While secondary characters are less important than the main characters of the book, they often have a noteworthy impact on the story. List of main characters romeo and juliet open textbooks. An evaluation of the story romeo and juliet by william. The key to understanding romeo and juliet characters is irony.
The struggle of how the two main characters, romeo and juliet interact with society is clearly related to their gender. Also she constantly defies gender roles, by sticking up for herself no less. This brave defiance of fate is especially heartbreaking because romeos suicide is. Mercutio is another kinsman of escalus, and a friend of romeo house of capulet. Romeo and juliet main characters shakespeare birthplace trust. Young noblemen, related to the prince, and wants to marry juliet. The culmination of the book results in the death of both the main characters.
After meeting juliet, he abandons his tendency to be a traditional, fashionable lover, and his language becomes intense, reflecting his genuine passion for juliet. Juliet capulet, on the cusp of 14 years old, falls in love with romeo, the son of her familys enemy. With the help of friar lawrence and the nurse, they will try to win those fights and. This tragic tale of the worlds most famous starcrossed couple was originally written to be seen, but the genius of shakespeares language is stunningly beautiful to the naked ear as well. Shmoop guide to romeo and juliet protagonist, antagonist, foil, guide, mentor, and character roles.
On the other hand i found the performance by the main figures leonardo di caprioromeo and claire danes juliet appauling and it kind of felt like they knew their lines, but had. Romeo and juliet is a tragedy written by william shakespeare early in his career about two young starcrossed lovers whose deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families. The other tragedy, titus andronicus followed the conventions of seneca and marlowe, i. Throughout the play, romeo portrays a rollercoaster of emotions, which does not. Juliet and the nurse do the best job of portraying the female gender roles throughout the tragedy the main male character in shakespeares tragedy, romeo, is a young man whose heart is filled with despair because he is unable to obtain the apple of his eye. Although the focus of action is chiefly on the behavior and fate of the central characters, the minor characters are far more than simply place holders. Romeo and juliet is a play about the conflict between the main characters love, with its transformative power, and the darkness, hatred, and selfishness represented by their families feud. They bring to their respective roles a sense of unbridled, youthful passion that is moving. Romeo is the teenage son of the montague family, who are busy feuding with the capulets. Two servants of the house of capulet, who, like their master, hate the montagues. Fate plays an important role in the play because it brings romeo and juliet together and eventually causes their death. Get free homework help on william shakespeares romeo and juliet. Please see shakespeares characters a to z for a complete pronunciation guide. He claimed, love, whose view is muffled still, should without eyes, see pathways to his will shakespeare 20.
He is the male heir to the dynasty of house montague, which is in a longstanding feud with house capulet. In william shakespeares romeo and juliet, a secondary character, friar lawrence, plays a vital role throughout the play. As romeo and juliet fall deeper and deeper in love, they come up. Role of comic characters in a tragedy analysis of setting in the opening scenes of. Rome o and juli et is a tragedy written by william shakespeare early in his career about two young starcrossed lovers whose deaths ultimately reconc ile th eir feuding families. In act 3, scene 5 of shakespeares play romeo and juliet. Sensuality was a favorite theme of william shakespeare. He lives in the middle of a violent feud between his family and the capulets, but he. A full list of romeo and juliet characters in order of appearance for never was a story of more woe than this of juliet and her romeo. Escalus is the prince of verona, who in his wisdom, declares an automatic death penalty to anyone who fights in public.
Parents roles in william shakespeares romeo and juliet romeo and juliet experience adversity ultimately ending in their deaths as they do not have alternative means to support their marriage. Chorus introduces each of the first two acts, setting both the theme of the play and its style. Short descriptions of the capulets, montagues and whos who among the important characters in shakespeares romeo and juliet. Romeo is part of the montague family, whilst juliet is from the rival capulets. An example of this is how romeo sometimes says his words without expression or with expression in the wrong place. These characters, in their comic roles, serve as foils for romeo and juliet by highlighting the couples youth and innocence as well as the pure and vulnerable quality of their love. In william shakespeares romeo and juliet, a long feud between the montague and capulet families disrupts the city of verona and causes tragic results for romeo and juliet. Mercutio is romeos swordfight loving bff, and you probably wont be surprised to find out that. Every book on your english syllabus summed up in a quote from the office. Thesis statements about romeo and juliet to shape your essay. Mar 29, 2020 for example, in the opening lines of romeo and juliet, shakespeare allows the audience to hear his characters destiny. List of characters in romeo and juliet by william shakespeare.
Romeo and juliet ranks amongst the bards most famous works, if not the finest. Romeo and juliet is a very sad story that ends in tragedy and death. Romeo gladly makes way for juliet to be in power and rise with an inner strength. They dream of romeos wooing words act i, scene v, lines 4352 and ii, ii, 125 and ignore his utter lack of manly. Unfortunately, romeo and juliet is absolutely witless in terms of shakespeares usual conservative politics. The supporting characters in romeo and juliet and hamlet do much to drive the action of the plays. Romeo and juliet character descriptions shakespeare learning. Romeo and juliet characters william shakespeare this study guide consists of approximately 155 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of romeo and juliet. This play might have another end if some characters were braver. We all learn that he is incredibly irrational and can be incredibly violent. The two teenaged lovers, romeo and juliet, fall in love the first time they see each other, but their families feud requires they remain enemies. The renaissance was the great time in which shakespeare lived and contributed to the world with his many plays and pieces of writings. Romeo montague foolish modern day girls clamor for a modern day romeo. A full list of romeo and juliet characters in order of.
As these character descriptions show, not everyone is always what they seem to be. Today, the title chara cters are regarded as archetypal young lovers. How they help determine the pattern of events is the subject of this research. Benvolio, whose name literally means good will, is a classic nice guy. Shakespeare used the idea of social classes and portrayed it throughout his play, romeo and juliet. On the other hand i found the performance by the main figures leonardo di caprioromeo and claire danes juliet appauling and it kind of felt like they knew their lines, but had no idea what they were actually talking about. This book was originated from the famous play romeo and juliet which was written and directed by william shakespeare. Social symbolism in william shakespeares romeo and juliet. Who are the main characters in romeo and juliet answers. When romeo and juliet fall in love, their individual desire for each otherwhich flies in the face of their families ancient grudge and thus the social order of verona, a city run by noble families like the montagues and capuletsplaces them in direct opposition with the society of which theyre both a part. O, here will i set up my everlasting rest, and shake the yoke of inauspicious stars from this worldwearied flesh. Parents roles in william shakespeares romeo and juliet. Penlighten draws up a list of characters in romeo and juliet in order of appearance.
Feb 26, 20 romeo gladly makes way for juliet to be in power and rise with an inner strength. In william shakespeares romeo and juliet, a long feud between the montague. Though their secret romance puts romeo and juliet at risk, their passion drives them to meet, regardless of the danger act two, scene one. Later, as he plans his own death in juliets tomb, romeo says. An early fight scene introduces readers to the capulet and montague families and their longstanding feud. Romeos dedicated servant, who brings romeo the news of juliets death, unaware that her death is a ruse. Because this production of romeo and juliet features a fullcast performance, original music, and sound effects, it could accurately be described as an audio play. He created various characters and put them into different social. Major characters in romeo and juliet flashcards quizlet. The central characters are of course romeo and juliet.
In addition to the plays eponymous protagonists, romeo montague and juliet capulet, the play contains roles for members of their respective families. At the start of read full character analysis one of the protagonists of the play, along with romeo. Secondary characters in romeo and juliet 809 words 123. While most interpretations of the characters of romeo and juliet have focused on the nature of their love. Romeo and juliet act 2 summary and analysis gradesaver. They hopelessly fall in love and the resulting story centres on the pursuit of their love, and the tragic end that it causes. Critical essays the role of comic characters in a tragedy in act ii, scene 1, mercutio and benvolios search for romeo after the feast provides a comic interlude between romeo and juliet s first meeting and the famous balcony scene in act ii, scene 2, juxtaposing two very different and conflicting attitudes to love. Prince escalus, the citys ruler, and his kinsman, count paris. Lady capulet, juliet s mother and tybalts aunt by blood. William shakespeares play romeo and juliet contains a relatively distinctive cast of characters. Romeo and juliet, obviously, are the main characters. Yet when the pressures of society begin to weigh down upon them, romeo and juliet succumb and attempt to fit back into their traditional gender roles.
The main characters in romeo and juliet are romeo montague, juliet capulet, mercutio, friar laurence, the capulets, the montagues, paris, and tybalt. Romeo montagues son, who is loved and respected in verona. A young man of about sixteen, romeo is handsome, intelligent, and sensitive. As a skilled swordsman, he serves as the storys principal antagonist. Romeo and juliet study guide contains a biography of william shakespeare, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes. This study guide consists of approximately 155 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of romeo and juliet. A beautiful thirteenyearold girl, juliet begins the play as a naive child who has. Escalus, prince of verona paris, a young nobleman montague, capulet, heads of warring households. Out in the street, romeo escapes from mercutio and benvolio.
The theme of physical violence is so significant beacause, that alternates the storyline within the play many times and also rappeler the behavior and roles within the. Mercutios page mute role runs to fetch a doctor after his master is wounded. Mercutio, romeos quicktempered, witty friend, links the comic and violent action of the play. Mercutio, romeos friend but pledges to neither house because he is related to prince escalus. Contrast and conflict are running themes throughout shakespeares play, romeo. Kind and always with a plan, friar laurence secretly marries the pair of lovers with the hope of bringing peace to verona through their union but inadvertently causes the tragedy that unfolds. Escalus, prince of verona paris, a young nobleman montague, capulet, heads of warring households old man, cousin to capulet romeo, son to montague mercutio, kinsman to the prince, and friend to romeo benvolio, nephew to montague, and friend to romeo. Romeo and juliet are the main characters that display the obsession through dialogue. Romeo and juliets death was caused by their own foolishness. Capulet, juliets father and tybalts uncle by marriage. His challenge to romeo is taken up by mercutio, whom tybalt kills. In addition to the plays eponymous protagonists, romeo montague and juliet capulet, the play contains roles for members of their respective families and households. Sixteenyearold romeo montague falls in love with juliet capulet at a masquerade, thus igniting their tragic affair. List of main characters romeo, heir to the montagues.
We learn early on what is going to happen to the title characters. Other characters essential to the story are friar lawrence, mercutio, tybalt and capulet. Lady capulet, juliets mother and tybalts aunt by blood. Prince escalus is the ruling prince of verona count paris is a kinsman of escalus who wishes to marry juliet. At the outset of the play, they successfully provoke some montague men into a fight. Daughter of lord capulet and is in love with romeo. Romeo, son of lord montague, believes hes in love with a girl named rosaline until he and juliet a capulet lock eyes at a party and determine they must be together. It was among shakespeares most popular plays during his lifetime and along with hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Character summaries from shakespeares timeless love story. One of the protagonists of the play, along with juliet. Need help on characters in william shakespeares romeo and juliet. Romeo is defined by a selfindulgent melancholy at the beginning of the play, but later becomes a much more active and committed character, which is clear when he kills tybalt. Gender roles in romeo and juliet in william shakespeares romeo and juliet, gender plays a significant role for central characters experiencing struggle trying to fit their gender roles given to them by the society in verona.
The play about romeo and juliet is a good example of dichotomous thinking. The director, franco zeffirelli, who was nominated for best director, cast two, virtually unknown, age appropriate actors, leonard whiting and olivia hussey, in the roles of romeo and juliet. Romeo accuses juliet of making him soft and losing his manhood. In the book, romeo and juliet, the main characters fight against their families and the law to follow their heart. Critical essays the role of comic characters in a tragedy shakespeare uses mercutio and the nurse to explore the relationship between comedy and tragedy inromeo and juliet. He is initially presented as a comic lover, with his inflated declarations of love for rosaline. Capulet, juliet s father and tybalts uncle by marriage. Nurse were outstanding at portraying their characters and the best actors on the set. In this paper, i will show that romeo and juliet is the most brilliant example of reactionary writing ever created. Juliet s nurse who has cared for her since she was born.