Romeo Flashcards
1
Q
What does Romeo’s name suggest?
A
- Romeo can be translated as ‘wanderer’, ‘roamed’ ‘palmer’
- ‘Palmer’ is similar to pilgrim, as in the line “For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch/ And palm is holy palmers’ kiss”
- ‘Roaming’: he is left roaming at the start of the play with his unrequited love for Rosaline, he finds his love and purpose of life in Juliet
2
Q
How is Romeo presented as a tragic hero?
A
- In Shakespeare plays, tragedy is identified as a story that ends unhappily due to the fall of the protagonist, which is the tragic hero
- For a play to be a tragedy, there must be a tragic hero. In the play Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is the tragic hero
- A person must possess certain qualities that classify one as a tragic hero. One of these qualities is the noble birth of a character
- The Montagues are also a rich family. “Verona brags of him/To be a virtuous and well-governed youth” Lord Capulet Act 1 Scene 5
3
Q
What are the flaws of Romeo? (Tragic hero)
A
- Even Romeo’s enemies know well of him and know that he is respected and talked about by the citizens of Verona
- Another necessary quality possessed by a tragic hero is the hero’s tragic flaw, which in Romeo’s case is falling in love too quickly and deeply
- Romeo, being the play’s tragic hero, makes a series of poor decisions
4
Q
“_____ brags of him/To be a ______ and ________ youth”
A
“Verona brags of him/To be a virtuous and well-governed youth”
- Irony seems to be used here- yes he is the tragic hero BUT his flaw contradicts the gentleman within him, he is rash in his decisions
- He honours the love of Juliet but not the honour of defending himself which results in the death of Mercutio
5
Q
How is hamartia used to show tragic flaws?
A
- Interestingly, it’s the Friar who outlines to Romeo his flaw and warns him against such behavior
- “love moderately”
- Again literally the verb “moderately”, this means within reasonable limits
- Arguably he exceeds these limits with the loving of his enemy and his attempt to deny fate, “I defy you stars!”
6
Q
How is Romeo presented in Act 1 Scene 1?
A
- “Away from light steals home my heavy son and private in his chamber pens himself, shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out, and makes himself an artificial night”- Lord Montague
- Foreshadowing
- This idea that he avoids the light
- Conflict throughout the play of night and day/ dark and light
- Lovers exist in a forbidden world at night
- Oxymorons used by Lord Montague then Romeo also uses this language
7
Q
How is Romeo presented at the beginning of the play?
A
- At the beginning of the play, Romeo pines for Rosaline, proclaiming her the epitome of women and despairing at her indifference toward him
- Arguably, Rosaline exists exists in the play to demonstrate Romeo’s passionate nature, and his tragic flaw
- He uses cliches/oxymorons to express his love for her, “Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health”
- Shakespeare chooses language that reflects youthful, idealised notions of romance
- Blank verse will contrast with iambic pentameter, rhyming couplets and the shared sonnet sed when he meets Juliet
8
Q
How is Romeo presented at the start of the play?
A
- The oxymorons mizes the joys of love with the emotional desolation of unrequited love, “O brawling love, o loving hate”
- “brawling” (to fight/quarrel)- again subtle foreshadowing intertwined with “love”, this oxymoron couples two major themes and reminds us of fate and the prologue
- Another interpretation- there seems to be a struggle- we meet Romeo after the opening fight
- Romeo’s love for Rosaline shows him to be desirous of love with anyone who is beautiful and willing to share his feelings, thereby ruining our understanding of Romeo’s love with Juliet
9
Q
How is Romeo presented through his love for Rosaline?
A
- Romeo does not mention anything about Rosaline as a person, but rather her appearance
- Suggesting this is not a genuine- it is impossible to love someone without being attracted to their personality
- Noun “vanity” supports this. Literally meaning the lack of real value
- Again linked to Friar who says, “young men’s love then lies/Not truly in their hearts, but their eyes”
10
Q
"Oh, she doth teach the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_! It seems she hangs \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Like a rich jewel in an \_\_\_\_\_. Beauty \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_, for earth \_\_\_\_\_ So shows a \_\_\_\_\_\_ trooping with \_\_\_\_\_" How does Romeo present Juliet here using techniques?
A
- Oh, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear,
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear
So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows - Opening line: radiance, eye catching beauty with the ability to create more light
- Imagery: Juliet is like a dove. Obvious symbolism of innocence and peace. However, an alternative interpretation in paganism, doves were prominent animals, symbols of the goddess of love, sexuality and war.
- Unearthly beauty
- More light vs dark imagery- jewel. Noun “jewel” is modified by the adjective “rich”
- Iambic pentameter, rhyming couplets
11
Q
What is a sonnet and when is it used in Romeo and Juliet?
A
- The first 14 lines make up a shared sonnet, with a rhyme scheme of ababcdcdefefgg and the iambic pentameter
- Between the two of them (R and J) this shared sonnet suggests they are perfect for one another and complete each other
- Juliet echos some of Romeo’s words in her line endings and this implies that she follows him and is influenced by him- as a younger lover
- A sonnet is an idealised poetic form often used to write about love
- Extended metaphors of religion presents their love as pure and sacred
- The use of the sonnet, however, is used to remind the audience of the prologue
- The prologue to the play is also a sonnet
- The prologue outlines the fate of Romeo and Juliet: death
- These sonnets present a link between love and destiny
12
Q
"If I profane with \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ This \_\_\_\_, the \_\_\_\_\_\_ is this My lips, \_\_\_\_\_\_\_, ready stand To smooth that \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_"
How does Act 1 Scene 5 present Romeo and Juliet’s first interaction?
A
“If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle sin this is
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender
kiss”
- The first conversation between Romeo and Juliet is an extended Christian metaphor
- Romeo uses this metaphor to convince Juliet to kiss him
- This metaphor is important for a number of reasons
13
Q
What does “holy shrine” suggest?
A
- Their love becomes associated with the purity and passion
- The religious imagery indicates a more divine love and Romeo moves away from the cliched artificial, exaggerated descriptions of his love for Rosaline.
- Romeo compares Juliet to the image of a saint
- The Anglican church of Elizabethan times saw this as blasphemy, a kind of idol worship
- This comparison borders on unorthodox, their relationships face conflict from the family feud but now also a conflict with religion
14
Q
When Romeo proclaims “Juliet is the sun” in Act 2, what does this suggest?
A
- Romeo confesses his love by using the blason- love poetry popular in Elizabethan times. Usually involving the comparison of female body parts to nature
- Idealistic love, exaggerated comparisons- we see the unrealistic nature of his love for Juliet
- He appears fickle- he loved Rosaline too- this is his fatal flaw
15
Q
In “Juliet is the sun”, what does the noun “sun” suggest?
A
- Blason poetry, metaphor
- Implies that she is a celestial being, something beyond the realms of reality
- Metaphorically, the world, people need the sun to exist, therefore there is an extended idea that Romeo will die without Juliet- subtle foreshadowing
- Strength of his affection
