Romeo and Juliet

1. Romeo and Juliet Written by William Shakespeare around 1594-1596. Opening chorus sets the stage and tells the audience the lovers will die. Celebrates the youthful exuberance of first love. Protagonist: the main character the reader focuses their attention on. Normally the hero of the play, the audience roots for and wants them to obtain their goals In this case there are two: Romeo from the House of Montague Juliet from the House of Capulet Antagonist: a supporting character that either assists or impedes the protagonist’s goal. The argument can be made that there are numerous characters on each side that impede Romeo and Juliet’s goal of marriage and a life together. Benvolio: Romeo’s cousin and friend Mercutio: friend of Romeo Tybalt: cousin to Juliet Another group or characters that persists in the ongoing battle between the two households are the servants. The servants are portrayed as uneducated servants who support their employers. They are the ones at the beginning of the play that engage in first a verbal sparing that elevates into a fistfight and swords being drawn.

2. The House of Montague • Mr. & Mrs. Montague • Want Romeo to find love and hopes that it is with Rosalind. • Romeo: the only child of Mr./Mrs. Montague, is desperate to know what love is and to be in love like his friends • Benvolio: cousin and friend to Romeo, he is the heart of the family • Mercutio: friend to Romeo and Benvolio, he is comic relief(a funny guy), but his death scene is poetic and shows that his character is more than initially portrayed. He is related to the Prince • Friar Laurence: friend to Romeo and a man of the cloth – a modern day priest. Marries the young lovers in secret and then assists them later in the play. The fault for the deaths could lay at his feet, after all should a priest lie?

3. The House of Capulet • Mr. & Mrs. Capulet • Trying to find a husband for Juliet. Mrs. Thinks she is still too young, but wants Juliet to decide. They have had other children, but they have not survived; Juliet is their only child. • Juliet: the only child of Mr./Mrs. Capulet. Behaves childishly, throws a tantrum and maybe she will like Paris, but immediately falls in love with Romeo even though she doesn’t know his name. Shows a strength as the play continues, she makes some adult decisions and pays the consequences for them. • Tybalt: cousin to Juliet and very protective of his family. He continues that battle with the Montague's, even at his uncles urging to stop. He is a hot-head and quick to anger. • Nurse: nanny to Juliet, she is uneducated but keeps Juliet’s secrets, overly dramatic and sometimes ridiculous in her behavior, she does care for Juliet and supports her marriage to Romeo.

4. Additional Characters • Prince: the lawmaker of the town. He is the one who banishes Romeo. He also calls for an end to the fighting on more than one occasion. • Paris: hopeful husband to Juliet • Servants Setting: Location: Verona, Italy Time Period: a timeless story, but is set in the 1400’s, before modern technology. There are horses for transportation, no phones or televisions Class Assignment: Read silently in your textbook: pages 776-783