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Romeo & Juliet: A Student Guide

The document provides background information on William Shakespeare and his famous play Romeo and Juliet. It discusses that Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon and entered the world of theater as an actor, playwright, and manager in London. It also notes that in less than 25 years Shakespeare wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and several other poems, using over 25,000 different words. The document then provides a brief summary of the plot of Romeo and Juliet, describing the two feuding families and how the star-crossed lovers take their lives due to their families' ancient grudge.

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793 views29 pages

Romeo & Juliet: A Student Guide

The document provides background information on William Shakespeare and his famous play Romeo and Juliet. It discusses that Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon and entered the world of theater as an actor, playwright, and manager in London. It also notes that in less than 25 years Shakespeare wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and several other poems, using over 25,000 different words. The document then provides a brief summary of the plot of Romeo and Juliet, describing the two feuding families and how the star-crossed lovers take their lives due to their families' ancient grudge.

Uploaded by

gretrich
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Introduction to Romeo and Juliet: Provides an introductory overview to William Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', setting the context for the lessons.
  • Background on Shakespeare: Presents historical background about Shakespeare's life, focusing on his upbringing and influential era.
  • Master of Vocabulary: Highlights Shakespeare's impressive contribution to the English vocabulary through his substantial body of work.
  • Understanding Sonnets: Explains the structure of Shakespeare's sonnets, detailing rhyme schemes and poetic styles.
  • Romeo and Juliet Overview: Introduces the plot of 'Romeo and Juliet', emphasizing its themes and relationship to Aristotle's Tragic Hero model.
  • Analysis of Sonnet 116: Explores the themes of true love as presented in Shakespeare's Sonnet 116, dissecting its quatrains and couplets.
  • Songs Inspired by Romeo & Juliet: Describes an activity based on songs inspired by the play, designed to engage students in analytical discussions.
  • The Prologue of Romeo and Juliet: Details the homework assignment focused on reading and analyzing 'The Prologue', a key component of the play.
  • Prologue Analysis: Visual and textual breakdown of the 'Prologue', examining its key phrases and meaning.
  • Play Context and Family Feud: Discusses the historical and familial context behind the Montague and Capulet feud integral to 'Romeo and Juliet'.
  • Characters in Romeo and Juliet: Introduces the main characters and their family affiliations, illustrating relationships and character roles.
  • Romeo and Juliet as Drama: Analyzes the play as a dramatic work, highlighting elements of acts, scenes, and stage directions.
  • Community Circle Discussion: Provides guidelines and topics for a community discussion on themes of love in 'Romeo and Juliet'.
  • Why Study Shakespeare?: Explores the enduring relevance and impact of Shakespeare's works on literature and culture.
  • Why Romeo and Juliet?: Discusses the significance of 'Romeo and Juliet' as Shakespeare's most renowned play and its timeless appeal.

William Shakespeare’s

Romeo and Juliet


An Introduction
April 14
Background
 Born in 1564 in a small English town called Stratford-upon-
Avon.

 He grew up during the Elizabethan Era

2
Background
 Shakespeare entered the world of theater as a principal
actor, playwright, and manager.

 He was part owner of the Globe Theater, one of the main


theaters in London during this time.

3
Master of Vocabulary
 In less than 25 years Shakespeare wrote 38 plays, 154
sonnets, and several other poems.

 He used between 25,000 and 29,000 different words in his


works. The entire King James Bible used 6,000.

4
Sonnets

• Four parts: Three Quatrains, each having its own rhyme


scheme and a rhymed couplet

• Quatrains are four lines of poetry that rhyme


• Couplets are two-lined rhymes
• Rhyme Scheme is the pattern of end rhyme in a poem
• The typical rhyme scheme of a Shakespeare poem is
abab cdcd efef gg

5
Romeo and Juliet
 It’s a tragedy- but is it the most tragic love story ever told?

 Modeled after Aristotle’s Tragic Hero


• Person is of high status or importance

• Usually has a flaw

• Events that lead to a hero’s downfall are connected

• Hero realizes what has happened and quickly falls to their


demise
• Hero’s fall destroys the hero and all those around them

6
Sonnet 116
So what does Shakespeare really think?
• True love:
• does not ask the other to change (Quatrain 1)
• remains even through the toughest of situations
(Quatrain 2)
• looks at the inner beauty of a person and doesn’t go
away with age (Quatrain 3)
• Prove me wrong and I’ll never write again, and no man
will ever love again (Couplet)
Songs
Inspired by Romeo & Juliet
Directions:
• Each partner will read through a song and answer the two
questions as you read.
• YOU WILL HAVE 4 MINUTES
• Next, you will share your responses with your partner using
evidence from the text to justify you answers
• You will each have 2 minutes to share...
• Finally, both of you will answer the Drawing Conclusion
Questions 1-3.
• You will have 4 minutes to complete
The Prologue
• Homework tonight will be to read The Prologue and answer
the questions.

• The Prologue of every Shakespearean play basically tells


the audience the plot of the entire play. It is usually sung by
the Chorus.

• Let’s take a look...


Two households…
Both alike in dignity…
In fair Verona,
where we lay our scene…
From ancient grudge
break to new mutiny…
Where civil blood
makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal
loins of these two foes,
A pair of star-cross’d
lovers take their life.
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

During the 1300s, in the northern Italian city of


Verona, two kids from families that hate each other
fall in love.
The families have been fighting for so long, they
don’t remember why the fighting started. This is
called a feud.
Romeo belongs to the House of Montague.
Juliet belongs to the House of Capulet.
Juliet’s family wants her to marry Count
Paris, a relative of the Prince of Verona.
Romeo and Juliet have other plans that get
destroyed because of their families’ feud.
The “star-cross’d lovers” would rather die
then live without each other.
Romeo
Montague (Father)

Balthasar (Romeo’s Servant)


Benvolio (Romeo’s cousin)
Lady Capulet (Juliet’s Mother)

Nurse Juliet
(Raised Juliet)

Tybalt (Juliet’s cousin) Capulet (Juliet’s Father)


Friar Lawrence

Paris (Most
preferred suitor Mercutio (Cousin of
Prince Escalus of Juliet, relative Prince Escalus and
(Prince of Verona) of the Prince) Romeo’s best friend)
Romeo and Juliet = Drama
A story acted out in the form of a play
Includes the following elements:
• Acts, setting, characters, plot, conflict, & climax

Unlike a movie filmed in very realistic settings, a


stage play has to use artificial means to bring drama
to life.
• All the action is spelled out in a script (the written
form of a play).
Look For…
Dialogue
• The words that the characters speak
Stage directions
• Are the instructions and other information for
staging the play
• Usually in parentheses ( ) or brackets [ ] and
written in italics
Staging
The act of putting on a play that includes all the
elements that bring drama to life:
• Scenery, props, costumes, makeup, lighting,
visual effects, music, sound effects, directing,
and acting.
Dialogue Vs. Stage Directions
Stage
Scene 1. [Verona. A public place.]
Directions

Enter Sampson and Gregory, with swords and Bucklers, of the house
of Capulet
Dialogue
Sampson. Gregory, on my word, we’ll not carry coals.
Gregory. No, for then we should be colliers.
Community Circle
NORMS: Mutual Respect, Active Listening, No Put-Downs

Topic: To me love means…


Is this love you describe capable of changing?

10 pts. Answer both questions in complete sentences using textual evidence


5pts. Answer one question in complete sentences using textual evidence
Why Shakespeare?
Illumination of the human experience
Great stories
Compelling characters
Ability to turn a phrase
Infinite and worldly influence
Why Romeo And Juliet?
His most famous play
Considered greatest love story ever told
Complexity of the characters
Resonating tragedy
Relatable and timelessness

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