Romeo and Juliet: GCSE Shakespeare in ContextThis Athena GCSE Guide supports students in studying and revising the Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet for current GCSE and IGCSE exams. Throughout the guide, exam-style questions and tasks will be used to enable learners to develop skills in responding to content, language and dramatic form.Part One: Shakespeare in Context explores the wider contexts of Shakespeare's world and the world of the play. Topics include; Shakespeare's life and works; Elizabethan theatre; religion, plague and conflict in Elizabethan society; tragedy, and the Italian setting of the play.Part Two: Characterisation and Themes considers the plot, Shakespeare's characterisation and the important themes developed in the play. Part Three: Detailed textual analysis provides a comprehensive and detailed scene-by-scene analysis of language, character development and dramatic presentation. Links will be made to wider contexts and form, structure and language. Part Four: Language, Structure and Stagecraft explores Shakespeare's use of form, structure and language, and how he achieves particular effects.Part Five: Responding to the Play supports students in developing informed personal responses, with sections on exam responses and how to approach non-exam assessment or coursework.