Romeo & Juliet: Study Guide

I will divide the analysis of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet into seven sections: Conflict, Action (Plot Summary), Symbolism, Stage Convention, Social/Historical Context, Relevance, and lastly, an Important Quotation and its explication. Enjoy!

Conflict: The most dominant conflict may be coined: Microcosmic Man vs. Macrocosmic Destiny, as portrayed through the mortal and base acts that dignified, civil families are apt to commit when under the impression that their goodness is far superior to their rivals; both enemy families united by the pre-destining stars, which foretell their inevitable connection and unity through adolescent, innocent, and all-encompassing Love.

Thus, the conflict may be stated: Man as a creature capable of both good and evil, bound, yet opposed to the 'Heavens' pre-writ path: Man vs. Fate. Romeo explains his inability to escape fate lines before his death: "O, here/ Will I set up my everlasting rest/ And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars/ From this world weary flesh." (5.3.109-112).

Action (Plot Summary): The action of the play is driven by the struggle against family, family feuds, the city or governing body, and inexorable Fate itself. The play opens with Samson, Tybalt, and Gregory of the Capulet family quarrelling with Balthasar, Abraham, and Benvolio of the Montague family, after a 'thumb-biting' insult. The Prince of Verona, outraged as much as the citizens by said disturbance, deems any further conflicts or disorder caused by an individual of either family resultant in death.

Romeo, a Montague, woebegone due to a recent unattainable love interest, is coerced by friends to attend a feast at the Capulet's under disguise. At the gathering Romeo meets Juliet and instantly falls in love; later that evening he sneaks into the Capulet orchard and mingles with Juliet. They plan to marry the

next day. They marry in secret. Romeo slays Tybalt after Tybalt slays Mercutio, and is banished from Verona. Juliet is supposed to marry Paris, as no one is aware of her secret union with Romeo. She devises a plan with the friar and fakes her death.

Romeo, believing Juliet is dead, kills Paris after challenged to duel and commits suicide by drinking poison he received from an apothecary. Juliet wakes up, and upon seeing Romeo dead, kills herself with his sword. The families then meet, are told by the friar what happened, and decide to end their feud.

Symbolism: The symbolic representation of the duality of nature, of light and dark, of life and death, is shown frequently, but most strikingly through poison. Friar Laurence, in his garden speech delivers the following message: "With baleful weeds and precious-juiced flowers./ The earth that's nature's mother is her tomb; What is her burying grave that is her womb," (2.3.8-9).

Stage Convention: During Elizabethan times, plays were meant for both upper and lower class audiences, thus there were a great deal of violent and sexual content intermixed with the elaborate, poetic, and dramatic devices desired by the elite.

Mercutio is a perfect example; he is a Mercury-type figure, which appeals to visceral and animal desires, while he simultaneously speaks eloquently and intelligently; he is a playful and gaudy god-like trickster, worthy of peasant and civil stage. Elizabethan drama was typically more conventional than realistic; Shakespeare combined the two, honing in on elemental emotions whilst entertaining with primal, thematic drama.

Historical Context: Romeo and Juliet and Shakespeare's life take place during the Renaissance, a time of rebirth and the revival of classical Greek and Roman studies. The Roman Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Empire's influence waned due to their inability to maintain stability and unity amongst the Europeans; the feudal structure shattered and power was shifted to nations that were developing their own monarchies and voices.

Also of great importance were city-states, such as Florence, Italy; this link to Italian Literature and Shakespeare's knowledge of it reflects in Romeo and Juliet. As the play is set in a time of rebirth - the death of standard moral and intellectual pursuits in place of the life of others - Romeo and Juliet may be seen as such: death of tried and tired feuds and beliefs, birth of unity and maturity.

Relevance: It is relevant because of its ability to transcend its time and adapt to modern culture. The emotions and themes explored in the play reflect universal and human struggles, despite the difference in language. The action and gestures of the actors portraying each character is as effective then as it is now, and what is lost in translation is gathered through movement; the stage is the same, the language is 'out-dated', but the thematic and psychological elements are worthy of any generation.

Important Quotation: Scene 2, Act 3: "O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies/[...] Full soon the canker death eats up that plant." (Lines 15-30). Compares and contrasts the power of Nature and natural things with medicine and man-made poisons.

It represents Man as wielding the power of nature to use for good or evil, in the same sense that emotions may produce actions beneficial or destructive; but, regardless of the amount of choice involved, the same end will be achieved. That which is formed of the earth, that which is deemed life is also death, and though from her 'natural bosom' we are given plants and herbs which may be in 'virtue excellent', through misapplication the 'virtue itself turns vice' (2.3.13-21).

What is a medicine or remedy in one hand is a tool for illness and misery in the other, dependent upon the method and intention of use.

Within the infant rind of this small flower

Poison hath residence and medicine power:

For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part;

Being tasted, slays all senses with the heart.

(2.3.23-26)

I hope the aforementioned was of some assistance to those in search of brief and direct answers regarding various questions related to Romeo and Juliet.