Notes for Romeo and Juliet (Part
1)
Description of the plot
Romeo attends a party in an attempt to get over a girl with whom he is utterly
fascinated, but he meets another girl, Juliet, and becomes obsessed with her
as well.
Their families despise each other, yet despite or perhaps because of this, they
fall madly in love and marry the next day, sparking an immediate family feud.
Several people are killed, including Juliet's cousin, whom Romeo murders.
As a result, Romeo must flee.
To avoid another marriage, Juliet drinks a sleeping potion.
Romeo returns after hearing the dreadful news and, finding her sleeping
corpse and believing she is dead, kills himself.
She then awakens, finds Romeo, and kills herself.
This event brought the feuding families to an end.
Background
This story is based on Arthur Brooke's 1562 3000 line narrative poem The
Tragical Historye of Romeus and Juliet, which was also based on a history of
tragic romances stretching back at least to Ovid's Metamorphosis.
Shakespeare added narrative complexities.
The story of Romeo and Juliet served as a warning tale for Brooke.
He refers to them as "a couple of unlucky lovers, thrilling themselves to
unhonest desire, disregarding the authority and advise of parents and friends..
attempting all perilous adventures for the attainment of their desired lust..
abusing the noble name of legitimate marriage."
Shakespeare offers a much more compassionate portrait of Romeo and Juliet
and encourages us to empathize with them
o They have feelings for each other, but they are polite about it. The
physical gap between them in their most passionate scene
demonstrates this.
1)
Description of the plot
Romeo attends a party in an attempt to get over a girl with whom he is utterly
fascinated, but he meets another girl, Juliet, and becomes obsessed with her
as well.
Their families despise each other, yet despite or perhaps because of this, they
fall madly in love and marry the next day, sparking an immediate family feud.
Several people are killed, including Juliet's cousin, whom Romeo murders.
As a result, Romeo must flee.
To avoid another marriage, Juliet drinks a sleeping potion.
Romeo returns after hearing the dreadful news and, finding her sleeping
corpse and believing she is dead, kills himself.
She then awakens, finds Romeo, and kills herself.
This event brought the feuding families to an end.
Background
This story is based on Arthur Brooke's 1562 3000 line narrative poem The
Tragical Historye of Romeus and Juliet, which was also based on a history of
tragic romances stretching back at least to Ovid's Metamorphosis.
Shakespeare added narrative complexities.
The story of Romeo and Juliet served as a warning tale for Brooke.
He refers to them as "a couple of unlucky lovers, thrilling themselves to
unhonest desire, disregarding the authority and advise of parents and friends..
attempting all perilous adventures for the attainment of their desired lust..
abusing the noble name of legitimate marriage."
Shakespeare offers a much more compassionate portrait of Romeo and Juliet
and encourages us to empathize with them
o They have feelings for each other, but they are polite about it. The
physical gap between them in their most passionate scene
demonstrates this.
