Romeo and Juliet

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Description of Romeo
A romantic young man who is more interested in finding love than fighting for the honour of his name.
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Description of Juliet
The beautiful daughter of a nobleman, who shows a strong attitude for the time and a willingness to fight for love.
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Description of the Nurse
A well-meaning and caring servant. She acts more like a mother to Juliet than Lady Capulet does, and tries hard to do what is best.
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Description of the Friar
A priest who is a mentor to Romeo. He wants to heal the rift between the families and uses Romeo and Juliet to do this.
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Description of Mercutio
Romeo's best friend and cousin to the Prince. Mercutio is fun-loving but also aware of the need for honour and respect.
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The theme of Love
There are different forms of love in the play – romantic, physical, and related to friendship and family. The play could be seen as a plea for putting love before status.
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The theme of Status/Power
The lust for power is seen to drive many of the male characters – Romeo is the odd man out in his pursuit of love.
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The theme of Family
The role of a family name and the honour due to family members are seen as central to the conflicts and tensions in the play.
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The theme of Conflict
Conflict is in part a plot device, bringing about change in the play. However, Shakespeare also considers its impact on two families.
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The theme of Fate
The Prologue at the start of the play invites us to understand why the deaths of the lovers are inevitable – or fated.
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Foreshadowing
Throughout the play we are reminded that Romeo and Juliet will die – this builds anticipation but also asks us to think why they will die.
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Dramatic Irony
When the audience is aware of something that the characters are not. Throughout the play the audience is aware of Romeo and Juliet's relationship and their imminent death – this both frustrates and empowers the audience.
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Allusion
Links to other works of literature/myth add depth for the audience, who make their own connections to the themes and ideas from these other works: for example, the reference to 'Cynthia's brow' in Act III scene 5 is an allusion to Greek myth where Cy
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Romantic Imagery
Throughout the text there are comparisons with the natural world that suggest the power and naturalness of the love between Romeo and Juliet, and perhaps that it is part of the natural order of life.
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Insults
The text is scattered with vulgarities and exclamations, used to show the contempt that the two families have for each other but also as a realistic and sometimes comic depiction of city life.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Description of Juliet

Back

The beautiful daughter of a nobleman, who shows a strong attitude for the time and a willingness to fight for love.

Card 3

Front

Description of the Nurse

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Description of the Friar

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Description of Mercutio

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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