Romeo and Juliet is filled with clever word play. Shakespeare is a master at subtle jokes and puns, so be ready for them. They are puzzling at first but fun when you understand them.
A pun is using words that have different meanings or words that sound similarly to create a humorous or facetious effect. Puns are constantly used in the English language, in advertisements, article titles, newspaper headlines, songs, jokes, and general everyday speech.
General Examples:
To write with a broken pencil is pointless.
A type of pun is double entendre which is a word or phrase that has double meaning; the second meaning is usually impolite and/or sexual. For example, Sampson says to Gregory: "my naked weapon is out" which literally refers to his sword but also refers to his male body part.
General Examples:
"You can tune a guitar, but you can't tuna fish. Unless of course, you play bass." - Douglas Adams
To write with a broken pencil is pointless.
A type of pun is double entendre which is a word or phrase that has double meaning; the second meaning is usually impolite and/or sexual. For example, Sampson says to Gregory: "my naked weapon is out" which literally refers to his sword but also refers to his male body part.
Romeo and Juliet
The play begins with two servants from the house of Capulets on the street. They see people of the Montagues and want to start a fight. These boys think they are so cool and make lots of jokes in the form of puns. Here are the words they pun with.
carry coals: submit to humiliation
colliers: people who work with coal
in choler: angry
collar: hangman's noose
Other notes:
When you read the play, use the glossary on the left side of the page as you read and make lots of inferences about all the possible meanings.
Be patient with and enjoy the text!
Homework:
Read Act 1.Sc 1. Take at least 4 notes on characters and conflicts on post-its or in your notebook; include line numbers for evidence.
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