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Romeo & Juliet. ACT I. A Play in Five Acts. Shakespeare’s plays can usually be divided into five parts, and follow the same pattern that looks something like this:. ACT III Turning Point. ACT II Rising Action. ACT IV Falling Action. ACT I Exposition. ACT V Death & Resolution.
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Romeo & Juliet ACT I
A Play in Five Acts • Shakespeare’s plays can usually be divided into five parts, and follow the same pattern that looks something like this: ACT III Turning Point ACT II Rising Action ACT IV Falling Action ACT I Exposition ACT V Death & Resolution
Question #1 In what city does the story take place in Act I VERONA, ITALY • Verona
Act I – Exposition Setting • Time: Late 13th, early 14th century • Place: Verona and Mantua, Italy. • Many of the characters in the play fight in the streets of Verona. • A lot of action takes place inside Juliet’s home. • The masquerade ball (at the beginning of the play) is in Juliet’s home. • Verona
Verona, City of Lovers Verona, Italy on the Adige River
The Characters (p. 697) From Act I
Romeo (Montague) • Protagonist: 16-year-old son of Lord and Lady Montague • Hasintense emotions—whether in anger, love, or despair. • Grows from an adolescent who claims to be in love with Rosaline to a young man who shares a deep and passionate love with Juliet • Is willing to face the obstacles of friends, family, the law, fate, and, ultimately, death in order to be with her.
Juliet (Capulet) • The beautiful thirteen-year-old daughter of Lord & Lady Capulet • Naïve and sheltered at the beginning of the play, and has given almost no thought to love • Quickly falls in love with Romeo • Develops remarkable resolve in pursuing what she wants. • Remains more grounded and practical than Romeo.
Lord & Lady Montague • Romeo’s father and mother • Benvolio’s uncle and aunt • Leaders of the Montague clan • Lord M. is quick to anger at his bitter rival, Capulet. • Lady Montague hardly appears. Q. What are Lord and Lady Montague talking with Benvolio about after the city brawl (702)? A. Where’s Romeo, and what’s up with him?
Lord Capulet • Juliet’s father and Tybalt’s uncle • Leader of the Capulet family, and bitter enemy of Montague • Tries to appear like an even-minded and loving man • Has marriage plans for Juliet, but does not consult her. Q. Where do we first meet Capulet after the city brawl? (706) A. At the masquerade ball, trying to calm down Tybalt
Lady Capulet • Juliet’s mother and Capulet’s wife. • Loves her daughter but left Juliet in the care of her nurse. • When it comes to marriage, she believes more in material happiness than in true love. Q. What do Lady Capulet and Juliet discuss in their first scene together (711)? A. Marriage and Juliet’s prospects of marriage at 13-years-old.
County Paris • An important nobleman. • Related to Prince Escalus • Has asked Capulet for Juliet’s hand in marriage. • Capulet seems to favor Paris as a good match for Juliet. PARIS: Younger than she are happy mothers made (706)
Benvolio (Montague) • Montague’s nephew, Romeo’s cousin, and Mercutio’s friend. • Of the three boys, he is the most calm and the least quick-witted. • Tries to keep the peace rather than fight. • Seldom successful in his peacekeeping efforts, and will fight if pushed. “Put up your swords. You know not what you do.” (700)
Mercutio • Romeo’s close friend, and a kinsmen of Prince Escalus. • Wild, antic, and brooding youth. • A whiz with wordplay and is constantly dropping puns, • Beneath this playful and sarcastic veneer lies a bitter world-weariness. • Hates romantic ideals of any sort, whether about honor or love • Pokes fun at Romeo’s lovesickness
Tybalt (Capulet) • Antagonist: Nephew of Capulet and Juliet’s cousin. • Hothead consumed by issues of honor • Well known for his skill with a sword • Hates the Montagues with a profound passion. • Seems to look for excuses to fight. “Turn thee, Benvolio; look upon thy death.” -- Tybalt (700)
Prince Escalus • The Prince and leader of Verona. • Concerned primarily with keeping order in the city. • Will do anything in his power to stop the feud between the Montagues and Capulets from affecting the other citizens of the city. “Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground.” -- Prince Escalus (701)
Nurse (Capulet) • Juliet’s nanny, who raised her from birth. • Truly loves and cares for Juliet as if she were her own daughter. • Fun-loving, gossipy, and interested in Juliet’s happiness.
Sampson & Gregory • Capulet servants • Instigate the public brawl “No sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir; but I bite my thumb, sir.”
Act I Prologue Romeo & Juliet
Prologue • Many years ago a feud broke out between two of Verona’s noble families: the Capulets and the Montagues. • The feud was so bad that their family members killed each other whenever they met - even the servants joined in. Eventually, no one could remember what started the feud. • The story is about two young lovers who meet, marry, and die all within a week. Their deaths end the feud. • Shakespeare tells us right from the start that Romeo and Juliet are going to die, but he does not tell how. Shakespeare summarizes the whole play in 14 lines.
Act I Scene 1 Romeo & Juliet
Scene 1 – The City Brawl • Two Capulet servants see two Montague servants. One insults the other and a fight break out. • Tybalt joins the fight and tries to drag in Benvolio. Soon, half the town of Verona is fighting in the streets, including Lord Capulet and Lord Montague. • Prince Escalusis tired of the feuding and warns the two families that, if they fight again, they would pay with their lives. • Meanwhile, Romeo’s parents were worried about him. What is the insult that leads to the public brawl?
Q. Where Is Romeo? • Where was Romeo during the city brawl? Romeo was off brooding during the brawl. • What is Romeo’s state of mind in the Scene 1? Romeo is lovesick in Scene 1. • Who is Romeo in love with, and what does she think of Romeo? He is infatuated with a woman named Rosaline, and she cares not for him. • What advice does Benvolio give to Romeo (706)? Meet other girls to forget Rosaline.
Scene 2 – Invitation • Paris asks Juliet’s father for her hand in marriage. Capulet agrees, if Paris can win his daughter’s heart. • The Capulets plan a party for that same evening. Capulet asks Peter a servant to deliver the invitations. • Romeo and Benvolio help the servant, and decide to crash the party.
Q. Why (Not) Go? • Why do Benvolio and Romeo get invited to a Capulet party? Benvolio and Romeo are invited by Peter because they help him read the invitations. • Why does Benvolio think going to the party might help Romeo get over Rosaline? Benvolio thinks going to the party might help Romeo get over Rosaline because he might get interested in another girl there. • Why does Romeo want to go to the party? Romeo wants to go to the party because he sees Rosaline’s name on the guest list. • Why should they have thought twice before going to the party?
Scene 3 – The Proposal • Lady Capulet tells Juliet about Paris’ proposal of marriage. • Juliet agrees to consider his proposal. • “I’ll look to like, if looking liking move…” (711) Q. What does Juliet think of marriage? Of the proposal?
Scene 4 – Party Crashers • Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio are on their way to the Capulet’s party even though Romeo has his doubts about going. • Just as they arrived at the Capulet home, Romeo shares that he had a dream that made him hesitant to go to the party. • Mercutio makes fun of Romeo’s dream, but Romeo still has his doubts; he goes to the party anyway.
Scene 5 – Juliet is Awesome • The Capulet party is in full swing. Lord Capulet encourages his guests to dance. • From across the room Romeo sees Juliet and thinks that she the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. • Tybalt recognizes Romeo and wants to fight him, but his uncle, Lord Capulet, tells Tybalt to “endure him.” • Romeo and Juliet begin to talk... and kiss, and kiss until the nurse calls Juliet away. • Romeo has no idea Juliet is a Capulet until he asks the nurse and learns Juliet’s identity. Juliet then asks the nurse about Romeo and finds out he is a Montague.
Quotations Act I -- Romeo & Juliet
Quotation #1 Part fools! Put up thy swords, you know not what you do. I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword Or manage it to part these men with me. Benvoliotries to play peacekeper after the fighting breaks out in the town square between the Montagues and the Capulets. He knows the Prince will be angry.
Quotation #2 On pain of torture, from those bloody hands Throw your mistemper’d weapons to the ground And hear the sentence of your moved prince. Prince Escalus He’s tired of the feuding in his streets and threatens all Montagues and Capulets, telling them that he’ll put to death anyone he finds dueling in the streets.
Quotation #3 Away from light steals home my heavy son And private in his chamber pens himself, Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out And makes himself an artificial night. Lord Montague is asking Benvolio why Romeo is acting so darn weird.
Quotation #4 I’ll look to like, if looking liking move But no more deep will I endart mine eyes. Juliet tells Lady Capulet that she’ll be happy to check out Paris to see if she might like him, and if it was meant to be, she’ll like what she sees.
Quotation #5 Patience perforce with willful choler meeting Make my flesh tremble in their different greeting. I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall, Now seeming sweet, convert to bitt’rest gall. Tybalt discovers there’s a Montague at the Capulet ball. He agrees to leave Romeo alone when asked by Lord Montague, but threatens Romeo, saying he’ll get revenge on him for “crashing the party.”
Quotation #6 If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. Romeo (lovesick over Rosaline) falls in love at first sight with Juliet, and these are the first words he says to her. He feels unworthy to hold her hand and thinks it more appropriate to kiss her on the lips. Metaphors: Romeo says his lips are two blushing pilgrims. Romeo says Juliet is a holy shrine.
Quotation #7 My only love, sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me That I must love a loathed enemy. Juliet is upset that the dude she loves has to have been a Montague, the son of a family enemy.
