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IX. Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet: The Final Essay (of the year)THIS TIME IT’S PERSONAL

OK, it’s time to put all of those hard-won lessons in writing into practice. You’ve toiled and struggled and grown throughout the year into better, more complete writers. Now I want you to use all that you’ve learned for the final essay.The Topic: In-depth Character Analysis

The Assignment:Choose one character from Romeo and Juliet that has particularly interested you. Choose a critical, essential quality about that character that plays a large part in defining the character’s personality, influences other characters around your character, and has a huge impact on the plot or themes of the story.

In your essay,(1) Prove that the character fits the label (quality) you have given him or her.(2) Show how others react to that personality trait

and (3) Show how this quality affects/moves the plot and affects the themes of the story

Here are some sample qualities, to get you thinking:Hostile/Bellicose -- TybaltImpatient – Mercutio or RomeoMeddling – Friar LawrencePassionate – Juliet, RomeoHumorous/Comical – Mercutio or NurseImmature – RomeoWise – Nurse? Friar?Selfless?

Due Dates:You’re on your own to pre-write, write your outline, and compose a rough draft. We’ll edit rough drafts on Thursday, May 23rd in class. The final draft is due Tuesday, May 28th. Because you’re going to be working so independently on this project, it’s crucial that you carefully plan out how and when you’re going to get the work done. I will have lunch office hours on the following dates: Tuesday, May 14th, Thursday, May 16th, Tuesday, May 21st, and Thursday, May 23rd. Come by and run your ideas by me, or ask any questions if you’d like.

Additional Notes: _____________________________________________________________________

How true is Romeo’s love for Juliet?

Directions: You may work alone or with a partner. Write your own answers on notebook paper.

A. Look deeper:Re-read three sections of the play that offer particular insight on Romeo’s personality. For each passage, mark any lines with sticky notes (or underline if you own it) that tell you something about who Romeo is as a person.(1) Act I, scene 1, lines 164-238.Summarize the conversation and explain what it tells us about Romeo’s personality and character. Be sure to pick out the lines that provide evidence for your opinions.

(2) Act I, scene 5, lines 43-55 and 95 – 120.How do his thoughts and actions compare with the way he was thinking and acting in Act I, scene 1?

(3) Act II, scene 3, lines 30-93.What are the Friar’s concerns? How does Romeo respond? Why do you think the Friar decides to go along with the marriage?

B. What do you think it means to be “in love” with someone? Based on what you read, do you think that Romeo is truly in love with Juliet? Why or why not?

C. If you were in the Friar’s place, what would you advise Romeo?____________________________________________________________________

Shakespeare’s England Research Project

What was the world in which Shakespeare lived, wrote, and performed in like? How was it like ours, and how was it different? To what can we 21st century Americans relate?

These are the questions we will address through this largely in-class research project. You, in conjunction with your group, will research a specific topic that relates to these questions in the media center on Thursday and Friday, October 12th and 13th. Groups will begin presenting on Tuesday, October 17th. This project will count for a major class participation grade.

REQUIREMENTS/DIRECTIONS:

1. Thoroughly research your assigned topic and present/teach your findings to the class. The level of thoroughness should be based on the amount of time you have to work on the assignment in class (2 days), your group’s ability to divide the labor, and “polishing time” between Friday and Tuesday, the day that presentations will begin.

2. Sources. You must use at least 3 major sources in your project, one of which must be a book, the second of which must be from the Internet, and the third of which must be from the media center’s CD collection.

3. Use either the provided roll paper or overheads to create a neat, organized visual aspect to your presentation. This is the portion of your presentation that I will take up and use to supplement my evaluation of your performance.

4. Include with your project a brief written explanation of how your group divided up the work.

GRADING:Grading will be based on:1. Adherence to the above directions.2. Thoroughness of research, based on the in-class time made available.3. Neatness, readability, and organization of visual component of presentation.4. Class Presentation – preparation (on time and ready on due date),energy, effort, and clarity.

TOPICS

Group 1Elizabethan England I: Politics and GovernmentWhat was England’s government like back then? What was the governmental structure? Who had authority, and how much individual freedom existed? What was Elizabeth’s reign like – what kind of Queen was she?

Group 2 Elizabethan England II: Daily LifeWhat was daily life like in England? What modern amenities were lacking or were present? What was it like to be an average person living in those times? Look at: health, hygiene, eating habits, and life expectancy.

Group 3 Elizabethan England III: Society & CultureWhat was society and culture like in Elizabethan times? What was the status of women? Was there a class divide, and, if so, how does it compare to ours? How important was religion?

Group 4 The Theatre in Elizabethan EnglandThe role and scope of the theatre and was QUITE a bit different in Shakespeare’s society than it is in ours. Find out how. Who controlled the theatre? How were actors regarded? Were entertainers celebrities? Liked? Rich?

Group 5 The Globe Theatre and the Composition of PlaysWhat did the playhouse – the physical building -- that Shakespeare’s company used look like? Describe it or show it physically and discuss what it was like for the actors and the audience. Also look at how playwrights created plays. How many copies were there? Were they preserved? How did they print them out?

Group 6 Shakespeare’s life Create a timeline of the important events in Shakespeare’s life. When was he born? When did he move to London? When was Romeo and Juliet written, especially in terms of the rest of Shakespeare’s career? Where did he get the idea for the play? Was he famous during his life? How much so?_____________________________________________________________________

THE BALCONY SCENEDirections: (You DO NOT have to write any of the answers down)A. Choose two of your group to read the first half of the scene, and then switch readers at the half-way point. Also choose a scribe to record the answers to your questions.

B. Read the scene through line 130ish (when Juliet exits) in this manner. If you are someone who is not reading, listen very carefully. When you are through the first reading, read aloud the following questions: 1) What are the main issues here that R & J are dealing with? Before Romeo shows up, Juliet is talking to herself. What is she worried about? What’s bothering her?

2) What should the tones of their voices be? How should they sound? What is the context (where are they? What time is it? Who else is around? How will this affect the way they talk?)

3) What’s the gist of the conversation – what are the things that they talk about, what emotions or feelings are expressed? Make a list.

C. Once you’ve read these aloud and talked briefly about them, re-read the scene through line 130ish (when Juliet exits) using your newly acquired information. Change the way that you read the lines based on your new understanding of the situation, what’s going on in the characters’ heads, and the words.Then discuss the following questions:

(1) How was the second reading different than the first? What new understandings did you reach? What aspects of it changed? (2) What changes in the way you read the lines resulted from the information you gained? Mark lines that you read differently the second time. Did it sound more realistic? Better? Why?_______________________________________________________________________

Facts Of Life In The 1500s

Next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn’t just how you like it, think about how things used to be... Here are some facts about life in the 1500s: 1) Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children—last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it—hence the saying, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.” 2) Houses had thatched roofs—thick straw, piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the dogs, cats and other small animals (mice rats, and bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof—hence the saying “It’s raining cats and dogs.” 3) There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could really mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That’s how canopy beds came into existence.

4) The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt, hence the saying “dirt poor.” The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh on the floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they kept adding more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entryway—hence, a “thresh hold.”

5) They cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes the stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while—hence the rhyme, “peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old.”

6) Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special.When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man “could bring home the bacon.” They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and “chew the fat.” 7) Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with a high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning and death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

8) Most people did not have pewter plates, but had trenchers, a piece of wood with the middle scooped out like a bowl. Often trenchers were made from stale paysan bread, which was so old and hard that they could use them for quite some time. Trenchers were never washed and a lot of times mold and worms got into the wood and old bread. After eating off wormy moldy trenchers, one would get “trench mouth.” 9) Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or “upper crust.” 10) Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The combination would some times knock people out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up-hence the custom of holding a “wake.” 11) England is old and small and they started out running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a “bone-house” and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, one out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they thought they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the “graveyard shift”) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be “saved by the bell” or was considered a “dead ringer.”_______________________________________________________________________

Romeo and Juliet TestDO NOT WRITE ON TEST. Put the number of the test on your own paper in the right-hand corner.

Part One: Literary Terms.

Match the literary term with its definition or with an example that illustrates it. You can use letters more than once or not at all. (2 points each)

1. A fourteen line lyric poem in iambic pentameter A. PrologueB. Metaphor

2. Juliet says to Romeo from her balcony, “Methinks C. SonnetI see thee, now thou are below, / As one dead in the bottom of a tomb.” This is an example of D. Irony

E. Dramatic IronyF. Pun

3. Benvolio says in Act III, “The day is hot, The G. Imagery Capulets abroad…For now, these hot days, H. Oxymoron is the mad blood stirring” I. Tragedy

4. 5 “feet” that consist of one stressed and J. Mood & Atmosphere one unstressed syllable in each foot K. Iambic Pentameter

5. It’s when the audience knows an important L. Foreshadowing fact that the characters do not

6. Romeo says, “It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night / As a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear”

7. “Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire”8. Stories can be labeled as this when the main character

has a critical flaw that brings about ruin9. “Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a

grave man”10. Occurs when there is a pointed discrepancy between

expectation and reality.

Part Two: Character Quotations (10 points each)

Directions: CHOOSE FIVE of the following SIX quotations and do the following to each:(1) Paraphrase the quote into modern language (a Paraphrase, NOT word-for-word)(2) Identify the context of the quote. What events occur at this point in the play?(3) Describe what important aspects of the character’s personality and traits this quote reveals. Be thorough!! These quotes are rich with the complexities of each character.

A. JULIETThree words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed.If that thy bent of love be honourable,Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow,By one that I’ll procure to come to thee,Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite,And all my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay,

And follow thee my lord throughout the world.

B. MERCUTIONo, ‘tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door, but ‘tis enough, ‘twillserve. Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered,

Iwarrant, for this world. A plague a’both your houses! … Why the dev’l came youbetween us? I was hurt under your arm.

C. ROMEO(Friar) God pardon sin! Wast thou with Rosaline?(Romeo) With Rosaline, my ghostly father? No;

I have forgot that name, and that name’s woe.(F) Be plain, good son, and homely in thy drift,

Riddling confession finds but riddling shrift.(R) Then plainly know, my heart’s dear love is set

On the fair daughter of rich Capulet;As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine,And all combined, save what thou must combineBy holy marriage.

D. CAPULETGod’s bread, it makes me mad! Day, night, work, play,Alone, in company, still my care hath beenTo have her matched; and having now providedA gentleman of noble parentage,Of fair demesnes, youth and nobly ligned…And then to have a wretched puling foolA whining mammet, in her fortune’s tender,To answer, ‘I’ll not wed, I cannot love;I am too young, pray you pardon me.’

E. TYBALTWhat, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word,As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee.Have at thee, coward.

F. BENVOLIOWe talk here in the public haunt of men:Either withdraw unto some private place,Or reason coldly of your grievances,Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us.

Part Three: Paragraphs

Directions: Choose one of the two following topics and write a focused, carefully-worded paragraph that answers it. The paragraph must have a clear topic sentence that gives direction and focus to the paragraph.

A. W.H. Auden has said that Romeo and Juliet “is not simply a tragedy of two individuals, but the tragedy of a city. Everyone in the city is in one way or another involved in and responsible for what happens.” We discussed in class the different ways in which the play can be viewed best as a tragedy. Which way do you think that the play best fits the description of a tragedy – in an individual sense or in terms of the city or families as a whole? In your paragraph, choose one of the two ways and defend your decision using the definition of tragedy we discussed in class.

B. Romeo and Juliet is full of Oppositions – elements that are completely opposite from each other, yet relate to each other in a unique way. Choose one set of opposing elements from the play and explain how they relate to each other, using specific examples from the play to support your answer.

BONUS: (1 point)Some well-respected English teachers in the area feel that The Simpsons is a work of literature in itself and should be taught just as any other fine literature is taught. In 1 sentence, what if any important life-themes can we as a class and, yes, as a society, glean from the superbly created Halloween specials we saw during our party last week?

BONUS: (2 points)Write down the 4 lines or so that you memorized for class last week.______________________________________________________________________

Romeo and JulietLiterary Goals

When we have finished our unit, I expect you to have mastered the following elements:

A. Literary ConceptsUnderstand the following elements or terms: Tragedy, Imagery, Atmosphere,

Sonnet, Oxymoron (aha!! Looks familiar, doesn’t it?), metaphor/simile, love/hate language, puns, repetition, soliloquy, and foreshadowing

B. Themes and Issues(1)Contrasts and Oppositions – Light and Dark, Fate and Free Will, Love and

Hate, Language and Reality(3)Love and (Youthful Love in particular)(4)Fate/Chance/Fortune…to name a few. We will be adding to this list and discussing and studying these

in detail.Additional Themes and Issues:

C. The Language!What is Shakespeare known best for (That’s a rhetorical question, of course)? HIS MASTERY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE! One of our goals is to delve into this master’s work, become familiar with his artistry, and understand the ways in which he uses language to express meaning.________________________________________________________________________

Shakespeare’s England Research ProjectGrading RubricGroup #____________ Period_______________

1. Thoroughness of research as determined by time allotted (30 points)3. Visual Presentation aspects: Neatness, Organization, Ease (30 points)of Reading, Usefulness to your audience. Presence ofwritten explanation on back.4. Presentation: Clarity, Volume, Preparedness (20 points)5. Adherence to Directions (10 points)

Total Group Grade (100 points)

Comments:

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Romeo and Juliet Paper TopicsDue Date: Tuesday, November 21st

#1. Romeo is one of the best-known "lovers" in all of Western literature. When he uses the word, what exactly does he mean? Look back through the text and examine how Romeo uses the word love and then clearly define the term. Next, analyze Romeo in terms of how his or her actions compare to your definition. How does he or she stack up, and what does your analysis reveal about the true nature of his character?

#2. Fate is a powerful force in Romeo and Juliet. Examine how the play comments on the nature of Fate by determining Shakespeare’s definition of the term in this play, analyzing specific examples of Fate’s hand in the play’s events and characters, and describing how Fate impacts the play’s themes.

#3. Although Romeo and Juliet are the central figures in the play, other characters play critical roles in the play. Choose either the Nurse or the Friar and analyze their impact on the play by determining their role in R&J, their influence on either Romeo or Juliet, and their significance to the play’s themes as a whole.

#4. Your choice. Must be pre-approved by me. Needs to fit into five-paragraph structure used for this particular paper.

Grading CriteriaAn A paper will:

Structure-- Have an introductory paragraph that begins broadly and closes with a clear, thorough, and polished thesis-- Include 5 paragraphs and follow the 5 paragraph form for this particular paper that we learn in class-- Have clear, strong topic sentences for each paragraph-- Include transitions between thoughts, paragraphs, and ideas-- have very few grammatical errors & use commas correctly-- use specific and concrete examples with commentary for each

Content-- have a conclusion that is insightful and comes to a “peak” that is interesting to the reader (as we talked about in the previous paper)-- analyze the topic in an in-depth manner that goes beyond superficial, surface-level significances

-- include a thesis and following argument that is interesting, insightful, and reveals a depth of understanding of the topic________________________________________________________________________

ROMEO AND JULIET SCENE PROJECT

For our study of Romeo and Juliet, you will be working in a group to select, memorize, and perform a scene from the play. As we’ve already talked about, plays are written to be performed. As students of the Bard, you will learn through performance how actors and readers interpret the actions and behavior of characters by understanding dialogue.

FORMING GROUPSFor this project, you will form your own groups. Groups will range from 3 to 6 members. A word about this process: Being inclusive in your group is KEY. Numbers don’t always work out, and folks may find themselves without an immediate group. It is critical that everyone in class is open and accepting while forming groups. I expect and encourage you to be wonderful examples to each other while forming these groups.

DIRECTIONS:1. Within your group, select one scene from the play with at least three pages of text.2. Memorize the scene for a performance in front of the class. 3. Interpret the language of the scene to determine the staging of the scene, the characters’ actions, behaviors, and the way they speak their words.

REQUIREMENTS / GRADING CRITERIA:1. Group members memorize text fully and perform in character and with “feeling”2. Accuracy and quality of interpretation of meaning3. Group members are in costume

“A” -- Full text memorization and in character with feeling“B” – Full text memorization but the performance is not really “in character”“C” – 70% of text memorized and some indication of character present“D” – Less than 70% memorized but a clear demonstration of effort to learn part

Show time is May 5th and 6th. Specifics will come as we approach the date more closely._____________________________________________________________________

Seminar: Romeo and Juliet

1. Agree/Disagree: The Friar was a fool to think that “Fate” or “Providence” plays a meaningful hand in human affairs.

2. What role do names play in the events and outcome of the play? What insight does R&J offer us about names and language?

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet…”

3. Who is most responsible for the play’s tragic end, and why?

W.H. Auden has said that Romeo and Juliet “is not simply a tragedy of two individuals, but the tragedy of a city. Everyone in the city is in one way or another involved in and responsible for what happens.” Which way do you think that the play best fits the description of a tragedy – in an individual sense or in terms of the city or families as a whole?

4. Agree/Disagree: Your loyalty in life lies first with your family. All other allegiances come second.

5. Agree/Disagree: R&J agrees with Animal Farm in that human communities are doomed because of the evil in human nature.________________________________________________________________________

Romeo and Juliet—Act I, Sc.i: Sampson and Gregory

Reread the exchange between the two Capulet servants prior to the street brawl, and consider the following:

Here’s what one student wrote about Sampson and Gregory:

“Times never change! Like typical men, these boneheads boast about their sexual prowess and turn everything into a sex joke (stand, thrust, maidenheads, tool, weapon). Why on earth did Shakespeare put such crude characters and language into a play about love, not sex?”

With a partner, look very closely at the conversation between these two characters. Are they really as brave as they brag to be? Why or why not? Use only textual evidence to prove your opinion. Also, answer the above student’s question: why would Shakespeare include these two ruffians in his play about true love?

Romeo and Juliet—Act I, Sc.i: Prince’s Speech

Read the following speech given by the Prince of Verona to the two feuding families (L 72-92). With a pen or marker, go through the speech and cross out all of the unnecessary words. You may only keep one word per line, but the overall idea of the speech must remain in tact.

Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace,Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel—Will they not hear?—What ho, you men, you beasts!That quench the fire of your pernicious rageWith purple fountains issuing from your veins:On pain of torture, from those bloody handsThrow your mistempered weapons to the ground,And hear the sentence of your moved prince.Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word,By thee Old Capulet, and Montague,Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets,And made Verona’s ancient citizensCast by their grave beseeming ornamentsTo wield old partisans, in hands as old,Cankered with peace, to part your cankered hate;If ever you disturb our streets again,Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.For this time all the rest depart away:You, Capulet, shall go along with me,And, Montague, come you this afternoon,To know our farther pleasure in this case,To old Free-town, our common judgement place.Once more, on pain of death, all men depart._____________________________________________________________________

Iambic Pentameter Lesson: Romeo and Juliet

METER:

IAMB:

IAMBIC PENTAMETER:

BLANK VERSE:

1. Wherefore art thou Romeo?

2. She hath not see the change of fourteen years.

3. What, drawn and talk of peace?

4. I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues and thee.

5. Younger than she are happy mothers made.

6. It is an honor that I dream not of.

7. I was your mother much upon these years that you are now a made.

8. O then I see Queen Mab hath been with you.

9. But he that hath the steerage of my course direct my sail.

10. O she doth teach the torches to burn bright._______________________________________________________________________

Romeo and JulietStudy Guide

Part I. Character Identification• Format is matching• Know the names and relationships between all of the characters in the play• Important characters to know: Romeo, Lord Montague, Lady Montague, Benvolio, Abraham, Balthazar, Juliet, Lady Capulet, Lord Capulet, Tybalt, Nurse, Friar Laurence, Friar John, Prince Escalus, Paris and Mercutio.

Part II. Quotation Identification• You must identify the speaker of the listed quote and the person who is being spoken to.

Part III. Quotation Explication

• You must translate the quote into standard English and explain its significance in the play.

Part IV. Short Answer• You must answer important questions involving various topics concerning the play, its character and events.• Important things to know: What does Benvolio’s name mean? Where did Mercutio’s name come from? Who are the Groundlings? What was the name of Shakespeare’s theater? What is a foil? What are some examples of foils in the play? What is a sonnet? What is iambic pentameter? Why did Shakespeare choose to write in this meter? What is irony? What are the three types of irony? Which one is used in the play? Why? What is an example from the play? What is a pun? What is denotation? What is connotation? Why does a poet have to manipulate these two things? Who created the structure for Greek tragedy that Shakespeare follows in his plays? What is Romeo’s tragic flaw? What is a catharsis, and what is its history? How do readers know that Romeo and Juliet were fated for tragedy?

Part V. Vocabulary Lists A and B • You must match each word to its correct definition.

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Romeo and JulietWords to Know

List A List B1. pernicious2. transgression3. grievance4. heretic5. kinsmen6. agile7. procure8. pensive9. solace10. abhor 1. waver2. lamentable3. gallant4. fray5. fickle6. loathsome7. tedious8. enjoined9. eloquence10. remnants

Directions: You are responsible for creating vocabulary squares for EACH of the above words. Cut out the squares, and on the back of each, you must record at least one example of when this word is used in the text

You may punch a hole in each of your squares and keep them on a binder ring, or you make staple your pile of cards together. It is up to you.