Historical Background

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The first permanent professional theater in England was built around 1576 and was called the Theater. Other theaters soon opened, including two called the Curtain and the Rose. Not only was Shakespeare working as a playwright and an actor for the Theater, he was also a stock holder.

Another theater soon opened and became one of the most famous of the London public playhouses. It was completed around 1599 and was called the Globe. It was perhaps the largest theater in England and derived its name “from the sign painted above its door, a picture of Atlas holding the world on his shoulders” (Kittredge). Shakespeare also owned stock in the Globe and performed as an actor in many of his own plays. The Globe was an enclosed theater without a roof. The spectators who stood or sat on the ground around the acting area were called “groundlings.” The wealthier playgoers sat in galleries surrounding the stage area. There was no curtain, and sunlight provided the lighting for the performances; therefore, the performances were held during the day. Because there were no sets or scene changes, Shakespeare’s characters wore extravagant costumes to provide the beauty and pageantry that was expected on the stage. Plays were usually fast-paced and colorful productions. The actors, as a rule, played more than one part in a play, and all of the women’s parts were portrayed by young boys.

Shakespeare began writing comedies from about 1594 to 1603. During this period he produced such works as The Taming of the Shrew, Two Gentlemen of Verona, A Midsummer-Night’s Dream, The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, and Twelfth Night. Two of Shakespeare’s tragedies were also written during this time period. One was Julius Caesar and the other was Romeo and Juliet.

The play version of Romeo and Juliet was probably written early in his career around 1595 to 1596. The play is considered to be a tragedy and portrays the interplay of human character and motive. Much of Romeo and Juliet is written in blank verse, which is unrhymed iambic pentameter. Iambic simply means a metrical foot made up of an unstressed and stressed syllable, and pentameter means that each line has five metrical feet. While most of Romeo and Juliet is written in iambic pentameter, the characters of lower social position speak in prose.

The play is rich in rhyming words, word plays, and puns. Most of Shakespeare’s plays begin with a great deal of action designed to capture the attention of the groundlings immediately. Therefore, Romeo and Juliet begins with a street fight between the servants of the Capulets and the Montagues, the warring families in the play.

The plot of Romeo and Juliet was taken from an earlier version of the story. The theme appeared in the fourth century in a Greek tale and later in the sixteenth century as Luigi da Porto’s Hystoria di due nobili Amanti. In the later version, the city is Verona, and da Porto was the first to call the hero and heroine Romeo and Giulietta. Probably Shakespeare’s most direct source was a long English narrative poem written in 1562 by Arthur Brooke, called The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet. Shakespeare used the characters in Brooke’s poem but developed them in much greater depth and detail, thus transforming the story of star-crossed lovers into the most famous love story ever known.

Expert Q&A

How do costumes in Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet compare with actual historical period clothes?

Costumes in Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet appear consistent with the Elizabethan era and Italian Renaissance, featuring corsets, bodices, and codpieces. However, the play’s historical setting is the Medieval period, specifically during Prince Bartolomeo I della Scala's reign (1301-1304), when codpieces were absent, and gowns were simpler and fitted with belted waists. Thus, Zeffirelli’s costumes present a historical conflict.

Romeo and Juliet as a reflection of Elizabethan society's ideals, customs, and daily life

Romeo and Juliet reflects Elizabethan society's ideals, customs, and daily life through its portrayal of family honor, the importance of social status, and the expectations of marriage. The play also highlights the era's emphasis on fate and destiny, as well as the societal norms surrounding courtship and the roles of women and men in relationships.

Social, Historical, and Cultural Contexts' Influence on "Romeo and Juliet"

Romeo and Juliet is set in Renaissance-era Verona, reflecting the cultural expectation of familial loyalty over individual desires, and patriarchal authority, such as arranged marriages. The play highlights the clash between personal love and social expectations, as seen in the feud between the Montagues and Capulets. Shakespeare drew on existing Italian stories and the concept of "courtly love." The Elizabethan context, with its Renaissance influences, allowed for more romantic freedom, yet societal norms still dictated arranged marriages and strict familial roles.

The language of "Romeo and Juliet" and its historical context

The language of "Romeo and Juliet" is Early Modern English, characterized by poetic forms, such as iambic pentameter, and rich imagery. Written by William Shakespeare around 1595, the play reflects the social and political tensions of the Elizabethan era, including themes of family conflict, love, and fate, which resonated with contemporary audiences.

The impact of the prologue on an Elizabethan audience of Romeo and Juliet

The prologue of Romeo and Juliet would have had a significant impact on an Elizabethan audience by setting the stage for the tragic events to come. It introduces the feud between the Montagues and Capulets, the doomed love between Romeo and Juliet, and foreshadows the play's tragic ending, creating a sense of anticipation and dramatic irony.

The relationship between society and Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

In "Romeo and Juliet," society plays a critical role in shaping the characters' lives and the tragic outcome. The feud between the Montagues and Capulets, societal expectations, and family honor heavily influence the lovers' decisions and ultimately lead to their demise. This relationship highlights the destructive power of societal pressures and conflicts on individual lives.

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