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Romeo and Juliet: Influence of Context

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The opening prologue to Romeo and Juliet is heavily shaped by the context of the Elizabethan period. The Elizabethan era was a truly religious time in England where astrology and supernatural beliefs controlled the way a person was treated if they had medical issues. The people of the era believed in a specific hierarchy; this was known as the Great Chain of Being. It is believed that God was the ruler of everything followed by angels and arch angels, humans, animals, plants and minerals. The prologue of Romeo and Juliet is written in sonnet form which created a contemporary feel to the play. Shakespeare's sonnets were popular among the English of the time period and they came to watch his plays in the Globe Theatre. His prologue in Romeo …show more content…

The theme of fate and fortune in Romeo and Juliet is shown by the line ‘A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life’. The word, ‘star-cross’d’ portray that the two lovers, Romeo and Juliet, will meet because the stars are aligned for them. This shows that fate is a concept in Shakespeare's play. Fortune was a big part of the Elizabethan world and was believed to be the main controlling force in life. From zodiac signs to the wheel of Fortune, Elizabethan’s believed in fate and the

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