📚 notes(will add themes)
,The progression of Romeo and Juliet’s relationship
● The pair of ‘star crossed lovers’ meet, marry and take their own lives within the time
span of less than a week.
● Shakespeare uses a range of language and literary devices to portray the progression
and intensity of their relationship.
Imagery of light and dark
● Shakepseare’s language is interwoven with the imagery of lightness and darkness.
When Romeo first sees Juliet at the capulet’s mask ball he is immediately hypnotized by
her radiant beauty.
● Romeo perceives that Juliet represents purity and feels that she has ignited an
incandescent light in a world blinded by hatred and darkness.
● The symbolism of light is used in every stage of the progression of the lover’s
relationship.
● This gives the play a cyclical structure as Juliet’s radiant light shines at both the
beginning of the play and the tragic end.
○ ‘She doth teach the torches to burn bright.’ - Romeo
- By using the verb ‘teach’ Romeo gives Juliet a position of authority.
- The plosive alliteration of the strong ‘B’ sound in ‘burn bright’ emphasises the
immediacy of their physical attraction.
Shakespeare uses the imagery of light at crucial, pivotal moments
‘But soft, what light through yonder window breaks. It is the east and Juliet is the sun.’ -Romeo
‘More light and light, more dark and dark our woes.’ -Romeo
‘Her beauty makes this vault a feasting presence full of light.’
- Like a vault to store gold, shows how precious he is
Prologue
The prologue warns the audience that the protagonists will take their life and ‘with their death
bury their parents’ strife.’ As the prologue has already revealed the lovers’ imminent death.
Shakespeare has to accelerate the progression of the lover’s relationship
Knowing the ending before-hand shows how Shakespeare trusts us with the ending, rather than
trusting the characters. Gives the audience a privileged position
Knowing the ending before-hand makes the audience look for the subtext (hidden meaning)
The stars, the sun and the moon
Romeo and Juliet both make numerous references to the stars, the sun and the moon and this
symbolises the concept that their love is more powerful than the negative human forces which
conspire against them.
Gives their love a celestial power
,When Romeo hears the traumatic news of Juliet’s death, he personifies the stars when he cries
out, ‘Then I defy you stars.’
Elizabethan belief in astrology
The references to astrology are connected to the strong Elizabethan belief that the stars and the
planets have the power to control events on earth. This concept of fate is central to the play
The deep-seated faith in astrology implies that the play’s tragic events were beyond the control
of any of the characters. This directly contradicts a contemporary audience’s beliefs that we are
all responsible for our own actions and must therefore accept accountability
Meeting
(less than 24 hrs later) asks Friar to get married
Consummates love that night
death
Fate and freewill
Inevitability to escape fate
predetermined path
Impetuous
Religous , god’s will
Quotes:
‘My mind misgives Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars, shall bitterly begin.’ - Romeo
‘My grave is likely to be my wedding bed.’ - Juliet
‘O , I am fortune’s fool.’ - Romeo (when he kills Tybalt)
‘Star - crossed lovers’
Patriarchal society - men dominating society
, 👑 LORD CAPULET
,The progression of Romeo and Juliet’s relationship
● The pair of ‘star crossed lovers’ meet, marry and take their own lives within the time
span of less than a week.
● Shakespeare uses a range of language and literary devices to portray the progression
and intensity of their relationship.
Imagery of light and dark
● Shakepseare’s language is interwoven with the imagery of lightness and darkness.
When Romeo first sees Juliet at the capulet’s mask ball he is immediately hypnotized by
her radiant beauty.
● Romeo perceives that Juliet represents purity and feels that she has ignited an
incandescent light in a world blinded by hatred and darkness.
● The symbolism of light is used in every stage of the progression of the lover’s
relationship.
● This gives the play a cyclical structure as Juliet’s radiant light shines at both the
beginning of the play and the tragic end.
○ ‘She doth teach the torches to burn bright.’ - Romeo
- By using the verb ‘teach’ Romeo gives Juliet a position of authority.
- The plosive alliteration of the strong ‘B’ sound in ‘burn bright’ emphasises the
immediacy of their physical attraction.
Shakespeare uses the imagery of light at crucial, pivotal moments
‘But soft, what light through yonder window breaks. It is the east and Juliet is the sun.’ -Romeo
‘More light and light, more dark and dark our woes.’ -Romeo
‘Her beauty makes this vault a feasting presence full of light.’
- Like a vault to store gold, shows how precious he is
Prologue
The prologue warns the audience that the protagonists will take their life and ‘with their death
bury their parents’ strife.’ As the prologue has already revealed the lovers’ imminent death.
Shakespeare has to accelerate the progression of the lover’s relationship
Knowing the ending before-hand shows how Shakespeare trusts us with the ending, rather than
trusting the characters. Gives the audience a privileged position
Knowing the ending before-hand makes the audience look for the subtext (hidden meaning)
The stars, the sun and the moon
Romeo and Juliet both make numerous references to the stars, the sun and the moon and this
symbolises the concept that their love is more powerful than the negative human forces which
conspire against them.
Gives their love a celestial power
,When Romeo hears the traumatic news of Juliet’s death, he personifies the stars when he cries
out, ‘Then I defy you stars.’
Elizabethan belief in astrology
The references to astrology are connected to the strong Elizabethan belief that the stars and the
planets have the power to control events on earth. This concept of fate is central to the play
The deep-seated faith in astrology implies that the play’s tragic events were beyond the control
of any of the characters. This directly contradicts a contemporary audience’s beliefs that we are
all responsible for our own actions and must therefore accept accountability
Meeting
(less than 24 hrs later) asks Friar to get married
Consummates love that night
death
Fate and freewill
Inevitability to escape fate
predetermined path
Impetuous
Religous , god’s will
Quotes:
‘My mind misgives Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars, shall bitterly begin.’ - Romeo
‘My grave is likely to be my wedding bed.’ - Juliet
‘O , I am fortune’s fool.’ - Romeo (when he kills Tybalt)
‘Star - crossed lovers’
Patriarchal society - men dominating society
, 👑 LORD CAPULET
