Module 8: Drama – Romeo and Juliet

Sometimes referred to as the Bard, William Shakespeare is one of the most well-known and widely-read playwrights of all time. Students in almost all English literature courses study Shakespeare's plays. In this module, you will explore Shakespeare's famous tragedy Romeo and Juliet, a story about young lovers who sacrifice their lives for the sake of love. You will witness the violence and mayhem unleashed by the clashes between the two warring families in the play.

Along the way, you will also study and review figures of speech and literary techniques specific to the genre of drama. You will learn the characteristics and purpose of each, as well as how they contribute to the overall performance of a play.

Getting Started

Boy loves girl. Girl loves boy. Their parents forbid them from marrying.

Shakespeare wrote The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet more than four hundred years ago, but the tragedy's basic story archetype dates back hundreds of years before Shakespeare's time. His version of the play closely resembles The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet, an Italian play translated by Arthur Brooke in 1562. The inspiration for Romeus and Juliet could very well be Mariotto and Gianozza, which was published by Masuccio Salernitano in 1476. In the 12th century, the French tale of Tristan and Isolde told of forbidden love that ends in doom. Some historians believe that the 11th century Persian love story of Vis and Ramin was the model for Tristan and Isolde. Going back to times of antiquity, the Roman poet Ovid wrote about Pyramus and Thisbe, two lovers whose parents are bitter rivals, in his 1st-century poem the Metamorphose. Pyramus and Thisbe may have been influenced by the Greek myth of Hero and Leander, in which the heroine ends her life when she discovers the death of her lover.

In modern times, writers continue to use this tragic story archetype. Take a moment to think about stories from film, televisions shows, novels, or other plays that are essentially retellings of this classic story. Select one and post a short description of it in the discussions area. In that post, respond to the following questions:

• Do the characters fit the model of young, passionate lovers destined to be apart due to circumstances outside of their control?
• Is the obstacle to the couple's happiness the rivalry between their respective parents, the disapproval of society at large, or some other situation?
• How do these stories tend to end?
• Why do you think authors continue to use this type of story in the world of literature?

Then return to the topic several times over the next few days to read your course-mates' posts. Reply to at least two of them, making sure to offer new insights, ask questions, and encourage further conversation.

 

Key Vocabulary

To view the definitions for these key vocabulary terms, visit the course glossary.

aside	ellipsis	setting
blank verse	history	soliloquy
catharsis	inversion	stage directions
chorus	monologue	tragedy
climax	oxymoron	tragic flaw
comedy	playwright	tragic hero
conflict	prologue	turning point
drama	pun