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NutsyClassic FilmsPresents:

AN INTRODUCTION TO WILLIAM SHAKESPEARESRomeo&Juliet

The BeginningRomeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers.

The HistoryRomeo and Julietbelongs to a tradition of tragic romancesstretching back to antiquity. Its plot is based on an Italian tale, translated into verse asThe Tragical History of Romeus and JulietbyArthur Brookein 1562 and retold in prose inPalace of PleasurebyWilliam Painterin 1582. Shakespeare borrowed heavily from both but, to expand the plot, developed supporting characters, particularlyMercutioandParis. Believed written between 1591 and 1595, the play was first published in aquarto version in 1597. This text was of poor quality, and later editions corrected it, bringing it more in line with Shakespeare's original.

The SettingShakespeare set the story of Romeo & Juliet in Verona, Italy.Shakespeare liked using exotic locations in his plays, and he used Verona in another of his early works: The Two Gentlemen of Verona.The time the play is set is unknown, but is generally thought to be in the late 1400s; but as with many of Shakespeares plays, exact settings are irrelevant to the action.

The MontaguesThe main focus of the play is on two warring families. First, the Montagues:Lord MontagueLady MontagueRomeo their only childBenvolio Romeos cousinAbram A servant of Lord MontagueBalthasar Romeos servant

The CapuletsLord Capulet a wealthy noblemanLady Capulet his wifeJuliet their only childTybalt Juliets cousinNurse Juliets personal servant and caretaker

Other CharactersPrince Escalus the ruler of VeronaCount Paris a rich nobleman who wants to marry JulietMercutio son of Escalus and close friend of RomeoFriar Lawrence friend and advisor to Romeo

The PlotThe play begins with two of the Montagues servants fighting in the streets with two of the Capulets servants.Prince Escalus breaks up the fight, and warns both families that any further trouble between them will bring serious consequences.Later, we see Romeo walking with his cousin Benvolio, pining after a girl he loves, but who doesnt love him in return.Benvolio tells him that in order to get over this girl, Romeo should sneak into a masquerade ball at the Capulets home.

Love At First SightAt the ball, Romeo sees Juliet dancing, and instantly is smitten with her. He pulls her aside and declares his love, and she finds herself attracted to him, only to find out later that he is a Montague an enemy to her family.Meanwhile, Juliets cousin, Tybalt, also discovers Romeos presence, and is enraged, thinking he has come to spy and cause trouble.

The Balcony SceneAfter the ball, Romeo cannot get Juliet out of his mind. He goes back to her house and stands beneath her balcony, waiting to catch a glimpse of her.This has become one of the most famous scenes of all time.Here it is, as played by The Royal Shakespeare Company

Conflict & TragedyMuch of the conflict of Romeo & Juliet comes from their mistaken belief that their love can heal the long-standing hatreds between their familiesAnger, pride, and miscommunications lead to Tybalt fighting with, and killing Romeos friend, Mercutio. Then, in a rage, Romeo kills Tybalt.

The Final TragedyBecause of this violent murder, Romeo is banished from Verona by Prince Escalus.But Juliet hatches a plot with Friar Lawrence to secretly escape with Romeo, by faking her death with a sleeping potion.Through fateful circumstance, Romeo isnt told of this. He only hears that Juliet has poisoned herself, and not wanting to live without her, goes to her tomb and drinks poison himself, whereupon, Juliet wakes up from her sleep, and, seeing Romeo dead, takes up his dagger and plunges it into her heart.On finding their only children lying dead, the two grieving families realize how damaging their feud has been.

The Force of LoveRomeo and Julietis the most famous love story in the English literary tradition. Love is naturally the plays dominant and most important theme. The play focuses on romantic love, specifically the intense passion that springs up at first sight between Romeo and Juliet. InRomeo and Juliet,love is a violent, ecstatic, overpowering force that supersedes all other values, loyalties, and emotions. In the course of the play, the young lovers are driven to defy their entire social world: families, friends, and rulers.Love is the overriding theme of the play, but a reader should always remember that Shakespeare is uninterested in portraying a prettied-up, dainty version of the emotion. Love inRomeo and Julietis a brutal, powerful emotion that captures individuals and pits them against their world, and, at times, against themselves.

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweetWilliam Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 2.2"Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fastWilliam Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 2.3"A plague o' both your houses!"William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 3.1"Tempt not a desperate man"William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 5.3"A greater power than we can contradictHath thwarted our intents."William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 5.3"For never was a story of more woeThan this of Juliet and her Romeo."William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 5.3

Famous Quotes"For you and I are past our dancing days"William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 1.5"O! she doth teach the torches to burn bright"William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 1.5"Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! / For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 1.5"O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name.Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my loveAnd I'll no longer be a Capulet."William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 2.2"It is the east, and Juliet is the sun"William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 2.2"Good Night, Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow.William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 2.2

Romeo + Juliets influenceThe popularity of Romeo and Juliet began from its first performance in Shakespeares time, and has continued to this day.Every year, dozens of productions are performed in theaters around the world.Operas, ballets, Broadway musicals, movies and popular and classical music have been inspired by this timeless love story, including the Oscar-winning West Side Story.

Romeo & Juliet At The MoviesRomeo & Juliet has been a popular subject for film.Over 100 film and TV adaptions have been made the first in 1908! In 1968, an acclaimed version was made by Franco ZefferelliIn 1996 Romeo + Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes was released, and became a huge hit.A new Romeo & Juliet starring Douglas Booth and Hailee Steinfeld, will be in theaters in 2013.

Romeo & Juliet TriviaIn Elizabethan England, the legal age for marriage (with parental permission) was twelve-years-old for girls and fourteen-years-old for boys. Nowadays, we tend to think of Juliet as just a tad young for nuptials (she's only thirteen in the play). (Source)Since women weren't allowed to perform on the Elizabethan stage, Romeo and Julietwas originally played by an all-male cast. Female roles were most often played by young, pre-pubescent boys with high-pitched, "feminine" voices. Juliet would have been played by a boy until the late 1600s, when it first became acceptable for women to appear on the English stage. (Source)In 2008, Washington D.C.'s Shakespeare Theater Company staged a historically accurate, all-male performance ofRomeo and Juliet (source). In response, D.C.'s Taffety Punk Theater Company staged anall-femaleproduction of the play and boasted that their version was "an hour shorter, a fraction of the cost, and [had] 100 percent more women" (source)

The EndA Nutsy the Squirrel ProductionCopyright 2013 Oak Hills Media CenterAll Rights Reserved

Bibliographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romeo_and_Juliethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Characters_in_Romeo_and_Juliethttp://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/summary.htmlhttp://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=Romeo+and+Juliethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romeo_and_Juliet_(films)http://classiclit.about.com/od/romeoandjuliet/a/aa_romeojulietq.htmhttp://www.touchstone.bham.ac.uk/performance/shakespeare%20productions.htmlhttp://www.shmoop.com/romeo-and-juliet/trivia.htmlGoogle Image SearchMusic Credits: (Theme From) Romeo & Juliet; Nino Rota. City Of Prague PhilharmonicSomewhere (Symphonic Dances from West Side Story); Leonard Bernstein. New York Philharmonic(Just Like) Romeo & Juliet; The Fadin Colours. After Tonight Ember Beat Vol. 3 (1966-1967)

(Theme From) Romeo & JulietCity of Prague Philiharmonicnull162646.42SomewhereLeonard Bernsteinnull168028.17(Just Like) Romeo & JulietThe Fadin' Coloursnull117685.305