Module 3 Lessons

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Module 3 Lessons

1. Introduction to Shakespeare
2. Romoeo and Juliet - Prologue
3. Romeo and Juliet - Act 1
4. Romeo and Juliet - Act 2
5. Romeo and Juliet - Act 3
6. Romeo and Juliet - Act 4
7. Romeo and Juliet- Act 5

1. Introduction to Shakespeare

Lesson 74

Introduction to Shakespeare

PhotoDisc Collection/Getty Images

Watch the following video - its an over view of Shakespeare...

William Shakespeare is generally considered to be the greatest writer in the English language. In this lesson, you will be given a more in-depth introduction to Shakespeare, who is often referred to as the Bard of Avon or simply "the Bard."

Who Is William Shakespeare?

Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, on April 23, 1564. He was the third child of John, a glove maker and local government official, and Mary Arden, daughter of a wealthy landowner. He attended grammar school until the age of fifteen, and read voraciously in the Classics, French and Italian literature, legends, historical chronicles, and the Bible. He married Anne Hathaway, and they had three children, Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith.

Shakespeare wrote his plays over a 20-year period from 1593 to 1613. He acted himself and helped manage an acting troupe at the Globe Theatre, which he partially owned. Writing plays allowed him to retire a wealthy man in his birthplace in 1613. He died in 1616 at the age of 52.

Shakespeare is buried in the chancel at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, alongside the grave of his wife—who outlived her husband by seven years—and that of their older daughter, Susanna. A flat stone bearing the following epitaph, which Shakespeare supposedly wrote himself, covers the grave.

Good friend for Jesus sake forbeare,
To dig the dust enclosed here.
Blessed be the man that spares these stones,
And cursed be he that moves my bones.

The purpose of the inscription was apparently to warn against the removal of Shakespeare's bones from the church. Without this epitath, Shakespeare's remains might have been moved and stored in a nearby vault or charnel house—a place where dead bodies are stored to make room for new burials.

What Did William Shakespeare Look Like?

Following are two famous portraits of William Shakespeare.

ï¿½2002 www.clipart.com	ï¿½2002 www.clipart.com
Portrait of playwright William Shakespeare by Martin Droeshout	Chandros portrait of Shakespeare

Turn to page 247 of Sightlines 10 and see how Mirko Ilic has represented Shakespeare in a contemporary fashion. This is a takeoff on the famous engraving by Martin Droeshout.

To find out more about what Shakespeare looked like, go to the following website and read the short essay discussing the possibilities:

http://www.allshakespeare.com/pictures/

In 2001, another possible image of Shakespeare surfaced. A Canadian claimed to have a genuine portrait of Shakespeare that was painted in 1603 by John Sanders. To learn more about the Sanders portrait, go to the following website:

http://www2.localaccess.com/marlowe/portrait.htm

The Globe Theatre

Although Shakespeare's plays were performed at other locations during his career, the Globe Theatre, which opened in 1599, was the venue at which the Bard's best-known stage works were first produced.

ï¿½2002 www.clipart.com

Did You Know?

A full-sized replica of the Globe Theatre has been built in London, England. The new Globe Theatre is about 200 metres from the original site.

After many years of construction, the theatre opened its doors to the public in 1997. Now, modern-day spectators have an opportunity to see theatre as it was performed in Shakespeare's time.

For more information about the new Globe Theatre, go to the following websites:

http://www.rdg.ac.uk/globe/

http://allshakespeare.com/globe/

Large enough to accommodate 3000 spectators, the Globe welcomed people of all classes. The poorer people, "the groundlings," had to stand on the ground in front of and beside the raised stage that "thrust out" into the viewing area. More prosperous patrons sat in tiered galleries higher than the stage.

There were usually two doors "upstage," which allowed for entrances and exits. A small upper playing area served as a balcony—needed in plays such as Romeo and Juliet—and a trapdoor on the floor let ghosts, such as Hamlet's father, make their appearance.

Scenery was minimal, as were props. Because there was no artificial lighting, plays were performed during daylight hours. The theatre was open to the elements, so performances were cancelled during inclement weather.

Costumes were important; in fact, they were essential. Women were not allowed to be stage performers, so young male actors had to disguise themselves in order to perform female roles.

Did You Know?

Have you seen the 1998 award-winning film Shakespeare in Love? This movie is a fictionalized account of the early life of Shakespeare in London. Although the plot and characters in the film are only loosely biographical, the language and the setting are "pure Shakespeare." The movie also shows how drama was performed and watched in Shakespeare's time.

Shakespeare's Language

Shakespeare wrote during the latter part of the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1. This time period is often referred to as the Elizabethan era.

ï¿½2002 www.clipart.com

Students are sometimes intimidated by Shakespeare's plays because they contain expressions that were commonly used in Elizabethan English but which are no longer used in modern English.

Here are some words and expressions that you'll encounter as you read or listen to Romeo and Juliet.

Shakespeare's Words	Modern Meanings
anon	soon, right away
by my troth	(rhymes with the word oath) truly, on my word
coz	(rhymes with the word buzz) cousin
fie	(rhymes with the word pie) an exclamation expressing disgust or anger
I trow	(rhymes with now) I think, I believe
marry	an exclamation expressing surprise (really?) or anger at something that is unfair or mean (really!)
sirrah	sir, often used to imply anger or outrage
good morrow	good morning
good den	good evening
thou	you (informal, for speaking to someone who is your equal or of a lower social class)
thee	you (formal, for speaking to a stranger or someone of a higher social class)
thy	your (possessive of thou)
thine	your (possessive of thee)
thyself	yourself

Elizabethan English also used verb forms that are no longer used today. Here are examples of some of the old verb forms that you'll encounter in Romeo and Juliet.

Verb Forms	Meanings
thou art	you are
thou dost	you do
thou know'st	you know
he/she hath	he/she has
he/she doth	he/she does
methinks	I think

You've likely seen poems and song lyrics where the writer has omitted letters from words to create a particular effect. Often letters are omitted in order to make the lines conform to a particular rhythm. Shakespeare frequently omitted letters from words for the sake of the sound of lines. Here are some examples from Romeo and Juliet.

'tis	it is
't	it
i'	in
o'	of
o'er	over
ne'er	never
ta'en	taken

When you encounter unfamiliar words or phrases, try using context clues to determine the meaning. If you are still unsure, use the side notes or ask other readers for assistance. Keep a list of words and expressions to research or discuss with a partner or in a group. Add definitions or explanations to this list as you uncover the meanings. Use this list as a reference tool as you read Romeo and Juliet.

Did You Know?

Over time, new words and expressions enter the English language. At the same time, other words and expressions are used less and less until eventually they're encountered only in older works of literature and in dictionaries. As well, the denotations and connotations of words can change. For example, over the last two or three decades, the word lover has undergone a change in meaning. It used to mean a person who is in love. Today, the word lover suggests a sexual relationship. In the play Romeo and Juliet, it is important to understand that the word lover simply refers to people who are in love.

Many words and phrases that are commonplace today were unknown until Shakespeare coined them. Here are a few phrases Shakespeare wrote that people now take for granted.

an eyesore
apple of her eye
as white as the driven snow
dead as a doornail
eaten me out of house and home
every inch a king
fool's paradise
for goodness sake
foregone conclusion
in my heart of hearts
the long and the short of it
man of steel
not a mouse stirring
out of the question
the be-all and end-all
the game is up
too much of a good thing
what the dickens
what's done is done
won't budge an inch

Working with a partner or a small group, discuss your understandings of the Shakespearean phrases listed. Try to use each one in a meaningful oral sentence.

1. Copy the phrases into your notebook. Provide a brief explanation of each one.

Romeo and Juliet, too, has famous phrases that Shakespeare created. Look over these six to see how many you recognize.

I am fortune's fool!
A pair of star-cross'd lovers
Parting is such sweet sorrow . . .
O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
A plague o' both your houses!
But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?

2. Write the previous six phrases in your notebook. When you find each one in the play, write down the act, scene, and line reference.

Shakespeare's Verse

It was common practice in Shakespeare's time to write in verse, even in plays. This probably surprises you because contemporary playwrights tend to write in prose.

The majority of Romeo and Juliet is written in blank verse. Blank verse is unrhymed iambic pentameter.

Recall that iambic pentameter is a regular rhythm pattern. Pentameter means each line of verse consists of five metrical feet. Iambic means that each metrical foot contains two syllables—an unaccented one (soft) followed by an accented one (stressed). Each line consists of ten syllables, with the accent on every second syllable.

For example, the following line is written in iambic pentameter:

Blank verse is rhythmic in the sense that the first, third, fifth, seventh, and ninth syllables in each line are unstressed while the second, fourth, sixth, eighth, and tenth are stressed.

This may seem complicated, but it's almost identical to the rhythms of everyday speech. Look at the following three examples of verse, all spoken by Romeo in Act 1.

Read the following three passages aloud with a partner, and listen for the stressed and unstressed syllables in each passage:

Passage 1: Act 1, Scene 1, lines 170 to 175

Where shall we dine? O me! What fray was here?
Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all.
Here's much to do with hate, but more with love:
Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate!
O anything, of nothing first create!
O heavy lightness! serious vanity!

Passage 2: Act 1, Scene 4, lines 106 to 111

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, and expire the term
Of a despised life closed in my breast
By some vile forfeit of untimely death.

Passage 3: Act 1, Scene 5, lines 44 to 49

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear;
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows,
As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.

To better understand Shakespeare's verse, you must resist the tendency to always stop at the end of each line of blank verse. Instead, let the punctuation guide your voice. If there is no punctuation, don't stop; just keep reading.

Rhyme

As you read the play, you'll notice that there is rhyme in some passages and not in others. You'll see many rhyming couplets—that is, two adjoining lines that rhyme.

This technique makes the play both easy and difficult to read. It's easy because the end of one line rhymes with another. It's difficult because rhyming couplets tend to make people read in a singsong fashion, which is not what Shakespeare intended. Singsong reading is not conducive to understanding, nor is it pleasing to the ear.

Respond to the following questions about the three passages you read aloud with a partner.

How many rhyming couplets are there in Passage 1 on page 18?
In Passage 2 on this page?
In Passage 3 on this page?

Prose

Romeo and Juliet is not written entirely in blank verse and rhyming couplets. At times, Shakespeare uses prose. For example, look at the exchange between Sampson and Gregory at the beginning of Act 1, Scene 1:

Sampson: Gregory, on my word, we'll not carry coals.

Gregory: No, for then we should be colliers.

Sampson: I mean, an we be in choler, we'll draw.

Gregory: Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o' the collar.

Sampson: I strike quickly, being moved.

Gregory: But thou art not quickly moved to strike.

4. How is this passage different from the three passages on pages 18 and 19?

Shakespeare tends to use prose for common folk like Samson and Gregory and verse for upper-class characters like Romeo and Juliet. However, on occasion, Shakespeare's nobles use prose to make a dramatic point, to show levity, or simply for variety.

Diction and Syntax

In the previous exercises, you learned how to use rhythm, rhyme, and punctuation as aids to reading and understanding. Now, it's time to look more closely at Shakespeare's diction and syntax.

Mr. Haas: Let's return to Passage 1 on page 18 of this lesson. Do you notice any difficult words?

Chelsea: Fray.

Dominic: Brawling.

Mr. Haas: Good. Conscientious readers of Shakespeare have at least three strategies to employ if they don't know the meanings of words such as these:

Use the context to determine meaning.
Look up the word in the dictionary.
Ask a partner, family member, teacher, or someone else.

Brandon: What if none of these strategies work?

Mr. Haas: That's possible. You may have to leave certain words undefined. But you can make a note of such words and return to them later.

On another topic, Shakespeare's word and phrase order may be different from contemporary language. His language may not follow current grammatical rules. Look at this line:

Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all.

Lin: The diction isn't difficult, but the arrangement of words seems strange.

Mr. Haas: If you have trouble understanding this line, do you know what to do?

Lin: Read the footnotes or side notes that are printed in many editions of the play?

Mr. Haas: Right. Anything else?

Lin: Rearrange it the way you'd speak it. The line means "Don't tell me, because I've already heard it."

Mr. Haas: Good. You can paraphrase it.

Figurative Language

One of the delights of reading Shakespeare is enjoying the artistry of his language. He doesn't always use words or phrases in the literal or conventional sense, but instead he enriches, broadens, and extends language through metaphor, hyperbole, oxymoron, and imagery—in other words, through figures of speech or figurative language. That's why his work is so memorable and meaningful even today, 400 years after it was written.

When you read Romeo and Juliet, take note of Shakespeare's poetic devices so that you can fully enjoy and understand the play.

Mr. Haas: Can anyone find examples of figurative language from Passage 2 on page 19 of this lesson?

Chelsea: "Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars"—that must be a metaphor.

Brandon: Consequence is also given life. It's personified. It says, ". . . his fearful date with this night's revels."

Lin: Will it make more sense when we read this passage in the play?

Mr. Haas: Yes. You'll have the context and the side-notes to help you. Before we begin the play, however, let's see if there is imagery in Passage 2.

Chelsea: There's visual imagery in the metaphor we talked about—"Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars." There are strong visual images.

Brandon: It's much stronger than saying, "I think there will be a consequence." The heavenly imagery emphasizes the power of the consequence.

Mr. Haas: Good. I think you know enough about Shakespeare's language to start reading the play.

In this first lesson, you've learned about Shakespeare as a historical figure. You also gained knowledge about theatre performances in the Elizabethan era. Through an introduction to the language of Shakespeare's plays, you acquired the skills and confidence you need before reading.

Lesson Glossary

bard: a poet
blank verse: unrhymed iambic pentameter that has a regular rhythm
diction: a writer's choice of words, especially for clarity, effectiveness, or precision
epitaph: a short inscription on a tomb or gravestone
metrical foot: a group of two or three syllables forming the basic unit of poetic rhythm
paraphrase: to restate something in your own words
prop: a movable object used on a theatre stage
prose: normal, ordinary speech or writing
rhyming couplet: two rhymed lines of similar or identical metre that usually form a complete thought
scenery: the set or background for a play or film
syntax: sentence structure

2. Romoeo and Juliet - Prologue

esson 75

Romeo and Julietï¿½Prologue

ï¿½PhotoDisc Collection/Getty Images

Now you're ready to begin reading the play Romeo and Juliet. It's recommended that you use one of the following editions:

the HBJ Shakespeare edition of Romeo and Juliet, edited by Ken Roy (© 1987)
the Harcourt Shakespeare edition of Romeo and Juliet, edited by Ken Roy (© 1999)

Structure of Shakespearean Dramas

Skim through your copy of Romeo and Juliet, and look at how it is set up. Notice the following structure:

The play is divided into five acts.
Within each act are scenes.
The lines in each scene are numbered.

Each act of a Shakespearean drama has a specific purpose:

Act 1: Act 1 establishes the setting, provides essential information, initiates the action of the plot, and introduces the characters and their conflicts. A careful reading of Act 1 also reveals major themes.
Act 2: Act 2 continues the action but complicates it. Characters and their conflicts are fleshed out.
Act 3: In Act 3, there is inevitably a major turning point or climax in the action. The action that has been steadily rising since Act 1 becomes a crisis. (By Act 3, it becomes clear that Romeo and Juliet is a tragic play.)
Act 4: Because the play is a tragedy, by Act 4 the action begins to "fall," as do the fortunes of the protagonists. The falling action is usually set into motion by the crisis that arose in Act 3.
Act 5: Act 5 is the final act of a Shakespearean tragedy. It marks the tragic failure, and usually the deaths, of the protagonists. The tragic end occurs as a natural outgrowth of the action, the crisis, and the tragic flaws of the protagonists.

Strategies for Romeo and Juliet

Following are some strategies you can use to help understand Romeo and Juliet:

•Watch a film version before you read the play. The 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, may be your best choice. This movie is available at some libraries and most movie-rental outlets.
Listen to an audio version as you read. You could visit your local library and borrow an audiotape or CD of Romeo and Juliet and listen to the play as you follow along in your text. Shakespeare is much easier to understand if it's read properly. The even rhythm also makes Shakespeare easier to memorize.
Read summary introductions. Both of the recommended written editions of Romeo and Juliet offer a short summary outlining the plot and key points of each scene and act. Read summary introductions before tackling the Shakespearean text.
Read the side notes. Both of the recommended written editions of Romeo and Juliet have side notes that explain the Shakespearean language. Consult the side notes to help you with more difficult passages.
Read the entire scene. Always read the entire scene before you attempt to complete the exercises associated with it.
Refer to Dramatis Personae. Page 5 in each of the editions of Romeo and Juliet lists the characters in the play. Referring to this list as you read will help you keep track of the characters.
Keep a reading log. The lessons will help you come to a fuller understanding of the play. However, they're not a substitute for an engaged, thoughtful reading. As you read and think about particular scenes and acts, make personal observations of your own in a reading log.

The Prologue

You're now ready to read the prologue. The prologue is a kind of introduction providing the audience with all necessary information needed to understand the play. It usually tells about the time, place, subject, and background of the story.

Shakespeare followed the pattern of ancient drama, where the prologue was a monologue recited by the Chorus. The Chorus in a Shakespearean drama is a role for a solo actor.

Read the prologue now. Then respond to the following questions.

1. Why do you think Shakespeare would "give away" the end of his story in the first few lines of the play? In other words, what is the purpose of the prologue?

2. What phrase informs you of the length of the play?

3. Where is the play set?

Journal Entry

Write a journal response after considering the following questions:

The prologue reveals the outcome of Romeo and Juliet. How would Shakespeare maintain the interest of the audience during the play?

If you were staging the play, how would you present the Chorus? Would it be a group of people or a single individual? What would the costumes be? Where would the actors stand?

Which words would you have the Chorus emphasize? Why?

Key Themes in Romeo and Juliet

A theme, if you remember, is a general yet precise insight about life that readers or viewers assume the writer wishes to convey in a literary work. You have to assume because writers seldom state their themes directly. Instead, you must read or view carefully to determine what themes are implied in the literary work.

Examine the following four themes:

• feuding families

When the play opens, two of the principal families of Verona, the Montagues and the Capulets, are involved in an active feud. Roots of the long-standing quarrel are not known to the audience, but the severity of the feud is.

Unfortunately, the feud extends beyond the two warring families and is destructive to much of Verona's society. Although neither Romeo nor Juliet support the fighting, they find themselves embroiled in the hostilities.

• choosing a marriage partner

Juliet finds herself in a difficult position because she has fallen in love with Romeo. However, Lord Capulet, Juliet's father, has decided that he will choose her marriage partner for her.

• the impulsivity of youth

Romeo and Juliet are both very young. Because they've had few life experiences, they make impulsive moves rather than logically thinking things through. As a result, their actions create trouble for both themselves and those around them. Their hearts rule their heads, propelling them toward disaster.

• the role of fate in human affairs

The prologue uses the phrase "star-crossed lovers," which means their love is doomed by the stars. The word star implies that something larger than Romeo and Juliet—that is, fate—controls their lives.

The motif of fate or star-crossed love is repeated as a phrase, a description, and an image throughout the play. The unfortunate consequence of "fate ruling human action" is that, try as they might, people are unable to exert control over their own destinies.

As you read the play, pay attention to evidence that supports each theme. You'll find there's a considerable amount of support for each one.

In this lesson, you examined the structure of Shakespearean drama and explored some strategies to help you read Shakespeare. You read the prologue to Romeo and Juliet, and you were introduced to its themes.

Lesson Glossary

Chorus: an actor in Elizabethan drama who recites the prologue to a play and from time to time comments on the action
climax: the moment in the plot when there is a definite, crucial change in direction and one becomes aware that the story is about to move toward its end
monologue: a long speech made by one person
motif: an element repeated within a particular work for a particular purpose; that usually relates to theme
prologue: an introduction recited to introduce a play
protagonist: the central character or characters in a piece of literature
tragedy: in general, a literary work in which the protagonist meets an unhappy or disastrous end
tragic flaw: traditionally, that particular defect in a tragic hero that leads to his or her downfall

3. Romeo and Juliet - Act 1

Lesson76

Romeo and Julietï¿½Act 1

ï¿½2002 www.clipart.com

From the prologue, you discover the play is set in the Italian town of Verona. Because Elizabethan theatre had little scenery and few props, it was up to the audience to imagine the setting of a Verona street. Most likely, however, spectators were familiar with the basics of the play, such as the plot, characters, and setting.

Readers have stage directions to tell them that Gregory and Sampson are Capulet men. Viewers, on the other hand, have to deduce that fact from the characters' costumes, dialogue, and actions.

Lines 1 to 60 are difficult to understand. Use the side notes to help you. Remember that Shakespeare had to get the attention of his audience as quickly as possible. A series of off-colour jokes and puns would accomplish this.

In the first 60 lines, you learn that Gregory and Sampson are more than willing to insult and fight the Montagues. So when Abraham and Balthasar enter, the audience is prepared for the ensuing fight.

Scene 1

Read Act 1, Scene 1. Then respond to the following questions in your notebook.

Describe how the fight escalates.
Who breaks up the fight?
What words of the prince tell the audience what penalty the Capulet and Montague families will pay if the fighting does not immediately cease?
Why was Romeo "not at this fray" (line 115)? What does his absence tell the audience about his character?

Following is the beginning of a character-trait chart for Romeo.

Character-Trait Chart
Character	Character Trait	Evidence
Romeo	romantic	Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs; / Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; (Act 1, Scene 1, lines 187 and 188)
	dislikes family feud	What fray was here? / Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. / Here's much to do with hate (Act 1, Scene 1, lines 170 to 172)

Begin a similar character-trait chart for Juliet.

Continue the character-trait charts for Romeo and Juliet through all five acts.

Following are some suggestions for completing the charts:

You will need a page for each character chart.
In each chart, describe the character's personality and include direct evidence from the play, indicating act, scene, and line references.
To quote a lengthy passage from the play, you may use an ellipsis (. . . ), a series of three periods, to indicate that you've left out particular phrases. Note the following example taken from Act 1, Scene 1, lines 205 to 208:

She'll not be hit / With Cupid's arrow; . . . From love's weak childish bow she lives unharm'd.

Discuss the following questions about staging techniques with a partner or group:

If you were staging the play, how would you help the viewing audience distinguish the Capulets from the Montagues?
Romeo should make a positive first impression on the audience. If you were staging the play, what would you do to encourage this?

Chelsea: I know that Romeo was off on his own, dreaming about his love while the others were brawling. But who is his love? Why won't he say? Is it Juliet?

Mr. Haas: No, it's not Juliet. It's a woman called Rosaline who is a member of the Capulet family. You'll find this out later in the play.

Lin: Is that why he won't tell Benvolio?

Mr. Haas: Probably. Benvolio knows, though. The fact that she's a Capulet, an enemy of the Montagues, helps explain the oxymora that Romeo uses when talking about the fray.

Brandon: Oxymora? That's the plural of oxymoron, isn't it? An oxymoron is a contradiction, right?

Mr. Haas: An oxymoron seems to be a contradiction but, upon closer examination, is found to hold an element of truth. Here are two examples of oxymora from line 173: "O brawling love! O loving hate!" Can you see other examples?

Brandon: "Heavy lightness."

Lin: "Serious vanity."

Mr. Haas: Good; there are even more. Why are the oxymora appropriate?

Dominic: Romeo is obviously bitter about the feud. Because he is a Montague, he is supposed to hate Capulets, but he loves Rosaline. He's torn between love and hate. He feels both, and the oxymora show this.

Mr. Haas: Exactly. Romeo's ambivalent feelings suggest the tragic events yet to come.

Respond to the following questions in your notebook.

2. Include three more examples of oxymora from Romeo's speeches.

Romeo uses two classical allusions in line 206. The first allusion to Cupid tells the audience that although he loves Rosaline, she does not return his love. What does the second allusion tell the reader? Hint: Read the side note for line 206.
Find an allusion in Montague's speech in lines 128 to 139.

4. Montague's speech about his son, Romeo, is full of imagery. What are the strong images? In what ways do these images characterize Romeo? Remember to fill in your Romeo character-trait chart.

Scene 1 introduces the audience to at least half of the characters in the play. Whom have you not yet met?
Give at least three dramatic purposes of Scene 1.
Scene 1, as is Shakespeare's custom, ends on a rhyming couplet. A rhyming couplet often informs the audience that the scene is over. The two-lined phrase often holds vital information or meaning. Write the rhyming couplet out in full. You don't have to explain it now; however, you'll see its significance later in the play.
The mood of the first half of Scene 1 is different from the mood at the end of the scene. Where does the mood begin to change? Comment on both moods.

Journal Entry

One of the major themes, feuding families, is introduced in Scene 1. Give your opinion of what went on. How would you describe everyone's behaviour? Who seems to be to blame? Do you have any sympathy for anyone? What do you think of the prince's threat?

Scene 2

Read Act 1, Scene 2. Then listen on your audio CD to "Romeo and Juliet 1."

In this discussion about Scene 2, the terms comic relief and unrequited are used. Using context clues, determine the meaning of these words.

In your notebook, respond to the following questions.

6. Find evidence of Juliet's age.

Line 6 introduces a new theme. What is it?
In what ways does Scene 2 end in a similar fashion to Scene 1?
Using the side notes in your copy of Romeo and Juliet, give two examples of humour in the servant's speech.

d. How is the mood different from Scene 1?

8. Find at least three figures of speech in Scene 2. Label each as metaphor, simile, hyperbole, or personification. Explain the effect of each figure of speech. Create a chart similar to the following example.

Line Reference	Example	Figure of Speech	Effect
10	Let two more summers wither in their pride,	personification	It shows how each summer makes young Juliet that much older; to "wither" is to age radically and visibly.

9. Fate, which was introduced in the prologue, intervenes in Scene 2. Explain.

10. Lord Capulet's phrase "keep the peace" (line 3) picks up on a similar phrase from Scene 1. (See line 79.) The word peace is used often to create dramatic and thematic effect and is, therefore, considered a motif. Locate instances of the word peace in Scenes 1 and 2. Indicate both the line reference and the speaker.

Note: Throughout the play, keep a running list of where and when the word peace is used. Such a list will provide support for the theme of feuding families.

ï¿½2002 www.clipart.com

Scene 3

Scene 3 takes place in Capulet's house and is the first indoor scene of the play. Here, Lady Capulet prepares Juliet for a marriage proposal from Paris. Lady Capulet, if you remember, spoke briefly in Scene 1.

ï¿½2002 www.clipart.com

Scene 3 introduces Juliet and the nurse. There seems to be genuine affection between Juliet and her nurse. A nurse's role at that time was to breast-feed the child from birth, a task considered beneath mothers of the upper class. The bond between child and nurse, then, often became very strong, with the nurse becoming a second mother. On the other hand, the relationship between Juliet and her mother seems more formal.

Read Scene 3. Then respond to the following questions in your notebook.

11. a. Lady Capulet uses the extended metaphor of "a book" to describe Paris to Juliet. List all the words and phrases that extend this metaphor.

b. Lady Capulet asks her daughter two questions:

"How stands your disposition to be married?" (line 66)
"[C]an you like of Paris' love?" (line 97)

Juliet's answers show respect, yet they seem ambiguous or unclear. What do you think Juliet means in line 67 and lines 98 to 100?

12. Shakespeare allows his heroine, Juliet, only seven lines in Act 1, Scene 3. Why do you think she speaks so little?

13. Explain the meaning and significance of the rhyming couplet that ends this scene.

14.

Shakespeare characterizes the nurse in just 30 lines. What three adjectives would you use to describe her character? Give evidence for each choice.
What do you learn about Lady Capulet in this scene? What sort of wife and mother is she?

In a group, discuss the following questions:

To what extent do you think Juliet is capable of making mature decisions?
Is Juliet's response to her mother similar to what a teenage girl might say today?
Who do you think should make the final decision about the person you will marry?

Journal Entry

Discuss your views about teenagers getting married.

OR

Discuss your views about fate as a factor in human lives.

Scene 4

Scene 4 brings the action back to the street again. Romeo and his friends, masked and disguised, prepare themselves for Capulet's costume ball. You meet Romeo's good friend Mercutio, who, in his "Queen Mab speech," proves himself to be a lover, a madman, and a poet. The scene ends ominously with Romeo fearing "some consequence, yet hanging in the stars" (line 107).

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Read Scene 4. Then read the following dialogue.

Mr. Haas: This scene has two moods that are almost contradictory.

Brandon: The beginning, up until Mercutio's long speech, and the last few lines are full of revelry and excitement. You can tell the guys are ready for a party.

Chelsea: Except Romeo, he's really down.

Lin: Full of self-pity, you mean. He keeps on talking and worrying about love. His preoccupation with himself must be irritating the others.

Mr. Haas: Probably. But Benvolio and Mercutio are good friends of Romeo. They try to get him out of the doldrums.

Dominic: Romeo's not that "out of it." When Mercutio throws a pun at him, Romeo returns it pretty well. Look at lines 19 to 20: "I am too sore enpierced with his shaft / To soar with his light feathers . . . ." That's pretty clever—picking up on what Mercutio said about Cupid.

Lin: All the puns are clever. But you have to read or listen carefully to get them.

Chelsea: Do we have to understand the "Queen Mab speech"?

Mr. Haas: It's a spectacular piece of poetry on its own. Through his musings about dreams, Mercutio takes his friends and the readers on a fantastic journey into the world of Mab, the Fairy Queen. If you want to study it in depth, go right ahead. You'll find it referred to in many books and on Internet sites as well.

Discuss the following questions with a partner or small group:

Mercutio's "Queen Mab speech" is similar to a monologue. If you were staging the play, how would you have him deliver the speech? Refer back to Sections 1 and 2 for ideas.
Where would you place Romeo and Benvolio in relation to Mercutio? What would they be doing while Mercutio was speaking?

15. What do you learn of Mercutio's character?

Going Further

Using details from Mercutio's speech, draw a picture of Queen Mab.

Scene 5

Read Scene 5. Then respond to the following questions in your notebook.

16. What lines provide comic relief?

17. There are few stage directions in Shakespearean plays—Lord Capulet speaks to a family member in line 41: "His son was but a ward two years ago." In lines 42 and 43, Romeo asks a serving man, "What lady is that which doth enrich the hand / Of yonder knight?" What stage directions would you put between lines 41 and 42 to clarify the situation for the actors and the readers?

18.

To "what lady" is Romeo referring in line 42? How do you know?
Notice Romeo's words in lines 48 and 49: "So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, / As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows." Of what words of Benvolio in Scene 2 are Romeo's words reminiscent?

19.

Tybalt shows that he is hot-tempered. What word does he use over and over again to describe Romeo?
How does Tybalt recognize Romeo?
Tybalt grudgingly obeys his uncle and leaves Romeo alone. However, he utters an ominous prediction to Lord Capulet. What is Tybalt's prophecy?

20. What words of Romeo in this scene illustrate the fear he expressed in lines 106 and 107 of Scene 4?

21.

In lines 134 and 135, Juliet worries that, "If he be married, / My grave is like to be my wedding-bed." She speaks figuratively. What does she mean?
Death is mentioned many times as Juliet's lover or husband. In this sense, "death as husband or lover" is a motif in the play. Keep track of the line numbers where this motif is used. In your notebook, record at least one line from the play that contains this motif. Record the line number as well.

22. Paris is at the ball. Yet he never speaks in Scene 5. Why do you think Shakespeare gives him no lines to say?

Discuss the following questions with a partner or in a small group.

There are no stage directions to indicate the first intimate meeting of Romeo and Juliet. The reader or viewer has only their romantic words in lines 93 to 110. If you were directing the play, where would you place Romeo and Juliet on the stage? How would you have them play the scene? Would they be wearing masks? If so, what kind? Would their masks be removed? When? What movements would you have each make to emphasize the words? Would they kiss? What props and simple sets would you use? Where would Tybalt, Lord Capulet, the nurse, and Benvolio be?

Journal Entry

Is it realistic for Romeo and Juliet to fall in love instantly? Do you think love at first sight is possible? Discuss.

Mr. Haas: By the time you get to the end of Act 1, the conversations that Romeo and Benvolio had earlier now seem ironic.

Lin: What's irony again?

Mr. Haas: For the purpose of this discussion, it means a difference between what is asserted by a character and what is actually the case. In Act 1, irony appears some time after a character has made strong assertions. Give me some examples.

Dominic: In Scene 2, Romeo says he loves Rosaline so much that no one can take her place. Yet in Scene 5, when he goes to the ball, he instantly falls in love with Juliet. Now, that's ironic.

Brandon: Right, according to what Romeo said in Scene 2, Rosaline is the fairest of all women, but now when he sees Juliet he says he "never saw true beauty till this night" (line 53).

Chelsea: These examples lend support to the theme of "the impulsivity of youth."

Mr. Haas: That's right. Sometimes irony does support a theme. Now, let's turn to plot. Shakespeare has set up the plot in such a way that the action can move in more than one direction. What are the possibilities?

Brandon: Romeo and Juliet seem to have fallen in love. I guess they could get married and things could work out. Lord Capulet says Romeo is "a virtuous and well-govern'd youth" (line 68).

Dominic: But the play's a tragedy. That possibility is too perfect.

Lin: There's enough evidence to suggest that fate is not in their favour. Check back to the prologue, and look at the ominous words of Romeo and Juliet at the end of Scene 5.

Mr. Haas: You're right. The act doesn't end on a positive note.

Journal Entry

Now that you've completed Act 1, prepare a list of about five interview questions you would like to ask one of the characters. Phrase the questions so that they will force the character to reveal as much personality as possible.

Going Further

Try out your interview questions on a partner who is also reading the play. Allow the responses to help you modify your questions.

This lesson was a detailed study of Act 1. In the first act, Shakespeare introduces the Verona setting and the long-standing feud between the Capulets and the Montagues. Key players in the drama are introduced and characterized. By the end of the act, it's clear that the plot is focusing on the romance of Romeo and Juliet. Throughout Act 1, Shakespeare incorporates enough clues for an audience to realize that a tragic ending is inevitable.

Did You Know?

The story of Romeo and Juliet is much older than Shakespeare's tragic drama. The plot was written for the first time in Verona, Italy, by DaPorto and Della Corte in the sixteenth century.

Lesson Glossary

allusion: a reference to a significant figure, event, place, or literary work that the writer expects the reader to recognize
ambivalent: torn between two actions, ideas, or belief
comic relief: the interruption of a serious work, usually a tragedy, by a short, humorous episode
ellipsis: a printed mark of three dots to indicate that something has been left out in a written phrase or sentence
pun: clever word play that creates humour by using certain words or phrases in such a way that more than one meaning is conveyed
unrequited: not returned or reciprocated

4. Romeo and Juliet - Act 2

Lesson 77