Act I

Romeo and Juliet begins as the Chorus introduces two families of Verona who are fighting each
other: the Capulets and the Montagues. On a hot summer's day, the young men of each family fight
until the Prince of Verona intercedes and threatens to banish them (minaccia di bandirli). Soon after,
the head of the Capulet family plans a feast. His goal is to introduce his daughter Juliet to a Count
named Paris who tries to marry Juliet. 

Montague's son Romeo and his friends (Benvolio and Mercutio) hear of the party and resolve to go
in disguise (travestito). Romeo hopes to see his beloved Rosaline at the party. Instead, while there,
he meets Juliet and falls instantly in love with her. Juliet's cousin Tybalt recognises the Montague
boys and forces them to leave because Romeo and Juliet discover that their falimies are enemies
each other

Act II
Romeo waits near the Capulet house to talk with Juliet when she appears in her window. The couple
express their love for one another and intend to marry the next day. With the help of Juliet's Nurse,
the lovers organised to marry when Juliet goes for confession at the cell of Friar Laurence, a
friendly priest who hopes that their merrriage may end the fight beetween their 2 families.

Act III
Following the secret marriage, Juliet's cousin Tybalt sends a challenge to Romeo. Romeo refuses to
fight, which angers his friend Mercutio who fights with Tybalt. Mercutio is accidentally killed as
Romeo comes there to stop the fight. In anger, Romeo follow Tybalt, kills him, and is banished by
the Prince. 

Juliet is anxious when Romeo is late to meet her and learns of the fight, Tybalt's death, and Romeo's
banishment. Friar Laurence organized for Romeo to spend the night with Juliet before he leaves for
Mantua. Meanwhile, the Capulet family is in pain for Tybalt, so Lord Capulet moves Juliet's
marriage to Paris to the next day. Juliet’s parents are angry when Juliet doesn't want to marry Paris,
but they don't know about her secret marriage to Romeo.

Act IV
Friar Laurence helps Juliet by providing a sleeping draught that will make her seem dead. When the
wedding party arrives to greet Juliet the next day, they believe she is dead. The Friar sends a
messenger to warm Romeo of Juliet's plan and tells him to come to the Capulet family monument to
save his sleeping wife. 

Act V
The vital message to Romeo doesn't arrive in time because the plague is in town (so the messenger
cannot leave Verona). Hearing from his servant that Juliet is dead, Romeo buys poison from an
Apothecary in Mantua. He returns to Verona and goes to the tomb where he surprises and kills
Paris. Romeo takes his poison and dies, while Juliet awakens from her drugged coma. She learns
what has happened from Friar Laurence, but she refuses to leave the tomb and stabs herself. The
Friar returns with the Prince, the Capulets, and Romeo's lately widowed father. The deaths of their
children lead the families to make peace, and they promise to erect a monument in Romeo and
Juliet's memory.

THE GOLDEN AGE OF POETRY

The reinassance is considered the “golden age” of poetry because of songs and sonnets. The sonnet
cames from Italy and its invention is attributed to Iacopo da Lentini, an oitalian poet from the 13th
cetnury, despite the fact that became famous in europe with the “canzoniere” of petrarch.

WHAT’S THE SONNET: PETRARCH

The sonnet is a 14-line poem with a fixed scheme of rymes. The italian sonnets is composed by 2
quatrians and 2 triplets and the rymes are ABBA ABBA CDC or DCD and it generally has a turning
point at the end, expecially in the 8th verse.

SHAKESPEARE SONNET
The shakespeare sonnet is composed by 4 quatrains and a couplet and the rymes are ABAB CDCD
EFEF GG. The sonnet firstly cames in England with Sir Thomas and Henry Howard by translating
petrarch’s works and make a little change in the rymes.
The main characteristic of the english sonnet is the “conceits”, an extended metaphor that is
presented in the whole stanza or poem. And as Petrarch wrote his sonnets for his love, Laura,
english poets began to use sonnets to venereta the Queen Elizabeth.

THEME OF SONNETS
Generally, the theme of sonnets is a love and a desire for a lady whic isn’t returned as well. The
lady is also a rappresentation of a perfect balance beauty and moral perfection, This kind of love is
expressed by a large use of oxymoron, a special rethorical figure that combines two opposite and
contradictory elements (for example “burning ice” or “blinding darkness”).

METAPHYSICAL POETRY AND STYLE

The term “metaphysical” means something concerning the main problems of universe’s nature and
it is also a small part that influenced english litterature in the 17 century. The most famous poet of
this period is Jhon Donne, who, with all of the other poets, used to reflect the intellectual and
spiritual crisis of his time, the transition beetween the reinassance and teh modern age which was as
dissicult as all of the historycall transitions.
Despite this, metaphysical poetry is also full of references to the beuty of religion, astrology,
geography and philosophy and some rethorical figures too. For example, we have the “conceit”, a
kind of methaphory where the poet use every single part of knowledge for comparison. Jhon Donne
in particular uses words and rythyms that are common in the people that are around him. More in
general, most poems begin as we usually say in latin “in media res”, introducing the reader into the
heart and the very midde part of the argument.
THE METAPHYSICAL POETS’ REPUTATION
Metaphysical poetry in general was forgotten for a long time during 18 century, but the reputetion
of his poets started to move and reborn with the modern poet Eliot, who understood the deepest part
of metapèhysical poetry argument and the affinities with modern age.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF DRAMA

The origins of english theatre bring back to the medieval religious celebrations: in fact at the
begginning of the time performances took place in the nave of churches, but after the moved
outside.
Drama became the main form of Elizabethian art becouse people were more interested in linstening
than reading. But public performances were illegal in the city of london, so many of them were
firstly built on the south bank, which was easly accessible across the Thames.
The first man who built a real new permanent theatre was James Burbage and after his example,
all of the theatre were built octagonal or circular and they were composed by some interesting parts:
the roofed galleries, looking down the stage
the yard, or the pit, where the poor spectators stood
the stage itself, technically known as “apron stage” was projected into the yard, so when the teathre
was full, no more than 12 people could stand on the stage or appear at the same time, for space
restrictions. Over the stage the “shadow” or a tatched roof protected actors from rain and in the
front of the stage there was a trap door were actors could make apparitions and disappearances.
Finally we have 2 more parts: the tiring house, were actors could change their clothes and costumes,
in the back of the stage and 2 doors for entrance and exit. Above the stage, the was also a balcony,
but this was used only by the chorus or the musicians.
THERE WERE NO CURTAINS TO DEVIDE SCENES, in fact a scene usually ended when all
of the actors stopped talking.
During the play actors didnt use the microphone so sometimes they also had to shouth to make the
audience listen to them. Often actors use soliloqy to express theis sensations, thoughts and emotions
to make people understood what was going on.
There were aslo some escamotages; for example all of th plays took place in the morning light and
they usually started at 2 p.m. and to make the scene seems represented in the night, actors used a
torch or some candels to create the right “dark atmosphere”
We have to say that during the elizabethian period, english theatre was not made for women, in fact
boys used to play also some female parts.
COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE, one of the most important sources for the english theatre is
Comnmedia dell’arte italian company which travelled throughtout the England and helped theatre
and sonnets to spread out and became famous in the middle of the 16 century. But the stahe had also
thanks not only niccolo macchiavelli with the comedy of horrors and unnatural crimes but also
Latin commedies and expecially greek tragedies too. Infact the division of the play into 5 act
derives from the works of seneca, a greek poet who used to write tragedies and insert in them some
bloody incidents, the taste if revenge, the emotions and sensations of ther character.

SHAKESPEARE
Shakespeare was born in stratfors-upon.April in 1564 and his sonnets were firstly read by his
private friend and finally published in 1609 in a collection named “quarto”, in the memory of his
patron “the earl of southampton”. They are 154 sonnets and they aren’t composed wit the pertrarch
form, but with 3 quatrains and a final couplet, they have no title and they can be divided in 2
sections: the first one is deducated to a “fair youth”, he probably is the Shakespeare’s young patron
“the earl of southampton” and it is composed by some works that talks about the destructive power
of time but also about love, a love that is addressed by shakespare to a young man. They are
concerned with a “rival poet” who has addressed poems to the young man.
The second section is addressed to a “black woman” or “a dark lady”, who is seen desiderable by
the eyes of Shakespeare, despite the fact isn’t that beautyfull for the physical appearance. In fact the
love that the poet has for the lady in non- conventional because is concerned with a bigger theme,
like death, beauty and art.
But all of the shakespeare’s poems, despite the divition in 2 section, are unique because the poet,
with his experience of dramatist that has made him more concious about the sansation and the
emotions of the character, is able to write in the right way what the person in the poem is feeling in
a specific moment.

SHAKESPEARE STYLE
Is caracterised by an intense and vivid description and, with the absence of classical terms, it seems
more immediate and conversational by the use of the pronoun “thou” and “thee”

GENERAL FEATURES:
The process that use shakespeare to write his poems is based on a gradual clarification of things,
which aren’t explained in the beggings of the work. Some information were hidden in a question or
in a metaphore and in the scenes there are some contrast that enfasize the different personality of the
character. Moreover, we can recognize “a major scene” by a minor scene, becouse the first one is
usually precede and fllowed by a shorter scene where the poet put some interesting and easy to
understand informations.

STRUCTURE
Shakespeare didin’t follow the Aristotelian unities of time, place and action, so the structure of the
play is flexible, infact shakespeare didn’t give so much importance to the divition of the parts itself.

STAGE DIRECTIONS
Most od age directions and instructions were added by the editors only after the death of
shakespeare , in fact in the origins of times, shakespeare asked to spectators toi help with their
immagination to make the scene seems real in their head and also on the stage itself. So there was a
real cooperation beetween the actors and the audience, the people.

LANGUAGE:
shakespeare’ s language is caracteriseg bu a large use of rethorical figures like: simies, metaphor,
assonance and alliteration and in general they are added also to a “image- clue” or “a key-image”
which is connected to the main theme of the work

ROMEO AND JULIET

The social context of the play arises from the struggles between two families The capulets and
Montagues, to gain political control of the city. This is the reason why most of these actions
happens out of Doors from the capulet’s orchard where Romeo and Juliet first profess the love in
the famous balcony scene.
ROMEO
In the first act Romeo montague is presented as a man belonging to the “courtly love convention”
because of his intense adoration and respect for a lady who is chast and “impossible”
He uses the image of light typical of this kind of love: when he first sees Juliet, he compares her to
the brilliant light of the torches that illuminates the capulet’s great hall. Juliet is the light that frees
him from his dark melancholy. Even in the famous balcony scene Romeo links Juliet to the sunlight,
daylight and the light emanating from Angels “o, speak again, bright Angel”
It is his love for Juliet which makes him dynamic and courageous; he risks at the capulet’s house to
be near her and later a banishment order risking death, to see her again. all the risk that to see her
again.
JULIET
Juliet Capulet is a beautiful, rebellious, kind and loving woman. At the beginning, she appears as an
obedient child: she usually does what her parents say.
Her first meeting with her Romeo causes her to move towards the maturity.
She immediatly shows determination and strenght in her open confessions of love and desire for
Romeo.
She belongs to no characterisation, classification or idealisation: she is a real woman. Just like
Romeo, she compares their love to light, first to point out the speed at which their romance is
moving, but also to suggest that their love is just like lightening, that is, a break in the blackness of
the night sky.
ROMEO AND JULIET THEMES
The power of love
Romeo and Juliet love is so powerful that it becomes more important to them than their families and
their loyalties, or even their lives
Passion and violence
the same passion leads to violence, from Tybalt’s death to the lovers’ suicide. The two families’ hate
is as strong as the two lovers’ love.
Individual against society
what the lovers want is individuals conflict with what their families and society want. Romeo can’t
just change his name and never have to deal with his family again. The capulets, the Montagues and
the townspeople do not want to stop feuding just because two teenagers love each other. It Is only
the final horrible tragedy which gets them to change.
The power of Faith
At the beginning of the play, in the prologue, the chorus state that Romeo and Juliet are “star
cross’d lovers” meaning that their love will and tragically. During the play, both lovers have
negative feelings about what is going to happen. The tragic ending results from pattern which
includes the elements of change and the more powerful element of incomplete knowledge.
Romeo and Juliet is characterized by both elements of comedy and tragedy .
It is a comedy because it begins with the material for a comedy. It is a tragedy on account of the
tragic role played by chance; The protagonist must fight against external forces that make their
relationship difficult, but, unlike the great tragig heroes, they experience no inner struggle.
JULIET: ‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy. Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What’s
Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face. O, be some other name Belonging to a man.
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other word would smell as sweet. So Romeo
would, were he not Romeo called, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title.
Romeo, doff thy name; And for thy name,  which is no part of thee, Take all myself.
ROMEO: I take thee at thy word. Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will
be Romeo.

JULIET: What man art thou, that, thus bescreened in night, So stumblest on my counsel?

ROMEO: By a name I know not how to tell thee who I am. My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself
Because it is an enemy to thee. Had I it written, I would tear the word.

JULIET: My ears have yet not drunk a hundred words Of thy tongue’s uttering, yet I know the
sound. Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague?

ROMEO: Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike.

JULIET: How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore? The orchard walls are high and hard to
climb, And the place death, considering who thou art, If any of my kinsmen find thee here.

ROMEO: 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.

JULIET: If they do see thee, they will murder thee.

ROMEO: Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye Than twenty of their swords! Look thou but sweet,
And I am proof against their enmity.

JULIET: I would not for the world they saw thee here.

ROMEO: I have night’s cloak to hide me from their eyes; And but thou love me, let them find me
here. My life were better ended by their hate Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.

JULIET: By whose direction found’st thou out this place?

ROMEO: By Love, that first did prompt me to inquire. He lent me council, and I lent him eyes. I am
no pilot; yet, wert thou as far As that vast shore washed with the farthest sea, I should adventure
for such merchandise.

JULIET: Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face; Else would a maiden blush bepaint my
cheek For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight. Fain would I dwell on form (–fain, fain
deny What I have spoke; but farewell compliment! Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say “Ay;”
And I will take thy word. Yet, if thou swear’st, Thou mayst prove false. At lovers’ perjuries, They say
Jove laughs.  O gentle Romeo, If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully. Or if thou thinkest I am too
quickly won, I’ll frown and be perverse and say thee nay, So thou wilt woo, but else, not for the
world. In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond, And therefore thou mayst think my havior light; But
trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove more true Than those that have more cunning to be strange. I
should have been more strange, I must confess, But that thou overheard’st, ere I was ware, My
true love passion. Therefore pardon me, And not impute this yielding to light love, Which the dark
night hath so discovered.

The most important and significant sense in the balcony seen is the sight, because both lovers
describes what they can't see. Juliet talks about the darkness that can not let Romeo and her meet
togheter ( darkness is a metaphor that represents the fact that lovers families are enemies each
other) : darkness allows lovers their love.

Juliet shakes the theme of the love and essence of reality from the medieval consideration: this is
the reason why Juliet is considered a Real woman, a woman who talks about a form of modern
love