Romeo and Juliet Analysis/Notes
Mr Bruff
Prologue
The direct address of ‘you’ and ‘we’ in the prologue is known as ‘breaking the third wall’. By
acknowledging the presence of the audience, the chorus (the person reading the prologue) would
break the illusion of reality created in the play. The negative effect of is that the audience is
reminded that the play is not real. The positive effect is that the direct address draws the audience
in to concentrate as they felt they were being spoken to specifically.
The form of the Prologue
The prologue is a sonnet. Through the use of the sonnet form Shakespeare is clearly stating that the
play is about love. Even though the prologue is a sonnet, it is full of the language of violence and
hate e.g., “grudge” “mutiny” “blood”, “unclean”, “fatal”, “foes”, “enemies”, “piteous”, “death”,
“strife”, “rage”, “fearful” and “toil”. The overt use of violent imagery is juxtaposed with the adoption
of the sonnet form to highlight one of Shakespeare’s many themes in ‘Romeo and Juliet’. The
language of hate and the form of love suggest that the two go hand in hand: true cannot exist
without the acknowledgement of hate. Shakespeare points out the reality of love: it is never easy.
Close analysis of the Prologue
“Both alike in dignity”- both households the same in worthiness and respect, two good, honourable
families
“From ancient grudge break to new mutiny”- “grudge” (means ill-will or resentment) creates the
idea that this families have been at war with each other, “ancient” is emotive and suggests the
grudge has gone on for such a long time almost like a historical thing. “new mutiny” suggests that
the grudge is going to start again.
“Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean”- belonging to the citizens, the public is going to be
involved, the “new mutiny” is going to cause a massive problem.
“Fatal loins of these two foes”- Alliteration of the ‘f’ sound. “Fatal loins”, loins meaning the
reproductive organs suggests that the offsprings of these families are going to be killing and causes
death. Foes=enemies
“A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life”- gives away the whole plot. “star-cross’d”, astrology- a
couple whose chances are ruined by fate and outside influence. “take their life”- commit suicide.
“Fearful passage of their death-mark’d love”: the events that led up to their death.
Act 1 Scene 1
This scene is full of sexual innuendo and imagery.
Sampson- the Sampson, biblically was granted supernatural strength by God.
,Gregory- is a Greek name meaning watchful and vigilant. When the imagery of the two names are
put together an idea of strong, aggressive and violent Capulet servants are evoked.
Their sexual innuendos makes them immature and childish to a modern audience who doesn’t not
approve.
“armed with swords and bucklers”- this stage directions foreshadow conflict. They are ready and
looking for trouble.
The conversation between Sampson and Gregory is very complex, this contrasts with the prologue
which was very clear and explicit.
“we’ll not carry coals”- we will not put up with insults.
Shakespeare uses a lot of puns in the conversation. Examples, collier= a coal miner, choler=anger.
Collar=hangman’s noose. The puns show the witty exchange between the two friends, they are
making fun of each other.
“a dog of the House of Montague”- the noun “dog” is used here as an insult. By using the negative
noun Sampson essential calling the Montagues wild animals of a lesser intelligence than a human.
“To move is to stir and to be valiant is to stand”- to be brave you need to stand your ground.
“Therefore women, being the weaker vessels”- sexist quote, a feminist might argue that this is an
example of men exercising their masculinity by attacking females. “thrust his maids to the wall”,
their manhood is dictated by their violence and vulgar sexual languages.
“I will be cruel with the maids, cut off their heads”- virginity.
“tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh”
Balthasar- is a Greek name for “protect the King”
“I do bite my thumb, sir”- an insult, ‘sir’ being civil and polite (Sampson is mocking and sarcastic).
“Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow”
“They fight”- this stage direction leaves room the actors to dictate how the fight takes place.
Benvolio- from Latin or Italian for “good”. “Part, fools! Put up your swords; you know not what you
do” has biblical reference, very similar to the words of Jesus.
Tybalt- antagonist of the play, he is named after Tybalt the sly, argumentative and aggressive cat in
the folklore tale (Elizabethan audience would have known this and expected him to be the
antagonist and he lives up to it”. “Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death”- very dramatic and
aggressive.
“I do but keep the peace”
“I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee”- repetition of hate
“What noise is this? Give me my long sword”
“A crutch, a crutch! Why call for a sword”
“thou villain Capulet”
“Thou shalt not stir a foot to seek a foe.”
, “Rebellious subjects”- asserting his power.
“Throw your mistemper’d weapons to the ground”- misused weapons
“Have thrice disturb’d the quiet of our streets”
“Canker’d with peace, to part your canker’d hate”- canker’d means rusted, has connotations of the
families being rusted and deteriorated.
“Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace”- very simple language to make his wishes plain and
clear.
Montague- ‘Monte’ Italian for mountain, symbolic for size, strength and stature.
“o, where is Romeo?”
Romeo- Italian meaning of pilgrim from Romeo links to “Good pilgrim”. Romeo is on a holy journey
to Juliet.
“With tears augmenting the fresh morning dew”- Romeo’s tears were pouring down and adding to
the morning rain.
“makes himself an artificial night”- Romeo is introduced as a shy and very introverted character.
“or dedicate is beauty to the sun”- foreshadows Romeo dedication to Juliet who he refers to as “the
Sun”
“What sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours?”
“out of her favour, where I am in love”- the one he loves doesn’t love him back. Very emotional.
“sad hours seem long” and “love is a smoke made with the fumes of sighs”- very dramatic and poetic
and romantic view of love.
“ope her lap to saint-seducing gold”- he is upset because Rosaline will not sleep with him. Shocking
imagery, sexual. “saint-seducing gold” very arrogant of Romeo.
Hubris of a tragic hero: arrogance or excessive pride. (stated by Aristotle). Romeo’s hubris is his
inability to stop himself from falling in love. Romeo is fickle. Romeo fits tragic hero convention.
Act 1 Scene 2 Analysis
“not seen the change of fourteen years”- read about marriage context in the Elizabethan times
Romeo and Paris are on the same parallel cause, both wants Juliet. They are very similar (in love with
people who do not love them back).
Paris- the name is an intertextual link to the mythological Paris who is called to a feast and asked to
choose between the most beautiful girl.
Act 1 Scene 3 Analysis
The nurse is a comic with rude sense of humour. Informal
This scene shows the role of women.
“Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit”- “fall backward” has a double meaning, the other
being sex.
Mr Bruff
Prologue
The direct address of ‘you’ and ‘we’ in the prologue is known as ‘breaking the third wall’. By
acknowledging the presence of the audience, the chorus (the person reading the prologue) would
break the illusion of reality created in the play. The negative effect of is that the audience is
reminded that the play is not real. The positive effect is that the direct address draws the audience
in to concentrate as they felt they were being spoken to specifically.
The form of the Prologue
The prologue is a sonnet. Through the use of the sonnet form Shakespeare is clearly stating that the
play is about love. Even though the prologue is a sonnet, it is full of the language of violence and
hate e.g., “grudge” “mutiny” “blood”, “unclean”, “fatal”, “foes”, “enemies”, “piteous”, “death”,
“strife”, “rage”, “fearful” and “toil”. The overt use of violent imagery is juxtaposed with the adoption
of the sonnet form to highlight one of Shakespeare’s many themes in ‘Romeo and Juliet’. The
language of hate and the form of love suggest that the two go hand in hand: true cannot exist
without the acknowledgement of hate. Shakespeare points out the reality of love: it is never easy.
Close analysis of the Prologue
“Both alike in dignity”- both households the same in worthiness and respect, two good, honourable
families
“From ancient grudge break to new mutiny”- “grudge” (means ill-will or resentment) creates the
idea that this families have been at war with each other, “ancient” is emotive and suggests the
grudge has gone on for such a long time almost like a historical thing. “new mutiny” suggests that
the grudge is going to start again.
“Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean”- belonging to the citizens, the public is going to be
involved, the “new mutiny” is going to cause a massive problem.
“Fatal loins of these two foes”- Alliteration of the ‘f’ sound. “Fatal loins”, loins meaning the
reproductive organs suggests that the offsprings of these families are going to be killing and causes
death. Foes=enemies
“A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life”- gives away the whole plot. “star-cross’d”, astrology- a
couple whose chances are ruined by fate and outside influence. “take their life”- commit suicide.
“Fearful passage of their death-mark’d love”: the events that led up to their death.
Act 1 Scene 1
This scene is full of sexual innuendo and imagery.
Sampson- the Sampson, biblically was granted supernatural strength by God.
,Gregory- is a Greek name meaning watchful and vigilant. When the imagery of the two names are
put together an idea of strong, aggressive and violent Capulet servants are evoked.
Their sexual innuendos makes them immature and childish to a modern audience who doesn’t not
approve.
“armed with swords and bucklers”- this stage directions foreshadow conflict. They are ready and
looking for trouble.
The conversation between Sampson and Gregory is very complex, this contrasts with the prologue
which was very clear and explicit.
“we’ll not carry coals”- we will not put up with insults.
Shakespeare uses a lot of puns in the conversation. Examples, collier= a coal miner, choler=anger.
Collar=hangman’s noose. The puns show the witty exchange between the two friends, they are
making fun of each other.
“a dog of the House of Montague”- the noun “dog” is used here as an insult. By using the negative
noun Sampson essential calling the Montagues wild animals of a lesser intelligence than a human.
“To move is to stir and to be valiant is to stand”- to be brave you need to stand your ground.
“Therefore women, being the weaker vessels”- sexist quote, a feminist might argue that this is an
example of men exercising their masculinity by attacking females. “thrust his maids to the wall”,
their manhood is dictated by their violence and vulgar sexual languages.
“I will be cruel with the maids, cut off their heads”- virginity.
“tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh”
Balthasar- is a Greek name for “protect the King”
“I do bite my thumb, sir”- an insult, ‘sir’ being civil and polite (Sampson is mocking and sarcastic).
“Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow”
“They fight”- this stage direction leaves room the actors to dictate how the fight takes place.
Benvolio- from Latin or Italian for “good”. “Part, fools! Put up your swords; you know not what you
do” has biblical reference, very similar to the words of Jesus.
Tybalt- antagonist of the play, he is named after Tybalt the sly, argumentative and aggressive cat in
the folklore tale (Elizabethan audience would have known this and expected him to be the
antagonist and he lives up to it”. “Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death”- very dramatic and
aggressive.
“I do but keep the peace”
“I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee”- repetition of hate
“What noise is this? Give me my long sword”
“A crutch, a crutch! Why call for a sword”
“thou villain Capulet”
“Thou shalt not stir a foot to seek a foe.”
, “Rebellious subjects”- asserting his power.
“Throw your mistemper’d weapons to the ground”- misused weapons
“Have thrice disturb’d the quiet of our streets”
“Canker’d with peace, to part your canker’d hate”- canker’d means rusted, has connotations of the
families being rusted and deteriorated.
“Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace”- very simple language to make his wishes plain and
clear.
Montague- ‘Monte’ Italian for mountain, symbolic for size, strength and stature.
“o, where is Romeo?”
Romeo- Italian meaning of pilgrim from Romeo links to “Good pilgrim”. Romeo is on a holy journey
to Juliet.
“With tears augmenting the fresh morning dew”- Romeo’s tears were pouring down and adding to
the morning rain.
“makes himself an artificial night”- Romeo is introduced as a shy and very introverted character.
“or dedicate is beauty to the sun”- foreshadows Romeo dedication to Juliet who he refers to as “the
Sun”
“What sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours?”
“out of her favour, where I am in love”- the one he loves doesn’t love him back. Very emotional.
“sad hours seem long” and “love is a smoke made with the fumes of sighs”- very dramatic and poetic
and romantic view of love.
“ope her lap to saint-seducing gold”- he is upset because Rosaline will not sleep with him. Shocking
imagery, sexual. “saint-seducing gold” very arrogant of Romeo.
Hubris of a tragic hero: arrogance or excessive pride. (stated by Aristotle). Romeo’s hubris is his
inability to stop himself from falling in love. Romeo is fickle. Romeo fits tragic hero convention.
Act 1 Scene 2 Analysis
“not seen the change of fourteen years”- read about marriage context in the Elizabethan times
Romeo and Paris are on the same parallel cause, both wants Juliet. They are very similar (in love with
people who do not love them back).
Paris- the name is an intertextual link to the mythological Paris who is called to a feast and asked to
choose between the most beautiful girl.
Act 1 Scene 3 Analysis
The nurse is a comic with rude sense of humour. Informal
This scene shows the role of women.
“Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit”- “fall backward” has a double meaning, the other
being sex.
