William Shakespeare’s

Romeo & Juliet

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challenge, and inspire young people. By presenting significant themes that affect
young people’s lives in our community, we seek to foster dialogue and discussion.

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CTC’s 2008-2009 Season is proudly sponsored by

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 The Children’s Theatre Company
presents William Shakespeare’s

Romeo & Juliet

Adapted and directed by Greg Banks

Most enjoyed by ages 13+

February 10–March 15, 2009
On the Cargill Stage

TO TEACHERS: Thank you for preparing your students for their Children’s Theatre Company
experience. This is not a typical staging of Romeo and Juliet. You take to the streets as Romeo
and Juliet’s new found love comes to life before and around you as it ignites the passion and rage
of all Verona. You stand and shift as actors move around and through you, the crowd. The action
is real, and you are there, swept away by sword fights, the masquerade ball and fiery lover’s
trysts as the classic tale unfurls around you. This Study Guide contains standards-based keys to
promote greater appreciation of this universal story. Preparation can ignite anticipation and
greater understanding

The Big Ideas of ROMEO & JULIET

• The power of love
• The power of hate
• Love at first sight
• Youth forced to end the mistakes of their elders

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE: Prepare audience members for Romeo and Juliet performed
“Promenade” style (see page 5). The activities and information in this guide will promote a
greater understanding of the world of Shakespearian tragedy, the universality of young love and
the overwhelming power of coming to terms with past wrongs. The synopsis (next page) tells
the story. Taking the time to understand alternative interpretations, context and characters in this
masterpiece of English literature will enhance the viewing experience. Activities are inter-woven
with information and description. Challenge students to see Romeo and Juliet” as an extension
as well as a reflection of their own lives. Teach and inspire

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Big Ideas 2

Academic Standards Addressed 3
Four Days (Synopsis) Synopsis 4
Discussing The Big Ideas 5
Not Your Ordinary Shakespeare (Promenade Style) 6–8
Two Households – The Anatomy of a Feud 9
Shakespeare’s Language 10–11
Romeo, Juliet, Shakespeare and Love 13
Love At First Sight 12
Simile and Metaphor 14
Vocabulary and Terms 15–16
Adults Have Made A Mess of Things 17
Was Shakespeare Shakespeare? 18–20
Further Readings / Writings / Viewings / Research 21
Feedback Form 22

MINNESOTA ACADEMIC STANDARDS ADDRESSED

(Through viewing and/or follow up activities)

Art & Theater

• Student will understand and use artistic processes to create, perform, and interpret art works in
theater. Read, understand, respond to, analyze, interpret, evaluate and appreciate a wide variety of
fiction, poetic and non-fiction texts.
• Student will understand the characteristics of theater from a variety of cultures and historical times.
• Student will create characterizations of animate objects, or shapes; and communicate a story and
character using voice, movement, costume and props.

Language Arts
• Writing: Student will write in narrative, expository, descriptive, persuasive and critical modes.
• Reading: Student will listen to and understand the meaning of text.
• Reading: Student will use a variety of strategies to expand reading, listening and speaking
vocabularies.
• Viewing: Student will become familiar with the structure of the printed material using different types
of books such as fiction, non-fiction and reference materials that have different purposes.
• Speaking and Listening: Student will demonstrate understanding and communicate effectively
through listening and speaking. (Perform expressive oral readings of prose, poetry and drama.)

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 STORY SYNOPSIS: Four Days…
Sunday
There is a street fight between the Capulets and the Montagues – old
enemies – including Benvolio (a Montague) and Tybalt (a Capulet).
Prince Escalus of Verona demands the bloody feud stop and declares
a death penalty for anyone caught fighting. Montagues, including
Romeo, infiltrate a masquerade party on Capulet turf. There, Romeo
sees Juliet Capulet. They fall in love at first sight – then realize that
their families are enemies. Later, from the foot of her balcony, Romeo swears to
Love At First Sight
secretly marry Juliet, then parts only until morning when Juliet will send a at “The Old Vic”
messenger with plans.

Monday
Juliet’s nurse delivers the message arranging a tryst. Friar Laurence agrees to marry them,
hoping to join the Montagues and Capulets and end the bloody feud. Romeo and Juliet are
secretly married. As Romeo exits Juliet’s bedchamber the next morning, Juliet’s cousin Tybalt
provokes him to fight. Romeo refuses but Mercutio fights, and Tybalt kills him. Romeo, enraged,
kills Tybalt, and Prince Escalus banishes Romeo from Verona. Juliet mourns for both Tybalt and
Romeo. Her father has arranged her marriage to a young man, Paris, and decides an immediate
wedding will ease Juliet’s pain; they will wed on Thursday! Juliet refuses, but keeps her secret.
Still her father won’t budge.

Tuesday
Friar Laurence has a plan: Juliet will drink a potion that makes her seem dead. Her family will
inter her in their burial vault and, from there, Romeo will spirit her away.
When Juliet’s father decides to move the wedding to Wednesday
morning, Juliet must act instantly without telling Romeo the plan.

Wednesday
Wednesday morning Lady Capulet and the Nurse come to wake Juliet for
her wedding and find her, apparently, dead. Banished in Mantua, Romeo
learns of Juliet’s death, buys poison, and sets off to Juliet’s tomb. Friar
Laurence discovers that Romeo doesn’t know what is happening and goes to the burial chamber
to be there when Juliet wakes so they can explain everything to Romeo.

Romeo arrives first, and finds Paris is at the tomb. Paris thinks the Montague is there to desecrate
a Capulet grave. They fight, and Romeo kills Paris, then drinks poison and dies – just before
Juliet wakes up. Heartbroken, Juliet stabs herself with Romeo’s dagger and dies beside him.
Friar Laurence, Escalus, and Lord and Lady Montague arrive only to find all three young people
dead. The feud is ended, but at far too great a price.

This morning brings a gloomy peace. Even the sun will not show his head for the
sorrow it feels. Go now, both of you, and talk more of these sad things. Some
people shall be pardoned and some shall be punished; because there never has
been a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo. —Act V, Scene 3

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 DISCUSSING THE BIG IDEAS
Talk of love / hate, youth & elders =
greater depth of understanding of Romeo & Juliet

The power of love

• Romeo and Juliet have spent their entire (short) lives hearing nothing but hatred toward
each other’s family. Can you explain why or how love overcomes this lifetime of hate?
• …Which might lead you to define or explain the power of love?
• Who else in this story displays the power of love? How, when or why?

The power of hate

• If you believe that Romeo loves Juliet, and through her, the Capulets, how can his killing
of Tybalt and Paris be explained?
• How does hate perpetuate feuds?
• Prince Escalus states that, “On pain of death…” the fighting will end. Why doesn’t it
end?

Love at first sight

• Romeo originally loves Lady Rosaline though she is not in love with him. From the
moment he sees Juliet at the masquerade ball, it is love at first sight. Do you believe that
love at first sight is possible? Do you know of examples?
• In most situations, people are taught to “question the situation” or “think it out”.
• Is this the advice that you would give to someone claiming “love at first sight”?
• What would you tell yourself?

Youth forced to end the mistakes of their elders

• Is Romeo responsible for the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets?
• Is Juliet? Or Tybalt, Paris or Mercutio?
• What is the power in a feud that keeps it going, sometimes for generations?
• What accidents of fate make this feud end?
• Who pays a price to end the feud?
• In the end, do the elders in the world of Romeo and Juliet pay a price? What?
• Friar Laurence plays a large role in Romeo and Juliet’s attempt to hide their love and
marriage. Is he in any way responsible for the tragic consequences?
• Does he pay any price for what he has done?
• On the same note, what about the Nurse?

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 WHAT YOU WILL SEE
Not Your Ordinary Shakespeare!

Why Promenade?
Normally, a theater ticket buys you a comfortable seat and a view of the action up (or down) on
the stage. Most expect Romeo and Juliet to be set in “Fair Verona” (an Italian city-state) in the
1600s with actors dressed in tights, colorful robes, capes and full dresses, speaking
Shakespeare’s beautiful prose with English accents. The play has been presented just so since
1595—over four hundred years.

Promenade style adds new excitement, new energy and a greater sense of the universality of
Romeo and Juliet. Their story is just as important and true today as it was in the 1600s. Countless
productions have changed the site, the clothes and the era, but promenade changes the point of
view to you—live—in the scene.

Promenade Style Theatre

Prepare yourself for Promenade Theatre. You and 200 other visitors will enter Children’s
Theatre from Third Avenue South, turn left and enter the Cargill Theatre space. There the
promenade begins. You enter the production through Verona’s city gates. Before you is the
village populated with citizens going about their daily routines. Before you is the town well and
rain-barrel, an old motor-cycle is up on blocks. Shops and wagons surround you. No stage. No
cushioned seats. It’s Eastern Europe—now and, promenade-style, you will see the play unfold
around you instead of in front of you. Accordion and fiddle music fills the air.

Suddenly, next to you, in front or behind you, voices rise in anger. Sampson of the Capulets and
Gregory of the Montagues begin again their ancient quarrel. Benvolio and Tybalt join in fight;
weapons are drawn as you dodge the battle. Prince Escalus warns that “… if ever you disturb our
streets again, your lives will pay the forfeit of the peace…Once more, on pain of death, all men
depart!” In lines and story, those familiar with Romeo and Juliet will know where they are. And
from your new vantage point, in the midst of the story, you are a part of the action. This is
promenade theatre.

A Challenge
How would you “set” a unique production of Romeo and Juliet?
• Keep the basic plotline.
• Outline a production plan with your chosen setting, era (time). Romeo & Juliet costume sketches by
CTC’s Mary Anna Culligan
• Add your own twists.

–continued–

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

Why Change Romeo and Juliet?
Because you can! Romeo and Juliet has survived for almost half a millennia because: translated
into any language, set in any time or place using original story elements, audiences respond with
the intense understanding that this story is the essence of what it means to be human.

Examples: (variations of Romeo & Juliet)

East Side Story (1949) Leonard Bernstein, Jerome Robbins and Arthur Laurents collaborated on
an updated Romeo and Juliet. Beginning with the news of the day, they set their story on the East
side of Manhattan during the Easter/Passover season and used Irish Catholic “Jets” and Jewish
“Emeralds” as their feuding groups. The girl (Juliet) was a Holocaust survivor, a recent
immigrant from Israel. The theme was anti-Semitism and the project never reached a stage.

West Side Story (1957) By 1955, Bernstein, Robbins

(working with director Robert Wise) and Laurents re-united
and decided to revise East Side Story to fit with the news of
the day which featured juvenile gangs and Chicano turf wars
in Los Angeles. Laurents shifted the focus back to New York
because he knew more about Puerto Ricans in Harlem. West
Side Story was born and opened on Broadway December 23rd,
1957. In 1961, West Side Story was released as a feature film
winning ten Oscars including “Best Picture”. There have been
over 40,000 productions of West Side Story since 1957
including one at Attica prison in upstate New York with all
parts played by men – just like the first Romeo and Juliet.
“West Side Story” Sharks

Romeo & Juliet (1968) Franco Zeffirelli (director), wanting to add as much realism to his film
as possible, cast teens in his film version including the then little known 15 year old–Olivia
Hussey–as Juliet. Hussey had played a child in the 1966 play The Prime of Miss Jean Brody. She
became Juliet. Sir Laurence Olivier spoke the prologue and epilogue.

Romeo x Juliet (April 4 – September 26, 2007) A Japanese anime style serialized re-make of
Romeo and Juliet told in 24 anime episodes. Synopsis: “Once upon a time in the Sky Continent
known as New Verona where the all-powerful ability to hover in the distant sky breathes life and
prosperity upon the people. However foolish passions will someday transcend eternity. Now let
me introduce you to the tragic story of innocent pure love tormented by fate in the midst of
chaos, Romeo and Juliet.”

–continued–

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

Romeo and Juliet” (1996) Baz Luhrmann (director), updates the classic story to Verona Beach
where gang warfare is the news of the day. Both prologue and
epilogue are delivered as news reports. The Prince becomes the
police. Romeo goes to the masquerade ball on ecstasy and Juliet
shoots herself with a revolver. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire
Danes fill the lead roles. The tone is dark and constantly
menacing.

Baz Luhrmann’s Juliet with wings

For Godly and Divinia” (2000) An aboriginal adaptation of Romeo and Juliet by Billy Merasty,
a Canadian actor/playwright. This is the story of star struck Cree lovers caught up in a world of
conflict on Native Indian reservations.

Romeo And Juliet”

Other film adaptations (among the many):
• 1936 – featuring Norma Shearer and Leslie Howard, directed by George Kukor for
Warner Studios.
• 1956 – Lawrence Harvey in a Hallmark Hall of Fame version.
• 1966 – Rudolf Nureyev performs a ballet version.

Somewhere, a new version of Romeo and Juliet opens every day.

The story lends itself to countless adaptations.
Search for them.

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 “TWO HOUSEHOLDS . . .”
The Anatomy of a Feud

Why is there a feud?

Romeo and Juliet centers on that feud.

Question: What were the Capulets and Montagues feuding over?

Answer: Nobody knows!

Challenge: Can you create a story about the human condition (see Page 6) that does not
include the fundamental reason for whatever the problem is?

Activity: Create a story, script or poem but leave out key background (like why they were
feuding in “Romeo and Juliet”). Have plenty of action, but stick to what is happening. Make it
powerful. Play Shakespeare. Hate, love or fear, but don’t say why.

Shakespeare even gives away his ending in his prologue!

“Doth with their death bury their parent’s strife.”

William Shakespeare created a universally accepted masterpiece without specific history. Look
at what is known about the feud:
• “Two households, both alike in dignity in fair Verona…from ancient grudge break to new
mutiny.”
• In the opening fight scene, Gregory makes it clear that the families continue fighting
when he says, “The quarrel is between our masters, and us their men.”
• Tybalt continues the fury saying, “What drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word as I
hate hell, all Montagues, and thee.”
• According to Prince Escalus, there have been at least three civil brawls between
Montagues and Capulets in recent days. But he gives no clue as to their cause. The
situation is critical because he continues, “If ever you disturb our streets again, your lives
shall pay the forfeit of the peace.”
• Romeo is forbidden to love, let alone marry, Juliet, and on and on it goes.

Beyond the fact that there is a feud, we don’t know why?

Even in cowboy movies the plotline moves along with statements like, “He took my land, or my
cows, or my girl”…just before the shooting starts. Could it be that William Shakespeare penned
a universal joke by creating a masterpiece based on…nothing? Or are the fundamental elements,
hate, forbidden romance, vengeance, secrets, tragic misunderstandings and finally redemptive
forgiveness, enough to sustain a classic?

See what you can create … without history.

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 SHAKESPEARE’S LANGUAGE
Even with doths, haths and thys, it’s still English
Warning: Teachers of English may want to skip this page!

Many students when faced with Shakespeare have been turned off by his language because they
were not told the truth…when in doubt, William Shakespeare (or whoever he was, see page 17)
made up words and whole phrases. And he was often simply writing what he heard on the street.
Once you get used to “doth” for do and “hath” for has, the language flows. It is even easier—if
when you get stuck—you just figure he has made something up—again—and it will make sense
in context… once you get a general sense of what is going on.

Think of Shakespeare’s dilemma. There he was, writing in verse and he had to make words work
for him, and sometimes the right word did not rhyme (or exist). In the 1500s when Shakespeare
was creating masterpieces of English literature there were a lot less words. We have added tens
of thousands of words since the days of Shakespeare. Imagine a world without “Google”,
“computer” or “Twinkie”?

Need a word? Make one up!

William Shakespeare made up a lot of words and phrases. At least we guess that he did since the
many words and phrases did not exist before they showed up in his writings:

About 1200 “modern” words are credited to Shakespeare, including –addiction,

amazement, assassination, besmirch, bloodstained, dawn, gossip, lonely, luggage,
misplaced, negotiate, obscene, pander, undress, zany … and about 1,184 more.

Activity:
Try writing the following short paragraph without using Shakespeare’s words (amazement,
addiction, besmirch(ed), dawn, lonely, undress, negotiate, pander and gossip):

John showed amazement at the addiction that besmirched his family. Each day at
dawn, lonely, in a state of undress, John would negotiate his way to the street
where, once again, he would pander to the idle gossip of his neighbors…

A Note About Spelling:

You will be taught that many words had different spellings in the times of Shakespeare. While
this is true, it is equally true that spelling was not the strict form that it is today. There is still a
question as to how William Shakespeare spelled his own name (page 18). And Shakespeare often
spelled the same word different ways within the same play; sometimes within the same act or
scene.
Note: Not all of Shakespeare’s made up words caught on. “Unhair” is still waiting.

–continued–

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

And The Phrases:
Shakespeare is considered a master of the art of turning a phrase. Some of his phrases include:
All that glitters is not gold
As luck would have it
band of brothers
catch cold
dead as a doornail*
devil incarnate
eat me out of house and home
forever and a day
high time
household word
into thin air
love is blind
off with his head
Tongue tied
What the dickens?**

Activity:
Try re-writing the following paragraph without Shakespeare’s phrases:

The band of brothers, each one the devil incarnate, ended up dead as doornails, but before
they disappeared into thin air, they tried to eat me out of house and home and for forever and
a day I will be tongue tied trying to explain why they didn’t catch cold.

What happens when the “Shakespeare” is taken out of our stories?

Source: “Coined By Shakespeare” by Jeffrey McQuain and Stanley Malless and R.O. Blechman, 1998

(* Used by Charles Dickens in his “Christmas Carol”. **Made up before Charles Dickens was even born.)

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 ROMEO, JULIET, SHAKESPEARE & LOVE

What Is Love?

Love: n. An intense affection for another person based on familial or personal ties.
— American Heritage Dictionary

Writers and poets (and the dictionary) have been trying to define “love” since the beginning of
the written word. For many, there is no greater description of love than “The Balcony Scene”
from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (Act II, Scene 2). An edited sample:

Romeo
But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!
It is my lady. O, it is my love!
See how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O that I were that glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek!
Juliet
O Romeo, Romeo! – Wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name.
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet.
And for thy name, which is no part of thee, Take all myself.
Romeo
I take thee at thy word. Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptized.

Activity:
• Translate these words into modern form. Can you make it carry the same urgency,
energy and passion?
• Try out the scene (the script is easy to find) with a friend. Can you make the words flow?
Can you hear its greatness? Does Shakespeare take practice, or read with ease?
• Do an experiment. Choose any of the phrases above, without using Romeo or Juliet’s
name. Ask a random number of people if they have any idea where the words come
from?
• Can you create a more accurate definition of “love” than what the American Heritage
Dictionary suggests?
• In the world of art, are there other “creations” (paintings, sculpture, poems) that capture
the concept of love in magnificent ways – for you? (Possibilities include Rodin’s
sculpture “The Kiss,” the poetry of Rumi. The search is life-long.)

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

Question: Would Romeo and Juliet be effective without their love story?
Below, you have Romeo and Juliet in eight story elements with Romeo only in love with
Rosaline. Does the story still work? Could it be staged this way? How strong is the power of
some love? (See page 4)

1. A fight stopped by a Prince who threatens to banish anyone who fights again.
2. Paris asks Old Capulet for Juliet’s hand in marriage. Capulet announces a dance. Romeo
and Benvolio decide to crash the dance to see Rosaline – his love.
3. Juliet’s nurse gets her ready for the dance. Old Capulet tells her she will marry Paris. Old
Capulet welcomes his guests. Romeo sees Juliet but is not impressed. Tybalt is not happy
that Romeo is there. Capulet tells him to let them be. Juliet sees Romeo but is not
impressed.
4. Romeo is depressed because Rosaline (sometimes Rosalind) doesn’t care about him. Friar
Laurence later asks Romeo if he has been with Rosaline. Romeo and Friar Laurence talk
about love.
5. Juliet has mixed feelings about Paris.
6. Tybalt challenges Romeo to a fight (probably because of his crashing the dance). Romeo
doesn’t want to fight. Tybalt kills Mercutio so Romeo kills
7. Tybalt. The Prince shows up. Old Capulet calls for Romeo’s death. The Prince exiles
Romeo to Mantua.
8. Nurse tells Juliet that Tybalt has been killed by Romeo. She wonders who he is, and is
furious at him for killing her cousin. Romeo is hiding out in Friar Laurence’s cell
threatening to kill himself because he has killed Tybalt.
9. Paris still wants to marry Juliet. Old Capulet decides that they will be married the next
Thursday. Juliet has a hard time sleeping. She goes to Friar Laurence for advice. Romeo
sneaks away to Mantua because he is scared of Capulets. Juliet tells Friar Laurence that
she can’t marry Paris. Paris shows up but Friar Laurence sends him away and gives Juliet
a potion to make it look like she has died. He claims that he can sneak her out of the city
later – maybe she can go to Mantua. Juliet changes her mind and tells Old Capulet that
she will marry Paris. They marry and live happily ever after.

Instead, we have Romeo’s first sight of Juliet (Act I, Scene 5) at the Ball as a model of poetic
love (and the rest is, as we say, history): (See the modern update on page 13)

“O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!

It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night as a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear –
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
The measure done, I’ll watch her place of stand
And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.
Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!
For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 THE SIMILE AND METAPHOR OF ROMEO AND JULIET
Challenge: (Here is a modern update of the phrase from Act I, Scene 5)

Romeo
“Oh, things look bright around her.
She looks good in the dark. Her earrings look nice.
She’s too pretty, and she’s worth a lot.
I’ve rated her and I see where she is.
It feels good to hold her hand.
Have I ever been in love? It never looked this good!
She looks better than anyone I’ve seen before tonight.”

Your Task: Try re-writing this phrase using your modern metaphor and simile.

Shakespeare is a master of metaphor and simile. Following these definitions are examples from
Romeo and Juliet. What do they add to the story? Why not just call things as they are? What
does this story gain—or lose—by having so many metaphors and similes? Try writing modern
equivalents of Shakespeare’s metaphor or simile.

Metaphor: n. A figure of speech in which a term is transferred from the object it ordinarily
designates to an object it may designate only by implicit comparison or analogy.

Simile: n. A figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared often in a
phrase introduced by like or as. (example: He is as strong as a bull.)

Love: “pricks like a thorn”

“like fire and powder, which as they kiss consume”

Death: “They have made worm’s meat of me”

“an untimely frost”
“O happy Dagger”
“the sun for sorrow will not show his head”

Juliet: “teaches the torches to burn bright”

“she hangs upon the cheek of night”
“Juliet is the sun!”

Romeo: “Tis but thy name that is my enemy”

Dreams: “which are children of an idle brain”

“more inconstant than the wind”
Death

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 VOCABULARY AND TERMS
Knowing these will help

Adieu: Goodbye, farewell.

Ambiguities: Things that are in doubt or uncertain.

Anon: At another time or soon, in a short time.

Apothecary: One who prepares and sells drugs and medicines. Making Aqua Vitae

Aqua vitae: Alcohol, whiskey, brandy or other strong liquor (Latin: “water of life”)

“Bite my thumb”: An insulting gesture in the days of Shakespeare (1500’s).

Chastity / Chaste: The state or quality of being pure. Also virginity.

Conjure: 1. To call upon or entreat solemnly. 2. To summon. 3. To summon a devil or

spirit by oath, incantation or magic spell.

Consort: (“Consort Minstrels”) To unite in company; associate.

Cupid The Roman mythological god of love.

Dian: (“She hath Dian’s wit”) Shakespeare’s shorthand for Diana, the Roman
mythological goddess of chastity, hunting and the moon.

Disparagement: From the verb “disparage”: to speak of as unimportant, to belittle.

Ducats: Any of various gold coins formerly used in European countries.

Exile: Enforced removal from one’s native country.

Fiddle stick: (Mercutio says to Tybalt: “Here’s my fiddlestick. Here’s that shall make you
dance.”) Usually “fiddle stick” is used to express mild annoyance or
impatience. In this case (and it is often the case with Shakespeare) it is used
to mean sword – sarcastically, as if a sword is a mild annoyance.

Grievance: 1. An actual or supposed circumstance regarded as just cause

for protest. 2. A complaint or protest based on such a circumstance.

–continued–

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

Idolatry: 1. The worship of idols. 2. Blind or excessive adoration or devotion.

Lammas Eve: (When Juliet will turn 14) A harvest festival formerly held in England on
August first.

Liege: A lord or sovereign in feudal law.

Mantua: A city-state in northern Italy south southwest of Verona.

Minstrels: Medieval musicians who traveled from place to place singing and reciting
poetry.

Perverse: Directed away from what is right or good.

Purgatory: A place or condition of suffering or remorse.

Queen Mab: The queen of the fairies. Queen Mab

Refuse thy name: From the balcony, Juliet asks Romeo to turn his back on his family and not
be a Montague.

Scourge: 1. A whip used to impose punishment. 2. A means of inflicting suffering or

vengeance. 3. A cause of widespread affliction, such as pestilence or war.

Shrift: Confession to a Priest.

Shrived: To hear the confession and give absolution (forgiveness).

“Slug a bed”: One inclined to stay in bed out of laziness.

Sycamore: A Eurasian tree resembling a Maple.

Transgressions: Violations of a law, command or duty.

Sycamore leaf
“Soft”: (as in “Soft! I will go along.”) Wait a moment, I will go along…

Vengeance: The act of punishing another in payment for a wrong or injury.

Verona: A city-state of northern Italy, west of Venice.

Wretch: A miserable, unfortunate, or unhappy person.

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 ONCE AGAIN, ADULTS HAVE MADE A MESS OF THINGS…

When you study Romeo and Juliet, the love story often dominates attention. Take a look at the
story from the “adult” point of view. Is there an adult doing good?

• Old Capulet has arranged for Juliet to marry Paris and stubbornly clings to his decisions
no matter what Juliet desires.
• The elder Capulets and Montagues have been fighting their feud for a long time
(Shakespeare does not say how long, but the feud has been passed down to the next
generation (Romeo, Tybalt and the rest.)
• Prince Escalus tells everyone to stop the fighting or they will be killed.
Nurse
• Friar Laurence, often described as a kindly Catholic Priest, listens to everyone’s stories
(and confessions) and then hands out poison and potions to carry out complex lies and
trickery.
• Nurse, possibly, never quite knows what is going on though she is certainly in a position
to not only know but perhaps, solve problems.

Is there a point at which an adult decides that what is going on is not good for the younger
generation and things are going to be changed.

Note: A well-known writer’s trick in any story involving younger people is to get rid of the
adults.

Exercises: Think of famous stories featuring youth in which the author eliminates adults/parents.
(Holes, Harry Potter, Narnia, Peter Pan)

Shakespeare is, as is his habit, tricky about this. The adults remain, but they are painfully inept at
making any sort of difference except, perhaps, making things worse.

Consider these questions: (along with the Big Ideas on page 4)

• Is rebellion justified? Is there a time when youth must stand up to adults?
• What, if anything, was gained by Romeo and Juliet keeping their love a secret?
• Who, in the end, learned any sort of a lesson that might matter to the good of their future?
• Is the power of goodness locked more in rebellion or obedience?
• How might Catholic Church elders look upon the actions of Friar Laurence?
• Was there any better way for Prince Escalus to handle the feuding families?
• Do you suppose the Capulets or Montagues had any idea how much damage their feud
was doing?

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 WAS SHAKESPEARE SHAKESPEARE?
Was He “The Bard”?

Note 1: The following information is based on on-going conjecture and in no way reflects the
views or opinions of the Children’s Theatre Company or in any way supports the views of the
“Stratfordians,” “Oxfordians” or the “Flat Earth Society.”

Note 2: The answer to all of the questions that the information below may raise is,“You can
look it up.”

What We Know About William Shakespeare:

• There are many known facts about his writing and few about his life.
• His parents were John Shakespeare (a tanner) and Mary Arden (daughter of wealthy land
owners).
• He was baptized on April 23rd, (or the 26th in some sources) 1564.
• When he was 18 he married Anne Hathaway (age 26). They had eight children.
• He was an actor and performed in front of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I.
• He never attended a university. His parents could not read or write.
• He never published any of his plays.
• He died in 1616 at age 52.
• William Shakespeare was probably born on April 20th, 1564 (baptism usually happened
within three days of birth) in Stratford Upon Avon, England.
• The 37 plays of Shakespeare were published as the “First Folio” in 1623, seven years
after his death by fellow actors John Hemminges and Henry Condell.

Did Shakespeare Write The Works of Shakespeare?

There are at least three groups that argue about the origin of Shakespeare’s plays. The following
is a brief summary of the beliefs of these groups. If you are looking for a research topic, this one
has unending sources—books, websites and articles.

The Stratfordians:
• Believe that William Shakespeare of Stratford Upon Avon was the William Shakespeare
who wrote the 37 plays published after his death in the “First Folio” plus 154 sonnets.
• He owned a part interest in the “Globe” Theatre.
• There is evidence of his birth and proof of his marriage, will and death plus records of his
life in London in the 1600s.
• There is proof that he acted in some of his own plays.
• He was reviewed by Voltaire, who wrote, “Shakespeare is a drunken savage with some
inspiration, whose plays please only in London and Canada.”

–continued–

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 Here are some of the arguments against Shakespeare being “The Bard”:

The Oxfordian Argument:

• Does not believe that Shakespeare could have written those 37 plays.
• The man who lived in Stratford Upon Avon spelled his name Shaksper, not Shakespeare.
(Note: spelling was not as rigid as it is today.)
• The Stratford Shaksper / Shakespeare never went to University or traveled widely,
therefore, could not have written the plays.
• Shaksper / Shakespeare’s daughter Judith signed her wedding certificate with a large X.
(Note: It was common in that era for males to be more educated than females.)
• There are six known signatures of Shaksper / Shakespeare in existence today. None of
them match each other and all are almost unreadable. All begin with “Shak” none with
“Shake”. (See spelling note above.)
• There are no copies of any play by Shakespeare written in his hand. The only reason we
have the plays today is because of the “First Folio”.
• In his will, Shaksper / Shakespeare left only land (to his daughters, not his wife) – no
manuscripts.
• Shaksper / Shakespeare was known in Stratford as a businessman, not a writer. The
Stratford statue built in his honor portrays him holding a sack, not a pen.

Then Who Wrote The Plays and Sonnets?

Edward De Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford

• De Vere was an educated aristocrat. He graduated from Cambridge University at age 14
and went on to study law. He traveled to Italy in the 1570’s. He had the skills and the
background to write the plays.
• Noblemen often wrote under a “nom de plume” (pseudonym, pen name) because it was
considered beneath them to write plays. Edward De Vere
• He was a known actor, writer and poet. th
17 Earl of Oxford
• He helped to run Blackfriar’s Theatre, a rival of the Globe.
• At Court, De Vere’s nickname was “Spear-shaker” because of his ability in tournaments.
• His home was on the River Avon, near Shakespeare’s.
• But…De Vere died in 1604, and according to the “First Folio”, that would be before 12
of Shakespeare’s plays were written.

Sir Francis Bacon – Lord Verulam

• Lord Verulam was known to use a “nom de plume” to hide his
aristocratic background.
• He had the education and the background experience to write the
plays.

–continued–

Sir Francis Bacon

Lord Verulam

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 Or…

Christopher Marlowe
• A well-known writer and critic in the era of Shakespeare.
• He died in 1593; probably far too early to have written all of the
plays.
“First Folio”
Or… Title Page 1623

William Stanley
• Lived and wrote until he died in 1623.
• The dedication in the “First Folio” clearly states that Shakespeare is dead.

Or…

Miguel De Cervantes

• Cervantes wrote “Don Quixote de la Mancha”, considered to be

the first modern novel and a masterpiece.
• Primarily wrote in Spanish.
• Was a contemporary of Shakespeare. Cervantes was born in 1547
and died in 1616.
• He lived and studied in Italy.
• He had the education and life experience to write the plays. He
was a soldier and was captured by Algerian pirates in 1575. His
family paid the ransom and he returned to Spain.

Miguel de Cervantes

Who Wrote “Romeo and Juliet”?

Keep Searching.

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 FURTHER READINGS/VIEWINGS/RESEARCH
Black Cat, White Cat (Film 1998) Yugoslav, Directed by Emir Kusturica. Inspiration for the
setting and mood of CTC’s 2009 Romeo and Juliet

Coined By Shakespeare (Book) Jeffrey McQuain, Stanley Malless and R.O. Blechman, 1998.
The words and phrases created by Shakespeare

Manga Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet (Book) Richard Appignanesi and Sonia Leong, 2007

Romanoff and Juliet (Book) Peter Ustinov, 1958; (Film) Directed by Peter Ustinov, 1961;
Romeo and Juliet updated to the Cold War era

Romeo and Juliet (Film 1968) Directed by Franco Zeffirrelli

Romeo and Juliet (Film 1996) Directed by Baz Lurhmann

Romeo and Juliet: Shakespeare Made Easy (Book) Alan Durband, Stanley Thornes, 1990

Romeo and Juliet Together (And Alive!) at Last (Book) Avi, 1988

Romeo’s Ex: Rosaline’s Story (Book) by Lisa Fielder, 2006

Romeo and Juliet Plainspoken (Speech by speech modern translation) Greta Barclay Lipson,
Susan Solomon Lipson, 1985

Romeo and Juliet: The Yale Shakespeare (Book) Richard Hosley, 1917

Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story (Book) Norris Houghton, 1965

Saving Juliet (Book) Suzanne Selfors, 2008

Scribbler of Dreams (Book) Mary E. Pearson, 2002

Shakespeare For Everyman (Book) Louis Wright, 1964

Shakespeare In Love (Film) Directed by John Madden. Oscar for best picture.

Shakespeare: The Complete Works (Book) G.B. Harrison, 1968

William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (Book) Random House, 1983 Shakespeare’s tragedy
presented in comic book format, using complete unabridged text.

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company

 FEEDBACK
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Mail to: Children’s Theatre Company • 2400 3rd Ave. S. • Minneapolis, MN 55404
Attention: Center for Innovative Education Dept. OR email: lthoreson@childrenstheatre.org

The Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) is the first theatre for young people to win the coveted Tony® Award
for Outstanding Regional Theater (2003). CTC serves over 300,000 people annually and is one of the 20
largest theatre companies in the nation. The company is noted for defining worldwide standards with an
innovative mix of classic tales, celebrated international productions and challenging new work.
Peter Brosius, Artistic Director • Gabriella C. Calicchio, Managing Director •
Louise Thoreson, Interim Director of Education

This Study Guide was written by James Scoggin with input from Chris Kliesen Wehrman.
January 2009.

All images are intended for educational use only. Any other use is strictly prohibited.

Romeo & Juliet Study Guide • The Children’s Theatre Company