Getting Started
Outline:
Intro
- THESIS: While in the beginning of the play, Romeo and Juliet were the man and woman one would expect them to be in a society in the late 1500s, throughout the play their roles flip, as Romeo appears more and more in the role of the women while Juliet seems to become more the man in the relationship.
Paragraph 1.
- Romeo in the beginning of the play
- what was his character?
- specific examples from text
- what did you do in your performance to show that?
- *~1-2 paragraphs
Paragraph 2.
- Juliet in the beginning of the play
- what was her character?
- specific examples from text
- what did you do in your performance to show that?
- *~1-2 paragraphs
Paragraph 3.
- Romeo’s transition how was he in the end of the play?
- how did he change?
- what shows that he did?
- how is he now?
- examples from text
- what did you do in your performance to show that?
- *~2 paragraphs
Paragraph 4.
- Juliet's transition how was she in the end of the play?
- how did she change?
- what shows that she did?
- how is she now?
- examples from text
- what did you do in your performance to show that?
- *~2 paragraphs
The play Romeo and Juliet written 1597 by the English playwright William Shakespeare, tells the story of two young star crossed lovers named Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. The Families Montague and Capulet have been in a feud for a long time and so Romeo and Juliet's love seems to be impossible. Nevertheless the two marry in secret. When Juliet's cousin Tybalt attacks Romeo and kills his friend Mercutio, Romeo kills Tybalt and is banished from the city of Verona. Juliet is desperate and seeks the help of Friar Lawrence who gives her a strong sleeping potion that would make her seem dead so that she could leave the city with Romeo. Even though she is not sure weather the potion might kill her or not work at all, Juliet decides to take it while Friar Lawrence sends word to Mantua where Romeo is waiting. The letter however doesn’t reach Romeo, instead he hears the news of Juliet’s seemingly death. He travels back to Verona, where he poisons himself in the Capulet’s family tomb. When Juliet awakes and sees Romeo dead she stabs herself. Their tragic deaths end the feud between the two families. As the play was first published in the late 1500s there are certain ways that men and women are portrayed. However in the relationship between Romeo and Juliet the roles of men and women evolve in a way that they are flipped by the end of the play. While in the beginning of the play, Romeo and Juliet were the man and woman one would expect them to be in a society in the late 1500s, throughout the play their roles inverse, as Romeo appears more and more in the role of the women while Juliet seems to become more the man in the relationship.
In the beginning of the play Juliet is calm and quiet. She is the perfect young woman in the late 1500s. She is reserved and listens to her parents. Before the feast at which Juliet and Romeo first meet, her mother tells Juliet about Paris, a potential future husband. She asks Juliet to meet him to which she responds: “I’ll look to like if looking liking move. But no more deep will I endart mine eye Than your consent gives strength to make i fly.” Juliet says she will meet Paris, but won’t go any closer to him or other man than her mother wants her too. She listens and does what her mother tells her to. This is the way young women in 1597 are suppose to act. In my group's performance we showed Juliet’s traits of the proper well behaved girl, who is hesitant when she first meets Romeo in the beginning of the play.
- one paragraph in here that describes Romeo’s character separately, and how we used these character traits in our performance
In the beginning of the play Romeo was a rather typical young man from the late 1500s. He is a convinced to be madly in love with Juliet's cousin Rosaline until he meets Juliet. In the beginning of the play he takes on the men part in the relationship between him and Juliet. He takes the first step between them by sneaking into the Capulet's garden to see her. When he startles her, Juliet asks how he managed to sneak into the garden as it is well guarded and her family would kill him if the would catch him. He answers: “With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls, for stony limits cannot hold love out And what love can do, that dares love attempt. Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me.” His love gave him wings that allowed him to fly over the garden walls, and it gave him the strength and determination to even risk his life to see her. This shows that Romeo is much straight forward and bold than Juliet. In contrast to that Juliet is reserved. When Romeo steps out of hiding she is startled; “What man art thou that, thus bescreened in night, So stumblest on my counsel?...If they [her family] do see thee, they will murder thee.” She asks him who he is, who late in night sneaks into her garden. Juliet is shocked, almost indignant when she sees Romeo. The last line shows her reservation and caution. These traits prove Juliet to be a more female figure in this particular scene, whereas Romeo’s boldness and indiscret entrance is something that proves him as a male.
Juliet is more hesitant as she is slightly suspicious about Romeo’s intentions. When Romeo wants to swear his love to her she interrupts him; “It is too rash, too unadvised , too sudden...May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet. Good night, good night.” He holds her back: “O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?” To which she responds: “What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?” Juliet believes that their relationship is happening to rash, she barely even knows Romeo and wants more time. With his comment all Romeo is hoping for is that Juliet admits her love like he has his, but Juliet's takes it the wrong way. She fears that his intentions are to merely spent a nice night and then never think of her again. Again this shows her suspicion and hesitance towards Romeo.
- how our performance showed this will be a separate paragraph because otherwise it is to long.
