context

Question 1

why did Shakespeare write Romeo and Juliet? (3 marks)

Answer 1

-to critique the destructiveness of family honour and feuds
-to dramatise the conflict between youthful passion and societal control
-to reflect on fate and human agency in a turbulent world

Question 2

explain why Shakespeare wanted to critique the destructiveness of family honour and feuds

Answer 2

The lovers’ deaths result from their families’ long-standing hatred, as seen in the street violence and the Prince’s repeated warnings.

Question 3

explain why Shakespeare wanted to dramatise the conflict between youthful passion and societal control

Answer 3

Romeo and Juliet’s secret marriage defies their parents’ authority, showing how love challenges rigid social structures.

Question 4

explain why Shakespeare wanted to reflect on fate and human agency in a turbulent world

Answer 4

Repeated references to stars and fortune, like “I am fortune’s fool,” suggest their lives are shaped by forces beyond their control.