ROMEO & JULIET

William Shakespeare

RULES FOR TRAGEDYDrama must be about the HIGH BORN.Must consist of FIVE ACTS.

• Act I – exposition, or INCITING action• Act II – RISING action• Act III – CLIMAX• Act IV – FALLING action (focus on forces against

main characters)• Act V – moment of final SUSPENSE and

DESTRUCTION of main characters

Drama must be written in POETRY.

• Juliet Capulet: naïve 13 year old who is madly in love

• Lord & Lady Capulet: Juliet’s parents

• Tybalt: Juliet’s cousin; very aggressive

• Nurse: Juliet’s confidant

INTRODUCTIONS

• Romeo Montague: impulsive 18 year old who is madly in love

• Lord & Lady Montague: Romeo’s parents

• Benvolio: Romeo’s cousin; a peacemaker

• Friar Laurence: Romeo’s confidant

THE CAPULETS THE MONTAGUES

INTRODUCTIONS (CONT.)

THE OTHERS

• Mercutio: Romeo’s jokester friend

• Paris: Engaged to Juliet

• Prince Escalus: Prince of Verona; wants peace

THEMES

Love vs. Hate

Light vs. Dark

Fate & Destiny

Violence

Keep the following themes in mind while we read: