Skip to main content

In Act II, what are seven clear signs given that Romeo and Juliet takes place in the 1500s?






Expert Answers








  1. Juliet is a young teenager (her father says she is not yet 14). In Act II, scene 1, we see her planning to marry the guy she likes, and not in the distant future. Juliet wants it to happen tomorrow! Those are definitely not 21st century plans. 

  2. Also in scene 1, Juliet is afraid of what will happen to Romeo should the Capulet guards find him. The practice of wealthy people hiring guards to patrol their grounds has all but died out today. 

  3. When Romeo goes to see Friar Lawrence in scene 2, the Friar is mixing up medicines. This was a part of most holy men's jobs back in the 1500s, when going to the doctor was way too expensive for many. Today, medical care may not be cheap, but it is far more accessible for the general public.

  4. Friar Laurence agreeing to marry two teenagers without their parent's permission, while unpopular in the play's time period, would actually be illegal now. 

  5. Tybalt's language when he mocks Romeo and Mercutio in the streets in scene 3 is also a clue as to the play's setting. Most modern-day feuds don't involve bragging about one's sword-fighting skills or challenging each other to duels.

  6. In scene 3, people make several jokes about Romeo being effeminate. This goes back to the Elizabethan idea that being in love with a woman made men more womanly and effeminate, which is not really believed today.

  7. This seems obvious, but the language the characters use (early modern English) shows the time period of the play. On a related note, the many references to well-known characters from antiquity (such as Mercutio comparing Rosaline to Laura and Helen of Troy and Cleopatra in scene 3) show the collective unconscious of that time. 







Further Reading:











Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...