WJEC Eduqas GCSE English Your notes

Literature
Romeo and Juliet
Contents
Romeo & Juliet: Plot Summary
Romeo & Juliet: Themes
Romeo & Juliet: Characters
Romeo & Juliet: Context
Romeo & Juliet: Writer's Methods & Techniques
Romeo & Juliet: Key Quotations
How to Write a Grade 9 Romeo and Juliet Essay
Romeo and Juliet Quotations and Analysis
Grade 9 Romeo and Juliet Extract Question Model Answer
Grade 9 Romeo and Juliet Essay Question Model Answer

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 Romeo & Juliet: Plot Summary
Your notes
Plot Summary
Examiners always praise students who clearly know the plot of the texts they are studying, as
having this base of knowledge leads to the best exam responses. Below you will find:
a storyboard of the plot
a general overview of the whole play
detailed summaries by act

Plot Storyboard

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 Your notes

Overview of Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet is a five-act tragedy written by William Shakespeare in 1597. Set in
Renaissance Italy, it takes place in a city called Verona and its eponymous protagonist,
Romeo and Juliet, are two teenagers who belong to two rival families.
The play begins with a street fight between the servants of the two feuding families, the
Capulets and the Montagues. Romeo Montague, absent at the fight, is introduced as a loner,
a young heartbroken boy uninterested in the family feud. His friends encourage him to forget
about love and party at the Capulet Ball. Here, his fateful journey begins, as he meets Juliet,
his enemy, and they embark on a forbidden love affair. Finding themselves at odds with their

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families and friends, they marry in secret in a bid to avoid Juliet Capulet’s arranged marriage
to Paris. Tybalt Capulet insists on fighting Romeo to avenge his family's honour. This leads to
Tybalt’s death and Romeo’s exile. Your notes

The lovers, isolated and desperate, take their lives into their own hands. Juliet asks a local
religious man, Friar Laurence, to help her and he instructs Juliet to take a potion which will
make her family think she is dead. Once in the tomb, however, she will awaken, meet Romeo
and flee the town. By a twist of fate, Romeo does not receive the friar’s message and
believes, like her family and friends, that she is dead. Acting in defiance of the stars, Romeo
decides to return to Verona despite the danger. His fatal flaw, his impulsiveness, leads to his
rash suicide. Juliet wakes, sees Romeo dead beside her and takes her own life as well.
Shakespeare’s tragedy ends with a gloomy peace between the two families as they grieve
over their children.

Act-By-Act Plot Summary

Act I
An old feud between the Capulets and the Montagues breaks out on the streets of
Verona between the servants of the families
Benvolio Montague tries to stop the fight but Tybalt Capulet is keen to fight for his family
name
Both sides are warned by Prince Escalus that they must not disturb the peace again on
pain of death
Paris asks Lord Capulet for Juliet’s hand in marriage and Capulet tells him to woo her at
the party
Juliet is not as happy as her mother about the prospect of marriage and tells her mother,
Lady Capulet, she will see what she thinks of Paris at the ball
Lord and Lady Montague ask Benvolio where Romeo is, showing concern about his
mental state
Benvolio, on behalf of Lord and Lady Montague, seeks out a troubled Romeo
Bevolio finds Romeo alone, opposed to the feud, burdened by his unrequited love for
Rosaline
Benvolio tells Romeo to attend the Capulet Ball and find someone new but Romeo wants
to see Rosaline
Mercutio’s light-hearted attempts to encourage Romeo to be less serious about love
lead Romeo into the danger of the Capulet house
Romeo and Juliet meet and learn they are from enemy families
Act II
Romeo hides from his friends instead of joining them after the party
Romeo sees Juliet on the balcony and overhears her concerns over their family names

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 When Romeo interrupts and declares his love, Juliet asks him to be less sudden with his
vows
Your notes
Juliet asks him to meet her nurse the next day if he is serious about marriage
Romeo visits Friar Laurence and asks him to marry them
The friar accepts in a bid to end the grudge between the families
Romeo and Mercutio tease each other about love and Mercutio forgives Romeo
Romeo leaves his friends again. First, to speak to Juliet’s nurse, and then, to the church
for his secret wedding
The friar, in attendance with the nurse, marries Romeo and Juliet, although audiences do
not see the wedding
Act III
A pivotal moment in the play, Benviolio and Mercutio gather on a hot day in the streets
Benvolio, aware of the Prince’s warning about further public fights, warns of a potential
fight with the Capulets
Tybalt arrives looking for Romeo. In Romeo’s absence, he and Mercutio begin to quarrel
When Romeo arrives back from his secret wedding, his friends are confused about his
refusal to fight Tybalt, who is now his cousin
Mercutio is angry with Romeo and turns to fight Tybalt himself
Romeo stops Mercutio and Tybalt stabs Mercutio instead of Romeo
As he is dying, Mercutio places a curse on both families
In a violent rage, Romeo rushes after Tybalt and kills him in revenge
Juliet awaits Romeo’s return, unaware of the violence
Romeo seeks help from the friar when he learns the Prince has exiled him to Mantua
Friar Laurence is angry at Romeo’s impulsiveness, his hamartia , when Romeo wishes
himself dead rather than accept exile
After a forbidden night together, Romeo leaves Juliet at dawn to escape death
Lady Capulet tells Juliet she is to be married to Paris in two days
Juliet refuses and her parents disown her after an aggressive argument
Act IV
Juliet tells her nurse she is going to confession but instead asks the friar to help her avoid
the wedding to Paris
Friar Laurence offers a solution in the form of a poison which will mimic death
Juliet is told by her father that the wedding day has been moved forward and will take
place the next day
That night, and after some hesitation, Juliet takes the potion

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 The next morning, the nurse finds Juliet ‘dead’ and the family grieves
Friar Laurence says the wedding will now become a funeral Your notes
Act V
Romeo, in Mantua, receives a message from his friend, Balthasar, that Juliet is dead
Romeo asks if there is a word from the friar but Balthasar says there is not
In defiance of his punishment, Romeo decides to return to Verona to be with Juliet,
whom he believes is dead
Aware he will be killed if he is found, Romeo convinces an apothecary to sell him poison
so he can die alongside Juliet
Friar Laurence learns that his message was not delivered due to a plague preventing
people from leaving the city, bringing Mercutio’s curse to fruition
Paris meets Romeo at Juliet’s tomb, aware only that they are from enemy families
Paris challenges Romeo and, again, Romeo tries to avoid a fight
Paris, like Tybalt, rejects his peaceful greeting, they fight, and Paris is killed
Romeo, believing Juliet to be dead, drinks the poison, kisses Juliet and dies
Friar Laurence enters the tomb but hearing some noise he leaves
Juliet awakes and finds Romeo next to her, dead
Juliet attempts to drink some of the poison from the vial and from Romeo’s lips
Unable to find any, she stabs herself with his dagger
Upon finding the pair dead, Friar Laurence tells the tragic story to the Prince and the
families
Audiences learn that Lady Montague has died from a broken heart at Romeo’s exile
The grieving families make an uneasy and gloomy peace

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 Romeo & Juliet: Themes
Your notes
Themes
Having a thorough grasp of the following themes, and crucially, how and why Shakespeare
explores these themes will enable you to produce a “conceptualised response” in your
exam. Linking carefully to the structure of the plot and what we know about the attitudes of
the time period will give you access to the very highest marks on the mark scheme.
Love
Conflict
Honour
Fate

Love

In the play, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare presents the challenges faced by two young
people in love due to societal attitudes and family pressures. Shakespeare’s play shows how
closely related love is to hate and how this throws obstacles in love’s path.
Romeo and Juliet as a tragedy
Knowledge and evidence:
The play is in the form of a tragedy:
In this play, Shakespeare shows the deaths of both Romeo and Juliet as a tragedy
for their families
According to conventions of Ancient Greek tragedy, the tragic hero is punished by the
gods for actions resulting from their hamartia :
The protagonist’s death often ends a tragedy
The characters of both Romeo and Juliet are the play’s tragic heroes
Their tragic flaw is confusion and impulsiveness in familial and romantic love
A sonnet is shared by Romeo and Juliet when they meet:

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 Sharing the lines connotes equality in their love
Religious imagery within the sonnet suggests purity Your notes
Friar Laurence marries the pair in secret in a bid to bring peace to the families
Friar Laurence foreshadows the tragedy: “these violent delights have violent ends”

The play ends in a double tragedy as the “star-cross’d” lovers die together to seal their
love
Patriarchal structures in Renaissance England
Knowledge and evidence:
The patriarchal system in Renaissance families meant the father controlled all other
family members:
Juliet is obligated to marry the man chosen by her father, Lord Capulet
Lord Capulet disowns Juliet when she refuses to marry a man she does not love
Societal values for males within this structure prioritised family love over romantic love:
Romeo’s friends and family sway him away from thoughts about love and force him
into the family feud
Romeo attempts to avoid conflict. He tells Tybalt, “The reason I have to love thee
does much excuse the appertaining rage with which you greet me”
What is Shakespeare’s intention?
Shakespeare challenges societal norms in Renaissance culture that prioritise marriage
for social advancement over love
Shakespeare shows how discrimination and hatred in the name of family love leads to
violence and tragedy
Shakespeare presents ideas about expectations of gender roles by presenting the
external pressures placed upon Romeo and Juliet when they fall in love
By closely aligning love and hate in the play, he shows them as opposites which are
inextricably linked
Shakespeare challenges patriarchal expectations regarding masculinity which
encourage conflict rather than love

Conflict

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 Your notes

As much as the play is about love, it is equally about conflict. Conflicts are shown between
friends, within families and between families. Shakespeare’s characters are unaware of the
reason behind the feud, suggesting it is emotional rather than logical.
Parental conflict
Knowledge and evidence:
Juliet’s conflict with her parents lies in her refusal to marry Paris:
Disowned and isolated, she is driven to extreme measures: “O, bid me leap, rather than
marry Paris, From off the battlements of any tower”
Juliet seeks advice and comfort from her nurse
Romeo’s conflict is shown by his inability to communicate with his parents:
Lord Montague knows his son is struggling with confusing feelings, but directs Romeo’s
friend, Benvolio, to comfort him
Lady Montague shows concern about Romeo brawling in the streets but knows little of
her son’s whereabouts
Romeo seeks a paternal figure in Friar Laurence
What is Shakespeare’s intention?
Shakespeare questions the role of indiscriminate hatred by showing two families at war
with no idea why
Shakespeare presents the possible outcomes of family conflict by showing Juliet’s
despair at being disowned
Shakespeare challenges conflict and violence brought about by peer pressure between
friends
Shakespeare shows how conflicts between friends, families and feuding factions bring
about even more conflict, violence and, ultimately, tragedy

Honour

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 Your notes

The conflict between the house of Montagues and the house of Capulets is presented as a
feud based upon family honour. The characters in the play believe very strongly in upholding
their family honour; part of that meant hating the enemy family.
Knowledge and evidence:
The first scene shows the families willing to start a petty fight over an “ancient grudge”:
The servants from each house bite thumbs at each other in insult
Tybalt Capulet presents family honour explicitly in the play:
He tells Benvolio that he hates peace, hell and all Montagues
When Romeo is identified at the Capulet party he states, “By the stock and honour
of my kin, to strike him dead I hold it not a sin”
Romeo attempts to avoid the feud and does not abide by family honour:
He tells Tybalt that he holds the Capulet name as dearly as his own
Shakespeare employs dramatic irony so that only the audience, Romeo, Juliet, the
nurse and the friar know about the secret marriage
Romeo’s friend, Mercutio, believes his refusal to fight Tybalt is, a “vile, dishonourable
submission”
Romeo’s murder of Tybalt as revenge for Mercutio’s death leads to his exile
Juliet asks Romeo to deny his father and refuse his name so they can be together:
In a soliloquy , she asks, “What’s in a name?” questioning the family feud over
honour
What is Shakespeare’s intention?
Shakespeare challenges ideas about family duty and honour by presenting them as
potentially damaging forces
Shakespeare points out how the Capulets and Montagues prioritise their desires for
social status and how their love of their family name leads them to abandon their
children’s desires and concerns
Shakespeare shows how peer pressure related to honour can lead to violence

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 Shakespeare presents two young people who are confused by the way their families
hate indiscriminately in the name of family honour
Your notes
Fate

Romeo and Juliet are doomed from the start, we learn from the prologue . But throughout
the play, Shakespeare presents Romeo and Juliet trying to master their free will and
overcome powers of destiny which are tied up in external pressures around them.
Knowledge and evidence:
In the absence of scientific knowledge, most Elizabethans believed in the ideas of fate
and astrology and would consult or blame the stars for their luck and misfortune:
Many people would submit free will and look to the stars, believing the gods had
‘predestined’ their fortunes
Shakespeare’s tragedy begins with the chorus telling the audience that the two lovers
are “star-cross’d” and their destiny is set
The Prologue shows Shakespeare’s clear choice to let audiences watch events unfold:
Romeo and Juliet battle with their own free will within turbulent relationships
Audiences witness how external events affected their future
By using juxtaposition to show contrasting scenes next to each other, Shakespeare
shows the “passage of their death-mark’d love” with dramatic tension
Romeo represents the most fateful character in the play:
He begins by accepting fate, asking it to “Direct my sails”. This leads him to his fated
encounter with Juliet
Shakespeare foreshadows this with Romeo’s premonition just before the Capulet
ball where he sees his “untimely death” ahead of him
By the climax of the play, Romeo reluctantly accepts he is “fortune’s fool!” having
been exiled to Mantua for murdering Tybalt
In a twist of fate Romeo receives the wrong message and learns that Juliet is dead
In a defiant act of free will, Romeo returns to Verona: “I defy you, Stars!”
Juliet believes fate to be fickle and unpredictable:

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 She senses impending doom when she meets Romeo and likens her marriage bed
to a grave
Your notes
In a premonition she sees Romeo as one “dead at the bottom of a tomb”
The play ends with a morbid twist of fate, as Romeo and Juliet’s fateful timing leads to
their deaths, thus confirming the chorus predictions in the Prologue
What is Shakespeare’s intention?
Shakespeare challenges ideas about autonomy over our lives
Shakespeare asks audiences to question whether coincidence or destiny is at work in
the story
Shakespeare presents the possibilities that fate can be connected closely to the
environment by showing how conflicts and pressures impact choices
Shakespeare challenges an Elizabethan audience who believed that the stars and
planets impacted their fortunes

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 Romeo & Juliet: Characters
Your notes
Characters
It is useful to consider each character as representing a function in the play. Understanding
Shakespeare’s purpose for each character will help produce a sophisticated analysis.
Interpreting the play’s ideas by considering how each character may represent an idea, and
how characters oppose each other or react to each other, is crucial.
Below you will find character profiles of:
Romeo
Juliet
Tybalt
Benvolio
Mercutio
Friar Laurence
The Nurse

Romeo Montague

The eponymous protagonist, an heir to the Montagues, is the tragic hero. This means:
He displays heroic characteristics
He has a fatal character flaw (hamartia): his impulsiveness
Despite his hamartia, the audience does feel sympathy for him

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 He is doomed to die at the end of the play
At the beginning of the play, Romeo is presented as:
Your notes
Introverted: he is alone and uninterested in the family battles
Brooding: Romeo considers the links between love and hate
Sensitive: Romeo ponders the complex feelings unrequited love brings
Obsessive: Shakespeare shows his obsession with a superficial courtly love
For Romeo, there is tension between the heroic and tragic aspects of his character. He
lurches from love to obsessive love and from one reckless action to another
In the rising action of the play, Romeo’s fatal flaw is exposed at the Capulet ball
Romeo is fateful and impulsive, telling fate to, “Direct my sails”
He is shown to be reckless about danger: “Stony limits cannot hold love out”
Romeo is admonished for being impulsive and obsessive: swearing his undying love
to Juliet so “rash, so sudden”
Despite his hamartia, the audience feels sympathy for him:
He shares a romantic, religious sonnet with Juliet, suggesting purity in their love
He prefers peace to violence, endearing him to a war-weary Elizabethan audience
He is presented as autonomous in his relationships with friends and family
By the climax, Romeo acknowledges his fatalistic {Error #829843: Missing popover
abc123} attitude: “I am fortune’s fool!”

He is forced to fight for family honour, despite his protests about loving the
Capulets
His impulsive actions, murdering Tybalt in revenge, lead to his downfall
At the end of the play, Romeo takes his fate into his own hands and defies the stars
Romeo is shown as desperate, implying his isolation due to his impulsive actions
Romeo is presented as obsessed with love, even in death: “Thus with a kiss, I die”
His fatal flaw results in Juliet’s death as well as his own
Juliet Capulet

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 Your notes

The eponymous character, daughter of Lord and Lady Capulet could be seen as a
second tragic hero
One of Juliet’s fatal character flaws (hamartia) is her defiance of family duty
Her tragic death, however, is presented as an act of desperation and
powerlessness, challenging audience perceptions of gender roles and traditions
Juliet is presented as autonomous , willing to defy her family duties
She tells her mother marriage is an honour she “dreams not of”
She tells Romeo she will no longer be a Capulet if he swears his love for her
Juliet is presented as sensible and cautious about the dangers of the feud
Juliet advises Romeo to be more constant and less rash
She warns him of the dangers associated with their love
She understands her love for Romeo is a love “sprung from hate”
By the climax of the play, Juliet is presented as desperate and powerless due to societal
norms
Her nurse forsakes her and she is isolated from her family, showing the impact of
family conflict
Juliet’s anguish and will to avoid marriage to Paris is made clear: “if all else fail, myself
have power to die”, suggesting her need for autonomy
She welcomes her fated, tragic suicide (“Happy dagger”) as her best choice
Shakespeare presents her as a character who subverts the typical attributes of women
of that time:

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 She is not dutiful: she does not do what her father tells her and is not loyal to her
family
Your notes
She is not submissive: she asks Romeo to be sure of his promises
She is strong: she refuses to resist the mounting pressures
She is autonomous: she chooses her own fate
Tybalt Capulet

Tybalt acts as a contrast to the character of Romeo. In literature, this is known as being a
foil:
A foil (Tybalt) is used to contrast with the characteristics of a protagonist (Romeo)
A foil, therefore, highlights character traits that are very particular to the
protagonist, that an author wants to explore
Tybalt is shown as having typical masculine traits
His attitudes contrast Romeo’s
He is a passionate fighter for his family's honour, unlike Romeo
In the first scene, he is eager to kill Benvolio and all Montagues, while Romeo is
absent
Unlike Romeo, Tybalt is often the instigator of battles, seeking it out repeatedly
Unlike Romeo, he is not interested in love, preferring the company of males
Tybalt represents societal norms, challenging audience perceptions of masculinity
Tybalt’s hatred of Romeo is presented as meaningless, and based on a desire for
aggression

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 He does not understand Romeo’s submissive nature
He tells audiences Romeo creates the “bitterest gall” in him Your notes
His desire for revenge is shown as obsessive and violent
His death is a catalyst for Romeo’s downfall and Mercutio’s curse
Shakespeare punishes his hatred when Romeo murders him in revenge
Shakespeare shows through Tybalt the violence and hatred inherent in the family feud
Shakespeare uses his character, Tybalt, to address the conflicts in the Elizabethan
religious war
Benvolio Montague

In the play, Benvolio acts as Romeo’s confidante and ally, representing male friendship
and support
He is Romeo’s friend and cousin
Lord Montague relies on him to console Romeo
He represents, through his name, goodness and benevolence
He advises Romeo away from his unrequited love
He hurries Romeo into the Capulet ball and away from deep thought
Shakespeare’s function for Benvolio is to act as a contrast to the more aggressive male
characters
He highlights contrasts between aggression and peace
In the first scene, he is a peaceful character, the foil to Tybalt: “I do but keep the
peace”

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 Instead of revenge, Benvolio prefers forgiveness: "Father forgive them; for they
know not what they do"
Benvolio is presented as a level-headed and sensible young man, questioning the feud Your notes
He identifies that the quarrel is “between our masters”, presenting the young males
as innocent victims
He warns Mercutio of the “mad blood stirring” before the fight leading to Mercutio’s
death
Other characters
Mercutio

Mercutio functions to provide comedic relief against the intense characters of Romeo
and Tybalt
Mercutio’s dialogue is dramatic and humorous, mocking seriousness
He lures Tybalt into a witty, playful argument
His name represents mercury or ‘quicksilver’, known for its unpredictability
His actions change from playful to serious very quickly
Mercury is also the name of the Winged Messenger in Greek mythology
Mercutio’s final lines curse the houses of Capulet and Montague
His final curse presents a darker side to his flippant nature
Mercutio’s views on love are cynical, representing attitudes often present in courtly
love
He suggests he is heart-broken, telling Romeo that love is not a tender thing
He sarcastically advises Romeo to soar above love

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 He delivers a soliloquy about a troublesome love fairy, Queen Mab
Mercutio represents the typically likable masculine character traits of Elizabethan
England Your notes
He is reckless and aggressive, quick to seek out conflict
He believes in fighting for family honour
He believes murder for family or revenge is holy and justified
He believes Romeo’s desire for peace is submissive and dishonourable
He casually picks a fight with Tybalt Capulet despite his friend’s warning and the
Prince’s law against public brawls
This scene mirrors the first scene of the play, suggesting the cycle of violence in
Elizabethan England
Friar Laurence

Friar Laurence, a father figure to Romeo and aid to Juliet, represents the importance of
religion in Elizabethan society
He advises Romeo to “go wisely and slowly” with his love affairs
Friar Laurence helps Juliet be with Romeo, linking true love with religious values
Friar Laurence symbolises peace brought about by religion
He marries the lovers in secret in a bid to turn “rancour into pure love”
The friar’s character promotes an end to fighting and hatred
The friar is presented as opposed to the Great Chain of Being
He allies himself with the children of the two noble families
He opposes the natural hierarchy: parents are placed above children

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 He opposes the patriarchy by defying Lord Capulet
The friar subverts Elizabethan attitudes about religion and witchcraft
Your notes
He refers to the good and evil inherent in all things as the natural state
He contrasts virtue with vice, flowers with poison, delights with violence, graves and
wombs
He concocts potions and poisons from herbs and plants, traditionally linked to
witchcraft
His potion is ultimately the reason for the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet
Shakespeare presents ambiguity with the friar’s character
He is often considered to blame for the tragedy, suggesting Shakespeare’s
reference to religion as dangerous
The Nurse

The Nurse is considered a comic character in the tragedy

Her unsophisticated behaviour and crass language allows Shakespeare to juxtapose
darker themes with comedy:
She discusses the appearance of Juliet’s suitors using pun and innuendo
She is often flustered and dramatic in contrast to the Capulets’ demure manners
As Juliet’s wet-nurse and nanny, she is her closest ally and confidante:
Her character functions to show the isolation Juliet experiences within her family
Her role in the play raises attention to Elizabethan upper-class family dynamics
She is loyal to Juliet and stands up for her:
She becomes complicit in the secret relationship between Romeo and Juliet

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 She tells Romeo to be respectful of Juliet
She admonishes Lord Capulet when he threatens to hit Juliet Your notes
Shakespeare portrays her as powerless in her lower status:
Despite her attempts, she is unable to protect Juliet from greater forces
Once she advises Juliet to marry Paris, Juliet is compelled to seek the friar’s help
It can be argued that the Nurse’s actions are a catalyst for the tragedy:
Because of her limited agency and social standing, she cannot support Juliet when it
means defying her upper-class employers

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 Romeo & Juliet: Context
Your notes
Romeo and Juliet historical context
Shakespeare plays dating from before April 1603 are considered Elizabethan as they were
written and performed at the time Elizabeth I was on the English throne. Romeo and Juliet was
written around 1595 and is therefore an Elizabethan play.
Queen Elizabeth I was the monarch at the time Romeo and Juliet was written in 1597:
She reigned during a bloody religious war, which divided the country
The feud resulted in violent conflict between Catholics and Protestants for many years
Elizabeth I’s reign marked a period of relative stability and prosperity for England:
Despite relative stability, there were underlying religious tensions between
Catholics and Protestants
Elizabeth’s establishment of the Church of England was not universally accepted and led
to plots against her life:
It also led to a threat from Catholic Spain
The defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 marked England’s rise as a naval power
The Renaissance, a cultural movement that began in Italy in the 14th century, had spread
to England by the late 16th century:
This period gave a revival to classical learning and influenced art, science and
literature

How this links to the play Romeo and Juliet

Religious The underlying tensions between Catholics and Protestants during

conflict Elizabeth’s reign reflect the deep-seated feud between the Montagues and
Capulets. Just as the conflict in the play disrupts Verona, the religious strife
threatened the stability of Elizabethan England. The play’s exploration of
individualism and tragic love also reflects Renaissance ideals.

Romeo and Juliet social context

Gender Roles
In the patriarchal system of Elizabethan England, women’s status and security
depended on the status of their fathers or husbands:
Women had no right to own property or wealth, even in marriage
Single women and relationships outside of marriage were harshly judged
Within marriage, Elizabethan women were expected to obey their husband

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 Conventional Elizabethan men were expected to be strong, aggressive and loyal to their
family
Your notes
Elizabethan society expected women to be obedient and submissive:
Women were viewed as emotionally and mentally frail and their opinions were often
seen as invalid
Wealthy Elizabethans often employed nurses who would raise the family’s children until
the age of marriage:
A wet nurse would often be employed to breastfeed babies, forming close bonds
between the nurse and child, sometimes closer even than the mother

How this links to the play Romeo and Juliet

Gender roles Shakespeare presents Juliet’s decision to defy her father as fatal,
showing Juliet’s limited autonomy, with death left as her only choice.
Lady Capulet’s obedience to her husband negatively impacts Juliet.
By depicting Juliet’s defiance and isolation, Shakespeare critiques
traditional gender roles of his era.

Expectations of Romeo defies male stereotypes and Mercutio criticises Romeo’s

male behaviour peaceful behaviour as dishonourable and submissive. Romeo sees his
love for Juliet as making him “effeminate” and weak. His later reckless
and vengeful violence leads to both his and Juliet’s deaths.

Subverting Juliet’s strength of will and autonomous actions subvert traditional

gender roles gender norms. She is dominant, not submissive, as she proposes to
Romeo, insisting he take the marriage seriously. Juliet is also rational
and sensible and she questions the discrimination inherent in the feud.

Class and The nurse serves as comedic relief in the play as a bawdy and
maternal unsophisticated character, representing the class divisions of the
expectations time. Lady Capulet is shown as alienated from her daughter in her
traditional role as mother. Juliet’s nurse represents this maternal figure
as she, rather than her mother, is Juliet’s first source of advice and
comfort.

Love and marriage

Courtly love (romance occurring in the Elizabethan court) was intense, melodramatic and
often fleeting:
Within the culture of courtly love and arranged marriages, unrequited love was
common
Secret and forbidden affairs were common
It is said that Queen Elizabeth I had a secret affair with the Earl of Leicester

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 As the play was written for Queen Elizabeth I, Shakespeare could be mirroring her
own challenges within forbidden relationships
Marriage occurred at a much younger age in the Elizabethan era: Your notes
The average age of death was 40 years old and marriage would occur around the
age of 13
Wealthy fathers would arrange marriage once a daughter was able to bear children
Renaissance marriages were arranged by the father to improve the family’s social
mobility:
For many daughters marriage would be a duty, a diplomatic exchange
Renaissance aristocrats believed it foolish to marry for love and Shakespeare’s work
often advocates for pure and lasting love:
The play has been enduringly popular, since its production in the 16th century, for its
focus on pure and infinite love
How this links to the play Romeo and Juliet

Romeo’s Romeo’s obsessive, impulsive attitude to love is presented as his fatal

attitude to flaw. Shakespeare shows courtly love as superficial and fleeting when
love Romeo falls instantly in love with Juliet, the same day he displays
melodramatic grief over his unrequited love for Rosaline.

Conventions Lord Capulet tells Paris to wait two more summers, until Juliet is “ripe to
of marriage be a bride”, suggesting her duty to become a mother and bear fruit
(have children). A daughter like Juliet would function to provide an heir
for the family, a crucial part of progressing bloodlines. Shakespeare
shows Lord Capulet referring to the importance of Juliet’s marriage
when he calls her the “hopeful lady of my earth”.

Subverting Romeo and Juliet defy their families and duties for love and the final
societal scene instructs audiences to consider the role societal pressures
conventions played in the tragedy. Juliet tells the audience she would rather die than
be forced to marry Paris, presenting the strength of her emotions to
marry on her own terms. The use of religious imagery in the shared
sonnet between Romeo and Juliet suggests a purity in their love which
challenges societal norms. The play’s tragic ending — the pair choosing
to die together — symbolises everlasting love.

Religion and the Great Chain of Being

Religion was a dominant part of Elizabethan life:
The vast majority of Elizabethans would have been Christian, and the Church played
a central role in a family’s life
In the absence of scientific knowledge, many Elizabethans believed in astrology and
fate:

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 A predominant belief was that human lives were predetermined and affected by
decisions made by the gods, stars and planets
Your notes
Shakespeare’s plays often question audiences about attitudes to fate and whether
people determine their own futures
Romeo and Juliet would have been performed for Queen Elizabeth I during the wars
between the Catholic and Protestant religions
The Great Chain of Being was a hierarchical system in the 16th century which organised
society into a fixed order of worth and power:
This system placed God at the top, followed by angels, noblemen, men, women and
then animals and plants
The hierarchical system is challenged further as the children, Romeo and Juliet, defy their
parents and authorities:
The play’s tragic ending could suggest the children are punished for disrupting the
Great Chain of Being
How this links to the play Romeo and Juliet

Religious In the Prologue, the chorus describes a feud and suggests that this violence
conflict is impure (“unclean”). Shakespeare’s presentation of a petty feud could be
controversial and dangerous. The controversial ideas are veiled carefully in
a tragic tale of young love. Shakespeare sets his play in Verona, Italy,
perhaps to create ambiguity and distance between the parallels of the
Capulet and Montague feud and the one raging in England between
Catholics and Protestants.

Critique of For Shakespeare’s young protagonists, religion plays an important role.

religious Friar Laurence is Romeo’s father figure and comfort, highlighting the
conflict dominance of religion in Elizabethan life. The friar sees the alliance as a way
to end the feud, suggesting links between religion and peace. Shakespeare
could be criticising conflict based on religious differences, and instead
promoting peace.

The Great Shakespeare subverts the Great Chain of Being with his characterisation of
Chain of Friar Laurence as his dialogue refers to nature as comprising opposing
Being forces present in all things: good and evil, light and dark, love and hate,
religion and magic. These paradoxes suggest that the hierarchical system is
flawed.

Romeo and Juliet literary context

Romeo and Juliet is known as a Shakespearean tragedy. Knowing this — and that an audience
would also have certain expectations when watching a tragedy — can help to elevate your
analysis of Shakespeare’s choices as a playwright.

The structure of a tragedy

Many of Shakespeare’s tragedies follow the same five-part structure:

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Part Definition In Romeo and Juliet
Your notes
1: Exposition The introduction to In Romeo and Juliet, it is very significant that we
the play for the are introduced to the tragic ending of the play in
audience, and an the Prologue. This creates dramatic irony and
introduction to the tension as audiences are instructed to watch
themes and events unfold and question the role of fate in the
atmosphere tragedy. Audiences are also shown a battle
erupting between the servants of the two
families, which foreshadows further conflict.
Shakespeare emphasises this effect by having
the Prince decree that further fighting will be
punished with death. Foreshadowing often
occurs in the exposition

2: Rising The tragic hero’s In the play, it could be said that Romeo’s
action tragic flaw is exposed premonition about his untimely death prior to his
and an inevitable reckless decision to attend the Capulet Ball
chain of events starts represents this stage

3: Climax The turning point in In Romeo and Juliet, it is the moment a fight
the play where the inevitably breaks out between Tybalt and Romeo.
tragic hero has come Mercutio is killed in error, which results in
too far to go back. In Romeo’s impulsive vengeful murder of Tybalt
the language of
tragedy, this is called
peripeteia

4. Falling The tragic hero and Romeo realises he is “Fortune’s fool” and decides
action avenging hero clash. to act upon his own free will, impulsively heading
The tragic hero finally to the tomb where Juliet lies
comes to the
realisation that he is to
be defeated. This
moment of realisation
is called the
anagnorisis

5. Normality and the Romeo and Juliet take their own lives, fulfilling the
Denouement natural order is Prologue’s fateful message. The feud between
restored the families ends because of the sacrifices made

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 Romeo & Juliet: Writer's Methods & Techniques
Your notes
Writer’s Methods and Techniques
The best responses at GCSE don’t limit their analysis to individual words and phrases.
Examiners are really looking for analysis of Shakespeare’s overall aims, so try to take a
“whole-text” approach to the writer’s methods and techniques. Each of the below topics
does just that:
Form
Structure
Language

Form
Romeo and Juliet is a Shakespearean tragedy. It is important that the examiner knows from
your essays that you understand the conventions of tragedy. This produces a more
conceptualised answer that takes into account the methods and purpose of Shakespeare
as a playwright.
Shakespearean tragedies usually consist of:
A tragic hero : a sympathetic heroic figure (in this case Romeo) who is destined to die
because of his fatal flaw
Fatal flaw ( hamartia ): a character trait that leads to the tragic hero’s downfall. For
Romeo, it is his fatalistic impulsiveness
A foil : a character who stands in contrast to the tragic hero, who conforms to the typical
societal expectations of the era. Here it is Tybalt as he is aggressive and, unlike Romeo,
keen to fight for his family's honour
Fate : all tragic heroes cannot escape their fate or destiny. In Romeo and Juliet, this idea
is shown as questionable, asking audiences whether fortunes are determined by our
own actions, social pressures or written in the stars
Catharsis : a moment of shared expression for the audience. In Romeo and Juliet, it is the
tragic deaths of the lovers at the play’s end, foretold by the Prologue . This is sometimes
known as a technique called the tragic waste
Conflict: in Romeo and Juliet there is external conflict (the family feud and the vengeful
violence it brings, as well as the arranged marriage which Juliet defies) and internal (the
mental decline of Romeo and Juliet)
Final restoration of the status quo: this means, essentially, that things go back to normal
after the death of the tragic hero. Here, the two families reach an uneasy peace after the
deaths of their two children

Structure
The structure of a tragedy

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Many of Shakespeare’s tragedies follow the same five-part structure:
1. Exposition: this is the introduction to the play for the audience, and an introduction to Your notes
the themes and atmosphere. In Romeo and Juliet, it is very significant that we are
introduced to the tragic ending of the play in the Prologue . This creates dramatic irony
and tension as audiences are instructed to watch events unfold and question the role of
fate in the tragedy. Audiences are also shown a battle erupting between the servants of
the two families, which foreshadows further conflict. Shakespeare emphasises this
effect by having the Prince decree that further fighting will be punished with death.
Foreshadowing often occurs in the exposition
2. Rising Action: here is when the tragic hero’s fatal flaw is exposed and an inevitable chain
of events begins the downfall of the protagonist . In the play, it could be said that
Romeo’s premonition about his untimely death prior to his reckless decision to attend
the Capulet Ball represents this stage
3. Climax: this is the turning point in the play where the tragic hero comes face to face with
their problems. In the language of tragedy, this is called peripeteia . In Romeo and Juliet,
it is the moment a fight inevitably breaks out between Tybalt and Romeo. Mercutio is
killed in error, which results in Romeo’s impulsive vengeful murder of Tybalt
4. Falling Action: The tragic hero acknowledges his flaws and his potential defeat. Romeo
realises he is “Fortune’s Fool” and decides to act upon his own free will. This moment of
realisation is called the Anagnorisis .
5. Denouement: normality and the natural order is restored. Romeo and Juliet take their
own lives, fulfilling the Prologue’s fateful message. The feud between the families ends
because of the sacrifices made

Language
It is of course important to analyse Shakespeare’s use of language in any essay on Romeo
and Juliet. However, try to see ‘language’ in a broader sense than just the words that
Shakespeare uses: it also includes the form and patterns of his language. Moreover, try to
take a whole-text approach and consider why Shakespeare presents - through his use of
language - the ideas he wants to explore in the play. Below you will find revision materials on:
Poetry and Prose
Symbolism
Poetry and Prose
Shakespeare used three forms of poetic language when he wrote his plays:
Blank verse
Rhymed verse
Prose
Each of the three forms is used throughout Romeo and Juliet
Shakespeare used these different forms of language for dramatic purposes; they
performed different functions:

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 To distinguish characters from one another
To reveal the psychology of characters Your notes
To show character development
Blank verse
The blank verse consists of unrhymed lines of ten syllables, although it does not always
exactly fit that pattern
Typically in Shakespeare's plays, the blank verse represents human feelings in intimate
speeches and soliloquies and the more serious themes. It represents the character’s
true feelings. It is the form used the most by Shakespeare
In Romeo and Juliet, blank verse is used by characters trapped by fate or social rules
Often used to signify a character with high statuses, such as in the dialogue between
Tybalt and Benvolio

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 Romeo & Juliet: Key Quotations
Your notes
Key Quotations
The best way to revise quotations is to group them by character, or theme. Below you will find
definitions and analysis of the best quotations, arranged by the following themes:
Love
Conflict
Honour
Fate

Love
Romeo and Juliet is known for its theme of love. However, as the play’s ending suggests, it is
a tragic tale of woe and conflict, a tale about a love that was forbidden because of a family
grudge.
Paired quotations:

“Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love” Romeo Montague, Act I, Scene I
“O brawling love, o loving hate” Romeo Montague, Act I, Scene I

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Meaning and context
In the first scene when Benvolio informs Romeo there has been a fight, Romeo tells Your notes
Benvolio he believes the feud is fueled by hatred stemming from love
Shortly after discussing the feud , Romeo confides in Benvolio about his deep thoughts
that love is painful and difficult
Analysis
Audiences are introduced to Romeo as a character who understands the connections
between love and hate
This scene, focusing on Romeo’s heartbreak, juxtaposes the preceding fight scene,
showing love and hate side by side
Romeo uses an oxymoron (“loving hate”) to show his contrasting feelings, beautifully
describing his inner conflict and the strength of his feelings
The parallels drawn by Romeo at the start of the play foreshadow the violence of the
love between Romeo and Juliet

“Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night”
Romeo Montague, Act I, Scene V
Meaning and context
When Romeo sees Juliet at the masked Capulet ball he believes her to be the most
beautiful girl he has seen
He suggests any previous love, such as his love for Rosaline which the audience has just
seen him troubled over, was not true love
Analysis
Here, Shakespeare shows Romeo as a character obsessed with courtly love
Audiences have just seen Romeo profess a broken heart over Rosaline’s unrequited love
and will judge him for his change of heart
Shakespeare presents Romeo’s fatal flaw, his fickle impulsiveness

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 Friar Laurence and Juliet both criticise Romeo for his inconstant and rash actions which
lead to his (and Juliet’s) downfall
Your notes
Shakespeare suggests that courtly love was superficial and fleeting
Shakespeare comments here, and in much of his writing, on pure love being constant
love

“Under love’s heavy burden do I sink” Romeo Montague, Act I, Scene IV

Meaning and context
Romeo tells Mercutio he is unable to go to the Capulet Ball as he is heartbroken
As seen earlier in the scene, Romeo believes love to be a heavy burden to carry
Analysis
Romeo alludes to the dark moods the audience has seen he is prone to in Act I, Scene I
Romeo uses metaphor to show the pain associated with love: he likens his heartbreak to
a pressure weighing him down
Shakespeare shows Romeo as sensitive and prone to depression, subverting gender
stereotypes and commenting on pressures for young men

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 “If love be rough with you, be rough with love; prick love for pricking, and you beat love
down” Mercutio, Act I, Scene V
Your notes
Meaning and context
Here, Mercutio is trying to lighten Romeo’s mood before the Capulet ball
He advises Romeo to beat love’s pain by being casual with it, by fighting back
Analysis
Here, Mercutio advises Romeo to be less sensitive about love, using the metaphor of a
thorny rose
Shakespeare uses Mercutio’s dialogue to provide comedic and light relief from the
intensity of other scenes
Shakespeare often uses puns in Mercutio's bawdy, humorous dialogue to play on the
double meanings of words
Here, Mercutio uses the double meaning of the word ‘prick’ to connote thorns and sex,
suggesting Romeo uses sex to overcome painful love
Later, Mercutio delivers a soliloquy about Queen Mab; the speech suggests daydreams
and fantasies about love are a waste of time
Mercutio advises Romeo repeatedly to avoid dreams of idealised love
Audiences see characters’ contrasting attitudes to love in this conversation between
the love-sick Romeo and the flippant Mercutio

“O, swear not by the moon, th’ inconstant moon” Juliet Capulet, Act II, Scene II
Meaning and context
Juliet replies to Romeo’s sudden declarations of love in the Capulet garden, asking
Romeo to be constant and committed to his love
Juliet is connecting Romeo’s sudden promises to the changing moon
Analysis

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 Shakespeare uses celestial imagery here and throughout the play when Juliet refers to
Romeo
Your notes
Her request that Romeo swears his love by something more constant suggests the
changing nature of the stars and planets
Juliet is presented as rational and sensible, not leaving her fate to the stars and planets
This imagery challenges Elizabethan audiences who regularly made decisions based on
the stars and planets

Conflict
The conflict within the play originates from an ancient grudge which neither family can
remember. Shakespeare presents the discrimination the families show toward each other,
hating without reason, as violent and tragic, punishing the town at the end of the play. It
could be argued that Shakespeare mirrors this in the play, Romeo and Juliet. Written for
Queen Elizabeth I, a Protestant, Shakespeare, a Catholic, veils messages about conflict in a
dramatic love story.

“Whose misadventured piteous overthrows do with their death bury their parent's strife”
The chorus, The Prologue
Meaning and context
The chorus delivers this line in the Prologue before the play begins
The chorus tells audiences that Romeo and Juliet will rebel attempting to overthrow the
authority and that their deaths will end their parents’ “strife” or war
Analysis
The chorus is a device used in Greek tragedy, often to narrate key ideas to audiences
A Prologue provides the audience with information about the play’s themes, here the
themes are rebellion, death and war
Here, the chorus tells the audience the outcome of events to build dramatic irony and
create tension

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 Dramatic irony allows audiences to watch events unfold with the ending in mind
This line, taken from the Prologue, warns audiences that the young lovers will defy the Your notes
status quo
The adjective describing this rebellion (“misadventured piteous”) suggests it will fail and
the audience will feel pity for the young lovers
It also lets the audience know, immediately, that their sacrifice will bury their parent’s
feud. The use of the word “bury” also foreshadows the deaths of Romeo and Juliet
Shakespeare’s Prologue challenges audiences to consider the violence that comes
from civil war and the sacrifices children may have to make for it

“My only love sprung from my only hate” Juliet Capulet, Act I, Scene V
Meaning and context
Juliet speaks this line at the Capulet ball when she is told by her nurse that Romeo is a
Montague and therefore her enemy
She realises that she is bound by her family to hate the only person she loves
Analysis
Juliet’s oxymoron, reflected in other lines that liken her marriage to a grave, suggests an
awareness of the danger of loving her enemy
Juliet’s dialogue presents the close relationship between love and hate, foreshadowing
the impact the feud will have on their future
Audiences, aware of the tragedy to come, are challenged to watch how conflict affects
love
The verb “sprung” suggests her love originates from hate springing from family conflict
The repetition of “only” emphasises the huge significance the feud has in her life
In the midst of religious civil war in Elizabethan England, this line reflects the impact of
division on innocent citizens, in particular, young people
Paired quotations:

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 Your notes

“I do but keep the peace” Benvolio Montague, Act I, Scene I

“For now, these hot days is the mad blood stirring” Benvolio Montague, Act III, Scene I
Meaning and context
In Act I, Scene I, when a fight erupts between the Capulets and Montagues, Benvolio tells
Tybalt he wants to keep the peace instead of fighting
Benvolio again tries to keep the peace in Act III, Scene I when he and Mercutio meet in a
public place, warning Mercutio that if the Capulets see them there will be a fight
Analysis
Audiences are introduced to Benvolio as a kind character who promotes peace
This line has religious connotations, as Benvolio’s dialogue mimics Jesus Christ’s
His dialogue is used to contrast Mercutio and Tybalt’s fiery nature
Benvolio uses metaphor to equate the temper of the Capulets to the hot day
In a dramatic and climactic scene in the middle of the play, Benvolio’s dialogue acts as
foreshadowing, preceding a fight

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 Your notes

“These violent delights have violent ends” Friar Laurence, Act II, Scene VI
Meaning and context
As the friar marries Romeo and Juliet he warns them that passion can be violent
The secret and forbidden marriage is described here as having a tragic ending
Analysis
The friar uses oxymorons here, and throughout the play, to show the relationship
between opposites
This line alludes to the opposing forces in all things: “violent” opposes the idea of
“delight”
The repetition of “violence” emphasises the tragic consequences of the feud
The dark imagery foreshadows the marriage’s tragic outcome
Shakespeare uses the friar’s character to present opposing forces in nature, a theme
prevalent in the play

Honour
Romeo and Juliet’s love is forbidden due to the “ancient grudge”, or feud, between the
houses of Capulet and Montague. The lovers are bound to their family name and the hatred
as a result of it. The play explores, as many of Shakespeare’s plays do, the challenges young
people face when disagreeing with their families and the cultural values of the time.

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 Your notes

“From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean”
The chorus, The Prologue
Meaning and context
The chorus tells the audience in the Prologue, before the play begins, that there will be
conflict in the town
The chorus also reveals that something the town is holding on to from the past will lead
to the spilling of blood
Analysis
The Prologue is a sonnet which introduces the play’s theme of honour, subverting the
tradition of sonnets as Italian poems about courtly love
By using the form of a sonnet, traditionally a love poem, to introduce the feuding families
Shakespeare shows a close connection between conflict, honour and love
The “ancient grudge” remains unknown throughout the play, suggesting the families do
not know the real reason for their feud
This challenges Elizabethan perspectives on family honour, related to the religious
battles at the time and the patriarchal hierarchy
Here, the contrast of “ancient” and “new” represents old and young, meaning the young
will attempt a mutiny on the old
The metaphor “civil blood” refers to the violence between the town’s civilians
The ambiguous meaning of “unclean” suggests to audiences that the violence is impure
Shakespeare often uses the metaphor of blood on hands to symbolise guilt
Paired quotations:

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 Your notes

“What’s in a name?” Juliet Capulet, Act II, Scene II

“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” Juliet Capulet, Act II, Scene II
Meaning and context
In Act II, Scene II, Juliet is alone on the balcony after the Capulet ball
Later in the scene, Romeo appears from hiding and declares his love
Juliet asks Romeo to turn his back on his family, and if he does not she will do it instead
Analysis
Juliet’s soliloquy is spoken alone, making this scene dramatic and highlighting its serious
themes
A soliloquy is used in drama to represent the character revealing their true feelings,
adding authenticity to Juliet’s controversial dialogue
Juliet’s rhetorical question in this soliloquy asks Elizabethan audiences to challenge
values about family honour
In the soliloquy, Juliet uses metaphorical language to consider the irrelevance of names
in love
Her use of imperative verbs (“deny” and “refuse”) suggests the strength of her feelings

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 As Elizabethans held their family name in high esteem, here, Juliet is attempting to
overthrow the status quo
Your notes
Shakespeare often presents characters in ways that subvert the stereotype
Juliet, a young girl, delivers the most significant message in the play about hatred and
discrimination
Shakespeare shows the young couple finding it necessary to turn their backs on their
families to be together, suggesting the impact of forced marriage and family feud
Paired quotations:

“What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee”
Tybalt Capulet, Act I, Scene I
“By the stock and honour of my kin, to strike him dead I hold it not a sin” Tybalt Capulet,
Act I, Scene V
Meaning and context
In the opening scene, Tybalt asks Benvolio why he would talk about peace instead of
fighting for his family name
Later, in Act I, Scene V, Tybalt is offended by Romeo’s attendance at the Capulet ball
He asks his servant for a sword, claiming that murder is not a sin if you do it for family
honour

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Analysis
The opening scene shows the constant threat of fighting between the two families Your notes
Tybalt’s character is introduced as fiercely passionate about avenging his family's
honour
Tybalt’s dialogue is dramatic, using rhetorical question to show his shock and offence
at the suggestion of peace
Shakespeare's use of a list of three emphasises his hatred, links religion to violence and
stresses that these ideas are opposed to peace
In Act I, Scene V, Tybalt foreshadows further conflict by showing his bitterness towards
Romeo, his enemy
His rhyming couplet (“kin”/”sin”) stresses the connection between sin and family honour
The verb “strike” suggests the violence inherent in Tybalt
His dialogue is dramatic and intense, to represent the intensity of the hatred in the feud
Tybalt’s dialogue is presented as bitter and angry, representing the strong feelings
associated with honour

“A plague on both your houses!” Mercutio, Act III, Scene I

Meaning and context
In this climactic scene, Mercutio curses the Capulet and Montague families as he dies
Despite being Romeo’s friend, Mercutio is not involved in the feud until this scene
Analysis
Shakespeare’s climactic scene of a public fight between Romeo and Tybalt creates a
plot twist for audiences
Mercutio, neither a Montague nor a Capulet, is killed in the feud, alluding to the deaths of
innocent bystanders in the name of family honour

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 The plague Mercutio delivers could be a biblical reference, suggesting a holy
punishment for the meaningless violence
Your notes
It could likely refer to the disruptions of Elizabethan life by contagious diseases,
mentioned later in the play
Mercutio’s curse comes true at the end of the play when a plague prevents the friar’s
important message from getting to Romeo
Mercutio’s curse comes from frustration at being killed by mistake, caught between
Romeo and Tybalt
Mercutio’s earlier flippant dialogue changes quickly to an ominous curse, suggestive of
his name “Mercury” - both a mythical winged messenger and a quick-changing metal
Fate
From the very beginning and throughout the play, Romeo and Juliet’s relationship is thwarted
by pressures linked to cultural values and traditions, something that could be described as
an “outside force”. However, Shakespeare presents these forces as fateful, showing Romeo
and Juliet giving in to fate until it is too late, in a bid to challenge contemporary belief
systems.

“The fearful passage of their death-mark’d love” The chorus, The Prologue
Meaning and context
In the Prologue, the chorus invites audiences to watch the “fearful passage” of the
unfolding tragic love story
The chorus refers to the “death-mark’d love” of Romeo and Juliet, suggesting the fate
of the “star-cross’d lovers” is already marked, predetermined by the stars
Analysis
Shakespeare employs dramatic irony by telling audiences the protagonist’ fate
The adjectives "fearful” and “death-mark’d” connect the idea of destiny and fear

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 By telling Elizabethan audiences that the tragedy is already predetermined,
Shakespeare links fate to tragedy, challenging prevalent superstitious beliefs about fate
Paired quotations Your notes

“He who hath steerage of course, Direct my sail” Romeo Montague, Act I, Scene IV
“O I am Fortune’s Fool!” Romeo Montague, Act III, Scene I
“Then I defy you, Stars!” Romeo Montague, Act V, Scene I
Meaning and context
In Act I, Romeo’s fateful journey begins with a premonition of the consequences of his
night at the Capulet Ball. Here, he addresses fate, asking whoever it is who decides his
future to lead the way

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 By Act III, Romeo has killed Tybalt and lost his friend, Mercutio, and acknowledges he has
become a fool to fate/fortune
Your notes
By Act V, Romeo learns (mistakenly) that Juliet is dead and he turns against fate
Analysis
At first, Shakespeare shows Romeo giving in to fate, a dominant ideology of the time
Romeo’s direct address speaks directly to Fate, personifying it as if it is a person who
decides his future
Audiences have been shown Romeo as an impulsive and fickle boy as he begins his
fateful journey, and here again as he ignores a premonition and leaves his future in the
hands of fate
The imperative verbs, “Direct”, suggests reckless confidence in his tone
The metaphor of being on a boat and allowing nature to direct his way symbolises a
fatalistic attitude which audiences know will be punished
In Act III, Romeo addresses Fate once again, after the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt
This time, he shouts his frustration at Fate’s decision to make him “Fortune’s fool”, again
implying he has little autonomy over his life
The Elizabethans believed that the stars, planets and gods were powerful over human
lives, and this line begins to question the influence of fate in the violence
By Act V, Romeo turns his back on the decisions the stars and fate have made for him
In grief, Romeo angrily addresses the stars and exclaims his defiance
This line emphasises the desperation Romeo feels about his circumstances, and his
decision to create some autonomy by returning to die with Juliet

“Methinks I see thee now, thou art so low As one dead in the bottom of a tomb” Juliet
Capulet, Act III, Scene V
Meaning and context
In this scene, Juliet has a premonition about Romeo’s future

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 She sees him dead, sunk low down at the bottom of a tomb
Analysis
Your notes
Here, Juliet foreshadows the death of Romeo, suggesting his fate is sealed
The explicit message is a stark message about Romeo’s dark future
Juliet’s dialogue often refers to death. Earlier in Act II, she likens her marriage to a grave
Juliet’s premonitions build tension through the dramatic irony created in the Prologue
Shakespeare challenges the audience's perceptions about fate and free will by showing
both Romeo and Juliet instinctively knowing their doomed future

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 How to Write a Grade 9 Romeo and Juliet Essay
Your notes
How to Write a Romeo and Juliet Essay
Component 1 of your Eduqas GCSE English Literature exam will include two questions on the
Shakespeare play that you’ve been studying.
You will have 60 minutes to complete two Romeo and Juliet questions:
A question based on an extract from Romeo and Juliet for 15 marks
A “discursive” essay question for 25 marks

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Eduqas examiners make it very clear that, while you need to learn quotations for the
discursive essay question, you should not “stray beyond” the passage provided to
you for the extract question. In fact, they say that students should try to explore the
whole of the extract for this question, taking evidence from the beginning, middle and
end of the passage.
However, even for the extract question, it is really important that you have a good
knowledge of the whole play and how characters develop, so that you can make
perceptive comments about how characters are presented in the extract.
Understanding what a character was like prior to the extract, and how they are
presented after it, will help enrich your analysis.

How do you start a Romeo and Juliet essay?

It’s always daunting when you know you have 60 minutes to write two answers. So how do
you start writing? Students dread the idea of planning. Often that is because they are not
sure how to make it work for them, and think it is a waste of time. But try to see it another way:
with such limited time, preparation is key.
The single most important thing you can do in order to get the highest mark on your Romeo
and Juliet essay is to avoid jumping straight in before you have a firm grasp of the question.
So, a plan begins with asking a simple question: what is your overall answer to the question
you have been set? Once you know this, you can add some ideas about how you will support
your argument with references from the play, or with evidence from the extract. For both the
Eduqas extract-based question and the discursive essay, examiners award the highest
marks to students who create a “coherent line of argument” and who maintain a “focus on
the question” and a “critical style”. What do these phrases actually mean?

Examiner comment What this means you should do

“Focus on the Ensure that you understand what the question is asking
question” before you start writing
Ensure your argument answers the question specifically

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 Do not simply write everything you know about the play, or
what the extract is “saying”
Your notes
“Coherent line of For the discursive essay, include a brief introduction that sets
argument” out your argument
Ensure your argument is consistently supported throughout
your essay
Don’t be tempted to write a plot summary
Include a short conclusion that summarises your line of
reasoning in your discursive essay

“Critical style” Make sure you have offered your opinion on the question
Offer different interpretations on characterisations
Consider the audience response, such as judgement or
sympathy

By creating a plan before you start writing, you are ensuring that your essay covers all three of
these points.
Your plan for a discursive essay could look something like this:

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How do you structure a Romeo and Juliet essay?
Eduqas examiners give the highest marks to students who have managed to create a Your notes
“coherent line of argument” throughout their discursive essay. One of the best ways to
achieve this is to formulate your own answer to the question: this is your interpretation or
argument. Once you have done this, you can plan how to structure your ideas. Consider how
each paragraph will analyse a different point in your argument, and choose relevant
evidence from the extract or across the play to support your ideas. To achieve a Grade 9 in
the discursive essay, Eduqas recommends that students include an introduction, clearly
organised paragraphs and a conclusion.

If you look at the example plan above, you will see that the example plan includes a “thesis
statement” and “topic questions”. See how to include these into your essay below:

Top tips for structuring your Romeo and Juliet

discursive essay
Always begin with a clear thesis statement that sets out your argument:

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 Your thesis statement should be one or two sentences and should focus on the
playwright
Your notes
For a character-based question, consider what the character represents or how
they convey a theme
You could consider genre; for example, the fact it is a tragedy
Include concise paragraphs in your essay:
Two or three paragraphs is enough for the extract question
Three or four paragraphs works best for the discursive essay
Including more paragraphs can result in a rambling essay that doesn’t always answer
the question – less is more when writing a focused, coherent essay
Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence:
This is one sentence that sets out the argument of the paragraph
Topic sentences should always be directly related to your thesis statement
All the evidence (quotes or references) should prove your topic sentence
Finish your essay with a short conclusion:
The conclusion shouldn’t include any new evidence
As it should sum up your argument, it may help to reread your introduction

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Some schools and teachers teach students a “scaffold” for writing essay paragraphs.
This usually takes the form of an acronym, like PEE (Point, Evidence, Explanation).
While this is designed to help you achieve the objectives on the mark scheme, make
sure it does not limit your analysis. A good idea is to use two pieces of evidence (these
can be references or short quotes) in your paragraphs to better support your point.
You could also comment on how the audience would respond. Eduqas examiners are
looking for theatrical analysis, which means asking: “what do the audience know at
this point?”, or “what are they seeing happen on stage?” Try to extend your
explanation to include interpretations of the characters’ reactions, and always
remember to comment on directed staging.
To see an example of how to include these elements in your essay, see our model
answer for the Eduqas Romeo and Juliet extract question, and a model answer for the
Romeo and Juliet discursive essay question.

Top tips for structuring your Romeo and Juliet

essay
Top-grade students: Students who don’t do as well:

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Plan their essays before writing them Don’t plan and write rambling, unfocused
essays that find the answer by the end
Your notes
Include their own line of argument in the Write pre-learned essays that don’t answer
form of a thesis statement the question, but rather answer the
question they wish they’d been asked

Always focus their response on the question Focus on character, rather than methods
given, and the writer’s aims and audience

Consider different interpretations, as well as Explain or retell the plot of Romeo and
dramatic and tragic conventions Juliet, rather than analyse Shakespeare’s
choices

Choose the best supporting evidence from Analyse irrelevant or difficult quotations
the extract or play as a whole because they’ve learnt them, or think they
sound important

Develop and extend their analysis of Make simple comments, and don’t extend
language, structure and form to consider their analysis
audience response and character function

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 Romeo and Juliet Quotations and Analysis
Your notes
Romeo and Juliet Quotations and Analysis
Romeo and Juliet essay questions on the Eduqas GCSE English Literature specification
usually focus on one of three things:
A theme
A character
A relationship between two or more characters
Examiners are looking for responses that “track” themes and characters through the play, so
it is a good idea to learn quotations according to theme or character. As the exam focuses on
analysis, it is useful to revise quotations in terms of their dramatic effects. This means you
should understand not just what the words mean but how they are spoken, what they imply,
and how they convey ideas to the audience. We’ve included eight of the best Romeo and
Juliet quotes on this page, and we’ve organised them by the following characters:
Romeo quotes
Juliet quotes
Tybalt quotes

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Eduqas examiners have frequently said that it is best to use short quotations as
support for your points. Paragraphs with long quotations may mean that you miss the
necessary close examination of a technique, or the connotation of a word.
This has two benefits:
1. You can more easily embed the key word or phrase into your paragraphs
2. You can see patterns across the character’s speech, or zoom into a technique
That’s why we’ve included a “key word or phrase” from every one of our longer
quotations to help you memorise only the most important parts of each quotation.

Romeo quotes

“Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love” – Romeo, Act 1, Scene 1

Key word or phrase: “hate” and “love”

What the quotation means

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 Romeo complains about the fight between the Montagues and Capulets, suggesting
that the hatred they feel towards each other in fact stems from a stronger feeling of love
Your notes
Analysis
Romeo’s absence at the fight is noteworthy, and Shakespeare draws attention to this as
characters ask where he is:
This establishes Romeo as alone and isolated in his desire for peace
This line portrays a frustrated yet intelligent Romeo, who considers how closely hate
relates to love as he raises the play’s themes about binary opposites:
The oxymoron in Romeo’s line places the opposing ideas of “hate” and “love”
together, and suggests he understands that love can bring conflict
Romeo’s characterisation (inclined to extreme emotions) is thus able to highlight the
consequences of extreme love and hate
However, Romeo also implies that love is a stronger emotion than hate (a position he
attempts to hold throughout the play), which presents him as a sympathetic tragic hero

“But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks?/It is the east, and Juliet is
the sun” – Romeo, Act 2, Scene 2

Key word or phrase: “light” and “sun”

What the quotation means
Romeo, alone in the Capulet’s dark garden, sees a light and, thinking it may come from
Juliet’s room, describes this as if Juliet is the rising sun
Analysis
This is a good example of the importance of staging when you analyse quotes:
If you consider that Romeo is in a dark garden and sees a light in Juliet’s bedroom, it
can be argued that this line is humorous
His metaphor, that Juliet is the rising sun, is witty as well as hyperbolic
It is also a clear indication that he dismisses the danger of his circumstances
The scene should be tense, but Romeo’s romantic language eases the tension:
After an exclamation (perhaps conveying fright), he returns to romantic imagery
This highlights the close connection between dark and light, and love and hate
Additionally, Romeo’s use of natural imagery to describe Juliet, often comparing her to a
bright light (or the sun as he does here), could connote to enlightenment:
Earlier, Romeo prefers a dark room, an “artificial night”, but his melancholy lifts when
he meets Juliet

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 Contrasting imagery implies the dichotomies of their love, and Romeo’s extreme
character
Your notes

“Call me but love, and I'll be new baptiz’d” – Romeo, Act 2, Scene 2

Key word or phrase: “baptiz’d”

What the quotation means
Romeo assures Juliet that he is committed despite the family feud, and says that if she
calls him “love” he will rename himself (“new baptiz’d”) and no longer be called Romeo
Analysis
Here, Romeo highlights one of the play’s key ideas about love and prejudice:
Each from opposing families, their names stand in the way of their relationship
In this scene, Romeo quite emphatically says he will “deny” his name
Romeo refers to the religious act of baptism, in which one demonstrates commitment to
a religion (it can also involve the giving of a name):
Romeo’s words are dismissive of family honour and religious traditions
In this way, Shakespeare’s Petrarchan lover defies the status quo

Juliet quotes

“Proud can I never be of what I hate” – Juliet, Act 3, Scene 5

Key word or phrase: “proud” and “hate”

What the quotation means
Juliet tells her father, Lord Capulet, that while she is thankful he has tried to find her a
“worthy” husband, she cannot be “proud” because she hates the idea of marrying Paris
Analysis
Here, Juliet’s emotive oxymoron (“proud” and “hate”) implies a dilemma:
Her duty as a daughter is in contrast to what she loves
Through Juliet’s defiant stand, illustrated here, Shakespeare raises questions about
societal expectations regarding marriage:
Remember, though, that while Elizabethan society was patriarchal, the concept of
arranged marriage here refers to upper-class society (her father is a lord)

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 In this dramatic scene, Juliet is pressured to explain why she is not grateful and happy:
Juliet’s strong will is presented through the emphatic adverb “never” Your notes
Juliet is portrayed as a victim of her father’s rage, which, in turn, isolates her
This tense scene raises questions about family conflict and gender

“That all the world will be in love with night,/And pay no worship to the garish sun” –
Juliet, Act 3, Scene 2

Key word or phrase: “night” and “sun”

What the quotation means
Juliet imagines Romeo’s death in a fantasy about her new husband’s return after dark
She imagines Romeo becoming the stars, which will make heaven so beautiful that the
world will prefer the night, finding daylight too bright and the sun too harsh (“garish”)
Analysis
Juliet says this in a soliloquy, alone in her room and impatient to be with Romeo
Her words draw attention to their secret love, perhaps relating to their very real
circumstances, and that their love can only survive in the dark at night:
The adjective “garish” to describe the sun is unusual, and could signify the harsh
nature of the outside world as Romeo will be killed if he is found
Her allusions mimic Romeo’s speech, perhaps implying the strength of their union
Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony in this scene, which follows Romeo’s violent
confrontation, make Juliet’s words more dramatic:
As well as the fact Romeo is currently at risk, the line foreshadows his death
This highlights ideas about the relationship between love and hate

“What must be shall be” – Juliet, Act 4, Scene 1

Key word or phrase: “must” and “shall”

What the quotation means
Juliet remarks on the inevitability of the wedding between her and Paris
She says that the future (what “shall be”) is already determined and has to happen
Analysis

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 Juliet’s line is emphatic and, as the friar says in reply, suggests certainty:
The modal verbs “must” and “shall” work together alongside the repeated “be” to Your notes
convey Juliet’s acceptance of what she considers to be fateful circumstances
However, Juliet’s certain future is not of her choosing:
Her short statement suggests her negative attitude to the wedding
She implies it is inevitable, as if predetermined by a force greater than her
Shakespeare portrays Juliet’s sense of powerlessness and lack of autonomy in her
world and, later, how this compels her to take desperate measures

Tybalt quotes

“I will withdraw; but this intrusion shall/Now seeming sweet, convert to bitter’st
gall” – Tybalt, Act 2, Scene 5

Key word or phrase: “sweet” and “gall”

What the quotation means
Tybalt is forced to “withdraw” from conflict at the Capulet ball, but he adds in an aside
that Romeo’s “intrusion”, now polite (“sweet”), will change to bitter resentment (“gall”)
Analysis
Tybalt’s rhyming couplet is sinister and presents him, yet again, as hateful and bitter
His intelligence and sophistication, however, is conveyed through oxymoronic imagery
The superlative “bitter’st”, linked with “gall” (a bitter liquid in the stomach), shows
Tybalt’s extreme physical reaction to Romeo’s uninvited arrival at his family’s home
His character represents the hatred and prejudice that comes from the feud
Shakespeare criticises these concepts via Tybalt’s characterisation as a vengeful villain

“Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford/No better term than this: thou art a villain”
– Tybalt, Act 3, Scene 1

Key word or phrase: “villain”

What the quotation means
Tybalt attempts to provoke Romeo with an insult, calling him a “villain”, a colloquial term
for a scoundrel or peasant (today we may translate this as “scum”)

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Analysis
Tybalt begins his insult with the emotive word “love” to set up his dramatic summary of Your notes
his hatred for Romeo
He explains that he hates Romeo because he is of low rank and acts without manners:
This refers, perhaps, to Romeo’s uninvited arrival at the Capulet ball
It also signifies Tybalt’s sense of family honour, which, Shakespeare later illustrates,
leads to the death of two young men
One could also interpret Tybalt’s words in terms of his hatred for Romeo as a Montague,
(although he appears particularly to hate Romeo), singling him out as “my man”:
This highlights his prejudice, and need for blind revenge
Sources
Shakespeare, William. Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Edited by Peter Alexander,
HarperCollins, 1994. Accessed 26 March 2024

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 Grade 9 Romeo and Juliet Extract Question Model Answer
Your notes
Romeo and Juliet Extract Question Model Answer
You will always have two questions to answer on the Shakespeare question of your Eduqas
English Literature GCSE:
A question based on an extract from the play
A “discursive” essay, with no extract
Here, we will focus on showing you how to write a Grade 9 answer for the extract-based
question. We have also created a model answer for the discursive essay.

What’s the difference between the extract and

discursive questions?
Essentially, the extract question provides you with evidence that you can use in your essay in
the form of an extracted scene from Romeo and Juliet, while for the discursive question you
will have to provide your own evidence from various points across the play. Therefore, the
discursive essay is worth more marks. Remember, though, that even in the extract question,
you are expected to know the whole play so that you can place the scene and understand
how it shows relationships or ideas. Always consider where the scene takes place, what the
audience knows, and how the featured characters or themes develop from this point.

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Just because the extract question provides you with evidence to use in your essay
does not mean that the best answers simply explain what the lines mean. Therefore, it
is best to consider the extract in terms of staging, how the audience is encouraged to
respond, and how the scene illuminates the characters’ relationships or concerns.
Eduqas examiners suggest you comment on the beginning, middle and end of the
extract to form your essay.
Remember, you are always likely to achieve higher marks if you have a good base of
knowledge to draw from when answering a question, or have an informed view on the
question being asked. This will inevitably lead to a more successful response.

How is the Romeo and Juliet extract question

assessed?
The extract question is assessed using an identical mark scheme to the discursive question,
with two differences. Firstly, the extract question is worth 15 marks while the discursive
question offers 25 marks. Secondly, the extract question does not not offer marks for
spelling and grammar while the discursive essay offers 5 marks. For a detailed breakdown of
the assessment objectives and advice on how to get top marks for each one, check out our
Romeo and Juliet essay student-friendly mark scheme.

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How long do I spend annotating the extract?
You have 60 minutes to write, plan and check over both Romeo and Juliet essays, so you Your notes
should aim to spend about 20 minutes on the extract question, and 40 minutes on the
discursive question. When answering the extract question, it is best to consider the scene as
a whole. Think about the extract in terms of what is presented to the audience and where it
comes in the play. Instead of annotating all the lines, choose relevant evidence that may
even go beyond the quotes and extend to staging, for example.
Spend as long as you need on planning your responses, because the better your grasp on
your argument, the better your essay will be (and the quicker it will be to write): it can be the
case that spending up to 5–7 minutes annotating and planning your essay will result in far
more marks than just spending a couple of minutes on the extract. Our advice on how to
approach the Romeo and Juliet question is definitely worth looking at to see our suggestions
on how to plan your answer.

Grade 9 Romeo and Juliet model answer

Below you will find a sample, top-mark answer for a past Eduqas GCSE Romeo and Juliet
extract essay question. This Romeo and Juliet model answer includes annotations that show
where and how this answer has achieved maximum marks. It’s an example answer to the
following question:
Read the extract below. Then answer the following question:
Look at how Romeo and Juliet speak and behave here. How do you think an audience
might respond to this part of the play? Refer closely to details from the extract to support
your answer.
[15]

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 Your notes

Grade 9 Model Answer

In this scene, Shakespeare portrays Romeo and Juliet’s initial meeting as romantic in a shared
sonnet, a traditional love poem. This illustrates, at first, Romeo’s inclination to courtly,
hyperbolic love but, later, elevates their love and presents it as pure (AO1). Shakespeare
breaks traditional conventions of the sonnet by sharing lines between the couple, which
alludes to equality, as well as symbolising the couple’s rebellious, defiant love against their
families’ wishes. The audience is presented with an ostensibly light-hearted love scene, but
Shakespeare hints — even in this first meeting — that their union may spell danger for the two
lovers (AO1).
Shakespeare depicts Romeo’s flirtatious and melodramatic nature through the use of
exaggerated humility when describing Juliet. Religious imagery describes Juliet’s hand as a

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“holy shrine”, of which Romeo says his own “rough” hand is unworthy (AO1). However,
Romeo’s clever request to kiss Juliet’s hand follows. It is significant to note that while this
intimate speech takes place, the scene on stage is that of a Capulet ball and, thus, Romeo is Your notes
trespassing on enemy property (AO2). In this way, Shakespeare juxtaposes the witty and
romantic moment with the tension of potential danger.
Juliet’s replies to Romeo’s flirtation further highlight Shakespeare’s characterisation of her as
mature and sensible, as well as genuinely humble (AO1). Juliet’s response to Romeo’s request
for a kiss is to refer in kind to religion, thus setting up witty, light-hearted conversation
between them (AO2). The line “palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss” uses a pun (the “palm” of a
hand with the palm leaves that are associated with holy pilgrimage) to gently reject his
advances. Here, Shakespeare perhaps sets up their opposing natures, while at the same
time the shared lines present them as equals (AO1).
Nevertheless, the sonnet’s extended metaphor of a pilgrim wishing to show devotion
signifies humility and purity. Both Romeo and Juliet refer to “sin”, although at this point they
are unaware of their status as enemies (AO2). Romeo believes Juliet has “purged” his sin with
a kiss, linking to his descriptions of her as a “saint” and a “bright angel”. However, Juliet replies
that she has taken his “sin”, perhaps foreboding her sacrifice in the resolution. Certainly,
Shakespeare juxtaposes the theme of love and hate closely together here, as he does
throughout the play, by ending the romantic sonnet with a disruption, and a shocked Romeo
who discovers Juliet is a Capulet too late. Romeo’s darker language relates how his “life” is in
the hands of his “foe”, foreshadowing more “unrest” and Romeo’s doomed fate.
Shakespeare’s presentation of their kiss may, arguably, foreshadow the tragedy of their
forbidden love (AO1).
Therefore, the extract presents Romeo and Juliet as innocent and impartial in their love (AO1).
However, the tension of the scene helps Shakespeare convey the injustice and isolation they
experience as a result of the feud, and foreshadow impending disaster to his audience (AO1).
Sources
Shakespeare, William. Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Edited by Peter Alexander,
HarperCollins, 1994. Accessed 26 March 2024

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 Grade 9 Romeo and Juliet Essay Question Model Answer
Your notes
Grade 9 Romeo and Juliet Essay Question Model
Answer
Component 1 of the Eduqas GCSE asks you to write two essays on the Shakespeare play you
have been studying.
Question 1 is an essay based on an extract from the play you have studied
Question 2 is what’s known as a “discursive” essay question, and the question does not
give you an extract to work from
Here you will find an annotated model answer for Question 2, the discursive essay question.
“Discursive” can be interpreted as a discussion on wider ideas, so examiners are looking for a
sustained argument that thoroughly covers a range of points. This means you will need to
refer to different parts of the play throughout your answer to explore the development of
Shakespeare’s themes or ideas.

How am I assessed?
The discursive essay is marked out of 25. You are offered 5 marks for spelling and grammar.
Here is how the marks are divided:

Assessment Number of What you need to do to show this

objective marks

AO1 10 Sustain one clear argument throughout

Include an introduction and conclusion
Refer to the whole text
Only use references and quotations that serve as
evidence to back up your argument

AO2 10 Analyse Shakespeare’s language, structure and

form
Analyse Shakespeare’s choices across the whole
text
Make sure all your analysis is related to your overall
argument
Use relevant subject terminology where
appropriate

AO4 5 Ensure your writing is clear

Separate your argument into clear paragraphs

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 Check your essay for spelling or grammar errors at
the end
Your notes
Use sophisticated vocabulary and grammar for
effect

Grade 9 Romeo and Juliet essay question model

answer
Below you will find an example answer for a past Eduqas GCSE Romeo and Juliet essay
question. This Romeo and Juliet model answer includes annotations that show where and
how this answer has met the above assessment objectives. It’s a sample answer to the
following question:

Write about Juliet and how she is presented at different points in the play.
[25]

Annotated Grade 9 Model Answer

In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses the character of Juliet, the sensible and innocent
true love of his tragic hero, to illustrate how both young men and women are subject to
powerful external forces (AO1). Shakespeare’s presentation of Juliet as a force for justice
and equality is illustrated in her alliance with the enemy. However, her desperate need to
find peace and agency in her limited world compels her to a brave and sacrificial act. In this
way, Juliet’s role in the play becomes one of an innocent and martyred victim (AO1).

Shakespeare introduces Juliet as subject to her father’s decisions, especially regarding

her early marriage, and instantly makes clear that she is still a child, a “stranger in the
world”, in order to highlight her vulnerability (AO1). Early in the play, Lord Capulet and Paris
are shown making arrangements for Juliet’s marriage, illustrating the circumstances of her
position as the only daughter to a powerful father. As the “hopeful lady” of Capulet’s
“earth” (AO1) she is expected to marry a suitable gentleman and improve the family’s social
status (AO4). Shakespeare highlights through Capulet’s words the extent to which Juliet’s
future depends upon her father’s attitude.

However, Shakespeare characterises Juliet as defiant, even before she has met Romeo
(AO2). In dialogue she is presented as free-thinking and independent, as well as
sophisticated. She appeases her mother by describing marriage as an “honour”, adding
that it is one that she does not “dream of”. However, Shakespeare shows how Juliet’s
refusal to submit to her circumstances leads to isolation. Certainly, the dramatic scene
during which she refuses to marry Paris illustrates her limited agency. Lord Capulet’s
violent threats culminate in Juliet’s expulsion from the family home, leaving her to “hang,
beg, starve, die in the streets”. Juliet’s subsequent drastic plea to the friar lists all the
terrible punishments she will endure rather than marry Paris. Juliet’s characterisation as a
sympathetic victim serves to challenge the status quo, as her dissatisfaction with her lack
of autonomy, and her unexpected disregard for conformity, offers an alternative
perspective on family traditions and roles (AO2).

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 In many ways, Juliet functions as a foil to Romeo, perhaps suggesting that even Juliet’s
sensible nature does not save her from tragedy in such a world (AO2, AO4). Her words Your notes
provide balance to Romeo’s extreme proclamations of love, and she sees their
relationship in terms of the feud, in contrast to Romeo’s insistence to dismiss it. This is
confirmed later in Juliet’s sophisticated soliloquy that conveys the play’s themes about
prejudice. She questions the value of a name and the conflict that it brings, using
metaphorical language to compare Romeo to a “rose”, which would still smell sweet if it
had another name. Throughout the play Romeo describes Juliet as a “saint”, the “sun”, a
“rich jewel” in the night, and able to teach the “torches to burn bright”, connoting purity
and the power to shed light. Indeed, Prince Escalus ends the play suggesting that the
“sun” will “not show its head” in the “glooming peace”. Her dramatic suicide alongside
Romeo functions as punishment to her parents and the community and, thus, she
becomes a martyr (AO1).

Shakespeare’s presentation of Juliet as an innocent victim of her society heightens the

tragedy in the resolution, yet her determination and passionate desire for independence
and peace raise questions about discrimination (AO1). Shakespeare conveys, through
Juliet, the high price that is paid to end the feud.

Sources
Shakespeare, William. Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Edited by Peter Alexander,
HarperCollins, 1994. Accessed 26 March 2024.

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