince declares:
A glooming peace this morning with it brings.

The sun for sorrow will not show his head. (V, 3)

Imagery

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Themes in Romeo & Juliet

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Love and Violence

The intense love between Romeo and Juliet is often associated

with violence.
This idea is expressed in images that combine light and

destruction.
It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden;

Too like the lightning (Juliet, II, 2)

These violent delights have violent ends,

And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,

Which, as they kiss, consume. (Friar Laurence, II, 6)
After Romeo is banished, he threatens to kill himself with a knife:
O, tell me, friar, tell me,

In what vile part of this anatomy

Doth my name lodge? tell me, that I may sack
The hateful mansion.

Themes

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Love and Violence - 2

Both Romeo and Juliet imagine the other is dead on the morning

after their first (and only) night together.

Juliet:

Methinks I see thee, now thou art below,

As one dead in the bottom of a tomb.
Either my eyesight fails, or thou look'st pale.

Romeo

And trust me, love, in my eye so do you:

Dry sorrow drinks our blood. Adieu, adieu! (III, 5)

Juliet also threatens to take her own life after Capulet declares that

Juliet must marry Paris:

If all else fail, myself have power to die. (III, 5)

The connection between love and violence ultimately leads to the

double suicide of the two lovers.

Romeo and Juliet are only able to preserve their love in death.

Themes

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Love and Violence - 3

Themes

The Reconciliation of the Montagues and Capulets, Edmund Blair Leighton,

1855

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