Context

• Which term was invented by shakespeare?

  "star cross'd" - stems from the inherent belief shakespeare's generation had in the immense power of celestial bodies (stars, planets, the moon)
• How did queen elizabeth famously receive advice?

  She had her own personal astrologer who provided her with advice based on how he interpreted her fate through stars
• Who originated the term petrarchan lover and what does it mean?


  A term coined by a Petrarch in his devotional poems and defines a man that is hopelessly and unrequitedly in love with a woman he can't have
• How do petrarchan lovers idolise their love?

  Place the woman on a pedestal and lamenting that he cannot have her in melancholic ramblings
• Which tale does shakespeare take inspiration from to write romeo and juliet?

  Ovid's pyramus and Thisbe tale which is about two babylonians who fall in love, but because of riving families cannot be together and ends in a similar way to romeo and juliet - considered as a retelling of Ovid's
• Why does Shakespeare use this tale as inspiration?

  To re - emphasise the themes of the destructive nature of feuds and to perhaps modernise the tale and relay it to an elizabethan audience
• Why did Shakespeare set the play in Italy?

  He could criticize english society without directly seeming like it is about england as Italy was far away enough and different enough politically, but close enough and similar enough that people could make links between the society he criticises and Elizabethan society
• How does shakespeare criticize italian royally in the play?

  Prince Escalus, whilst he wields lots of power, still manages to allow two murders and a suicide to happen under his reign
• What other reason did shakespeare set the play in italy? (in terms of love)

  Italy was believed to be a romantic, wild country which women were sexualy promiscuos and men were violent and prone duels - heightens the stereotypes of italy being a romantic country to extenuate the themes of love and violence
• What is the great chain of being?

  It was the belief that god created the world with a clear hierarchical structure encompassing all matter and life
• Why was it seen as a fact of life to religious individuals?

  In the great chain of being, god ordered women to be submissive to men, so by women trying to alter their position it would be seen as a violation of god's will
• How could Juliet's fiery nature be seen as violating her role as a woman?

  Its seen as a perversion of the great chain of being in terms of structure, she disobeys her father's (the patriarch) orders to marry paris