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Romeo and Juliet and the English Sonnet

Romeo and Juliet and the English Sonnet. On Comedy and Tragedy. Thomas Heywood (a contemporary of Shakespeare) noted that “Comedy beginneth sorrowfully, and endeth merrily, contrary to a tragedy.”. Shakespeare’s Oeuvre. 37 plays (17 comedies; 9 histories; 11 tragedies)

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Romeo and Juliet and the English Sonnet

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  1. Romeo and Juliet and the English Sonnet

  2. On Comedy and Tragedy Thomas Heywood (a contemporary of Shakespeare) noted that “Comedy beginneth sorrowfully, and endeth merrily, contrary to a tragedy.”

  3. Shakespeare’s Oeuvre • 37 plays • (17 comedies; 9 histories; 11 tragedies) • Romeo and Juliet is an early tragedy, 1594 - 1596 (with Titus Andronicus and Julius Caesar) • 154 sonnets • Two long poems • One elegy

  4. Of Romeo and Juliet “Of all Shakespeare’s tragedies, Romeo andJuliet depends most upon its poetry….In no other tragedy does Shakespeare use the imagery and the elaborated rhymed verse of lyric poetry to the extent he does in Romeo and Juliet.” Phyllis Rackin, literary critic

  5. Why Study the Sonnet? Romeo and Juliet -- the skinny: Total lines – 3050 Prose – 15% Blank verse – 70% (!) Rhyme – 15%

  6. “Come instance, instance” Come Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen. Susan and she (God rest all Christian souls!) Were of an age. Well, Susan is with God; She was too good for me. But, as I said, On Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen; Then shall she, marry; I remember it well. 1.3.17 –22.

  7. Are there sonnets in the text? • Yes – how many? • The opening prologue • The first words between Romeo and Juliet 1.5.95 -108 • The prologue of act 2

  8. Where did it come from? Credited to the Earl of Surrey in the 16th century; perfected by Shakespeare.

  9. What are Shakespeare’s topics? • love • poetic theory • the adversities of fortune • death • exaltation over friendship • archetypal situations & themes

  10. Shakespeare’s recurring ideas in his sonnets: • canker on the rose • the rhythms of the seasons • the regular rhythm of day and night • the harmony and dissonance in music

  11. What are its characteristics? • It has 14 lines • It is in iambic pentameter tuh-DUH five times (unstressed/ stressed) • It is divided into 3 quatrains and 1 rhyming couplet • It utilizes the rhyme scheme abab cdcd efef gg

  12. How does it work? • “The three quatrains may present three examples and the couplet a conclusion” OR • “The quatrains may make three metaphorical statements of one idea and the couplet an application” - Lawrence Perrine

  13. What else? • Sonnets always include figurative language, and they include imagery. In sonnets look for (and use) • similes – also with than, similar to, resembles, seems • metaphors • personification

  14. and • paradox • apostrophe • allusions • For imagery, remember the types. Make these examples literal. • visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory, kinesthetic, organic

  15. Sonnet # 130 My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips’ red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun*; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. *dull grayish-brown

  16. I have seen roses damasked*, red and white, But no such roses see I in her cheeks; And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks*. * mingled *issues as a smell

  17. I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing sound. I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground.

  18. And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare.

  19. Sonnet– Romeo and Juliet If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. (Romeo)

  20. Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, Which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch, And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss. (Juliet)

  21. Have not saints lips, and holy palmers, too? (R) Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in pray’r (J) O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do! They pray; grant thou, lest faith turn to despair. ( R)

  22. Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake. ( J ) Then move not while my prayer’s effect I take. (R ) -- they kiss

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