1. -Elizabethan Era-
-Shakespeare-
-Romeo and Juliet-

2. Elizabethan England
• Known as the English Renaissance (rebirth)
• England was ruled by Queen Elizabeth I , daughter of
King Henry VIII, from 1533-1603.
• The Queen had a love for theater and the arts, so
during this period, the arts (poetry, plays, painting,
etc.) flourished.
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 2
RIGHTS RESERVED.

3. Life in the Elizabethan Era
Clothing/Fashion
• Certain fabrics, textures, and colors of clothing indicated
which social class a person was a part of.
• If a person dressed out of his/her social class, they would be
punished because it was against the law.
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 3
RIGHTS RESERVED.

4. Life in the Elizabethan Era
Marriages
• A woman didn’t choose
husband.
• Marriages were usually arranged
by the families of the bride and
the groom in order for both sides
to benefit from one another.
• Once married, women had
practically no rights; they could
not work outside the home.
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 4
RIGHTS RESERVED.

5. Life in the Elizabethan Era
Health
• Many members of a family,
often 4­8 people, would live in
the same room.
• There was no sanitation, no
indoor plumbing, no concept of
germs or sterilization.
• The streets were filled with
waste, both human and animal.
• There were two outbreaks of the
Bubonic Plague
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 5
RIGHTS RESERVED.

6. Life in the Elizabethan Era
Other interesting facts:
• Only boys were allowed to attend formal education
• Going to the dentist was deadly
• Punishment for crimes was VERY harsh
– Robbers would have limbs cut off by a saw, have fingers torn off,
eyes dug out with hot pinchers, or death sentence
– Women gossips had sharp device put in mouth and, with any
movement, the tongue would be cut or damaged
– For adultery, one would be attached to stool and continuously
dunked under water until death
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 6
RIGHTS RESERVED.

7. Life in the Elizabethan Era
• The lower class would bathe a couple times A YEAR, and the
upper class bathed once every couple of weeks.
• Instead of toilet paper, clumps of grass or hay was used.
• Pale skin was considered beautiful, so they avoided the sun.
• A high forehead was a sign of intelligence, so many women
would shave a portion on top of their head.
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 7
RIGHTS RESERVED.

8. William Shakespeare
• The most famous
playwright of all time
• Born: 1564 in Stratford­
upon­Avon; Died: 1616
• At 18, he married 26 year­
old Anne Hathaway
• Had 3 children, one of
which died at 11
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 8
RIGHTS RESERVED.

9. William Shakespeare
• 1585 – 1592 were considered
his lost years. No one knew
of his whereabouts.
• By 1592, he had become well
known in London theatrical
circles.
• In his lifetime Shakespeare
wrote 37 plays
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 9
RIGHTS RESERVED.

10. William Shakespeare
Types of Plays
• 1. comedy – usually ends with
weddings.
• 2. history – a retelling of the
history of England
• 3. tragedy – ends with
death
a. a hero has a high position
b. hero falls (causes his own
fall)
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 10
RIGHTS RESERVED.

11. The Globe Theatre
• Famous theatre of the time
• Plays were held at 2:00
pm because there was no
lighting in the theaters.
And in good weather
because it had no roof
• Few props were used;
language focused on
imagery
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 11
RIGHTS RESERVED.

12. The Globe Theatre
• Both poor and rich
people alike attended plays
in Shakespeare’s time.
• It had several levels of
seating
– Lowest level, or pit, was
the cheapest; the
“groundlings” stood here
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 12
RIGHTS RESERVED.

13. The Globe Theatre
• During this time, women
were NOT allowed to be
actors
• ALL roles were played by
men/boys
• The character of Juliet
would have been played by
a boy
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 13
RIGHTS RESERVED.

14. The Globe Theatre
• In the 1590s, the theaters
had to close a few times due
to outbreaks of the Plague
• Germs were EASILY
spread at the theaters
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 14
RIGHTS RESERVED.

15. Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare
“Star­crossed lovers”
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 15
RIGHTS RESERVED.

16. Romeo and Juliet
• The play is set in
Verona, Italy
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 16
RIGHTS RESERVED.

17. Juliet’s Balcony
• Although Juliet is a fictional
character, this actual building in
Verona (built around the 13th century)
is said to have been the home to a
prominent family in Italy back then.
The Capuleti was a family that
actually existed, and some believe that
Shakespeare based his fictional family,
the Capulets, on them.
• Pictured here is Juliet’s balcony. Some
couples even get married there today.
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 17
RIGHTS RESERVED.

18. Basics of Romeo and Juliet
• Written around 1595
• Involves two major families
who hate each other
• Entire play takes place over
5 days
• Fate of Romeo and Juliet is
given at the beginning of
play
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 18
RIGHTS RESERVED.

19. Romeo and Juliet - Characters
The Montagues The Capulets
• Romeo ­ first loves Rosaline; sees Juliet • Juliet – daughter of Capulet; happy,
and forgets Rosaline. innocent girl who loves Romeo
• Lord Montague ­ Romeo’s father • Lord and Lady Capulet ­ Juliet’s
• Lady Montague ­ Romeo’s mother parents
• Benvolio ­ nephew of Montague and • Tybalt ­ Juliet’s cousin; likes to fight
friend of Romeo • Nurse ­ Juliet’s nanny and friend
• Balthasar ­ servant of Romeo • Peter ­ servant to the Nurse
• Abram ­ servant of Montague; enjoys • Sampson and Gregory – servants
fighting with Capulets
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL 19
RIGHTS RESERVED.

20. Romeo and Juliet - Characters
The Others
•Prince Escalus ­ ruler of Verona; tired of the fighting in the
city and threatens anyone who disturbs the peace with death
•Mercutio ­ relative of the prince and friend of Romeo (sides
with Montague); serves as comic relief
•Friar Laurence ­ a Franciscan priest; helps Romeo and
Juliet; good man
•Friar John ­ another Franciscan priest
•Count Paris ­ a young nobleman and relative of the prince
(sides with Capulet); Juliet’s parents arrange for her to marry
him
(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED.

21. Other Romeo and Juliet Stories?

22. Literary Terms
• Pun – a joke based on the use of a word
or words that has multiple meanings.
Mercutio: Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you
dance.
Romeo: Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes
with nimble soles; I have a soul of lead.
• Oxymoron– a figure of speech that
combines two contradicting terms
Juliet: Beautiful tyrant! Fiend angelical!
22

23. Literary Terms
• Foil – a character who contrasts and
balances another character in the story.
– Benvolio is a peacemaker, while Tybalt is
confrontational.
• Catharsis – the point where a character
accepts his/her fate.
• Dramatic Irony – the audience knows
something that the character on stage is
not aware of.
23

24. Literary Terms
• Allusion – an indirect reference by
casually mentioning something that is
generally familiar like mythology, the Bible,
history, etc.
Romeo: … She’ll not be hit
With Cupid’s arrow; she hath Dian’s wit.
• Tragic Flaw – a character’s trait that leads
to his/her downfall or destruction.
24

25. Literary Terms -- Speeches
• Soliloquy –long speech given by a
character directly to the audience; reveals
private, inner thoughts about the
character.
• Monologue – long speech given by one
character to other characters.
• Aside – a “mini soliloquy;” lines whispered
to the audience or one other character
(not meant to be heard by everyone on
stage. 25

26. Poetry Terms
• Meter – rhythmic structure of poetic lines.
• Couplet – a pair of rhyming lines with
usually the same meter.
• Blank verse – unrhymed verse.
• Iambic pentameter – a line over verse with
ten syllables that is accented on every
second beat.
26