Themes and Character Analysis
What is a tragic hero?
The central character, often of noble birth or high status, who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat.
What is an oxymoron?
An oxymoron is a word or phrase that combines contradictory elements, such as cruel kindness
What is dramatic irony?
where the audience's understanding of events or characters surpasses that of the characters themselves
What motivates Juliet?
-does not want to marry Paris
-wants to be with Romeo
-does not want to live without Romeo
What is a soliloquy?
A soliloquy is a literary device. It is when a character speaks to him or herself, about his or her innermost thoughts and feelings as if thinking aloud.
How does Romeo's impulsiveness affect the plot?
through rash choices, such as their secret marriage and immediate reactions to conflict.
What device is this?
"the grey-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night"
personification
How does the feud affect the plot?
It prevents the couple from being together and create conflict for all of the characters
What motivates Tybalt?
-His honor
What is foreshadowing?
When an author hints at a future event in the story
What themes are introduced in the prologue?
Fate versus free will
Love
Conflict
What is this meaning of this quote?
"It is the east, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon"
Metaphor- emphasizes her beauty and brightness. She is source of his life. The moon can represent the conflict
What is the climax of Romeo and Juliet?
Romeo discovers Juliet in her tomb, where he mistakenly believes she is dead. He decides to take the poison. Juliet wakes up and stabs herself with the dagger.
How does Mercutio's death influence Romeo?
It makes Romeo so enraged that he kills Tybalt.
What is breaking the 4th wall?
when a character acknowledges the audience's presence, removing the invisible barrier that separates the fictional world from the readers. This can be done by addressing the audience or drawing attention to the fact that they are part of a performance.
How do supernatural elements impact the play?
Juliet's vision of finding Romeo dead in a tomb, and the presence of fate or destiny influencing the characters' actions and the tragic outcome of the play.
How does Shakespeare use imagery to develop characters?
Uses descriptions of light and dark to contrast and compare life and death, as well as love and hate.
What is the resolution of Romeo and Juliet?
The families decide to stop the feud
What is the Nurse's role in Romeo and Juliet?
The Nurse is emotionally supportive of Juliet and actively works to ensure her good fortune, serving as the go-between that enables Juliet's secret courtship with Romeo. She takes on the role of a carer, friend, and mother figure. The Nurse is a messenger between Romeo and Juliet, as she is the only character besides Friar Laurence to know of their affair.
What is a monologue?
A long speech delivered by a single character in a play or a film. These speeches are used by writers to express a character’s thoughts, emotions, or ideas
What is a tragic flaw?
A character flaw or error in judgment that leads to the hero’s downfall.
Analyze "O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!"
Juliet's beauty is too good and too precious for this world. Soliloquy
What is an example of dramatic irony from Romeo and Juliet? (hint: what happened in the tomb)
We know that Juliet is not actually dead, but Romeo does not
How does Friar Lawrence contribute to the plot?
Friar Lawrence marries Romeo and Juliet as part of a plan to end the feud; he makes the plan to reunite Romeo and Juliet through the sleeping potion
What is dialogue?
Dialogue is the exchange of spoken words between two or more characters. In a play script, dialogue is formatted with the character's name followed by their spoken lines, without the need for quotation marks.
It advances the plot, revealing characters' thoughts or feelings, and showcasing character interactions.