omeo and Juli
R et
S u m m a rie s
Grade 10
English Home Language
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
, Background
Setting Elizabethan
→ The setting refers to where and when
Society
the story takes place.
→ Elizabethan society was very
→ Romeo and Juliet takes place in unequal, with a few rich nobles and
Verona during the 1400s (15th century). many poor people.
→ Italy was not united at the time and → Nobles inherited wealth and power,
was divided into small city-states. while ordinary people could not vote.
→ These city-states often fought each → Women had fewer rights than men
other for control of cities like Verona. and were usually expected to be
housewives or servants.
→ People were ruled by nobles, such as
a prince. → Only wealthy people were usually
educated and able to read and write.
→ Most people in Italy were Roman
Catholic and attended church regularly. → Most people were Christians, and
the Church was important in daily life.
→ The play includes many religious
references, such as shrines, saints and → People had shorter lifespans, and
pilgrims. diseases like the plague were common.
Shakespearean English
→ English in William Shakespeare’s time was very different from today’s English.
→ People used words like “thee” instead of “you”.
→ English was mostly spoken, while many books were written in Latin.
→ There were no English dictionaries and English was not studied at school.
→ Shakespeare helped develop the English language by writing popular plays in
English.
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
, Characters
Classes of Characters
→ Shakespeare included different social classes that Elizabethan audiences would
recognise.
→ The nobility were rich, powerful people who inherited wealth and land.
→ Noble characters include the Prince, Count Paris, and the Montague and Capulet
families.
→ Commoners had no titles or inherited wealth and were often servants.
→ Servant characters often provide humour in the play.
→ The clergy represented the church and had a respected role in society.
→ Friars were Catholic religious men who served the community.
→ Friar Lawrence and Friar John represent the clergy in the play.
→ Friar Lawrence tries to help Romeo and Juliet, but his actions partly lead to their
deaths.
The Nobles Prince Escalus, ruler of Verona
→ Prince Escalus is the stern and strict
ruler of Verona.
→ The nobles were rich people who
→ He stops the fighting between the
inherited their wealth and social
Montagues and Capulets.
position.
→ He is also merciful and fair.
→ They had political power and owned
→ Instead of executing Romeo for
most of the land.
killing Tybalt, he exiles him because
Tybalt had killed Mercutio first.
The Apothecary
→ The apothecary was a person who
prepared and sold medicines and
drugs.
→ The Apothecary lives in Mantua,
where Romeo is exiled.
→ He is very poor and agrees to sell
poison to Romeo for money.
→ He chooses money over the moral
consequences of his actions.
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
R et
S u m m a rie s
Grade 10
English Home Language
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
, Background
Setting Elizabethan
→ The setting refers to where and when
Society
the story takes place.
→ Elizabethan society was very
→ Romeo and Juliet takes place in unequal, with a few rich nobles and
Verona during the 1400s (15th century). many poor people.
→ Italy was not united at the time and → Nobles inherited wealth and power,
was divided into small city-states. while ordinary people could not vote.
→ These city-states often fought each → Women had fewer rights than men
other for control of cities like Verona. and were usually expected to be
housewives or servants.
→ People were ruled by nobles, such as
a prince. → Only wealthy people were usually
educated and able to read and write.
→ Most people in Italy were Roman
Catholic and attended church regularly. → Most people were Christians, and
the Church was important in daily life.
→ The play includes many religious
references, such as shrines, saints and → People had shorter lifespans, and
pilgrims. diseases like the plague were common.
Shakespearean English
→ English in William Shakespeare’s time was very different from today’s English.
→ People used words like “thee” instead of “you”.
→ English was mostly spoken, while many books were written in Latin.
→ There were no English dictionaries and English was not studied at school.
→ Shakespeare helped develop the English language by writing popular plays in
English.
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
, Characters
Classes of Characters
→ Shakespeare included different social classes that Elizabethan audiences would
recognise.
→ The nobility were rich, powerful people who inherited wealth and land.
→ Noble characters include the Prince, Count Paris, and the Montague and Capulet
families.
→ Commoners had no titles or inherited wealth and were often servants.
→ Servant characters often provide humour in the play.
→ The clergy represented the church and had a respected role in society.
→ Friars were Catholic religious men who served the community.
→ Friar Lawrence and Friar John represent the clergy in the play.
→ Friar Lawrence tries to help Romeo and Juliet, but his actions partly lead to their
deaths.
The Nobles Prince Escalus, ruler of Verona
→ Prince Escalus is the stern and strict
ruler of Verona.
→ The nobles were rich people who
→ He stops the fighting between the
inherited their wealth and social
Montagues and Capulets.
position.
→ He is also merciful and fair.
→ They had political power and owned
→ Instead of executing Romeo for
most of the land.
killing Tybalt, he exiles him because
Tybalt had killed Mercutio first.
The Apothecary
→ The apothecary was a person who
prepared and sold medicines and
drugs.
→ The Apothecary lives in Mantua,
where Romeo is exiled.
→ He is very poor and agrees to sell
poison to Romeo for money.
→ He chooses money over the moral
consequences of his actions.
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy,
share, or sell our content without permission.
