Unit 2: Romeo and Juliet — Notes Flashcards
What has made William Shakespeare one of the most beloved writers?
Shakespeare’s universal themes and his insight into human nature, coupled with his masterful command of language, have made him one of the most beloved writers in the world
What was William Shakespeare’s life?
William Shakespeare was born in the small town of Stratford-upon-Avon in England in 1564. Many records of his life have been lost in the nearly 400 years since his birth, but he probably attended a grammar school. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he has three children. By the 1590s, he was living in London and was both writing and acting for his own plays. He not only shared in the profits of his plays, but his theater company, the King’s Men (previously called the Chamberlain’s Men), had its own theaters, the Globe and the Blackfriars, built on the outskirts of London. Toward the end of his life, Shakespeare returned to Stratford-upon-Avon, where he passed away in 1616
How many plays, sonnets, and narrative poems has Shakespeare written?
36, plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 narrative poems
What is Shakespeare’s alleged date of birth?
April 23, 1564
How did Shakespeare compare to his siblings in terms of age? Who were his parents?
Shakespeare was the third of eight children, and was the eldest son of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden
What year was Shakespeare married?
1582
What caused Shakespeare to leave Stratford-upon-Avon?
He left Stratford-upon-Avon after being caught poaching in the deer park of Sir Thomas Lucy
How many periods is Shakespeare’s dramatic career divided into?
4
What does Shakespeare sometimes do with verbs and nouns?
Shakespeare sometimes puts the verb before the noun
True or False: Shakespeare loved to play with the meaning of words through puns and plays on words
True
True or False: Shakespeare uses very archaic or obsolete words and expressions
True
What is a reason we read Shakespeare to this day?
Shakespeare had a gift of expressing a range of human experiences and emotions, and his characters and themes are quite modern
True or False: Many words and common expressions were first used in Shakespeare’s plays
True
What should you do first when reading a play?
First, read any introductory material. This gives background information to read the play
What are helpful features when reading a play?
Helpful features: list of dramatis personae (characters), any notes about the setting, stage directions, and explanatory notes in the margins or at the bottom of the page
What are the characteristics of blank verse?
Blank verse does not rhyme but follows a specific pattern of meter or rhythm, called iambic pentameter
When and why is iambic pentameter used in Shakespearean plays?
In Shakespeare’s plays, iambic pentameter is used when an important character is speaking or to express strong emotion
True or False: Iambic pentameter is similar to regular speech
True
What does iambic pentameter mimic in Shakespearean plays?
The usage of iambic pentameter is to mimic normal, emphatic speech
True or False: plays consist of one or more acts and scenes
True
In what types of plays may a parallel plot be found? What is a parallel plot?
In longer plays, there may be a parallel plot, in which more than one conflict is developed
What does a comedy consist of?
A comedy consists of action that moves toward a happy ending. The playwright may poke fun at society in a comedy, but the tones and themes are generally on the lighter side
True or False: A tragedy is not just a sad story. The plot of a tragedy follows a specific pattern
True
What does a Greek tragedy consist of?
In Greek tragedy, the play tells a story of an admirable, noble, tragic hero who moves towards their downfall, due to a tragic flaw in their character or a mistake they make. Often their downfall is portrayed as inevitable
How is Shakespearean tragedy similar to Greek tragedy? How is it different?
Shakespearean tragedy is similar to Greek tragedy but the hero is more humanized, has more control over his fate, and we can see his thoughts and feelings through dialogue
True or False: Speech in drama advances the plot and helps readers understand characters. It also develops theme and gives clues about setting
True
Why do playwrights use monologue?
Playwrights use monologue to reveal a lot of information about one character
What is a soliloquy? How is it different from a monologue?
A soliloquy, like a monologue, is an extended speech by a single character. It develops the character and often elaborates on major themes. The difference between a monologue and a soliloquy is that a a monologue is delivered in the presence of other characters. A soliloquy is delivered by a single character, alone, on stage. For this reason, soliloquies are mainly used to express a character’s innermost thoughts and feelings
What is an aside?
An aside is a brief comment a character makes that is not intended to be heard by other characters. Like soliloquies, asides often reveal important information that other characters on stage are not aware of
How were choruses used in Greek tragedies? How has the use of a chorus evolved?
Greek tragedy often includes a chorus—a group of actors that comments on the events of the play, sometimes in song. The chorus may function like a narrator, providing an explanation of what is happening. Over time, the role of the chorus in drama became less important, and modern plays do not usually include a chorus
True or False: In drama, the protagonist usually has the most lines
True
In drama, what are supporting characters?
Supporting characters in a play or drama are other characters who play major or minor roles
In a drama, what is a foil?
Some plays include a special kind of supporting character called a foil. A foil is a character whose personality sharply contrasts with another character
In Romeo and Juliet, what point of view does Shakespeare use?
In a dramatic work, or play, the point of view is a bit different because there is very limited narration. Most of the story is communicated through the words of the characters. You could say then that Shakespeare uses an objective point of view and lets the audience (or reader) form it’s own opinion
In Romeo and Juliet, what form is the prologue in?
The prologue is in the form of a fourteen-line sonnet
What is a sonnet?
A sonnet is a poem of 14 iambic pentameter lines
Extra: What is the history of sonnets?
Sonnets have been written in various rhyme schemes, but the most durable pattern has been the Italian, or Petrarchan, sonnet. It consists of an octave (8 lines) rhyming “a b b a a b b a” and a sestet (6 lines) using two or three rhymes in various combinations
What was the original topic of a sonnet? What subjects do sonnets discuss now?
The original topic of a sonnet was love of a mistress, yet the form has since been used for a variety of subjects
The word sonnet comes from the Italian word meaning:
“Little Song”
Soliloquy Definition
A long speech by a character alone on stage, usually revealing his or her inner thoughts
Monologue Definition
A long speech by one character, but it may be in the presence of other characters
Dialogue Definition
Speech or conversation between two or more characters
Aside Definition
Words spoken to the audience by a character
What is the structure of a Five-Act play in terms of plot?
Act l — Exposition Act ll — Rising Action or Complication Act lll — Climax Act lV — Falling Action Act V — Resolution
In accent Greek tragedies, what is pride known as?
“Hubris”
True or False: Aristotle said that through tragedies, the audience could experience a “catharsis”, or internal cleansing and emotional purification, and feel enriched
True
Malapropism Definition
the mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one, often with an amusing effect
What is the setting of Romeo and Juliet? Why did Shakespeare most likely choose this setting?
The likely setting for Romeo and Juliet is Northern Italy between the 13th and 16th centuries. Shakespeare probably chose this setting for the romantic connotations it had for the people of England in his time
Meter Definition
A set rhythm pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables
Foot Definition
A set number of syllables per line
What are the characteristics of blank verse?
— Unrhymed lines
— A set rhythm pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables (meter)
— A set number of syllables per line (foot)
What does pentameter mean?
Pentameter means there is a group of five feet, or five iambs
