romeo and juliet Flashcards
(27 cards)
romeo opener
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.
romeo points
- melancholy, subverting gender stereotypes / driven by impulse
- originally tries to avoid fighting for juliet’s sake, but his hamartia is his impetuosity when under emotion and pressure
- thinks he is acting through free will, but is a victim of fate / passionate, devoted and enamoured
romeo quotes
- “O brawling love, O loving hate”
- “For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night”
- “Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee Doth must excuse the appertaining rage.” / “Either thou, or I, both, must go with him”
- “There is no world without Verona walls, But purgatory, torture itself.”
- “Is it e’en so? Then I defy you stars!”
- “Here’s to my love! O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.”
juliet opener
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.
juliet points
- presented as an object of desire - masterful in how she speaks, but attempts to reject societal pressures / perpetuates love as a religious experience
- self-autonomous nature, antithetical to fate, through igniting the plot to marry romeo / internal conflict between love and betrayal, she still has her wits about her
- still young, pure and innocent / courageous tragic heroine who was a victim of fate after all
juliet quotes
- “It is an honour that I dream not of”
- “Saints have hands that pilgrim’s hands do touch. And palm to palm is holy palmer’s kiss.”
- “My only love sprung from my only hate!”
- “Deny thy father and refuse thy name.”
- “Thy serpent hid with a flow’ring face”
- “like an untimely frost… upon the sweetest flower”
- ” This is thy sheath: there rust and let me die.”
friar lawrence opener
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.
friar lawrence points
- father figure and friend, part of soliloquy - also highlights the cyclical and paradoxical nature of life and death / vehicle to allow the plot to develop
- wise philosopher and spiritualist / insightful, understanding the hastiness and excessiveness, but marries them anyway - moral ambiguity?
- had his own agenda, but it backfired - embarrassed, but good intentions / takes responsibility and is culpable, but isn’t to blame - FATE
friar lawrence quotes
- “Be plain good son, and homely in thy drift”
- “The earth that’s nature’s mother is her tomb; what is her burying grave that is her womb”
- “Thou consent to marry us today”
- ” These violent delights have violent ends.”
- “Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast.”
- “I dare no longer stay.”
- “i married th’e’ and the stolen marriage day”
nurse opener
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.
nurse points
- a maternal figure, kind and loving - a foil to lady capulet, who juliet still calls “madam” / deep affection roots from loss of own daughter
- comic relief with innuendos (bearing burden of married life meaning losing virginity) / truthful and telling juliet the truth despite her not wanting to hear it + society
- protectiveness over juliet who she sees as innocent. being called a lamb symbolises her premature death (+prior excitement from finally being away from parents) / signifies the beginning of the play’s tragic descent - devastating impact on the nurse (pseudo-maternal relationship), showing the destructive power of hatred affects EVERYONE
nurse quotes
- “I can tell her age unto an hour”
- “Susan and she… were of an age”
- “I am the drudge… but you shall bear the burden soon at night”
- “You are happy in this second match, for it excels your first”
- “lamb…love…sweetheart”
- “O lamentable day… it is a tragedy!”
- “O woe! O woeful, woeful, woeful day!
lord capulet opener
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.
lord capulet points
- doting father, which is quite reassuring for an audience / patriarchal and self conscious of image - product of his time
- increasingly antagonistic, oppressive, tyrannical / angered by defiance
- distraught and regretful, wavering peace showing fate + message of story BUT audience is conflicted, good or bad father?
lord capulet quotes
- “my child is yet a stranger in the world”
- “my will to her consent is but a part; an she agree, within her scope of choice lies my consent and fair according voice”
- “am i the master here, or you? go to. you’ll not endure him!”
- “how now! a conduit, girl? what, still in tears? evermore showering?”
- “speak not, reply not, do not answer me; my fingers itch.”
- “death lies on her like an untimely frost upon the sweetest flower”
- “as rich shall Romeo’s by his lady’s lie; poor sacrifices of our enmity!”
tybalt opener
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.
tybalt points
- brash, aggressive hot tempered, determined and strong-willed
- male aggression - out of control? / stickler for societal norms
- loyal and passionate / represents the underlying violence and vengeful nature of Veronese society
tybalt quotes
- Name symbolising TYRANT
- “I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues and thee: Have at thee coward!”
- “This by voice should be a Montague. Fetch me my rapier, boy.”
- “To strike him dead I hold it not a sin.”
- “Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford no better term than this - thou art a villain.”
- “Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me, therefore turn and draw.”
mercutio opener
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.
mercutio points
- Aggressive and realistic approach to love - MAN / Dream-like insight into Queen Mab and dreams to mock Romeo and foreshadow the tragic events to come
- Demeans Rosaline’s character and trivialises Romeo’s strong feelings for her - GENDER
- Quick-tempered and frustrated with his refusal to fight Tybalt / In death, nderstands the feud was futile - he has failed to appreciate the sanctity of life in pursuit of honour
mercutio quotes
- “If love be rough with you, be rough with love; prick love for pricking, and you beat love down.”
- “O, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you.”
- “O, that she were an open arse, thou a pop’rin pear!”
- “that same pale hard-hearted wench, that Rosaline”
- “O calm, dishonourable, vile submission”
- “I am hurt. A plague o’ both your houses!”
benvolio opener
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.
benvolio points
- Peacemaker throughout, undertsanding the value of life in a mature manner.
- Insightful and wise / Cares for Romeo deeply, giving him autonomy with reason
- Honest and truthful nature / he understands the consequences of actions, and despite trying to reinforce them, is still a victim of fate after all, like everyone else.
benvolio quotes
- “Part, fools! Put up your swords - you know not what to do”
- “I do but keep the peace.”
- “I aimed so near, when I supposed you loved.”
- “Go, then; for ‘tis in vain to seek him here that means not to be found.”
- “I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire: the day is hot…”
- “This is the truth or let Benvolio die”
