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romeo and juiliet context - Coggle Diagram
romeo and juiliet context
why did shakespeare choose to set his play in Italy?
italy was going through change, and was in the rennaisance period between the 14th - 17th century
italy was sexualised and seen as provactive by the british audience
it was a catholic country so the british, largely protestant, were suspicious of this
italian women were perceived to be chaste and less virignal than english women
italy was perceived to be a country where romance was valued very highly
it was believed that italians were passionate, sexual and less agressive so shakespeare thought these would contribute to good character traits
there was widespread paranoia about catholic priests being dishonarable and untrustworthy
italian class systems
in the 17th century, there were strict divides between the upper and lower class
lower class citizens had less opportunities and were prejudiced against
those w money and status were in positions of power
wealthy lords and ladies who owned land in italy were respected
the working class were often portrayed as villains or stupid and uneducated
women in the jacobean era
it was a patriarchal society where the father or male elder has dominance over the group
women experienced frequent misogany and men had little respect towards women
a women's role was to take orders, do domestic work and look after younger members of the family, as well as her husband
the man held primary power and the woman was expected to bear and look after the children
women were expected to be obedient and focus on pleasing the men around them,
marriages were arranged to increase power and status of both parties however marrying for love was uncommon
women were either the whore or the wife, they were either devoted wives owned by their husbands or they fulfilled the role of their husbands' prostistes who would offer their sexual services
courtship
marrying for love was seen to be foolish as many married for money, power and status
courtship was the name given to the process of 'wooing' a woman, in which the attempted to attract a suitable woman of society
virginity was important as a woman was expected to lose her viriginity in marriage, or she would lose all her social status