Romeo And Juliet Flashcards
How is fate presented? In the beginning of Romeo and Juliet
Fate is first mentioned in the opening lines,* “star-cross’d lovers take their life” *Shakespearean England was known for its fate beliefs in destiny and the ideas that the future was pre determined
All key events of the play are revealed at the beginning of the play linking with the concept that our lives are already decided it is just unknown how we reach each point
“Take their life shows they are created by parents but also suggests that they will take their own life showing two contrasts between life and death which occurs several times
How is fate presented by Romeo?
“O, I am fortune’s fool”
Fool shows he has been played by fate, Double use of f sound shows fate is lurking.
Fate can manipulate Romeo and his emotions based on events in and out of his control.
“O give me thy hand, One writ with me in sour misfortunes book”
Fate is seen as sour and bitter showing another tragic misfortune. Romeo remains sympathetic after sinning shows his character has not changed but fails to his flaws.
“Shake the yoke of inauspicious stars”
Another showing of celestial imagery and that our future is written in the stars and is just waiting for us to come across it
Character of Tybalt
Shakespeare’s Intentions
- constructs Tybalt to personify, unchecked male violence, fueled by hubris (Excessive pride) and honor. Through Tybalt’s death ending through violent means, Shakespeare critics the folly of male youth and their propensity for violence. Shakespeare intends to create a foil to Romeos love with a character of Hate. Suggesting the similarities but pure differences in both families.
“Tybalt” Direct link to “Tyrant” A leader based of pride and honor usually with negative connotations as well as fueled by anger and aggression.
Key Quotes
“Have at thee coward!”
Provocative language is used to insult Benvolio as a “Coward”. He is already seen as quick to anger and it’s within 2 lines of his entrance he attempts to provoke and insult a character.
”!” Shows the Rapid intent to anger and the true passion he has in his anger.
“Coward” Also shows his stance that if they are not willing to have direct conflict with him then they are a coward, links to the patrilocal system that men dont believe that their actions are at fault.
Tybalt is seen as the foil to Mercutio and Romeo As his Violent word choice and anger create a contradiction from Mercutio’s Playful and wittiness and Romeos Love and affection.
Referenced by other Characters
“Love[s] [Tybalt] better than [he] canst devise” - Romeo
- Tone is calm and sincere, shows the disposition to love instead of fight.
- Follows the murder of his friend so confusing why there is love
- “Canst Devise” Shows that Hate and anger will never understand the power of true love and the influence it is able to hold and bring to the play.
- Shows to be unloving is to be unknowledge to the wider reality of the marriage and the love Romeo and Juliet have for one and other,
Character of Romeo
Key Words
- Defiance
- Eponymous Character (Name in title)
- unrequited love
- love transcendent
- impulsive
- rash
- folly of youth
- impetuous
Shakespeare intentions
Shakespeare shows the consequences of violating societal, religious and familial
constructs. These foundational constructs in society are insurmountable (cant
Overcome), even in the face of true love. Thus, he makes Romeo’s hamartia (fatal
flaw) his impetuousness (impulsiveness) - his inability to navigate social
expectations reinforce the folly (foolishness) in the youth.
Through dramatic irony, Shakespeare’s crafting of an inevitable tragedy shows how
love and violence are inextricably linked. He utilises Romeo as an example of this
entwined duality, portraying him as the embodiment of the conflicts of love and
violence within a single individual.
Shakespeare’s tragic portrayal of Romeo and Juliet reinforces that even the
seemingly boundless power of love is ultimately constrained by forces beyond
human control. He reinforces Elizabethan ideas of determinism (everything is pre
set out) showing celestial bodies (stars/moon/planets) were powerful forces on human life.
Quotes
“I defy you stars”
- Gives them the pronoun “You”, Suggests his mental state could be disintegrating but also the vast impact the stars have had on him, to the point where they feel like a tangible force to him that he can address and resent.
- Defying the stars is linked to conations of celestial fate and imagery that the stars had the power to choose and determine your life from birth, strongly believed in Shakespearean era
“Thus with a kiss i die”
- Shakespeare characters place a high value on family believe it to be more important than any other relation, But here Romeo values love first. The syntactical closeness of “Kiss” and “Die” show him to value Juliet over his family which thus show generational feuds can create a gap between parents and children who are naïve to the origin of it.
- Links to a humorous perspective, fits the Shakespearean tragedy and his belief that death is not be feared instead prepared for and embraced.
- Announces his actions purely to the audience as he is alone on stage besides the “dead” Juliet.
- Characterizes the full play that with Love, Death must follow shortly after.
- Romeo dies loving, His characters only purpose.
“There lie more peril in [her] eye/ Than twenty of their swords”
(More danger in her eyes than the swords)
Themes
- Youth
- Individual Vs Society
- Violence
- Family
- Love
Analysis
- Violent imagery hints at the concept of conflict through love and devotion to her.
- Romeo subconsciously recognizes the threat but his love is transcendent to overcome.
Character of mercutio
Friar Lawrence+ nanny
Friar Lawrence - “The earth,that’s nature’s mother, os her tomb./ What is her burying, grave that’s is her womb”
-Death is the start of new beginnings and life.
“So tortured by my art”
“Good morning father”
Family in Romeo and Juliet
Theme: Death
Theme: Love
Theme : Fate
Fate is seen throughout with reference to the stars and events being unavoidable. This can be seen through Romeo and Juliet, The friar Lawrence and the Capulets.
Key Quotes
- “star-crossed lovers”
- Shows that it is written in the stars for them to fall in love, Without any question or matter that will effect this.
- Mentioned in the prologue suggesting that all the upcoming events are unavoidable, follows Shakespeare usual tone of outlining the future events before any events have happened.
-
Context
