ROMEO AND JULIET
SOURCES
The main source for Shakespear's Romeo and Juliet was a poem by Arthur Brooke called "the tragicol historye of Romeus and Juliet"
Brooke's poem was based on Italian versions of Luigi da Porto in 1530s and by Matteo Bandello in 1550s and on a later french version by pierre Boaistuau
PLOT:
The action take plays in verona where there is a fight between the Capulets and the Montagues
Romeo (a Montague) goes to the Capulet's party and sees Juliet (a Capulet)
Romeo and Juliet Fall in love
In the second act they decide to marry in secret by Friar Lawrence that hopes their marriage will make peace between the two families
in the third act during a fight Mercutio, Romeo's friends, is mortally wounded by Juliet's cousin Tybald
Romeo kills Tybald and is banished from Verona
In the fourth act Juliet's father wants her to marry a Count called Paris
the Friar Proposes a solution which estabilished that Juliet will take a slepping potion and will look dead to avoid marriage
the Friar will explain the plot to Romeo in a letter but Romeo doesn't receive the letter and when he sees juliet dead he kills himselfs
After Juliet wakes up, she sees Romeo dead and she kills herselfs
THEMES
the battle between private desires and responsabilities imposed by social conventions
Family and paternal power
The relationship between love and hate that push characters to killing and death
Love: that is a force, a powerful emotion and a dangerous feeling
there isn't comuniction between parents and children
fate: that controlls all the events of the play
CHARACTERS:
Romeo
Juliet
is a fully rounded character because he grows during the play
a passionate young man
impulsive
loyal to Juliet
is an unconventional heroine
At the beginning she appears obedient and shy
she becomes mature and indipendent
she is a real woman and she refuses to be idealised
STYLE:
The play contains a combination of tragic and comic elements
Why is a Comedy?
Why is a tragedy?
because the main theme is love
it is ispired by italian novellas
there are disguise and jokes
the play starts as a comedy
the love potrayed is dark
fate has a important role in the play
there are irrational forces
the plays ends with the death of Romeo and Juliet
after the death of Romeo and juliet the two families are reconcilied