Romeo and Juliet Context Flashcards
(24 cards)
What period are Shakespeare plays written before April 1603 classified as?
Elizabethan
This classification is based on the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
In what year was Romeo and Juliet written?
1595
This places it within the Elizabethan era.
What significant conflict marked Queen Elizabeth I’s reign?
Bloody religious war
This war divided the country between Catholics and Protestants.
What was the result of Elizabeth I’s establishment of the Church of England?
Plots against her life and a threat from Catholic Spain
This led to significant political and religious tensions.
What major event marked England’s rise as a naval power?
Defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588
What cultural movement began in Italy in the 14th century and influenced England by the late 16th century?
The Renaissance
This period revived classical learning and influenced various fields.
How do the religious tensions during Elizabeth’s reign relate to Romeo and Juliet?
They reflect the feud between the Montagues and Capulets
The play explores individualism and tragic love, echoing Renaissance ideals.
What societal structure influenced women’s status in Elizabethan England?
Patriarchal system
What were the expectations of Elizabethan women regarding marriage?
Obey their husbands
Women had limited autonomy and were often judged harshly for relationships outside marriage.
What role did nurses play in the upbringing of children in wealthy Elizabethan families?
They would raise children until marriage
Wet nurses often formed close bonds with the children.
What fatal decision does Juliet make that critiques traditional gender roles?
Defying her father
This highlights her limited autonomy and the severe consequences of her actions.
How does Romeo’s character challenge conventional male behavior?
He defies male stereotypes
Mercutio criticizes his peaceful behavior as dishonorable.
What is the nature of courtly love in the Elizabethan era?
Intense, melodramatic, and often fleeting
Unrequited love was common in this cultural context.
At what average age did people marry during the Elizabethan era?
Around 13
What does Lord Capulet’s advice to Paris about Juliet suggest about societal expectations?
Juliet’s duty to become a mother
This reflects the importance of marriage for social mobility.
How do Romeo and Juliet defy societal conventions?
They choose love over familial duty
Their tragic ending emphasizes the strength of their emotions.
What role did religion play in Elizabethan life?
A dominant part of life
The majority of the population was Christian, influencing family and societal norms.
What is the Great Chain of Being?
A hierarchical system organizing society into a fixed order
This system includes God, angels, noblemen, men, women, animals, and plants.
How does Shakespeare challenge the Great Chain of Being in Romeo and Juliet?
Through the characters’ defiance of their parents and authorities
What is the significance of the Prologue in Romeo and Juliet?
It introduces the tragic ending and creates dramatic irony
What does Romeo’s premonition represent in the rising action of the play?
The tragic flaw leading to inevitable events
What moment represents the climax of Romeo and Juliet?
The fight between Tybalt and Romeo
This results in Mercutio’s death and Romeo’s vengeful actions.
What realization does Romeo come to in the falling action?
He is ‘Fortune’s fool’
This leads him to act upon his own free will.
What does the denouement of Romeo and Juliet restore?
Normality and the natural order
Their deaths fulfill the Prologue’s message.
