Stage 1 Desired Results Established Goals: (G) Students will: --evaluate how the literary devices of dramatic irony, paradox, oxymoron, pun and allusion create a dominant tone, effect or theme in a work of literature --create and share personal responses to tragedy --interpret the universal themes in Shakespeare and relate them to their own lives --understand the relationship between the written text and theatrical performance. Understandings: (U) Essential Questions: (Q) Students will understand that --Why is Shakespeare considered one of the greatest --people s lives are shaped by the circumstances of writers in the English language? the time and place in which they live (family and --To what extent do we control the direction and final social mores, religion, power relations, etc.) outcomes of our lives? --Shakespearean plays (and all drama) are meant to --Does true love really conquer all? be interpreted and performed --all tragedy contains certain common elements Students will know (K) Students will be able to (S) --know the following literary terms: aside, dramatic irony, paradox, oxymoron, pun, allusion, alliteration, hyperbole, foil, Petrarchan love, chorus, epilogue, prologue, rhyme, sonnet, iambic pentameter, blank verse, tragedy, monologue, soliloquy, comic relief, metaphor, simile, mood, setting, theme,. --know the elements of tragedy and recognize them in literary works. --know the conventions of Elizabethan theater. --be able to read Shakespearean language fluently. --be able to identify the universal, timeless themes that make Shakespeare relevant today. Stage 2 Assessment Evidence Performance Tasks: (T) Other Evidence: 1. Analytical, multi-paragraph essays on R&J (see handout for topics). Differentiated by readiness (scaffolded topics available for novice students and students nearing proficiency). 2. Performance of scenes from R&J on stage or film, differentiated by readiness and interest. -Test on literary terms -Journals -Reader s Theater (performance) -Socratic seminars -Close reading activities -Quizzes -Small and whole group discussion -Creative rewrites of acts -Study questions -Act reviews Stage 3 Learning Plan (OE)
Learning Plan: See attached lesson plans. UbD 1-Page Template (L) Romeo and Juliet Background Research (ADV) Assignment: As we begin our study of Romeo and Juliet, you will have a couple of days to conduct independent research on a topic relevant to the play. You will then prepare and deliver a presentation to the rest of the class. Your presentation will provide background information on the play and will help the rest of the class understand the play better. The other students in the class will be held accountable for each of these topics, so be sure to prepare a well-researched, informative and dynamic presentation. You will be given some class time to prepare, but you will also need to work on your presentation outside of class. Requirements: The presentation must be delivered using Powerpoint or comparable presentation software (instruction will be provided if necessary). Each presentation should be about 10 minutes long (longer is acceptable if you need more time to cover the topic thoroughly, but do not go beyond 15 minutes. Roughly 1 minute per slide = 15 slides). The plagiarism policy applies do NOT simply cut and paste information from web sites or other sources. Your presentation should include citations indicating where the material came from. Respond thoroughly to the questions provided beneath each topic below. Practice your presentation so you are familiar with the material and can present it in an authoritative and dynamic way. To find information on your topic, use both your textbook and the web sites provided below: 1. Elizabethan theater http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/library/slt/stage/stagesubj.html http://www.watson.org/%7eleigh/shakespeare.html#globe http://search.eb.com/shakespeare/index2.html What did a typical Elizabethan theater look like? What were some of the conventions of the Elizabethan theater (costumes, lighting, music, etc.)? Who typically attended the theater? What status did the theater and actors have in Elizabethan society? What was the Globe?
2. Elizabethan women UbD 1-Page Template http://tudors.crispen.org/tudor_women/ http://www.william-shakespeare.info/elizabethan-wedding-customs.htm http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/library/slt/society/familysubj.html http://www.tomecek.com/jay/beliefandcustoms.html What kind of education did girls receive? What were typical Elizabethan marriage customs (average age, betrothal, class differences, property, etc.)? Were Elizabethan marriages typically arranged? What was a dowry and what importance did it have in a woman s marriage? What were some of the laws governing marriage? 3. Elizabeth customs/beliefs/worldview http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/library/slt/ideas/ideassubj.html http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/library/slt/drama/medievaltragedy.html http://www.tomecek.com/jay/beliefandcustoms.html http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/library/slt/stage/masque.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/masquerade_ball What did people believe about the influence of the stars on humans? How were herbs used as medicine? What role did Fortune play in people s lives? What did Elizabethans believe about order in the universe? What were masques and what role did they play in Elizabethan society? 4. Shakespeare & the authorship debate http://www.shakespeare.org.uk http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/library/slt/life/lifesubj.html http://search.eb.com/shakespeare/index2.html What do we know about Shakespeare s life (when and where he was born, education, marriage, career, death)? What roles did Shakespeare play in the theater? What is the controversy surrounding Shakespeare s authorship? After researching this issue, who do you think probably wrote the plays? Why is Shakespeare considered one of the greatest writers in the English language? Romeo and Juliet Presentation Rubric Content (30) Thorough, informative Maximized resources Well-organized Correct citations, no plagiarism Incomplete (1-6) Adequate (7-8) Excellent (9-10)
Presentation (20) Neat and clear visual aids Presenter knowledgeable about topic Dynamic delivery of the information (eye contact, projection, enthusiasm) UbD 1-Page Template Romeo and Juliet Terms 1. Pun: a play on words. There are several ways to pun: a. You can use the word multiple times for all its different senses or meanings. b. You can use two similar-sounding words or two words that have similar meanings. c. You can use several words that relate by theme while using a word with multiple meanings. Example: The wife was so glad that her husband was finally taking out the trash that she didn t trash him for once. d. You can change a letter or two to create a new word that is a blend of these meanings. For example, funny + pun = punny. (Decourcy, Fairchild and Follet 113) 2. Metaphor: a comparison between two unlike things in which one thing is substituted for another. A metaphor is like a math equation, where A=B. For example, we might say to someone, You re a pig! Obviously, the person is not actually a pig, but there is one way that the human and the pig can be alike: they both share the qualities of greediness or sloppiness. A metaphor carries more power than a simile because the comparison is stated without calling attention to itself with words such as like or as, as in a simile (Decourcy, Fairchild and Follet 72). 3. Oxymoron: the use of paired opposites in a phrase or description. An oxymoron is a situation, place, or thing in which opposites coexist. You see and hear oxymorons all the time: on TV commercials, on restaurant menus, and in political talk. Examples: jumbo shrimp, bittersweet, peace force, firm pillow, alone in a crowd. (Decourcy, Fairchild & Follet 72) 4. Petrarchan lover: a person in love with the idea of being in love. Petrarch was an early Renaissance Italian poet known for writing dramatic love poetry; he loved a woman named Laura. They never actually had a relationship. During Shakespeare s time, the ideals of love included these Petrarchan qualities: the lover must be melancholy for the sake of the beloved; the beloved must resist (if not reject) the lover s attentions; the lover must write beautiful poetry to woo the beloved; the lover must suffer from the pangs of unrequited love (Decourcy, Fairchild and Follet 72). 5. Motif: A repeated symbol in a literary work that is often a sensory, physical image. The words used for a motif are concrete rather than abstract, and the image is repeated more than once in a scene, act or chapter. (Examples of motifs in Romeo and Juliet are masks, the sun and moon, and light and dark.) 6. Allusion: A reference to something from history, literature, mythology, the Bible or art Example: You are a lover. Borrow Cupid s wings / And soar with them above a common bound. (Mercutio) 7. Paradox: An apparent contradiction that contains an element of truth. Example: My bounty is as boundless as the sea, / my love as deep. The more I give to thee, / The more I have, for both are infinite. (Juliet) 8. Drama: A story that is written to be acted out in front of an audience. 9. Acts: Major divisions of actions within a play. 10. Scenes: Divisions within the acts of a play.
11. Comedy: A lighter form of drama that aims to amuse and ends happily. It deals with human failings, follies and foibles. 12. Tragedy: A drama featuring a protagonist engaged in a morally significant struggle ending in ruin or profound disappointment. 13. Monologue: The discourse of only one speaker. A monologue is a speech that represents what someone would speak aloud in a situation with listeners, although they do not speak. 14. Prologue: Opening lines introducing a drama s characters, setting and conflict; precedes the plot. 15. Epilogue: Final remarks in a play, addressed to the audience; follows the plot. 16. Soliloquy: a character s thoughts spoken aloud on stage. 17. Aside: Part of a character s dialogue that is intended only for the audience or a selected character, purposely excluding others. 18. Sonnet: A lyric poem of 14 lines, written in iambic pentameter and following a set rhyme scheme. 19. Chorus: A group of actors speaking as one character. 20. Iambic Pentameter: A line of poetry containing 5 iambs. An iamb is a unit of measure consisting of an unstressed syllable (U) followed by a stressed syllable (/). Example: But soft! What light through yonder window breaks! (Romeo) 21. Blank Verse: Poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter. This is the rhythm of everyday speech. Example: It was the nightingale, and not the lark, / that pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear. (Juliet) 22. Hyperbole: A figure of speech in which conscious exaggeration is used. 23. Foil: A character who is used as a contrast to another character. The writer uses a foil to accentuate and clarify the distinct qualities of two characters. Example: The cynical, sophisticated Mercutio is a foil to the romantic, naïve Romeo. 24. Alliteration: The repetition at close intervals of initial consonant sounds. Example: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
Romeo and Juliet Terms Test (30 points) A. Definitions: Match the definitions with the appropriate terms by writing the term on your answer sheet. Some terms may be used more than once. (1 pt. each) Drama Acts Scenes Comedy Tragedy Monologue Soliloquy Prologue Epilogue Aside Sonnet Chorus Blank verse Foil Petrarchan love 1. Poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter. 2. Opening lines introducing a play s characters, setting and conflict. 3. A drama featuring a protagonist engaged in a morally significant struggle ending in ruin or profound disappointment. 4. A speech by one person (other people may or may not hear it). 5. A character s thoughts spoken aloud on stage (only the audience is aware of what they are saying). 6. A story that is written to be acted out in front of an audience. 7. A poem of 14 lines of rhymed iambic pentameter. 8. A group of actors speaking as one character. 9. Two contrasting characters who bring out one another s traits. 10. Part of a character s dialogue that is intended only for the audience or a selected character, purposely excluding others. 11. Final remarks in a play, addressed to the audience. 12. Unrequited (unreturned) or one-sided love. 13. Major divisions of action within a play. 14. A lighter form of drama that aims primarily to amuse and that ends happily. 15. Divisions within the acts of a play. B. Application: Match each of the following terms with its example: (2 pts. each) Pun Oxymoron Hyperbole Alliteration Allusion Paradox 16. All the waters of [the ocean] won t wash this blood from my hands. 17. The price of duck feathers has increased. Now even down is up. 18. The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, the furrow followed free. 19. We have a love-hate relationship. 20. Zeus threw down his thunderbolt. 21. When you re lost you re found. C. Short Answer: 22. How many syllables are there in a line of iambic pentameter? (1 pt.) 23. Use the symbols U and / to illustrate what a line of iambic pentameter would look like (show the unstressed and stressed syllables). (2 pts.) Romeo and Juliet Study Questions (OT and NOV) ***Note that you will not be reading every scene in its entirety. The lines you are assigned to read are in parentheses after the scene number.
ACT I Scene 1 (all): 1. What kind of person is Tybalt? (lines 63-69) Support your answer with specific things he says and does. 2. Why do you think so many people of Verona would get involved in a servants fight? How could the fighting foreshadow the rest of the play? 3. Note that the servants speak in prose everyday speech while Benvolio, Tybalt, the Lords and Ladies speak in blank verse. Why would Shakespeare distinguish their speech? 4. What is Romeo doing that causes his parents to worry? What kind of mood has Romeo been in lately? Give words or phrases that support your answer. (lines 129-140) 5. In speaking to Benvolio, Romeo uses oxymorons (opposites paired in a phrase). List all the oxymorons you find in his speech (lines 174-180). a. Why would Romeo use oxymorons to describe his feelings about unrequited (unreturned) love? b. Is love ever the way Romeo says it is? Why or why not? c. Create your own oxymoron. 6. Romeo also uses a lot of metaphors in speaking about love (lines 188-192). List the six things he compares love to. What is Romeo s attitude towards love? a. Which metaphor do you believe best describes love? Why? b. To what unlike person, place or thing would you compare love? Why? Write two metaphors of your own. Scene 2 (lines 1-25; 84-103) 1. Lord Capulet seems like a nice guy. After all, he doesn t seem to be forcing Juliet into an arranged marriage, even though wealthy parents in Shakespeare s day often did. Find three examples from his speech to Paris that prove that Lord Capulet is kind and concerned about his daughter. 2. What advice does Benvolio give Romeo for dealing with his love situation? (lines 87-89) Is this good advice? Why or why not? Scene 3 (lines 63-end) 1. Should parents have a say in who their children marry? 2. What is your impression of the Nurse? Give a couple of details to support your ideas. 3. What is your impression of Juliet so far? Give a couple of details to support your ideas. Scene 4 (lines 48-end) 1. Romeo has a premonition in this scene. What is it? Predict what this premonition might foreshadow. 2. Draw Queen Mab. What types of dreams does she give the people she visits? 3. Look up words related to the name Mercutio. What are the connotations of this name? What does this say about the character of Mercutio? Scene 5 (lines 41-end) 1. What does Romeo say that Juliet (or her beauty) teaches? What does Romeo really mean? 2. Explain the significance of the simile: It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night / As a rich jewel in an Ethiop s ear
3. To what else does Romeo compare Juliet? What is your reaction to these comparisons is this a very romantic statement? Why? What is true romance? 4. Is this love at first sight or true love? How do you know? 5. What kind of character is Tybalt? Why do you think Shakespeare includes him in this scene? 6. When you get to Romeo s line If I profane with my unworthiest hand (line 93), stop and review the structure and themes of the sonnet. Then read the exchange between Romeo and Juliet that forms a sonnet. Finally, complete the Speaking in Bardish activity in groups (handout). 7. After completing the Speaking in Bardish activity: Juliet uses a metaphor about her grave. Find it. What connotations do grave and wedding bed have? Why would she say such a thing? 8. What does Juliet mean by My only love sprung from my only hate! / Too early seen unknown, and known too late!? What literary element is at work in this line? 9. Provide some thoughts that seem to sum up what the play is saying about love and identity so far. (E.g. how does love first begin? Is love a reasonable thing? What can we learn about a character through his or her actions and/or speech? If you fall in love with someone of whom your family disapproves, should you marry the person regardless of the obstacles?) Act II Prologue: 1. Determine what makes the prologue a sonnet. Summarize the prologue. Scene 1: (summary only) 1. Read the summary of this scene (p. 70) and the commentary entitled Mercutio s banter on p. 71. How is Mercutio different from Romeo? Scene 2: (the famous balcony scene!) 1. Carefully read Romeo s first nine lines. Explain why he compares Juliet to the sun and wants her to kill the envious moon. What is the meaning of this metaphor? (Hint: think about the connotations of words like sun and moon). 2. What kind of love is Romeo experiencing when he sees Juliet? Is it true romantic love or is it lust? 3. Why does Juliet want Romeo to give up his name? What does Juliet say will happen if Romeo is called by another name? (lines 33-48) 4. What does Juliet say will happen if her people find Romeo on her balcony? What is Romeo s response? (lines 62-78) 5. Why does Juliet tell Romeo not to swear by the moon that he loves her? (lines 107-114) 6. What is Juliet worried about in lines 116-124? 7. What plan does Juliet propose to Romeo? (lines 142-148)? 8. Where do we see the motif of haste vs. patience in this scene? Write down the quotations and line numbers. Then write a quotation sandwich as practice for your essay writing later. Fill in the blanks in this paragraph: the topic sentence, the example (quotation), and the commentary. Quotation Sandwich: TOPIC SENTENCE: Juliet feels that time. For example, Juliet tells Romeo, (insert quote).
Juliet s words illustrate that (commentary on the quote). 9. What key difference between Romeo and Juliet emerges in this scene? Explain with details. 10. Challenge Question: What other motifs appear in this scene? Write down parts of quotes to support each motif. 11. Challenge Question: How is this scene between the lovers both romantic and dangerous? Is the romance enhanced by the presence of danger, or would it be more romantic not to be in danger? Explain. Scene 3 (lines 31-end) 1. At the beginning of this scene, Friar Laurence philosophizes about human nature and medicine. Paraphrase these lines: a. Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied, / And vice sometime s by action dignified. (lines 21-22) b. Two such opposed kings encamp them still / In man as well as herbs grace and rude will; / And where the worser is predominant, / Full soon the canker death eats up that plant. (lines 27-30) 2. Where does Friar Laurence think Romeo has been? What does this tell us about Romeo? 3. Why does the Friar say, Young men s love then lies / Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes? Do you agree? 4. What is the Friar s motive for helping Romeo and Juliet? 5. What warning does the Friar give Romeo in the last line of the scene? What motif do we see at work here? Scene 4 (lines 36-182) 1. This scene is important for developing the characters of Mercutio, Romeo and the Nurse. Describe the speech and behavior of each what do we learn about them based on their interaction here? Scene 5 (all) 1. Juliet is impatient in this scene. Quote a couple of her lines that show this impatience. 2. How does the Nurse tease Juliet? Why do you think she does this? 3. What motif do we see in this scene? Scene 6 (read summary only) Romeo and Juliet Study Questions (Advanced) Act I: Scene 1: 1. The play opens with the Capulet and Montague servants engaging in a lot of wordplay. Many of the puns are sexual and even violent. Why might Shakespeare include so much sexual innuendo in a play about true love? 2. Characterize Tybalt, providing 2-3 examples of things he says or does to support your point. 3. Reread the Prince s speech (lines 79-101). a. What historical information does he convey? b. What are two important political decisions he makes? Are they sound decisions?
4. Note that the servants are speaking in prose while Benvolio, Tybalt, the Lords, the Ladies and the Prince all speak in blank verse. What conclusions can you draw about why Shakespeare would distinguish their speech? 5. What are the connotations of these words: mistemper d, canker d, civil, profaners, moved? Connect each word to the themes of this play: love and marriage, rebellion, fate, paradox, identity. 6. What is Romeo doing that causes his parents to worry? What kind of mood has Romeo been in lately? How will Benvolio and the Montagues get to the bottom of the situation? 7. What oxymorons does Romeo use to describe love? List a few. What does Shakespeare choose to have Romeo speak about love using oxymorons? (Hint: what are you as a reader learning about Romeo s character and his situation?) 8. What metaphors does Romeo use for love? Choose two and explain the connotations of each. Then write a topic sentence that states Romeo s attitude towards love. 9. In what ways is Romeo a Petrarchan lover? Scene 2: 1. What advice does Benvolio give Romeo for dealing with his love situation? Is this good advice? Why or why not? 2. How does Romeo respond and what does this tell us about him? Scene 3: 1. Characterize Juliet s Nurse, looking especially at her long and repetitive speech in lines 16-48. Give 2-3 adjectives to describe her and support each adjective with something she says. 2. Lady Capulet uses a conceit to describe Paris. A conceit is an extended metaphor, a comparison between unlike objects or ideas in which the comparison is drawn out for an entire stanza or poem. Find the conceit and write down the comparison. What might be Lady Capulet s motivations for describing Paris so elaborately? 3. What do you think Juliet thinks of her mother s suggestion? Read her last lines very carefully. Scene 4: 1. This scene includes lots of puns. Mercutio is especially fond of punning. Find 2-3 examples of puns in this scene and explain the double meaning. 2. What are the connotations of the name Mercutio? Use a dictionary to help you. Based on these connotations, predict what role you think Mercutio will have in the play. 3. Romeo has a premonition in this scene. What is it? Predict what this premonition might foreshadow? 4. Draw Queen Mab. Why do you think Shakespeare includes this elaborate description? Try to identify one of the themes of the play that emerges here. 5. How does Romeo s mood change in this scene? Find a line that captures his attitude at the beginning and a line that captures his attitude at the end of the scene. What does this change tell you about his personality? Scene 5: 1. To what does Romeo compare Juliet in lines 44-53? What is the significance of this comparison and others? 2. Why do you think Romeo speaks in hyperbole? Do you believe him? Why or why not? 3. Compare Tybalt s behavior with Lord Capulet s (lines 54-92). What kind of character is Tybalt? Why do you think Shakespeare includes him in this scene? 4. When you get to Romeo s line If I profane with my unworthiest hand (line 93), stop and review the structure and themes of the sonnet. Then read the exchange between Romeo and Juliet that forms a sonnet. Finally, complete the Speaking in Bardish activity in groups (handout). 5. What does Romeo mean when he says, Is she a Capulet? / O dear account! My live is my foe s debt (lines 119-120)? 6. Why is Juliet s line My grave is like to be my wedding bed both ironic and not?
7. Juliet uses the word prodigious, meaning ominous or foreshadowing evil. Who else has predicted evil forthcoming? When? What is interesting about this parallel? 8. Provide some thoughts that seem to sum up what the play is saying about love and identity so far. (E.g. how does love first begin? Is love a reasonable thing? What can we learn about a character through his or her actions and/or speech? If you fall in love with someone of whom your family disapproves, should you marry the person regardless of the obstacles?)
Romeo and Juliet Close Reading Exercise Acts II-V (ADV) For Act I of Romeo and Juliet you had study questions to guide your reading. For Acts II-V, you will need to be a bit more independent. To find the deeper meaning in Romeo and Juliet, look for: a. Character development: Actions or dialogue that reveal something significant about a character or characters b. Themes: a key idea, or universal truth, that is repeated throughout the play c. Language: Shakespeare is a master of the English language. Note how he uses allusions, paradoxes, figurative language and other literary devices to create meaning in the play. d. Motifs: a repeated symbol that is often a sensory, physical image. Motifs represent patterns or trends that lead to theme. A theme is a universal truth. For example, love is a theme, an idea that people understand and believe in and can make statements about, but love is not a motif. The sun and moon are motifs but not themes. The sun and moon might represent the themes of beauty or change. (Decourcy, Fairchild and Follet 176) Recreate the following chart in your notebook, leaving yourself quite a bit of space to fill in notes as you read (a minimum of one page per act). You should have notes from almost every scene. These notes will help prepare you for writing your final essay on the play, so be thorough. Character development Act, scene, line numbers Quote, paraphrase or summary of lines Commentary (context, connotations, questions, significance, connection to other scenes) Themes (rebellion, identity, love and marriage, fate, words and action) Language (allusion, paradox, oxymoron, pun, hyperbole, metaphor, simile, etc.) Motifs sun, moon and stars time haste vs. patience light/dark or day/night birds masks dreams and premonitions interior (private) vs. exterior (public) space looking/sight) Romeo and Juliet Socratic Seminars Notes to Teachers: Socratic seminars can be conducted in a variety of ways. Generally smaller groups (10 or fewer) enable more students to be involved in the discussion. Groups can be differentiated according to readiness, or
mixed to encourage students to interact with students of different levels. Seat students in a circle or U shape. In a class of 20 you might have two discussion circles going at the same time, or have two concentric circles with speakers on the inside and observers on the outside. The students are entirely responsible for carrying on the conversation. The teacher should intervene only to keep questioning alive, to encourage students to refer to the text and support generalizations with specifics, and to remind students to follow the ground rules. Ground Rules: 1. Speak to one another and not the teacher. 2. Respect all participants. Disagree with grace, understanding and courtesy. 3. Participate selectively if you have a lot to say. Draw others into the discussion. 4. Listen actively by watching and refraining from distractions and side conversations. 5. Build on points previously made when you make your point. 6. Wait to speak until your peer is finished. 7. Back up your points with textual evidence. 8. When asked to evaluate your peers, do so with constructive criticism. It is important that students do some preparation for seminars by responding to questions in writing, either in class or for homework. This encourages them to think about the topics before engaging in a conversation about them. Questions for each act of Romeo and Juliet follow. ***All questions and the rubric taken from Decourcy, Delia and Lyn Fairchild and Robin Follet, Teaching Romeo and Juliet: A Differentiated Approach. Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English, 2007. SEMINAR QUESTIONS ACT I Love and Marriage Play-Related Questions: 1. Are Romeo and Juliet experiencing true love? If not, explain what you think they are experiencing. If so, explain what you believe their course of action should be. 2. How high is the pedestal Romeo creates for Juliet? Does she deserve this? Relevance Questions: 1. How do you define true love? 2. Why do people put a beloved person on a pedestal? What effect does this have on the relationship? 3. Marriages in Western societies tend to be based on romantic love, but during the Elizabethan era they were based on economics, family politics, and social status. Which approach fits your values and beliefs? Why? What are the arguments for both? Rebellion Play-Related Questions: 1. The word rebellion is often associated with violence, yet Romeo and Juliet are rebellious through their love. Discuss the forces and authorities they are rebelling against. 2. Do you think nonviolent resistance will be Romeo s and Juliet s choice in order to be together? What would nonviolent resistant look like in their situations? How do you know they would or would not choose this route? What would be a violent way of achieving their goal to be together? Fate Play-Related Questions: 1. Romeo has a premonition that he will die an early death if he goes to the Capulet party, but he goes anyway. Why does Romeo make such a choice?
2. Do Romeo and Juliet seem in control of their lives thus far, or is something else controlling them? Relevance Questions: 1. Do you believe in fate? Can people who believe in fate change their fate? Identity Play-Related Questions: 1. How do others define Juliet s identity for her? How does she define herself? 2. How do others define Romeo s identity for him? How does he define himself? 3. Are Romeo and Juliet as capable of defining themselves as you are as a modern teen? Relevance Questions: 1. What are the elements that make up a modern American teen s identity? Masks Play-Related Questions: 1. What is the symbolic significance of the masked ball at which Romeo and Juliet meet? How are they masked? By what? By whom? To whom? How are they unmasked? Relevance Questions: 1. Consider the different masks people wear in everyday society. Why do we wear them? When? What determines the masks we choose? Are we ever completely unmasked? ACT II Love and Marriage Play-Related Questions: 1. What indications do we have that Romeo and Juliet are experiencing lust rather than true love? What indications do we have that they are experiencing true love? Which feeling is stronger? Relevance Questions: 1. Is love at first sight possible, or is it just physical attraction at work? 2. What social barriers do people today face in their love lives? Rebellion Play-Related Questions: 1. The Nurse and the Friar both engage in forms of rebellion in this act. What kind of rebellion do they embrace? What is their motivation for breaking the social order? 2. If there is a continuum of rebellion (1 being a conformist, nonrebellious personality, and 10 being an anti-authority, rebellious personality), what ratings would you give Mercutio, Benvolio, Romeo, Juliet, the Nurse and the Friar? Why? Relevance Questions: 1. How and why do teenagers use romantic relationships to rebel against their parents? 2. Do people tend to be more rebellious when they are with peers than when they re alone? In what ways do friendships encourage or discourage rebellion? Dichotomy and Paradox Play-Related Questions: 1. Friar Laurence talks about how virtue itself turns vice. How does this happen in the play? Consider the oppositions of love/hate, comedy/tragedy, temperance/intemperance, youth/old age. 2. Why does Shakespeare use so many paradoxes in this play? How similar are the supposed opposites and what function do they have in the play? Relevance Questions: 1. How can someone or something exhibit opposite characteristics? For example, how can you both love and hate someone? How can something be both a lifesaver and a deathtrap?
Identity Play-Related Questions: 1. How do love and hate define the identities of the play s various characters, especially Romeo, Tybalt, Mercutio, and Juliet? Relevance Questions: 1. How much does our identity rely on others? In what ways? How are we defined by the existence of the other our seeming opposite? Do opposites truly attract? Time: Haste vs. Patience Play-Related Questions: 1. Is it better to love passionately? Or to love moderately? Why? How does love or any intense emotion affect a sense of time for you? 2. Is love truer if it happens quickly? Why or why not? Looking and Sight Play-Related Questions: 1. Why does Friar Laurence say that young men s love lies in their eyes, rather than in their hearts? Relevance Questions: 1. Do we judge most with sight? Or do we use other means of judging? ACT III Love and Marriage Play-Related Questions: 1. Consider Romeo and Juliet s behaviors in this act. Do they indicate a strong commitment to marriage? Why or why not? Which of the lovers seems more committed to the impending marriage? Why? Relevance Questions: 1. What responsibility to husbands and wives have to each other? What sacrifices are appropriate? What sacrifices are too extreme in a marriage? Rebellion Play-Related Questions: 1. In Act 3, scene 5, Juliet rebels against her father s wishes by refusing to marry Paris. How is this refusal a rebellion not only against his power, but also against the structure and norms of Elizabethan society? 2. Why would Juliet take such a risk? Relevance Questions: 1. In what situations might children feel motivated to rebel against their parents? Are those rebellions effective? Why or why not? Dichotomy and Paradox Play-Related Questions: 1. How can Juliet both hate and love Romeo after he kills Tybalt? Relevance Questions: 1. When might people find themselves feeling both love and hate for someone? What kinds of relationships tend to elicit such opposing feelings? Identity Play-Related Questions: 1. Why is death better than banishment, according to Romeo? What do you think of Romeo s attitude? What do we learn about his personality and identity in this scene? 2. How does this newly formed bond change Romeo and Juliet? Does each of the young lovers think differently about their future now?
Relevance Questions: 1. How do people s sense of identity change when they get married? Should it change? Interior and Exterior Play-Related Questions: 1. Explore where each scene in Act 3 occurs. What action takes place in public, and what happens in private? How is the location of these actions and decisions significant? Relevance Questions: 1. How does location affect how you behave? Are you a different person in public compared to the person you are in private? Masks Play-Related Questions: 1. Juliet begins to transform in this act. What are the masks she wears in act 3 as she attempts to conceal her new role as Romeo s wife from her father and mother, as well as her desire to take charge of her future as she talks to the Nurse? Relevance Questions: 1. Often people behave differently when they are with one group of people versus another group. Is this dishonest behavior, or merely a necessary habit for survival and therefore appropriate?
Speaker Observer Socratic Seminar Peer/Teacher Evaluation Behaviors Excellent Good Fair Needs Improvement Shares the discussion rather than monopolizing or interrupting Listens to others by building on points previously made Offers comments that extend discussion; raises new points; asks clarifying questions; and/or examines the logic of ideas Provides relevant supporting evidence from the text Respectfully disagrees Speaks loudly and clearly Provides relevant, appropriate, and respectful real-life examples Comments: Speaker Observer Socratic Seminar Peer/Teacher Evaluation Behaviors Excellent Good Fair Needs Improvement Shares the discussion rather than monopolizing or interrupting Listens to others by building on points previously made Offers comments that extend discussion; raises new points; asks clarifying questions; and/or examines the logic of ideas Provides relevant supporting evidence from the text Respectfully disagrees Speaks loudly and clearly Provides relevant, appropriate, and respectful real-life examples Comments: Romeo and Juliet Reading Activities
Before reading: The Human Graph (pre-play poll) (Decourcy, Fairchild and Follet 42) Whole Class Activity (WCA): (20 minutes) 1. Explain to students that many debatable issues and themes will arise during the study of Romeo and Juliet and that they may find themselves changing their opinions because of what they observe in the play, or, by the end, holding more steadfastly to their original opinions. 2. Ask students to complete the Pre-Play Poll, which asks them to take an initial stand on an issue or theme, in a kinesthetic exercise: a. The Human Graph: Read aloud each statement and ask students to move to an AGREE, DISAGREE, or UNDECIDED side of the room each time. After students have responded to each statement, ask one student from each position to explain his or her choice. Thos UNDECIDED can also share any questions they have. This approach asks for their gut reactions, followed by discussion. Encourage students to define words from the poll such as offensive or supportive using their own examples. They should debate words such as desperate to determine what would be a desperate response to a desperate situation. After such discussions, ask if anyone wants to change positions. Pre-Play Poll: 1. It is all right to engage someone in a fight if they make offensive statements. 2. It is all right to keep important problems in your life secret from your parents if they will get angry and punish you. 3. Parents should not have a role in determining whom their children marry. 4. Deceiving people temporarily is all right if it is for a good cause in the long run. 5. Always be supportive of friends and family even if you disagree with their choices. 6. If you fall in love with someone of whom your family disapproves, you should marry the person regardless of the obstacles. 7. Parents are ultimately responsible for their children s choices. 8. Love at first sight does exist. 9. Desperate situations call for desperate measures. 10. It s all right to resort to violence when the honor of friends or family is at stake. Act I, scene 5: 1. Theater Workshop (Decourcy, Fairchild and Follet 120) TR Groups: (30 minutes writing and practice, 20 minutes performance) You are going to improvise and act, direct, and critique act 1, scene 5 first as writers and actors. Draft and practice a quick, modern script that shows a guy, Romy, expressing his interest in a girl, Julie. Your scene must answer this question: How do characters show physical attraction to someone versus emotional, intellectual, and spiritual attraction? You should pick either love at first sight or true romantic love as the theme for Romy and Julie. Additional plot complications: Julie s cousin, Ty, hates Romy. Julie s dad, Mr. Cap, has to calm his nephew after Ty sees Romy talking with Julie. Each group need to write (a) a brief, 4-line speech in which Romy talks to the audience, describing Julie s beauty; (b) a dialogue of approximately 7-10 lines in which Romy woos Julie and Julie responds; and (c) a dialogue between Ty and Mr. Cap of approximately 5-7 lines, showing Mr. Cap trying to control Ty s temper while they observe Romy and Julie in a romantic moment. In 30 minutes you should be prepared to present your skit to the class.
Acts II-III In your group, act out the events of Acts 2 and 3 without using any words. You may choose to do this in the form of a dance or a mime. Each event must be included. You will perform your skit for the class. Act 2 Benvolio and Mercutio look for Romeo. Juliet tells Romeo she loves him and they exchange vows. Romeo goes to see Friar Lawrence, who agrees to marry them as it may help end the feud. Meanwhile Tybalt makes it known he wishes to challenge Romeo to a duel. Romeo tells the Nurse of his plan to marry Juliet. Juliet blushes when she hears the news. Romeo and Juliet meet at the Friar s cell and are married in secret. Act 3 Next day Mercutio picks a fight with Tybalt. Romeo turns up and tries to intervene. Tybalt kills Mercutio when Romeo gets in his way. This makes Romeo angry and he then kills Tybalt. Romeo, now a murderer, is banished from Verona. End of Play Your task is to enact a court case, with a jury, a prosecutor, a judge and a defense lawyer. The Case: Who was to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet? The Prosecution must accuse 3 characters and find a case against eacho f them. The prosecution must set out to prove their guilt witnesses may be called. The Defense has to prove that the accused are innocent and needs to call witnesses and to quote from the play. They can also set about proving that other characters were more to blame. The trial should last 5 minutes. Use the class as the jury if you wish. Fill in the planning sheet before practicing the trial (add boxes for 3 accused). Each member must play an equal part in the performance of the trial. Prosecution Evidence Quotes Witnesses Planning Sheet Accused #1 = Reasons: Defense Evidence Quotes Witnesses Romeo and Juliet Quiz Act I A. Matching: Write the name of the character that says each of the following lines. Names may be used more than once.
Romeo Juliet Benvolio Nurse Lady Capulet Mercutio Tybalt Prince Escalus 1. What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word / as I hate hell, all Montagues and thee. 2. If ever you disturb our streets again, / Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. 3. I fear too early, for my mind misgives / Some consequence yet hanging in the stars / Shall bitterly begin his fearful date / With this night s revels. 4. O, then I see Queen Mab hath been with you. 5. I ll look to like, if looking liking move. 6. Read o er the volume of Paris face, and find delight writ there with beauty s pen. 7. I ll lay fourteen of my teeth (and yet, to my teen be it spoken, I have but four) she s not fourteen. 8. My only love sprung from my only hate! 9. O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! / It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night / As a rich jewel in an Ethiop s ear 10. Part, fools! / Put up your swords. You know not what you do. B. Short Answers (5 points each) Write a 4-5 sentence response to each of the following questions. Use complete sentences. 11. What role does fate play in Romeo and Juliet so far? Give TWO SPECIFIC examples of fate at work. 12. Characterize both Romeo and Juliet. Give ONE specific example of something EACH character says or does that gives us insight into their characters. Romeo and Juliet Quiz Act I A. Matching: Write the name of the character that says each of the following lines. Names may be used more than once. Romeo Juliet Benvolio Nurse Lady Capulet Mercutio Tybalt Prince Escalus 1. What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word / as I hate hell, all Montagues and thee. 2. If ever you disturb our streets again, / Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. 3. I fear too early, for my mind misgives / Some consequence yet hanging in the stars / Shall bitterly begin his fearful date / With this night s revels. 4. O, then I see Queen Mab hath been with you. 5. I ll look to like, if looking liking move. 6. Read o er the volume of Paris face, and find delight writ there with beauty s pen. 7. I ll lay fourteen of my teeth (and yet, to my teen be it spoken, I have but four) she s not fourteen. 8. My only love sprung from my only hate! 9. O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! / It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night / As a rich jewel in an Ethiop s ear 10. Part, fools! / Put up your swords. You know not what you do. B. Short Answers (5 points each) Write a 4-5 sentence response to each of the following questions. Use complete sentences. 11. What role does fate play in Romeo and Juliet so far? Give TWO SPECIFIC examples of fate at work. 12. Characterize both Romeo and Juliet. Give ONE specific example of something EACH character says or does that gives us insight into their characters.
Romeo and Juliet Act II Quiz Write the name of the speaker of each of the quotes in #1-5: 1. Tis but thy name that is my enemy. Thou art thyself, though not a Montague O be some other name! 2. With love s light wings did I o erperch these walls, / For stony limits cannot hold love out. 3. Although I joy in thee, / I have no joy of this contract tonight. / It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden, / Too like the lightning, Which doth cease to be / Ere one can say It lightens. 4. But my true love is grown to such excess / I cannot sum up sum of half my wealth. 5. Two such opposed kings encamp them still / In man as well as herbs grace and rude will; / And where the worser is predominant, Full soon the canker death eats up that plant. 6. The quote in #5 above is an example of (A) allusion (B) paradox (C) hyperbole (D) metaphor 7. What promise does Juliet make to Romeo when they part at the end of the balcony scene? (A) Never to see Romeo again (B) To send Romeo a love letter (C) To run away with him (D) To send someone to find out about the wedding plans. 8. When Romeo tells Friar Lawrence that he is in love with Juliet, how does the Friar react? (A) The friar is angry with Romeo (B) The friar is happy for Romeo (C) The friar scolds Romeo for the impossible nature of the relationship (D) The friar scolds Romeo but sees it as a way to resolve the feud 9. Why does Juliet tell Romeo not to swear his love by the moon? (A) Because there is no moon in the sky that night (B) Because the moon is false (C) Because she prefers the sun (D) Because the moon is ever-changing. 10. When the Nurse returns from her meeting with Romeo, why does she delay in telling Juliet about the wedding plans? (A) She is teasing Juliet (B) She does not want Juliet to marry Romeo (C) She is angry about the way Mercutio treated her (D) She wants to make sure no one will overhear them. 11. The Friar s line, Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow is an example of (A) allusion (B) hyperbole (C) paradox (D) pun. 12. What does Friar Lawrence mean by what he says above? (Paraphrase and interpret the quote) 13. What difference emerges between Romeo and Juliet in this Act? Give a specific example of something each character says or does that distinguishes them. Romeo and Juliet Journal Prompts The following prompts can be used for anchoring activities, to get students to relate the characters and themes of Romeo and Juliet to their own lives. Have students write at least 250 words (about one page) and write without stopping for ten minutes. They should not censor their thoughts, or worry about organization, spelling, grammar or punctuation. They should include
specific examples whenever possible, but above all the journal should reflect their thoughts, questions and opinions. ***Note: Questions from the Socratic Seminars can also be used as journal questions. Questions below taken from Decourcy, Fairchild and Follet. Act I PRE-READING (Themes) 1. Rebellion: What rules do you struggle to follow? Why? What are the consequences when you do follow the rules? What are the consequences when you don t? What rules do you see others struggling to follow? Why? What consequences have they experienced? 2. Lust: In what ways is lust different from love? How is lust viewed by our society? In what situations is lust approved of? In what situations is it condemned? 3. Dichotomy & Paradox: How can a person or a thing exhibit opposite characteristics simultaneously? (For example, can you feel both love and hate for one person? How and why?) 4. Challenge question: What do these three themes have in common? Make some connections. Act I Scene 3: 1. How would you respond if your parents told you they have someone they want you to marry? Do you think arranged marriages can be just as successful as romantic love marriages? 2. How do the bonds of family demand loyalty? How do such bonds sometimes cause pressure and sacrifice? When should family bonds outweigh true/romantic love bonds? Act I Scene 5: 1. Is there a difference between love at first sight and true love? Why or why not? Are there behaviors that distinguish these two types of love? 2. Can a secret love that a community disapproves of survive? What social barriers do people face in loving each other today? Act II Scene 2: What makes for a truly romantic moment? Roses and chocolates? Sweet nothings? Your best duds? A candlelight dinner? (NOV) Discuss how a writer or filmmaker might use the motifs of night/day, light/dark, sun/moon, time, or masks to create a romantic scene (OT/ADV) Romeo and Juliet Essay Topics (Advanced) Choose one of the following topics on which to write a final essay on Romeo and Juliet. Your essay should be multi-paragraph (5 paragraphs is only a rule of thumb-- you are not limited to this number). Use the chunking format, but you can be flexible with this. Outline your essay before you begin writing. Essays must be typed in MLA format and submitted both in hard copy and to Turnitin.com. 1. Haste vs. patience: Friar Lawrence advises the young lovers to slow down because too swift arrives as tardy as too slow (2.5.15). Capulet hastens Juliet's marriage to Paris, thinking this
will comfort her in her anguish over Tybalt's death. Why is everybody in such a hurry in this play and what are the consequences of their impatience and impulsive actions? 2. Light and dark: The play is full of contrasting images of light and darkness. Juliet invokes the night so she and Romeo can consummate their marriage (3.2). Benvolio says Romeo's love is blind and best befits the dark (2.2.35). At the same time, characters frequently speak of the sun and moon and the sparkle of eyes. How do the various images of light and darkness throughout the play help us understand its theme? 3. Girl Power: Is Juliet empowered or disempowered by the end of the play? Argue that Juliet has made bold, independent choices throughout the play or that she is forced into all her choices or both (Decourcy, Fairchild and Follet 281). Remember to consider the historical context of the play in formulating your response in other words, do not judge Juliet by 21 st century American standards. 4. Dreams vs. reality: Mercutio says dreams...are the children of an idle brain (1.4.104), without substance. After falling in love with Juliet, Romeo fears all this is but a dream, too flattering sweet to be substantial (2.2.147-148). How and why does Shakespeare blur the boundary between dreams and reality in this play? 5. Fate, accidents, bad timing: After killing Tybalt, Romeo declares, I am Fortune's Fool! Critic John Wilders claims, Shakespeare seems to have thought of Romeo and Juliet as a tragedy of fate, brought about by supernatural forces which the lovers are too weak to resist (New Prefaces to Shakespeare, 94). Do you agree with this statement, or do you think the tragedy is a result of other causes? 6. Public and private spaces: The action of the play constantly shifts between public and private spaces. Note how Romeo and Juliet's private sphere is cut off from the world of the family feud (for example, contrast the balcony scene with the various street skirmishes). The lovers are only alone together three times. Why does Shakespeare create this contrast between public and private space? 7. Birds: Romeo tells Juliet, I would I were thy bird (2.3.196). Why are the lovers always referring to nightingales, larks, doves, ravens, etc.? How does bird imagery contribute to your understanding of Romeo and Juliet's characters and their relationship to one another? What theme is emphasized through this motif? 8. Astronomy: Romeo and Juliet frequently use metaphors and images from astronomy when describing their love for one another. Romeo compares Juliet's eyes to stars (2.2.15-17), and Juliet asks that Romeo be cut...out in little stars when she dies (3.2.24). They also make frequent references to the sun and moon. When and why do the lovers speak this way? How do these metaphors and images reveal character and emphasize theme in the play? 9. Identity: Romeo and Juliet are typical teenagers in the sense that they are struggling to define themselves independently of what their families and society expect of them. To what extent are they successful in establishing their identities, and to what extent are their identities defined for them? You may choose to write about only one character or both. 10.Virtue and vice: The critic A.C. Bradley says Shakespeare's great tragic heroes possess
a fatal tendency to identify the whole being with one interest, object, passion or habit of mind, so that the hero's virtue also becomes their vice. To what extent is this true of Romeo and/or Juliet? 11.Words and action: This is a play where words often precede action: In Act I, Gregory and Samson spar verbally with Abram, then a street fight breaks out (1.1). Romeo's talk of love seems to be a way of making love actually happen. How do words lead to action in this play? What do you think Shakespeare is saying about the relationship between language and life? 12. Film versions: Take a scene from the Zefferelli and the Baz Luhrman film versions of this play and compare/contrast. What is the main emphasis of each version and how effective is it? For example, perhaps one version exaggerates the violence of Romeo and Juliet's world more than the other version. Or perhaps a particular character's role is augmented or diminished in one version. How do these choices change your reaction to/understanding of the play? Here are some things you should consider: which lines are cut and why the director would make that choice; any reordering in the sequence of events/lines; casting; choreography (how characters move around the stage in relation to one another); pacing; set; props; sound; costuming; lighting. The idea is NOT to devote a paragraph to each of the above points. Rather, you should develop a thesis with subtopics (just as you do in all your essays) and weave the above topics in. Don't feel like you have to address everything listed here focus on 2-3 scenes. Note: this is a challenging and potentially more time-consuming topic than the others because it requires that you watch two film versions and watch the scene you choose several times before you start writing. Don't let that discourage you, though it's also a fun topic. Just know what you're getting yourself into.
Romeo and Juliet Essay Topics (On Target) Choose one of the following topics on which to write a final essay on Romeo and Juliet. Your essay should be multi-paragraph (5 paragraphs is a rule of thumb, but you are not limited to this number). Use the chunking format and do some pre-writing before you being writing, using an outline or other graphic organizer. Essays must be typed in MLA format and submitted both in hard copy and to Turnitin.com. 1. Parent-child relations: Juliet promises her father she will look to like (1.4.103) Paris but she defies her parents and marries Romeo. What kind of daughter is Juliet? Use your knowledge of the historical context of the play in answering this question be careful not to judge Juliet by 21 st century American standards. 2. Who is to blame? You are the judge reconstructing the action of the play that led to two deaths, Romeo and Juliet s. Your evaluation will determine whether someone will be investigated or arrested. Identify the three people most responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet and explain their role in the tragedy (Decourcy, Fairchild and Follet 279). 3. Characterize Romeo: What kind of person is he? To what extent is he fortune s fool, as he claims to be, and to what extent is he responsible for his own downfall? Discuss 2-3 of his major character traits and provide ample evidence of each. 4. True Love: What is true love? Do Romeo and Juliet have what it takes for a long-lasting relationship? Create a definition of love and evaluate Romeo and Juliet s devotion to each other. Does their love meet the definition you established? (Decourcy, Fairchild and Follet 274) 5. Fate: Is fate responsible for the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet? The Elizabethans regarded stars and the heavens as important factors in determining the path a life would take. Shakespeare reflects this belief in his recurring references to stars, the heavens, fate, chance happenings, and fortune. Choose one character from the play and discuss whether he/she either accepts fate or fights against it (Decourcy, Fairchild and Follet 278).
Romeo and Juliet Essay Topics (Novice) Choose one of the following topics on which to write a final essay on Romeo and Juliet. Your essay should be 4 paragraphs, using the following structure: Introduction: 1. Hook 2. Background information on plot and characters 3. Transition into thesis 4. Thesis 2 Body Paragraphs: 1. Topic sentence 2. Two chunks 3. Clincher Conclusion: Answer the question So what? What does this play teach us about ourselves or about life in general? Make a universal connection. Do some pre-writing before you being writing, using an outline or other graphic organizer. Essays must be typed in MLA format and submitted both in hard copy and to Turnitin.com. Topics 1.Who is Romeo? Who is Juliet? The readers want to know. You are a reporter for People magazine, writing a celebrity profile after having closely observed the behavior of Romeo or Juliet. Pick one of these two protagonists and identify the two most important aspects of his or her personality (Decourcy, Fairchild and Follet 273). Thesis: Identify the two most important aspects of Romeo s or Juliet s personality. Topic Sentence 1: State the first aspect of Romeo or Juliet s personality. Example 1: Example 2: Topic Sentence 2: State the second aspect of Romeo or Juliet s personality. Example 1: Example 2: 2.Who is to blame? You are the judge reconstructing the action of the play that led to two deaths, Romeo and Juliet s. Your evaluation will determine whether someone will be investigated or arrested. Identify the two people most responsible for the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Thesis: The people most responsible for Romeo and Juliet s deaths are (list 2 characters here) Topic Sentence 1: (Name of character) is responsible for Romeo and Juliet s deaths. Reason #1: (give example of something the character says or does that leads to R&J s deaths). Reason #2: (give another example of something the character says or does that leads to R&J s deaths). Topic Sentence 2: (Name of character) is also responsible for Romeo and Juliet s deaths. Reason #1: Reason #2:
3. True Love: What is true love? Do Romeo and Juliet have what it takes for a long-lasting relationship? Create a definition of love and evaluate Romeo and Juliet s devotion to each other. Does their love meet the definition you established? (Decourcy, Fairchild and Follet 274) Intro: (Define true love by identifying at least two aspects of love that a couple must demonstrate.) Thesis: Romeo and Juliet s relationship (does/does not) fit the definition of true love. Topic Sentence 1: Romeo and Juliet (do/do not) display (state the first aspect of true love from your definition above). Example #1: Example #2: Topic Sentence 2: Romeo and Juliet (do/do not) display (state the second aspect of true love from your definition above). Reason #1: Reason #2: Romeo and Juliet Review of Acts At the end of each Act of Romeo and Juliet you will review the act by completing a product or performance. Pay attention to these rules or you could lose credit for your work: You must complete a task for THREE of the first four acts, meaning you get to take a break on one of the acts. You MUST complete something from the WRITTEN column. All three tasks may not come from the same column (i.e. maximum of two tasks from any one column). You must submit three different types of tasks (i.e. you may not do two comic strips). *** In order to get full credit, you must submit a chart or list with your third submission showing which tasks you have completed for which act. For example, your list might look like this: Act I: Creative rewrite (Written) Act II: Game (Physical) Act IV: Director s promptbook (Written) Here are the options for your tasks. See notes below the chart for explanations of each task. Romeo and Juliet Tic-Tac-Toe Written (Verbal) Visual Oral Kinesthetic (Physical) Creative rewrite Visual Soliloquy Analytical interpretation memorization Game paragraph Plot quilt Song performance Dance
Shakespeak Director s promptbook 60-second Shakespeare UbD 1-Page Template Comic strip Storyboard Set design Video montage Powerpoint presentation Dramatic performance WRITTEN OPTIONS: Creative rewrite: Recast a summarized version of the act in a different time and place. This may be written in the form of a newspaper article, a chapter from a novel, a scene from a play, a diary entry, a sonnet, or a letter. No matter which genre you choose, you must address the themes and main events of the act. Analytical paragraph: Write a 3-chunk paragraph analyzing one of the themes or a character from the act. Include at least one quotation in your paragraph and cite it correctly. Shakespeak: Write a brief skit of about two minutes using one of the themes from Romeo and Juliet. Imitate the Bard--use as many Elizabethan words and phrases from Romeo and Juliet as you can. Underline the words and phrases so they can be easily identified. Write a brief introduction to your skit explaining the theme and how the skit connects to Romeo and Juliet. Director s promptbook: Photocopy one scene and write specific stage directions onto it. These should include choices for directing actors sound (emphasis, volume, pacing) and movement (gesture, posture and stance, blocking). Write 2-3 paragraphs ( A Note to the Actor Playing Romeo, for example) as if you are a director of a scene to give general guidelines about the performance of these characters. Actors need themes, or big ideas, to follow don t just give them lots of little tasks. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence in which you make a statement about the character s personality. Then provide supporting details from the text to show why the actor should perform this way. 60-second Shakespeare: Write an abridged version of the act by selecting the most important lines from the entire act. Your version should be able to be performed in about 60 seconds. VISUAL OPTIONS: Visual interpretation: Create a painting, a drawing or some other visual art piece that depicts your interpretation of one of the themes or a particular character s personality from the act. Write a paragraph explaining what you are trying to convey (explain how your choice of color, medium, texture, etc. express something about the theme(s) and events of the act). Plot quilt: Select and depict 8-10 scenes from the act for a multi-panel quilt. Make each panel out of paper. For each panel, create an illustration and write a caption that explains the illustration. Create a border for each panel and tie or string the panels together to form a wall hanging that is a good pictorial plot summary of the act. Comic Strip: Depict the act as a comic, with 8-10 illustrated frames and accompanying dialogue bubbles. Storyboard: Draw a storyboard that could be used to create a film of the act. Include 8-10 frames with a sketch of each camera shot. Underneath each frame include a caption with the camera angle and a snippet of dialogue.
Set design: Set the act in another period and place and design the costumes and the set to fit the newly designated time period. This could be done in a scrapbook containing set sketches, costume designs, fabric swatches, etc. Label the parts of your design for clarity. ORAL OPTIONS: Soliloquy presentation: Memorize a soliloquy from the act and present it to the class with attention to iambic pentameter, correct pronunciation, articulation, pacing and volume. Seek coaching from someone with drama experience (Decourcy 138). Song performance: Write and perform an original rap or song, including lyrics and music, summarizing the act from Romeo and Juliet. Video montage: Create a 1-2 minute video montage depicting the major events of the act. This could be done using photographs or appropriate internet images, for example. Powerpoint presentation: Create and present a 2-3 minute powerpoint presentation containing 7-8 slides depicting a particular scene from the act, or a summary of the whole act. Include both text and images. Remember, the text on your slides should contain talking points only do not cram each slide with information that you plan to read to the class. KINESTHETIC OPTIONS: Game: Design and construct a board game that captures the characters, main events and themes of the act. Dance: Design a costume, select the music and perform an interpretive dance of the act. Turn in a paragraph explaining what you are trying to convey (how does your costume, music and choreography capture important events and themes of the act?). Dramatic performance: Present part of any scene or a condensed version of the scene with conscious choices about acting/blocking, costumes, scenery, music, and other features that demonstrate the larger theme(s). Work cooperatively in a small group, dividing tasks of directing, acting and design. Bozeman Shakespeare Festival As you have learned throughout our study of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare s plays are meant to be performed. This is your chance to form an acting company and produce your very own stage or film interpretation of Romeo and Juliet! Step 1: Scene selection Decide on which scene you re interested in performing. Here are some ideas for significant scenes that would be realistic to perform in a class context. Scene Description Parts Actors Prologue and 1.1.1-101 Ancient Grudge Breaks to New Mutiny Chorus Gregory Sampson Abram Tybalt Group of 5 + extras:
2.2 Wherefore Art Thou Romeo? 3.1.34-134 3.5.69-end 4.5.1-101 A Plague O Both Your Houses! Disobedient Wretch! Juliet is Dead Benvolio Montague Lady Montague Capulet Lady Capulet Prince Romeo Juliet [Nurse] Benvolio Mercutio Romeo Tybalt Juliet Lady Capulet Capulet Nurse Nurse Lady Capulet Capulet Friar Lawrence [Juliet] [Paris] 5.3.74-170 O Happy Dagger Romeo Friar Lawrence Balthasar Juliet Group of 3 Group of 4 + extras Group of 4 Group of 4 + extras Group of 4 Step 2: Setting Meet with others in your small group who want to perform the same scene. Decide on the setting (time and place) for your scene will this be set in urban America in the present time? In the Wild West of the late 1800 s? In war-torn Baghdad, where Juliet is a Shi a Muslim and Romeo is a Sunni? There are unlimited options be creative and don t just settle on the first thing that comes to mind, but also be practical about what you can pull off with a very limited budget! Above all, be sure your choice makes sense with Romeo and Juliet in other words, your setting must fit with Shakespeare s plot, themes and characterization. Be prepared to write a justification of your chosen place and time. Step 3: Divide roles At this point you will need to divvy up the work so that each group member is doing his or her fair share. Your roles should be based on the interests, strengths and weaknesses of each person in your group. Fill out the attached sheet entitled Division of Labor and turn it in to me before you go any further. Step 3: Justification of scene One member of your group needs to write a 1-2 page, typed justification of your setting. I m looking for analysis of the themes and characterization of your scene here, so go into some depth and refer to specifics in your scene. Start with an introduction in which you state your thesis: what overall effect is your group going for? What mood are you trying to establish? What key theme/motif do you want to emphasize about this play? You might then write one paragraph describing the chosen setting, another paragraph describing what was (or is) happening at that time and place, and another paragraph explaining why this time and place fits with Shakespeare s text. This is only a suggestion feel free to organize this short essay in any way that works best for you. Step 4: Script
***(Note: Filmmakers may want to work on steps 4 and 5 at the same time, going back and forth between script and storyboard.) As a group, write the script, complete with blocking and stage directions. See examples for formatting. This step involves many critical discussions about camera angles (for film), blocking, gestures, sound effects, etc., so spend some time on it. Your scene should be about 80-100 lines long, so you ll need to make choices about what to include and what to cut from the original Romeo and Juliet. In considering what to keep, discuss whether the line is critical to character, plot or theme. Is the line repeated elsewhere? Is it important for comic relief? Remember, you can cut parts of a line, soliloquy or dialogue just be sure the script still flows and makes sense. Make copies of the script for each member of your group and one to turn in to me. Step 5: Storyboard (Filmmakers only) Create a storyboard based on the script. This can be fairly sketchy the idea is to depict visually what the film will look like. Devote one frame to each new camera angle and include captions with snippets of dialogue and/or camera angles. For help, see handouts on film terms and the sample storyboard. Step 6: Create costumes, set and music. a. Design the costumes. Do some online research to see what the fashion of your chosen time and place actually would have looked like. Consider what you would do if you had all the resources in the world available to you, then create a presentation board with drawings of the costumes for each of the characters in your scene (in color). For ideas listen to Costume Designer Dips into Hollywood s Closet at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyid=7474294 b. Design the set. Again, do some online research to see what the architecture of your chosen time and place actually would have looked like. Consider what you would do if you had all the resources in the world available to you, then create a presentation board with drawings of the set (in color) with explanatory captions. Alternatively, you could actually build a model of the set. c. Determine what music and sound effects you will need, gather resources, and create a sound track. Remember, the music and other sound effects are important in establishing the mood of your scene. (For ideas listen to How Hollywood Makes Noise at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyid=7400850 Step 7: Rehearse. Practice, practice, practice. Whether you re filming or performing live, this is supposed to be rehearsed and polished. Do not try to improvise this is not that kind of show! Filmmakers can film several takes and edit out the bloopers, but this also takes more time so be sure to account for that. Stage performers will need to memorize lines and be more polished because you don t get to edit. Step 8: Show time! a. Filmmakers do the filming and editing. Your film should match the storyboard and script as much as possible, but don t worry if it isn t identical. I understand that there are practical considerations here it may be hard to get that aerial shot if your family doesn t own a helicopter. On the day of the festival you need to bring in your finished film on DVD to show to the class. b. Theater people perform scenes live on the day of the festival. Decide who will bring what and how you will get things set up and torn down efficiently. Step 9: Conduct self and peer-evaluations. Write an honest account of how well you and each of your group members fulfilled your obligations. This does not need to be typed, but should be neat, thorough and thoughtful.
1. Write a paragraph in which you discuss what you learned about the scene you performed through this project. How did the process of interpreting Romeo and Juliet for the stage or film affect your understanding of the play? Consider what you learned about the characters, themes, motifs, imagery and/or language. 2. Write a paragraph on yourself and one on each of your group members in which you respond to the following questions: Did this person (you or one of your group members) make positive contributions to the group by taking an active role in each phase of discussion, writing and production? Did this person fulfill all of his/her obligations? Were there special circumstances preventing this person from doing as much as he or she would have liked? 3. Write a concluding paragraph in which you respond to the following questions: Are you satisfied with the final performance/product? Why or why not? Do you feel the quality of the final performance/product reflected the amount of work your group put into the project? Explain. Comment on anything else you think I should know in evaluating you and your group members. It is especially important to tell me if certain people did extra work behind the scenes that I would not necessarily be aware of. Frequently Asked Questions: Does everyone have to act? Yes. It is important that everyone get a little experience in acting out Shakespeare. However, not everyone has to deliver a soliloquy. Some of the parts are very small, so if you get terrible stage fright choose one of those. Will we be graded as a group or individually? Both. Film and theater are collaborative, which means the quality of the final product depends on everyone s contributions. Therefore, the bulk of your final grade will be the same for the whole group. However, some parts must be done individually, such as the self and peer-evaluation. See the rubric for further breakdown of the grade. What do we do if we want to make a film but we don t have a camera or editing software? Never fear--you can check out a camera from the library and use the editing software on the school s computers. This means more of your work will have to be done at school, so you have to schedule group time to make that happen. Will we be graded on our acting ability? No, not exactly. You haven t received acting lessons in this class, so that wouldn t be fair. Your acting will be graded on effort, which will show in how much you have rehearsed, how polished your performance is, and how well you know your character and lines. Work on volume, pacing, movement, gestures and facial expressions, as these count. What if one person doesn t do his/her job? Each person needs to fulfill his/her obligations in order to make the final performance a success. If someone is slacking, talk to him/her and encourage him/her to work harder. If the person still doesn t do his/her job, you can come to me (but only after you have tried to reason with the person yourself). You will then have an opportunity to tell me about the situation in your peer evaluation. What if we have a technological breakdown? Plan ahead and this shouldn t be a problem. Back up your work frequently so that any computer problems won t result in disaster. Bring your DVD to school on the day before the festival to make sure everything works. What if one person doesn t show up on the day of the performance? An unexcused absence will result in a 0 for that person and will be extremely detrimental to the group, since Romeo and Juliet can t go on without a Romeo! If you become extremely ill that morning, you MUST call and leave a message on my school voicemail by 8:00 a.m. so that we can reschedule.
Division of Labor Scene: Setting: Task Justification of scene Script Storyboard Set Costumes Music/sound effects Acting To be completed by (insert name of group member(s)) ALL List names and roles: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Extras: Due date Filming and editing Self and peer evaluations ALL ALL Optional Additional Project: Have students do a little research on Elizabethan dress, masks, music, food, art and games. On the days of the Romeo and Juliet performances, create the ambiance of a real Renaissance festival by having students dress up. They could also decorate the room, bring in food and instruments (or recorded music), dance and play games between performances. Roles (differentiated by ability/interest) could include: costume designers, musicians, cooks, dancers, court jesters, and artists. Students could send out formal invitations to the festival to parents, peers, teachers and administrators. This project could be either a requirement or extra credit. Assessment of Romeo and Juliet Scenes PRODUCTS (40) Creativity of ideas; quality (effort, thoroughness, polish) 1. Justification of setting 2. Script & Storyboard 3. Set board 4. Costume board 5. Sound track Incomplete/Inadequ ate (0-5) Adequate (6-7) Good (8-9) Excellent (10)
PERFORMANCE (40) 1. Knowledge of characters and lines 2. Quality (effective gestures, movements, facial expression, volume, pacing) 3. Effort 4. Polish GROUP WORK (20) 1. Equal division of labor 2. Effective use of class time 3. Preparation 4. Dedication, focus, drive OR Justification of setting (10) -creativity of ideas, quality (effort, thoroughness, polish) Script & Storyboard (30) -creativity of ideas, quality (effort, thoroughness, polish) Costumes, set, music (20) -creativity of ideas, quality (effort, thoroughness, polish) Performance (20) -preparation, knowledge of character and lines, gestures, movement, facial expression, Incomplete/Inadequate (0-5) Adequate (6-7) Good (8-9) Excellent (10)
volume, pacing, effort, polish Group work (20) -equal division of labor, effective use of class time, dedication, focus, drive UbD 1-Page Template