About the Poet: William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He was born at Stratford-upon-Avon, which is why he is called the "Bard of Avon". He is also known as England's national poet.

He wrote about 37 plays and 154 sonnets. His plays fall into three broad groups:

  • Tragedies: Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet
  • Comedies: A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, Twelfth Night
  • Histories: Henry IV, Henry V, Richard III

His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

[Exam Tip] — A one-mark question often asks for Shakespeare's title ("Bard of Avon") or the name of the play from which the extract is taken (Romeo and Juliet, a tragedy).

Background: The Story Behind the Extract

Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy about two young lovers from feuding families in the Italian city of Verona.

  • The two noble families, the Capulets and the Montagues, are sworn enemies.
  • Romeo is a Montague; Juliet is the daughter of Lord Capulet.
  • Old Lord Capulet hosts a grand supper (a feast with dancing). Romeo attends in disguise, hoping to see Rosaline, a lady he believes he loves.
  • On the dance floor he sees Juliet and is fascinated by her beauty. Only after the dance does he learn that she is the daughter of his family's enemy.
  • Juliet too feels drawn to this young man from the enemy family.

The two speeches in the lesson capture this first, sudden love. The first is spoken by Romeo at the feast (marked in the textbook as Act I, Scene V). The second is spoken by Juliet as she waits eagerly for night, when Romeo will come to her (marked in the textbook as Act II, Scene II).

Pre-reading idea from the textbook: most legendary love stories (Laila-Majnu, Heer-Ranjha, Devdas) end in separation or death because the lovers are opposed by family or society. Romeo and Juliet follows the same pattern.

Summary: Romeo's Speech (Act I, Scene V)

Romeo sees Juliet for the first time and is overwhelmed by her beauty.

  • He says her beauty is so bright that she seems to teach the torches to burn bright - she outshines every light in the hall.
  • Against the darkness of night she looks like a rich jewel hanging in an Ethiope's ear - a brilliant gem shining against a dark background.
  • Her beauty is "too rich for use, for earth too dear" - too precious for ordinary use and too heavenly for this world.
  • Among the other ladies she stands out like a snowy dove among crows.
  • He decides that once the dance ends ("the measure done") he will watch where she stands and touch her hand, so that his own rough hand becomes blessed.
  • Finally he asks himself whether he has ever loved before, and tells his eyes to deny it: he never saw true beauty till this night.

Romeo's speech is full of wonder and admiration. It is love at first sight.

Summary: Juliet's Speech (Act II, Scene II)

Juliet is now deeply in love and waits impatiently for night, because night will bring Romeo to her.

  • She calls out to the night and to Romeo together: "Come night, come Romeo; come, thou day in night". Romeo is her "day in night" - he brings light and joy into the darkness.
  • Romeo will lie upon the wings of night whiter than new snow on a raven's back - he will shine against the black night.
  • She calls night gentle, loving and black-browed, and begs it to give her Romeo.
  • She imagines that when she dies, night should cut Romeo out in little stars. He would make the face of heaven so fine that all the world would fall in love with night and stop worshipping the garish sun.

Juliet's speech is passionate and intense. She wants Romeo's beauty to be immortalised in the stars.

Central Idea

The extract presents love at first sight and the intensity of young love.

  • Romeo expresses love through admiration of Juliet's beauty. His images are of light shining in darkness - torches, a jewel, a white dove.
  • Juliet expresses love through longing and imagination. She turns Romeo into stars and makes the night more beautiful than the day.

Both speeches use the contrast of light and darkness to show how each lover lights up the other's world.

[Exam Tip] — For "whose love is more passionate", there is no single correct answer. Take a side (most students choose Juliet, because her love is bolder and imagines Romeo made immortal), and support it with two quotations.