Romeo and Juliet

• "Good pilgrim you do no wrong your hand too much"


  in act 1 scene 5- When Romeo and Juliet first meet and are professing their immediate yet strong love towards each other

  
  

  Though Romeo is the initiator of the dialogue he has with Juliet at the Capulet party, with his metaphor about pilgrims, however it is Juliet who extends his metaphor, responding with the witty "Good pilgrim you do wrong your hand too much" •

  
  

  · The moment of the lover's first interaction marks the end of the play's exposition (opening) and the beginning of the rising action.

  
  

  · Juliet certainly shows the action to be rising in her interactions with Romeo, as her response demonstrates their chemistry.

  
  

  · The sonnet fits so naturally within their dialogue that it emphasises their compatibility and synchronicity. This highlights how they were meant to be as it shows their synchronicity even on their first meeting.

  
  

  · This is said as a reply to Romeo. Shakespeare does this to give Juliet a sense of power and independence.

  
  

  · Pair imagery of hands- a perfect match.

  
  

  · Pilgrim is a religious figure that endures a long spiritual journey; therefore, Romeo has gone through this journey proving himself worthy to Juliet.

  
  

  · She's appreciative of this by referring to him as "good pilgrim", acknowledging his efforts.
• "serpent heart hid behind a flowering face"


  act 3 scene 2- Describing Romeo after learning that he killed Tybalt

  Shows her internal conflict

  
  

  · The serpent has religious connotations with the devil, Juliet was implying that he had given into evil temptations from the devil

  
  

  · Flowering- beautiful delicate = oxymoronic language to show her confusion.

  
  

  · Oxymoronic language also contrasts the two sides she has seen in Romeo. This leaves her to question if their love is a lie

  · She learns that beauty doesn't equal goodness and that evil can exist in anyone.

  
  

  · Audiences feel agitated and desperate for Juliet to understand the full story of Romeo and Tybalt's physical conflict then maybe her image of him may change.
• "too rash, too unadvised, too sudden, too like the lightening"


  Point: Shows her pragmatic attitude

  in act 2 scene 2- Juliet has a soliloquy. A soliloquy is where a character talks about their innermost thought and emotions, Therefore we understand that her dialogue of......... is genuine and honest

  
  

  · repetition- shows just how excited Juliet is as she is unable to describe how she is feeling

  
  

  · Long list > Juliet is feeling overwhelmed by Romeo's forwardness > wants to slow this down > context > traditional Catholic courtship > done before marriage to decide suitability of partner for marriage > Shakespeare may be mocking this convention

  
  

  · Simile show how love is uncontrollable and powerful yet natural.

  
  

  · Lightening is representative of how their love is fast and sudden but also shows their immediate connection and electricity.

  
  

  · However, she is blinded by the love and the possible destruction and danger that lightening may bring.

  
  

  · Audiences feel connected to Juliet as she is sharing intimate thought and feeling with us and being vunerable
• "O brawling love! O loving hate!"


  "O brawling love! O loving hate!"- Act 1 Scene 1- Conversation with Benvolio about his recent heartbreak with his unrequited lover, Rosaline

  Romeo's initial attitude towards love is confused. Melancholy. Hopeless, Angry.

  
  

  · exclamative- emphasises confusion and internal conflict due to loves power over him and its unpredictability. Characterizing Romeo as an emotional character

  
  

  · Brawling- the harm love has caused him.

  
  

  Oxymoronic language his conflict about love. May foreshadow that conflict between his and Juliet's families will cause him harm.

  
  

  · The contrast of "loving hate" suggests powerful, passionate feelings, but also how quickly one emotion can turn into another.

  
  

  · Allows us readers to understand that love can turn to conflict quickly- preparing us for the inevitable end.
• "Juliet is the sun"-


  Act 2 scene 1- Soliloquy in the Capulets orchard. Romeo is describing Juliet.

  Romeo's commitment to be with Juliet. Desperation.

  
  

  · Positive influence- she turns his darkness into light.

  
  

  · Light imagery- hope to love again. outshine everything and everyone surrounding her in his eyes

  
  

  
  

  · Sun is essential to live- everything depends on it to live.

  Shows the extent of his infatuation. Sun is at center of universe.

  
  

  · Sun kills "envious moon" which is "sick and pale with grief". Juliet removes and feelings Romeo has for Rosaline and he implying that she is far more beautiful.

  
  

  · Audiences understand just how amazing Juliet is so therefore understand Romeo's desperation. We want them to be together.
• "Teach the torches to burn bright"


  - Act 1 Scene 5- When the pair first meet

  Shows Romeo's rash attitude towards Juliet. Passion

  
  

  · Metaphor

  
  

  · Torch- light imagery, he has hope to love again, radiates positivity and warmth, guides him, sudden admiration.

  
  

  · Teach- good influence.

  
  

  · Burn- subtly foreshadows the harm that this love with inflict on him later on

  
  

  · Exclamative- excitement

  
  

  · Audiences begin to love Juliet and almost approve of her for Romeo.
• Prick love for pricking


  Early in the play, Shakespeare uses Mercutio to provide comic relief for his audience.

  
  

  · Thorn- roses. Love is beautiful but can cause pain

  · Prick. painful but for short period of time. Romeo will overcome his heartbreak

  
  

  · Shakespeare has Mercutio transform Romeo's words into a sexual innuendo,

  · Mercutio is advising Romeo to have sex with other women to get over Rosaline)

  
  

  · The word 'prick' is a sexual innuendo because it is another word for phalic imagery. By using this innuendo, Shakespeare not only demonstrates that Mercutio is more interested in the sexual aspects of a relationship, but also provides comic relief for his Elizabethan audience, who would have found the innuendo humorous.

  
  

  · This is another example of Shakespeare presenting Mercutio as a very masculine character- more interested in sex than he is in an emotional relationship with a woman.

  
  

  · This choice to emphasise Mercutio's masculinity throughout the play could be deliberate. Perhaps Mercutio's constant need to prove his masculinity is what leads to his downfall.
• Peace! I hate the word as I hate hell, all Montagues and thee'.


  'a violent character who is often seeking a fight.

  
  

  In contrast with Benvolio, who is actively trying to keep the peace and urging the servants to put their swords down,

  Tybalt encourages the fight and wants to draw his sword. In response to Benvolio's plea for peace,

  Shakespeare has Tybalt say......

  · repetition of the word 'hate' in this quotation emphasises the anger in Tybalt's character.

  
  

  · An Elizabethan audience may have sympathised with Tybalt's actions as fights and conflict were common in society at the time. Shakespeare's choice to present Tybalt as such a hateful character the first time the audience meets him foreshadows later events, as it could be argued that Tybalt's hate triggers all of the tragic events in the play.

  
  

  · The abstract noun 'peace' is referred to as just a 'word', suggesting that he is mocking Benvolio's suggestion that they should stop fighting.

  
  

  This implies that he thinks peace is meaningless and pointless.

  
  

  · The repetition of 'I' may suggest that he only cares about how he feels, and does not consider the consequences of fighting
• villain' and 'boy'.


  Shakespeare presents Tybalt as a character who will kill in order to defend his family honour.

  
  

  · 'villain' believes in the feud so strongly that he sees Romeo as a villain - someone who deliberately harms others - even though Romeo has done nothing wrong.

  
  

  · Unwilling to listen to Romeo when Romeo tries to explain that he only seeks peace.

  
  

  · 'boy' indicates that Tybalt enjoys trying to mock Romeo and put him down, as a way of trying to provoke Romeo into fighting with him.

  
  

  · The strength of Romeo's love for Juliet has overwhelmed all previous loyalties, leading him to state proudly he 'loves' Tybalt.

  
  

  · This only provokes Tybalt more and heightens his feelings of anger towards Romeo.

  
  

  · Romeo's feelings of love, blind him to his loyalty to the Montague family, further provoke Tybalt and result in Mercutio fighting in his place.