Overviews Flashcards
Romeo
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare presents Romeo Montague as a complex and emotional character who heavily represents themes of the play, such as love, honour and conflict.
He is presented as fickle and irrational, yet also as a loving idealist.
Through his character, Shakespeare criticises excessively passionate behaviour, highlighting how acting recklessly out of love can have equally negative consequences as acting recklessly out of hate.
Juliet
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare presents Juliet Capulet as a complex character who challenges the constraints of her family and society in order to pursue her love for Romeo Montague.
She is presented as defiant and impetuous, but also as a loving idealist.
Through her character, Shakespeare criticises excessively passionate behaviour, highlighting how acting recklessly out of love can have equally negative consequences as acting recklessly out of hate.
Friar Lawrence
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare presents Friar Lawrence as a wise and dependable confidante and father figure to Romeo Montague.
He also symbolises the belief in the potential for reconciliation and peace, so though his intentions are noble, his decisions throughout the play are ultimately misguided.
Through his character, Shakespeare criticises those within society who fail the vulnerable by providing poorly considered advice, even those with ostensibly good intentions.
Nurse
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare presents the Nurse as an essential character as Juliet’s confidante and caretaker, offering both comic relief, and maternal guidance.
She is loyal and protective of Juliet, but Shakespeare also uses her role to highlight the tension between youthful passion, through Romeo and Juliet, and, through her, societal expectations, in a world dominated by family honour and duty.
Lord Capulet
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses the character of Lord Capulet as a vehicle to bring attention to the ignorance of the older generation and their inability to be entirely mindful of the younger generation and their needs.
He is a dynamic character, going from seeming protective in a caring manner over his daughter, to increasingly controlling over Juliet, being presented as a domineering force who wields and uses his great deal of power.
He eventually appears remorseful over these actions, but only in the loss of his daughter, when it becomes too late.
Tybalt
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses the character of Tybalt as a vehicle to highlight the detrimental effects of the pursuit of conflict.
He is a predictable character, appearing hostile, provocative and volatile from the start of the play until his death in Act 3.
Through the presentation of his character, Shakespeare also criticises the toxic masculinity within Verona, whereby men are eventually drawn into libidinal competitiveness and violence, partially for the sake of male bravado, but especially in Tybalt’s case, to maintain familial honour.
Mercutio
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses the character of Mercutio as a vehicle to bring attention to the detrimental effects of toxic masculinity.
Throughout the play, Mercutio is presented as a changeable and readily influenced persona, appearing to be constantly driven by lust.
He also acts as a comedic relief, remaining quick-witted and masterful with his language from the start of the play, until his death in Act 3.
Through his character, Shakespeare criticises the toxic masculinity within Verona, whereby men are eventually drawn into libidinal competitiveness and violence for the sake of male bravado and honour.
Benvolio
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses the character of Benvolio as a vehicle to place focus on the male capacity to demonstrate peace and goodwill to others.
Throughout the play, Benvolio is presented as a cautious, trustworthy observer, taking a level-headed approach to matters, acting as a peace-maker in Verona whilst all the while remaining as loyal as possible to Romeo, from the start of the play until his last appearance in Act 3.
female friendships
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare
generational differences
In Romeo & Juliet, Shakespeare uses generational differences as a vehicle to highlight the stark contrast between the older figures in the play who hold traditional Elizabethan values, opposing the younger, more impressionable and impetuous characters.
This clash highlights a generational divide where the old are deeply embroiled in the feud and societal pressures, and the young yearn for love, subverting traditions.
Through this Shakespeare aims to critique
male friendships
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare
masculinity & pride
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare
love
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare
relationship of Romeo & juliet
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare
violence
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare
conflict
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare
family
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare
fate & freewill
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare
