Shakespeare Biography
What did Shakespeare's father do for work? Why was this career important for Shakespeare?
How many lines are in a sonnet?
14
Who are the first characters to appear in Act I, Scene I? What is the significance of these two characters?
The two servants, Sampson and Gregory of the Capulet Household. They reignite the feud by biting their thumbs at the Montague servants.
What major theme is introduced in Act I through the family feud between the Montagues and Capulets?
What type of poem does Romeo and Juliet share during their first meeting?
A sonnet.
Where was Shakespeare born?
Stratford-Upon-Avon 91 miles outside of London
How is a sonnet titled?
By its publication number OR the fist line
Who is Romeo in love with from Act I.I-Act I.IV
Rosaline
Which theme is explored when Romeo and Juliet first meet each other at the Capulet party?
In Act I.I, what does the phrase "A dog of the house of Montague moves me" reveal about the speaker? Who is the speaker?
Who was Shakespeare's #1 Patron
Queen Elizabeth I
A quatrain is a division of four lines within a sonnet. There are three quatrains in a sonnet.
Who speaks these lines and what do they mean:
Act I.I
"Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word,
By thee, old Capulet, and Montague,
Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets
And made Veron'as ancient citizens
Cast by their grave-beseeming ornaments,
To wield old partisans in hands as old,
Cankered with peace, to part your cankered hate,
If ever you disturb our streets again,
Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace."
Prince Escalus. He tells the Montagues and Capulets that someone will die if they disturb the peace again.
In Act I, what contrast/foil is presented between the character of Lord Capulet and Tybalt.
Peace and Violence. Capulet is mostly peaceful and hesitant to fight, while Tybalt is hot-headed and aggressive.
What literary device does Romeo use when he describes Juliet as a "rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear" during the party?
He uses a metaphor to describe her beauty as strikingly radiant.
Who was Shakespeare's wife, and why was their marriage scandalous?
Anne Hathaway. She was older than him and was rumored to be pregnant.
What is a couplet, and how many couplets are in a sonnet?
A couplet is the final two lines of a sonnet. There is one couplet in a sonnet.
Who wants to kill Romeo at the Capulet feast? How does Lord Capulet respond to this, and why?
Tybalt wants to kill Romeo. Lord Capulet does not want to kill Romeo. He does not want to disturb the peace, and he wants to avoid trouble with the prince. Romeo is a "well-governed youth."
Are Juliet's parents "good" parents? Discuss why.
No, because they let their daughter choose her own marriage, the nurse knows Juliet better than her own mother.
In Act I.V, Romeo and Juliet speak a sonnet. What kind of language does Romeo use to describe Juliet? What does this language tell us about the love Romeo has for Juliet?
He uses holy language. He describes her as a shrine and a saint. This language tell us that Romeo deeply admires and respects Juliet. This is different than his "love" for Rosaline.
What was Shakespeare's son's name? (Hint: this inspired the title and main character name of his most famous play. This play coined the phrase, "To be, or not to be...that is the question."
Hamnet
What country do sonnets originate in?
Italy
Why is Paris a good match for Juliet?
He is the cousin of Prince Escalus. This marriage would give the Capulets favor with the prince.
How does the concept of fate begin to appear in Act I?
Romeo and Juliet meet by chance at the Capulet feast, suggesting fate plays a role in their relationship. The change of comedic structure to tragic structure after Romeo and Juliet Kiss. The prologue that predicts their death. Romeo's dream that, if he goes to the party, he will die.
Who spoke this line? What is the context of this line?
"She is the fairies' midwife, and she comes in shape no bigger than an agate stone on the forefinger of an alderman, drawn with a team of little atomi over men's noses as they lie asleep."
Mercutio. This is his Queen Mab monologue from Act I.IV