Act 5 Scene 3 – Forever Love

Scene summary:

• Romeo kills Paris when he tries to stop him entering the tomb.
• To be with Juliet again, Romeo drinks the potion and dies.
• When the Friar arrives, Juliet wakes up. He tries to hustle her away, but she is determined to stay by Romeo and the Friar flees. Taking Romeo’s dagger, Juliet kills herself.
• The Prince, the Capulets and the Montagues find their children and Paris dead.
• The Friar explains what has happened and the two fathers make peace.

  This scene can be compared to a number of the poems we have studied: Remember, Funeral Blues and Sonnet 18. Particularly focusing on Romeo’s soliloquy, we could focus on Shakespeare’s repetition of the word ‘death’. Shakespeare’s use of the double suicide and focus on the word ‘death’ to represent the fulfilment of Romeo and Juliet’s love for each other – their love shall live on even in death. The use of ‘kiss’ is also significant – Romeo makes reference to it, as does Juliet when she tried to kill herself. Shakespeare’s use of this ‘symbol’ of love starts their relationship in Act 1 Scene 5 but also ends in – consider what Shakespeare could be suggesting about love. Here you can make reference to how suicide was viewed in Shakespeare’s time. Shakespeare uses his plays to penetrate the stigma of suicide – a stigma that we could argue still exists to this day. Several of his most notable characters died by their own hand – this would have been viewed as shameful or disgraceful. By using the characters of Romeo and Juliet, could Shakespeare be suggesting positives as with their deaths comes a truce and an end to bloodshed. Similarly Remember by Christina Rossetti focuses on death and has a particularly morbid tone. Rossetti’s repetition of ‘remember’ suggesting that the love between the speaker and the unnamed lover lacks depth therefore unlike the characters in the play – the poem’s characters’  love isn’t strong enough to survive death. In Funeral Blues, W.H. Auden could also be suggesting that with death comes an end to love. ‘For nothing now can ever come to any good.’ The use of time is significant in the Auden’s poem and can be linked to Romeo and Juliet – Early in the play, Romeo is painfully aware of the passage of time as he pines for Rosaline: “sad hours seem longer”. Comparing Romeo and Juliet to Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 we can focus on light as a symbol.  Shakespeare is suggesting that Juliet’s beauty cannot be taken by death – ‘her beauty makes/This vault a feasting presence full of light.’ She shall forever remain beautiful to Romeo. Remember the numerous other references to light:

• “O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!” (1.4.46)
• “It is the east and Juliet is the sun!” (2.2.3)
• “The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars/As daylight doth a lamp” (2.2.20-1)

The lightness of love disguises the darkness of night  – think about their relationship and the need to hide their love. Romeo and Juliet can only declare their love for each other at night when they are hidden from everyone else. Link this to the 1600s and family loyalty, arranged marriages and the problems love causes.  In Sonnet 18 light could also be seen as symbolic for the speaker’s love for his beloved.  ‘The eye of heaven shines’ – the poet’s speaks about saving beauty by ensuring that his friend be forever in human memory, saved from the oblivion that accompanies death. The use of the metaphor “eye of heaven” can be linked to the use of “sun” in the play – consider why this is important given what we know about the 1600s. Also consider the significance of “heaven”. Further links to help you: http://englishtutorhome2.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/edexcel-igcse-poetry-analysis-remember.html http://www.shakespeare-online.com/playanalysis/romeocommentary.html http://levy93.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/funeral-blues-by-w-h-auden/ http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/18detail.html

Act 3 Scene 1 – love as a cause of violence

This scene sees the deaths of both Mercutio and Tybalt. We can explore the idea of love as cause of conflict – firstly, how Romeo and Juliet’s love may be considered the cause of Mercutio’s death. Secondly how the love between Romeo and Mercutio ultimately causes violence and conflict.

The scene starts with a conversation between Mercutio and Benvolio. The mood and particularly the line “…for now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring” hints at what is to come. Although the background of the feud is revealed in the prologue, Shakespeare gives us hope that the union of Romeo and Juliet and their marriage may mend the rift between their families. The audience believes that it is possible that all may be well. However, the fight that occurs in Act 3, Scene 1 could be interpreted as a turning point in the play.

The inclusion of violence in Act 3 Scene 1 is a reminder that although love and beauty are key ideals the play takes part in a masculine world where pride, status and the family name are hugely important. Remember to focus on this to cover AO4 – context.

• Tybalt confronts Romeo but does not get the expected response: “Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee/Doth much excuse the appertaining rage/To such a greeting. Villain am I none./Therefore, farewell. I see thou know’st me not.” Romeo is saying that he has a reason to love Tybalt and therefore he’s going to overlook the insult. The use of “villain” is significant because at this point of the play we see Romeo’s happiness destroyed, ultimately by him, an interpretation that is perhaps not always explored.
• Romeo’s cry, “O, I am fortune’s fool!” refers specifically to his unluckiness in being forced to kill his new wife’s cousin, thereby getting himself banished, ultimately resulting in both his and Juliet’s death. It also links back to the prologue and the sense of fate that hangs over the play. This could link to Keat’s sonnet – Bright Star but also Auden’s Funeral Blues poem.
• Romeo blames fate in contrast Mercutio blames both families – a significant change in the relationship between Romeo and Mercutio. The use of a “a plague on both your houses” suggests connotations of illness (perhaps linking with Sonnet 147 and “Love is as a fever”) but also religion. The Plagues of Egypt were ten calamities that, according to the biblical Book of Exodus, Israel’s God inflicted upon Egypt to persuade Pharaoh to release the ill-treated Israelites from slavery. Why is this significant – could it link to Blake’s The Garden of Love? The Elizabethan era was a significant time in terms of religion with both Catholic Church and the newly created Church of England exiting together- remember to mention this to cover AO4.
• In Act 3, Scene 1, Mercutio shows that while he often chastises people for being aggressive and violent that he himself is disgusted by Romeo’s refusal to fight Tybalt – Mercutio is portrayed by Shakespeare as a character who is bitter, angry and vengeful. This is clear in the line, “O calm, dishonourable, vile submission.” This line shows that audience that Mercutio’s love for Romeo has altered. This could be compared to Shakespeare’s Sonnet 147 whereby the speaker in the sonnet changes from an obsession over his beloved to describing her as “black as hell, as dark as night”.
• Elizabethan society generally believed that a man too much in love lost his manliness. Romeo clearly subscribes to that belief, as can be seen when he states that his love for Juliet had made him “effeminate.” Perhaps one interpretation that his new found feminine qualities is what ‘kills’ the love his has with Mercutio. He places Juliet before Mercutio, albeit without Mercutio’s knowledge.

Use the following to help:

How does Shakespeare present love as a cause of violence in Act 3 Scene 1?

• Point: In Act 3 Scene 1 Mercutio and Romeo’s love for each other ends. And/or explain how Romeo and Juliet’s love causes the death of Mercutio.
• Quote: Use a quote from this scene.
• Explain: Explore how love is a cause of violence. Consider how we feel as a modern audience. Also consider how Shakespeare’s audience may have viewed this. Remember that honour, family name and masculinity were important during the 1600s.
• Language: Zoom in on one or two key words – what are the connotations? Can you make any links to the 1600s? Does Shakespeare use any techniques such as metaphors or pathetic fallacy?

If you feel confident enough to compare this scene to one of the poems we have looked at then offer a linking sentence such as :

• Similarly love is a cause of violence in ….
• In contrast love prevents violence in ….

Then produce a PQE on the poem.

We will work on this in today’s lesson.

Miss O

Lord Capulet and his love for Juliet

In our first week together we have looked at the presentation of Lord Capulet in Act 3 Scene 5.

In Act 3 Scene 5:

• Lord Capulet enters and finds Juliet in tears.
• He initially things Juliet is crying over the death of Tybalt. Capulet compares Juliet’s tears to rain and her to a conduit (pipe from which water always flows) – suggesting she cries too much.
• After fiding out his wife has already delivered the news of the imminent marriage of Juliet to Paris, Capulet explodes with rage, when told Juliet is refusing to marry Paris.

The following clips shows this section of the play:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/romeo-and-juliet-act-3-scene-5-pt-2-2/8279.html

Act 3 Scene 5 questions Lord Capulet and Juliet’s relationship, particularly his love for his daughter. We may also question the love he has for himself – in what would have been a male centred patriarchal society.

The following offer some key points for language analysis:

• Shakespeare uses some negative language choices such as ‘green-sickness carrion’, ‘tallow-face’ and ‘hang’. Consider the use of macabre language and what this could perhaps foreshadow.
• The use of the metaphor “baggage” suggesting Juliet weighs Capulet down and she is a burden. An alternative interpretation presents Juliet as a possession of Lord Capulet’s – links can be made to the patriarchal society and the women’s rights during the 16th century. Could the use of this word choice suggest a love-less relationship between the two?
• Shakespeare’s use of the personal pronoun ‘I’ and the possessive pronouns ‘my and ‘mine’ are used repeatedly by Capulet in Act 3 Scene 5. This further demonstrates the dominance males had in the 16th century. Perhaps suggesting Lord Capulet only has love for himself?
• As the play was written to be performed, take note of the stage directions. In Act 3 Scene 5 we see Juliet ‘Kneeling’. Consider the positioning of the actors and what this could suggest about the hierarchy of the characters.
• Shakespeare also makes reference to ‘God’, and Lord and Lady Capulet being ‘blest’. Consider the importance of religion during the 16th century. Remember in Act 2 Scene 2 we see a lot of religious imagery too.

I’ll mark your work for Monday and as you to make amendments/redraft for homework.

Miss O

Romeo and Juliet – Act 2 Scene 2

In Act 2 Scene 2 we looked at the start where Romeo is below Juliet’s balcony:

Key Ideas:

• Looking up at Juliet as she appears at the balcony, Romeo compares her to the “sun“. Consider why Shakespeare has used such a metaphor? What are the connotations of the sun? How do we as a modern audience view the sun? What do you know about the Elizabethans beliefs in the sun/stars/astrology? Perhaps take a look here Elizabethan beliefs and http://wilsonsbritworld.weebly.com/uploads/7/0/9/1/7091916/theelizabethanworldview.pdf
• Romeo also mentions the ‘envious moon’ – remember in Roman mythology Diana was the goddess of the moon. ‘Dian’s wit’ is mentioned in Act 1 Scene 1 – to who is Romeo referring to at this point? Investigate the Roman goddess and begin to think about how this links to love.
• Think about the following quote and how you could compare this to other parts of the play but also the sonnets?      

‘Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,

Having some business, do entreat her eyes

To twinkle in their spheres till they return.’

• In this part of the play Shakespeare continues to use light and dark to symbolise their romance. Romeo is in the shadows, Juliet is compared to the earth’s natural light source – the sun. This scene also takes place at nighttime – their love flourishes at nighttime. Perhaps this links to their love being a ‘sin’?

Can you add any references to Act 2 Scene 2 or could you write a separate paragraph on this?

Miss O

Act 1 Scene 5 and Sonnet 18

Year 10 – as you know, I am not in school tomorrow. So please work on:

1. Redraft of Act 1 Scene 1/Sonnet 147 paragraph – use my feedback/blog post to help.
2. Paragraph comparing Act 1 Scene 5 and Sonnet 18 – use class notes from yesterday/below information to help.
3. Prologue paragraph.

You need to complete all of the above tasks in lesson – complete for homework, due in Monday 19 May. Print off and bring to class.

How does Shakespeare present love in Act 1 Scene 5 and Sonnet 18?

Here’s your work from today:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Help with a paragraph on Act 1 Scene 5 and Sonnet 18:

• Answer the above question – use the PQEL structure or your own structure if you feel confident.
• You will need to show how the two texts are similar and also how/why they are different in relation to the theme of love.
• Use the sentence starters below if you are unsure how to structure your ideas.
• Print off work at the end of the lesson.

In both Romeo and Juliet and Sonnet 18 Shakespeare presents love similarly/differently …

Love is shown to be ….

The characters are seen to be …

This can be seen in the use of ….

A key quote to show this is…

Shakespeare is suggesting …

As a modern audience we can interpret this as…

The use of (language/technique)…

The use of religious imagery suggests…

Shakespeare’s use of an extended metaphor…

 

Links between the two texts

Act 1 Scene 5	Sonnet 18
About love at first sight.Love at first sight is based on appearance.Romeo is awestruck by Juliet’s beauty (Rosaline vanishes from his mind – love at first sight or a shallow boy?)	About an established love in which he has admiration for his beloved.Focus on appearance/beauty – Shakespeare obsesses over his love’s beauty.
Romeo and Juliet communicate through a sonnet. 14 lines, alternate rhyming scheme, rhyming couplet.Rhyming couplet results in the kiss.	14 lines, alternate rhyming scheme, rhyming coupletRhyming couplet states that beauty and love will defy time because of the sonnet.
Religious imagery “good pilgrim”“holy shrine””pray””sin” – link to the era.	Nature imagery “summer’s day”“rough winds””darling buds””eye of heaven…golden complexion” – link to precious jewel in A1 S5 and “Juliet is the sun” in Act 2 Scene 2.
Extended metaphor Love compared to religion	Extended metaphor Love compared to weather
Immortality after death Romeo and Juliet – live on forever together (social context – Catholic belief) and in their societies memory;	Immortality after death Sonnet 18: lives on in the fame and reverence of Shakespeare.

Good websites to look at:

Light and Dark in Romeo and Juliet

 

 

See you Monday.

Miss O

Act 1 Scene 1 and Sonnet 147

For the last few lessons we have been comparing the theme of love in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Sonnet 147. We have specifically looked at the character of Romeo in Act 1 Scene 1 and the speaker in Sonnet 147.

In Act 1 Scene 1, through a conversation between Benvolio and Romeo, we discover that Romeo is depressed; he is ‘out of [Rosaline’s] favour’ – that is, she is not in love with him. Romeo displays lovesickness, whilst the object of his love adopts a cool attitude towards him. Benvolio tells Romeo to ‘examine other beauties’ – an idea which Romeo rejects – ironic because it is precisely what he does do! Consider why Shakespeare has included so much detail, at this point of the play, to show the audience how deeply Romeo is in love with Rosaline. Why is this important in terms of structure? 

The next link has a basic overview and some analysis of Act 1 Scene 1. You may wish to use to help your understanding of the scene: Spark Notes Act 1 Scene 1

Shakespeare uses oxymorons to present Romeo as ‘confused’ due to his unrequited love. An oxymoron is a phrase containing two contradictory words. The effect is often to show a conflict of feelings. We can link this to Sonnet 147 and the idea of the speaker being ‘frantic mad’.

‘O brawling love! O loving hate!

O anything of nothing first create!

O heavy lightness, serious vanity!

Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms!

Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health!’ (1.1, 175-182)

The following link explores the character of Romeo and his ‘loves’: Romeo and his loves and this video explores the use of oxymorons:

Act 1 Scene 1 also uses disease imagery – offering a direct link to Sonnet 147. Romeo could be considered ill because has has been rejected by Rosaline. In Act 1 Scene 1 he makes reference to a will and a ‘sick man’ – one interpretation could be that Romeo feels he is so ‘ill’ he may die, another interpretation could be that Romeo simply feels the pain of a dying man. Could Shakespeare be presenting to theme of love in any other way here?

‘Bid a sick man in sadness make his will –

A word ill urged to one that is so ill’ (1.1, 193-194)

Later on in Act 1 Scene 2 Benvolio tells Romeo that love is like an eye infection and the only way for the old infection to die (Rosaline) is to get a new infection, or new love; Juliet.

‘Take thou some new infection to thy eye,

And the rank poison of the old will die’ (1.2, 48-49)

In Sonnet 147 present the speaker in a disturbed state as he realises that he is too far in love. The speaker/poet cannot distance himself from his lover and his reasoning begins to fail him. Shakespeare uses a metaphor to compare love to a disease, from which he cannot escape. Take a look at this website for further help: Good stuff on Sonnet 147. Also take a look at this line by line analysis if you are struggling with your interpretations:

Use this to help you during Friday’s lesson.

Miss O