Theme 8: Individuals vs Society Flashcards
- Prologue sets social backdrop (Prologue)
“From ancient grudge break to new mutiny.”
• What: Introduces the public feud between families
• How:
• **Oxymoron “ancient” / “new” = cyclical violence
• **Lexical field of rebellion “mutiny” → society’s structure under threat
• **Iambic pentameter broken → unrest even in form
• Why: Suggests no individual can escape the toxic societal systems they’re born into
• Character: Chorus
• Themes: individuals vs society, conflict, fate
- Prince threatens death to law-breakers (A1S1)
“If ever you disturb our streets again, / Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.”
• What: Enforces harsh civic law
• How:
• **Conditional structure = rigid legalism
• **Juxtaposition “lives” / “peace” = peace comes through violence
• **Monosyllables in “shall pay the forfeit” = blunt authority
• Why: Society maintains order through fear → individual passion punished
• Character: Prince
• Themes: individuals vs society, honour, conflict
- Romeo fears social consequences at Capulet’s ball (A1S5)
“My life is my foe’s debt.”
• What: Realises he loves a Capulet
• How:
• **Metaphor “foe’s debt” = love entraps him socially
• **Possessive “my life” / “foe’s” = loss of autonomy
• **Tone = foreboding submission
• Why: Personal feelings in direct conflict with public allegiance
• Character: Romeo
• Themes: individuals vs society, love vs hate
- Juliet learns Romeo’s identity (A1S5)
“My only love sprung from my only hate!”
• What: Love conflicts with inherited feud
• How:
• **Antithesis “love” / “hate” = personal vs social loyalty
• **Exclamative tone = shock at constraint
• **Repetition “only” = emotional isolation
• Why: Juliet’s desires instantly clash with societal roles
• Character: Juliet
• Themes: individuals vs society, love vs hate, fate
- Romeo tries to avoid conflict with Tybalt (A3S1)
“I do protest I never injured thee, / But love thee better than thou canst devise.”
• What: Attempts peace for Juliet’s sake
• How:
• **Irony → audience knows he’s married to Tybalt’s cousin
• **Language of reason = rare calm in chaos
• **Tone = humility, rare among feud culture
• Why: Personal morality clashes with external expectation of violence
• Character: Romeo
• Themes: individuals vs society, family loyalty
- Juliet seeks Friar’s help (A4S1)
“I long to die / If what thou speak’st speak not of remedy.”
What: Threatens suicide over forced marriage
• How:
• **Hyperbole “long to die” = emotional extremity
• **Binary opposition “die” vs “remedy” = life dictated by social outcome
• **Tone = helpless against system
• Why: Society offers no option to live honestly → death becomes escape
• Character: Juliet
• Themes: individuals vs society, gender, fate
- Friar gives her the potion plan (A4S1)
“A thing like death to chide away this shame.”
• What: Suggests faking death to avoid public disgrace
• How:
• **Simile “like death” = blurs life/fate/social duty
• **Passive tone “chide away” = makes deception sound noble
• **Irony → strategy to escape society causes chaos
• Why: Even religious figures must manipulate the system to help the individual
• Character: Friar Laurence
• Themes: individuals vs society, appearance vs reality
- Romeo after learning of Juliet’s death (A5S1)
“Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight.”
• What: Plans suicide to reunite with her
• How:
• **Simple declarative = fixed determination
• **Tone = calm but chilling → resignation to fate
• **“Lie with thee” = romantic euphemism for death
• Why: Rejects societal rules, laws, family → embraces love through self-destruction
• Character: Romeo
• Themes: individuals vs society, death, love
- Prince’s final reflection (A5S3)
“All are punishèd.”
• What: Declares universal suffering from personal rebellion
• How:
• **Passive voice = depersonalised fate
• **No subject → blame distributed across all
• **Short, blunt syntax = finality
• Why: Individuals challenge society but can’t escape its consequences
• Character: Prince
• Themes: individuals vs society, fate, conflict
