Romeo and Juliet Themes

1. Often in the upper classes, people got married for status instead of love
2. Fathers often chose a suitable husband on their daughter’s behalf
3. Women often got married at a younger age than most people do nowadays (but Juliet is very young even by those standards)
4. Women were totally dependent on either their father or later their husband so many (e.g. Lady Capulet thought it was crucial to find a good husband to ensure safety)
5. Dowry and jointures existed.

1. Society was very patriarchal
2. Women were seen as men’s possessions

1. Courtly love was a custom that governed the way aristocratic lovers behaved.

2. Men were to present themselves as melancholy, secretive and courteous while behaving strangely e.g. writing poetry, wanting to be alone, walking alone in the early hours of the morning and staying in the dark etc.

3. The women were supposed to be cold, aloof, disdainful, pure, beautiful and held on a pedestal by the love

1.Religion was a huge part of life in Elizabethan times and almost everybody was Christian.

2.There was a lot of conflict between catholics and protestants (especially from monarch to monarch)

3.Elizabeth I was protestant but Italy (and therefore Verona…) was Catholic so Shakespeare was able to appeal to everyone through a combination of representation and ridicule of ‘hot-headed Italian’ etc

1. Men were supposed to be ‘master of their emotions’
2. This meant no public displays of emotion including anger and violence etc so the fighting would not have been considered strong and manly by Elizabethan audiences

1. Male friendships were held in the highest regard above all else, including romantic relationships with a woman (patriarchy)

2. Often male friendships had a higher level of intimacy than most friendships nowadays.