religion

• " for doting, not for loving, pupil mine" - friar lawrence


  -romeos infatuation for rosaline is not genuine love

  -the use of the word "doting" suggests a foolish or infatuated attraction"

  -"pupil mine" suggests friar lawrence is a mentor/ guide

  -contrasts with Romeo's more profound love for Juliet, which the Friar recognizes as genuine and hopes will resolve the feud between the families. 

  -foreshadows the quick and dramatic nature of Romeo's subsequent love for Juliet, and the tragic consequences that follow. 
• What darker aspect of love does the play explore through the quote "God of my idolatry"

  Unchecked passion leading to tragic deaths
• How would the Elizabethan audience likely react to Juliet's words about idolatry?

  They would be shocked by her blasphemy
• What are the key themes explored in Juliet's expression of love for Romeo?

  • Love as a transformative force- Their love is so powerful that it can overcome social barriers and even lead to a willingness to defy societal norms.
  • Dangers of unchecked passion
  • Contrast with religious norms
• What does Juliet's phrase "God of my idolatry" suggest about her feelings for Romeo?


  -It elevates him to a divine status

  -The phrase "god of my idolatry" is a hyperbole, a deliberate exaggeration, used to emphasize the depth and intensity of Juliet's feelings for Romeo.

  -The use of religious language ("god," "idolatry") suggests that Juliet views her love for Romeo as a sacred and all-consuming experience.
• "for saints have hands that pilgrims hands do touch" -juliet


  -shared sonnet, setting their love eapart from crude physical desire seen elsewhere in the play

  -religious imagery elevates their love to a form of worship, deemed sacreligious and against the divine chain of being

  -ironic as they use sacred imagery as a euphemism for describing sexual desire

  -romeo plays pilgrim, placing himself as supplicant in juliets presense ( gender roles reversed)

  -juliet undergoes metamorphosis into a deity

  -signals impetuous nature of petrahan lovers to religious elizabethan audience
• Who discovers Romeo has taken the poison and what does it show?

  Friar Lawrence, discovers Romeo has taken poison before Juliet awakes, he tells Juliet that a greater force has interfered with and ruined (“thwarted”) their plans (“intents”)
• How does Shakespeare portray Friar Lawrence's character?

  As atypical, going beyond established ideas
• What dichotomies does Friar Lawrence represent in the play through the quote “A greater power than we can contradict/Hath thwarted our intents”

  • Good vs. evil
  • Control vs. powerlessness
  • Religious authority vs. human action