Context

Background Information on Shakespeare

  • Shakespeare's Life
    • Known as England's most famous playwright.
    • Lived from 1564 – 1616.
  • Division of Plays
    • Can be categorized into:
    • Histories (e.g., Henry VI)
    • Comedies (e.g., Midsummer Night's Dream)
    • Tragedies (e.g., Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet)
  • Theatrical Context
    • Wrote for the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (later known as the King's Men).
    • Writing style and character development influenced by key actors (e.g., Richard Burbage as the first Romeo and Hamlet).
  • Renaissance Era
    • Shakespeare's work was produced during the Renaissance (14th to 17th centuries).
    • Artistic expression expanded, breaking free from past restrictions.
  • Popularity of Plays
    • Plays were a central entertainment medium during the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras.
    • Understanding the importance of entertainment in the plays is essential; they were primarily written to entertain.

History of Romeo and Juliet

  • Target Audience
    • Aimed at a “cross-class” audience, appealing to lower and middle classes.
    • Incorporates ‘lower-class’ humor (bawdy and crude jokes) alongside refined language for educated viewers.
    • Characters reflect class distinctions (e.g., the Nurse exhibits lower-class traits).
  • Performance Venues
    • Premiered at the Theatre and subsequently performed at The Curtain.
    • Theatres were open-air venues.
    • Audience segmentation: poorer patrons stood in front of the raised stage; wealthier patrons sat higher or even on stage, showcasing their attire.
    • Female roles, including Juliet, were portrayed by pre-pubescent boys, as women were not allowed to act.

Sources of Inspiration

  • Historical Precedents
    • The concept of star-crossed lovers is not unique to Shakespeare; it spans various cultures.
    • Earliest known narrative dated back to 1562.
  • Key Influential Texts
    • The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet by Arthur Brooke (1562)
    • First English rendition; portrays Romeo and Juliet's ending as deserved due to sin.
    • Palace of Pleasure by William Painter (pre-1580)
    • Italian literary influences featuring Romeo and Giuletta focus on familial opposition (Montecchi and Capelletti).
    • French adaptation written in 1559; Brooke's work translates this into English form.

Publication History

  • First Editions
    • First Quarto published in 1597 (shorter version).
    • Second Quarto in 1599 is a fuller version, correcting the First Quarto's errors.
    • Additional Quartos released before 1623; included in the First Folio posthumously published by Shakespeare's associates.

Production History

  • Richard Garrick's 18th Century Production
    • Highly popular, influenced subsequent interpretations of the play.
    • Emphasized intensity, lessening comedic elements.
  • Mid-19th Century
    • Allowed female actors to portray Romeo, emphasizing his effeminacy.
  • Modern Adaptations
    • 1957 adaptation into West Side Story, set in 1950s New York, featuring themes of racial division.
    • Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet (1996) sets the story amidst rival Mafia clans (Montagues and Capulets).

Genre Analysis

  • Classification
    • Though renowned as a love story, Romeo and Juliet is fundamentally a tragedy.
  • Characteristics of Tragedy
    • Defined by Aristotle; Shakespeare possibly influenced but not formally acquainted with Aristotle's teachings.
    • Key elements include:
    • Catharsis: Emotional release from pity and fear, as seen when Juliet states, “O happy dagger, / This is thy sheath.”
    • Hamartia: The character flaw leading to tragedy.
      • Example: Romeo’s impulsiveness, described as “too rash,” leads to premature love followed by tragic outcomes.
  • Senecan Influence
    • Elements of violence from Ancient Roman tragedies evident in the play, such as the Act 1 brawl and the bloody conclusion.

Setting

  • Location
    • Set in Verona, modern-day Italy.
    • Temporal and geographic distance allows audiences to experience catharsis without personal anxiety (as their lives are not directly affected).
  • Rationale for Distant Settings
    • Critique of English society and monarchy through foreign settings, enabling exploration of sensitive themes (e.g., suicide, conflict) without direct repercussions.
    • The warm atmosphere of Verona correlates with the passionate themes of the narrative.

Religious Context

  • Catholicism in Italy
    • Viewed skeptically by the Protestant audience due to known corruption and passion.
    • Anti-Catholic sentiments heightened due to conflicts such as the Spanish Armada.
    • The Friar character may represent mistrust, and Catholics could face imprisonment in England.
  • Christianity's Role
    • Integral to Elizabethan life; morality influenced by Christian doctrine.
    • Suicide in Context
    • Gradual softness of attitudes towards suicide during the period.
    • Contrasting views from philosophers: Plato views suicide as immoral, whereas Cicero promotes it as rational under suffering.
    • Sin as a recurring theme; Juliet’s rebellion against her father's wishes contradicts biblical commandments.

Social Concepts and Order

  • Ordered Great Chain of Being
    • A hierarchical worldview dictating societal order, where disruptions led to chaos.
    • Associated with the Harmony of the Spheres, which taught predictable movements in the cosmos.
  • Astronomy Insights
    • Earth regarded as the universe's center; Juliet’s references to the heavens may stem from this belief.

Gender Dynamics

  • Position and Perception of Women
    • Women seen as inferior, perceived to possess greater sinfulness.
    • Viewed as property, without rights to own land; considered possessions of their fathers or husbands.
    • Women’s roles often commodified in marriage through dowries, viewed as links to wealth rather than personal choices.
    • Juliet's young age at marriage not shocking to Elizabethan audiences.
    • Lady Capulet's comments to Juliet indicate societal pressures to marry early.
  • Influence of Queen Elizabeth I
    • A powerful female archetype; perhaps influenced Shakespeare's portrayal of strong female characters.
    • Juliet's Complexity
    • Exhibits independence and defiance against patriarchal norms.
  • Gender Norms in Relationships
    • Male violence and assertiveness contrasted with female passivity established traditional gender roles.
    • Romeo's blend of violent and sensitive traits challenges normative gender dynamics.

Love and Relationships

  • Petrarchan Lover Archetype
    • Represents unrequited love and internal conflict; aspects evident in Romeo’s early pursuit of Rosaline.
  • Courtly Love Dynamics
    • Typical medieval ideals of romance (e.g., love at first sight); influenced the romanticizing of love in Romeo and Juliet.
    • Contradictions arise with the physical aspects of Romeo and Juliet’s relationship undermining purely platonic ideals.
    • Features of courtly love:
    • Signs of rejection (Romeo’s moodiness) and the elevation of romantic language, indicating emotional depth.
  • Types of Love
    • Incorporates both erotic love (eros) and selfless love (agape), highlighting societal shifts towards marrying for love rather than obligation.
    • Idea of wooing becomes prominent as relationships transition from duty-bound arrangements.

Concepts of Fate and Superstition

  • Elizabethan Beliefs on Fate
    • Superstitions and fate were widely accepted; beliefs about destiny controlled by external forces (e.g., stars, God).
    • Calvinist ideas of predestination gaining traction provided a framework for discussions of fate.
    • Astrology's influence underscored the perception of predetermined life courses.

Violence in Romeo and Juliet

  • Cultural Context of Violence
    • Public violence in Elizabethan society was common; visceral representations in plays were less shocking than today.
    • Societal fascination with violence and suicide, despite their moral condemnation, led to inclusion in dramatic narratives.
    • Shakespeare’s evolving portrayal of violence reflects deeper philosophical inquiries into human nature.

Exam Context and AO3 Understanding

  • Assessing Contextual Understanding (AO3)
    • Recognizes the relationship between text ideas and their contextual factors.
    • Must analyze both the time the text was written and the narrative's setting.
    • Consider genre, audience interactions, and cultural influences on interpretations.
    • Contextual knowledge should enhance analysis rather than serve as mere appendage to essays.
    • Integration of context into arguments is crucial for nuanced literary critiques.