Shakespeare e Romeo and Juliet, Appunti di Inglese

Scarica Shakespeare e Romeo and Juliet e più Appunti in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE He was born in Stratford upon Avon on the 23rd of April 1564 (he also died on the 23rd of April 1616). His father was a yeoman but had some financial difficulties. William was the eldest son who attended grammar school and studied the English language. At 18 years old he married Anne Hathaway, who was 26, and had three children: Susanna, Judith and Hamnet. He was caught deer hunting so he moved to London, when he was received in one actor companies. Then he became known as an excellent playwright. In 1593, because of the plague, the theatres were closed and Shakespeare needed the economical support of a private patron. He became a shareholder and main playwright of a successful company in London, which built the Globe Theatre. Between 1590 and 1596 he wrote some historical dramas, put comedies onto stage, and then between 1595/1605 he wrote the Great Tragedies. He spent his retirement in Stratford and then he died in 1616 at 52 yo. Seven years later some of his friends published the First Folio, which comprends 36 of his plays. SONNETS They were published in 1609, but they were probably written in te 1590s. It includes 154 sonnets in decasyllables, which included three quartrains and a final couplet. The argument follows the “two poem” structure of the Petrarchan form. They were not in chronological order but they can be divided into two sections: from 1 to 18: the poet encourage the young man to get merried and preseve his virtues and beauty throuugh his children from 19 to 76: is addressed to a dark lady who is physically unattractive but the poet finds her irresistibly desirable There is also a reversal of the traditional themes of love, in the sonnets we explore themes such as death, beauty and art. The language is rich and descriptive. Often his sonnets have a dramatic quality at the beginning, using “thou” and “thee” which make the style conversational. SHAKESPEAREAN PLAY Only half of Shakespearean plays were printed during his lifetime so dating them is difficult because few records survive. they must be dated by combining some evidence: External: it consists of a clear reference to a particular play. It gives the date of the first performance of any play, but the play was written before that Internal: when the play itself includes a reference to an event. Stylistic: this method of dating is the most difficult The progress of a Shakespearean play is usually linked to the gradual clarification of things which are left mysterious at the beginning. The real meaning of their themes becomes apparent later. Opinions and assumptions turn out to be decisive after several scenes. Major scenes with crucial events are preceded and followed by shorter scenes and also Shakespeare sometimes leaves some questions open. The structure of the play was flexible because Shakespeare did not give great importance to the division between the acts. A rule is that the scene is over when all the characters have left the stage. Most stage direction where added by the editors, they were often given indirectly, Hidden in question or metaphor which means that the author asked for the Active corporation of the spectator in making the play come alive in their imagination. Shakespeare did not take his characters from one social class only. Another important feature is the importance of family ties. These relationships are often in contrasting form, suggesting conflict between the older and younger generations. Finally there are symmetrical correspondences; three lords and three ladies, the heads of two hostile families and their households two lovers,. two princes and two brothers. Shakespeare used different levels of speech and action to portray his characters from different angles. There is sometimes the insertion of allegorical scenes and magical transformation. Shakespeare' language is characterised by a wide variety of rhetorical figures: similes and metaphors, assonance and alliteration. The variety in the verse structure is also impressive ROMEO AND JULIET – PLOT Two wealthy families, the Montagues and the Capulets, have a brawl in the city of Verona. The Prince declares that the next person to break the peace will be killed. Romeo Montague and his friends goes to a Capulet party and Romeo meets Juliet Capulet. He falls in love with her instantly. They are shocked to discover they are enemies due to their families. Laurence marries Romeo and Juliet. Romeo goes to celebrate his marriage with his friends, Mercutio and Benvolio, but gets into a fight with Juliet's cousin, Tybalt, who kils Mercutio and Romeo avenges his death by killing Tybalt. The Prince banishes Romeo because of this. Both Romeo and Juliet are heartbroken. Capulet, Juliet's father, decides she should marry Paris. Juliet refuses and goes to Friar Laurence where they come up with a plan for them to be together. Juliet fakes her death and lies in a tomb waiting for Romeo to come so they can run away together. Romeo doesn't receive the message about the plan, so thinks Juliet has actually died. He goes to Verona and sees Juliet in her tomb. Romeo drinks poison so he can be with Juliet in death. She wakes up to discover Romeo is dead, then she kills herself. The Capulet and Montague families never argue again ROMEO AND JULIET-STRUCTURE, CHARACTERS AND THEMES Shakespeare chose the Italian city of Verona because Italians were considered violent and passionate. The reason why most of the action happens out of doors from the Capulet’s orchard is because there is a struggle between the two families, the Capulets and Montagues, to gain political control of the city. In the first act Romeo Montague is presented as a man that admires and respects a lady who is impossible to him. when he first sees Juliet he compares her to the brilliant light of the torches, to The sunlight the lights and the light emanating from Angel’s. He risk his life to be near her and liter breaks some order risking death to see her again that at the end he committed suicide rather than live without her which is the ultimate proof of his loyalty and love for her. Juliet Capulet is beautiful, rebellious, kind and loving. She appears as an obedient child because she does what her parents say. Her first meeting with Romeo causes her to move towards maturity so she shows determination and strength like a real woman.