Initially, the Nurse is introduced as Juliet’s doting maid or nanny, and Shakespeare illustrates their intimate relationship (AO1). She enters stage looking for Juliet, affectionately calling her a “lamb” and a “ladybird” (AO1). In contrast to Lady Capulet, the Nurse knows Juliet well, can “tell her age unto an hour”, and expresses pride at being Juliet’s wet-nurse. This scene portrays social norms in Elizabethan upper-class families, which, arguably, Shakespeare challenges through his portrayal of Lady Capulet as a cold and unsympathetic character in contrast to the Nurse. Shakespeare’s presentation of the Nurse as a lower-class, comedic character is typical of his tragedies (AO3). Characters mock her for her age and lack of sophistication, highlighting her powerless position in society. Her appearance on stage inevitably signals a moment to laugh at her vulgar language and innuendo as she shares private stories about breast-feeding and sex. That audiences laugh at her lack of sophistication raises further questions about class.
Throughout the rising action, Shakespeare conveys Juliet’s dependance on the Nurse by illustrating her supportive role in Juliet’s solitary life. The Nurse remains steadfastly complicit in the secret relationship, in defiance of Lord and Lady Capulet. Juliet’s reliance on the Nurse as her main source of information is particularly illustrated in Act 2 Scene 4 when she stalls giving Juliet news. While the scene is comedic, it is an example of how the Nurse juxtaposes the innocent nature of the romance against its dangerous circumstances (AO1). Furthermore, Shakespeare presents the Nurse as fiercely protective as a surrogate parent. He illustrates her strong will when he presents her standing up to socially-superior men, such as when she takes offence at Mercutio’s taunts and warns Romeo not to lead Juliet into a “fool’s paradise”. Particularly noticeable is her reaction when Juliet is threatened. In contrast to Lady Capulet’s submission, the Nurse intervenes, blaming Lord Capulet for his irrational anger (AO2). Therefore, it can be argued that the predominant function of her character in the play’s first two acts is to raise questions about family conflict that comes as a result of patriarchal attitudes to marriage.
Nevertheless, Shakespeare characterises the Nurse as cynical, which can be considered a significant factor in the tragedy (AO3). Her bitter, world-weary attitude is illustrated in Act 3 when she informs Juliet that Romeo has killed Tybalt. Anaphora in her dialogue, “There’s no trust/No faith, no honesty in men”, suggests extreme pessimism. Her emotive statement conveys her frustrations with Romeo and the world generally. This aspect of her character is similar to that of a typical Shakespearean fool. While she is mocked by many of the characters, she highlights the futility of Romeo and Juliet’s love. A pivotal moment in the play comes when Juliet asks the Nurse for advice, desperate to avoid marriage with Paris. The Nurse’s tone is resigned as she tells Juliet to be “happy in this second match”. Juliet’s sense of betrayal is conveyed in her sardonic reply, “Well, thou hast comforted me marvellous much” (AO1). Ultimately, the Nurse’s betrayal isolates Juliet and leads her into a state of suicidal desperation.
Shakespeare’s presentation of the Nurse raises several significant themes. Rather than a purely comic character, she is another adult who fails Juliet in her bid to find autonomy (AO1). At the same time, it can be argued that her restricted role in the forbidden relationship offers a critique on Elizabethan society. Her pragmatic yet cynical characterisation presents her as a product of an unjust society (AO1).
Follow this link to a model answer to a Romeo and Juliet extract question .
Shakespeare, William. Complete Works of William Shakespeare . Edited by Peter Alexander, HarperCollins, 1994. Accessed 26 March 2024
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Sam is a graduate in English Language and Literature, specialising in journalism and the history and varieties of English. Before teaching, Sam had a career in tourism in South Africa and Europe. After training to become a teacher, Sam taught English Language and Literature and Communication and Culture in three outstanding secondary schools across England. Her teaching experience began in nursery schools, where she achieved a qualification in Early Years Foundation education. Sam went on to train in the SEN department of a secondary school, working closely with visually impaired students. From there, she went on to manage KS3 and GCSE English language and literature, as well as leading the Sixth Form curriculum. During this time, Sam trained as an examiner in AQA and iGCSE and has marked GCSE English examinations across a range of specifications. She went on to tutor Business English, English as a Second Language and international GCSE English to students around the world, as well as tutoring A level, GCSE and KS3 students for educational provisions in England. Sam freelances as a ghostwriter on novels, business articles and reports, academic resources and non-fiction books.
Subject: English
Age range: 14-16
Resource type: Lesson (complete)
Last updated
1 September 2024
Romeo and Juliet 2025 revision for English Literature Paper 1 revision lesson on plot, messages and themes. We explore all of the key plot events in the five acts of William Shakespeare’s play and consider how they tie in to key themes, helping students to prepare for the exam in the 2025 summer.
The lesson includes worksheets (printer symbol), differentiated and adaptive learning approaches, detailed plot summaries and more.
A really useful way of revising this novel in time for the Paper 1 exam in May 2025.
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Romeo and Juliet revision pack for the 2025 exams. Includes the following masterclasses: * Characters * Plot * Themes * Structure and Form * Context This is the perfect pack for preparing for the English Literature Paper 1 exam, recapping all of the key specification areas for the examination. It provides adaptive learning approaches, key information sheets for revision, modelled examples and more. Find the pack useful? Leave a review and we’ll send you another resource of your choice for free. Just send an email to [email protected] after you’ve left your review.
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How to Write a Romeo and Juliet Essay. Your OCR GCSE English Literature exam will include questions on the Shakespeare play that you've been studying. You will have 50 minutes to complete one Romeo and Juliet question from a choice of two options: Either a question based on an extract (of about 40 lines) from Romeo and Juliet. Or a ...
Full Title: Romeo and Juliet. When Written: Likely 1591-1595. Where Written: London, England. When Published: "Bad quarto" (incomplete manuscript) printed in 1597; Second, more complete quarto printed in 1599; First folio, with clarifications and corrections, printed in 1623. Literary Period: Renaissance.
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
SAMPLE FROM THE GUIDE Foreword. In your GCSE English Literature exam, you will be presented with an extract from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and a question that asks you to offer both a close analysis of the extract plus a commentary of the play as a whole.Of course, there are many methods one might use to tackle this style of question.However, there is one particular technique which, due ...
Structure. The structure of a tragedy. Many of Shakespeare's tragedies follow the same five-part structure: Exposition: this is the introduction to the play for the audience, and an introduction to 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 ...
For Juliet " 'tis twenty years" between dawn and nine o'clock; she would have the nurse travel at ten times the speed of light. For Romeo, a minute with Juliet equals a lifetime. The ...
Death Comes for the Archbishop. Unlock the secrets of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" with our comprehensive study guide 📚 . Explore themes, literary devices, and character analysis to deepen your understanding of this tragic love story. Perfect for students and literature enthusiasts alike!
PDF Cite. Romeo and Juliet is a five-act tragedy about the protagonists' ill-fated love. By chance, Romeo, the son of Montague, learns of the annual Capulet party, and he allows his kinsman ...
Essays and criticism on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet - Essays. ... , comes back on stage, and then repeats the action. The structure of Structure of II, ii, ll.142-157, is, in fact, that ...
Romeo and Juliet Essay Topics: A Guide for College Students. Explore essay topics on Shakespeare's timeless tragedy, "Romeo and Juliet." Selecting the right essay topic is the first step towards crafting a compelling and insightful analysis. ... Impact on Drama and Theater: The play's tragic structure, complex characters, and dramatic tension ...
This clean & simple new guide from Accolade Press will walk you through how to plan and structure essay responses to questions on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. By working through seven mock questions, these detailed essay plans will show you how to go about building a theme based answer - while the accompanying notes will illustrate not only ...
Sign up for our GCSE AQA 'Ultimate English Language and English Literature' Revision Course: https://www.firstratetutors.com/gcse-course
Growing up, Juliet The timeless story of lovers, Romeo and Juliet is horribly tragic. In Act III, Scene V of the play the tragedy begins to unfold. Although the entire play is rather dramatic, this scene reveals the effects of past decisions and is the beginning of a tragic series of misunderstandings and fatal reactions. Important relational transformations occur amongst the characters, and ...
Grade 9 Romeo and Juliet Essay. The OCR GCSE English Literature exam paper asks you to write one essay from a choice of two on the Shakespeare play you have studied. 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 ...
Romeo and Juliet Revision 2025. Romeo and Juliet revision pack for the 2025 exams. Includes the following masterclasses: * Characters * Plot * Themes * Structure and Form * Context This is the perfect pack for preparing for the English Literature Paper 1 exam, recapping all of the key specification areas for the examination.