Romeo & Juliet A Tragedy by William Shakespeare

Tragedy is…

• Aristotle, a fourth century B.C. philosopher, wrote the requirements that make tragedy powerful and effective. These were: 1. Tragic hero(es) must be noble 2. Tragic hero must have average moral character. 3. Tragic hero must make a tragic error 4. Audience pities the hero and fears making similar mistakes but at the resolution feels a catharsis (a peaceful resolution of pity and fear even though the resolution is sad).

Shakespeare was…

• • A&E’s The Life of William Shakespeare Ms. Rooney has a viewing guide

Midsummer Night’s Dream

• Do you remember the scene with Pyramus and Thisbe in Midsummer Night’s Dream? – Pyramus and Thisbe were secret lovers who were scheduled to meet, but when Pyramus arrived, he assumed Thisbe had been eaten by a lioness. If you don’t remember the rest, I sure don’t want to ruin the story!

Sources for the story

• • • • Babylonian tale of Pyramus and Thisbe Ovid’s “Pyramus and Thisbe” (c. 25 B.C.)

The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet

(1562) by Arthur Brooke Il Novelino (1476) by Masuccio Salernitano

Dramatic Literary Terms

• • • • • • • Tragedy (Aristotle’s tragic formula) – A drama that ends with the deaths of all tragic heroes Tragic hero – A character who makes a mistake that leads to his/her downfall Tragic error – The mistake that leads to a chain of negative consequences ending with the character’s death Catharsis – A peaceful resolution of the audience’s pity and fear when tragic heroes die Dramatic irony – When the audience is aware of situations that the characters in the play would benefit from knowing Comedy – A drama that ends with characters’ conflicts resolved in a happy or pleasant way, usually with weddings Comic relief – Comic, funny moments in the middle of dramatic tension

more Dramatic Literary Terms

• • • • • • • Dialogue – Words exchanged between characters Dramatic foil – Characters who are opposite to the protagonist and highlight his/her specific Monologue – A long speech made my a character to other Soliloquy – A long speech made while a character is alone on stage (inner thoughts or strategies are revealed) Aside – Words spoken aloud that cannot be heard by other characters on stage Stage directions – Instructions such as “enter,” “exit,” or “sword fighting” Footnotes – Numbered definitions and explanations of words or phrases

Poetry Literary Terms

• • • • • • Iambic Pentameter – A line of ten syllabus that rhymes with other lines [with a rhythm like Green Eggs and Ham] Blank verse – A line of ten syllabus that does not rhyme with other lines Alliteration – Repetition of initial consonant sounds, you crazy kids Metaphor – A comparison that does not use like or as Simile – A comparison that uses like or as Oxymoron – A description that includes words that are opposite each other such as jumbo shrimp

more Poetry Literary Terms

• • • • • Repetition – When a line or phrase is repeated to accentuate it Allusion – A reference to another written work, usually mythology or the Bible “Use the force, Luke.” Foreshadowing – A hint of what will happen in the future; a before shadow Imagery – Descriptions that engage any of the five senses.

Personification – A description that gives human characteristics to non humans. The morning smiles on the frowning night.

Literary Terms

• • • • • Pun – a play on words (that sound the same yet have different meanings) for humorous or serious effect – Your science teacher says, “Geology rocks!” Static (flat) characters – characters who do not change during the play Dynamic (round) characters – characters who do change during the play Irony hyperbole

Cast of Characters (1)

• • • • • • • • •

Montague Household

Benvolio Romeo Montague Lady Montague Mercutio Balthasar/Romeo’s man Abram an old man servant • • • • • • • • • • • •

Capulet Household

Juliet Nurse Tybalt Capulet Lady Capulet Sampson Gregory Peter Serving Man (1 st ) 2 nd Serving Man 3 rd Serving Man 2 nd Capulet

Cast of Characters (2)

• • • • • •

Other Citizens

Friar Lawrence Friar John Prince Escalus Paris Paris’s man/page Apothecary • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Miscellaneous Cast Members

“chorus” for prologues 1 st musician 2 nd musician 3 rd musician an officer citizen chorus- everyone chief watchman page/boy 1 st fellow 2 nd 1 st fellow watchman 2 nd watchman

Themes

• • • • • Romantic love Passion overtaking reason Immaturity Fate Judging others

Romeo and Juliet films

• Romeo and Juliet (1968) • Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Romeo and Juliet Adaptations

• West Side Story • • Gnomeo & Juliet Shakespeare in Love

Anticipation Survey

• Use the anticipation guide from Novel Units

Roman Numerals

• • • • I Act numbers are “capitalized” IV II III V • • • • i Scene numbers are “lower case” iv ii iii v vi What act and scene are each of these?

I.v

IV.iii

III.ii

Act I

Sunday • • • • • • Overall Goals Static and dynamic characters Use footnotes for understanding Recognize puns, alliteration, oxymoron, iambic pentameter; make predictions (I.i) Recognize alliteration (I.iii) Recognize puns and dream theme (I.iv) Recognize metaphors and similes (I.v)

Characterization Who’s who?

• • • • • Lord Montague Lady Montague Romeo Montague Benvolio Mercutio • • • • • Lord Capulet Lady Capulet Juliet Capulet Tybalt Nurse • Paris

Masks

• • Masks often allow people to act more like who they want to be than who they are. They may act more outgoing, more violent, or more romantic when they are in another “character” and disguised by a mask.

Draw (or make) a mask you would like to wear to a masquerade ball. It may have feathers or sequins; it may cover your eyes or your whole face. What animal might it be? Be creative.

Act I CAT Questions

1. (Summary) Summarize Romeo and Juliet’s story based on the information in the prologue. Write an overarching statement to tie the whole story together.

2. (Cause and effect) What is Romeo’s reaction to the brawl? Support you answer with details from I.i. 3. (Evaluation) Should Romeo take Mercutio’s advice about dreams to heart? Support your evaluation of his judgment with details from the text.

Act II

Sunday night through Monday afternoon • • • • • Overall Goals Recognize blank verse Make meaning of Shakespeare’s language with aid of footnotes Recognize metaphors and allusions(II.ii) Recognize characters’ motivations and threats (II.iii) Recognize dramatic irony, allusion, pun, alliteration, and comic relief. (II.v)

Nextel Ad

• Video addition to II.i

Act II CAT Questions

1. (Inference) What can we assume about Romeo’s friends based on their treatment of Juliet’s nurse? Support your inference with details from II.iv.

2. (Compare/Contrast) In II.ii, how did Juliet behave and speak that was different from Romeo? Support your answer with details from the scene.

3. (Evaluation) Was Romeo and Juliet’s decision to elope a good decision? Support your evaluation of their judgment with details from the text.

Act III

Monday late afternoon through Tuesday dawn • • • • • Overall Goals Recognize aside, monologue, soliloquy Recognize pun and understand conflict (III.i) Recognize imagery, allusion, oxymoron, soliloquy, and repetition (III.ii) Recognize allusion, foreshadowing, aside, metaphor and discuss traditional gender roles (father-daughter) (III.v) Compare and contrast the problems the secret romance cause Romeo and Juliet (Venn Diagram)

Act III CAT Questions

1. (Theme) Choose a theme for Act III and support this as a theme by supporting it with quotes from at least three different scenes.

2. (Literary element) In III.i, what decision(s) could you categorize as a tragic error? Support your answer with specific details from the scene.

3. (Draw conclusions) What conclusion can you draw about the nurse’s opinion on the lovers’ problems? Support your conclusion with quotes.

Act IV

Tuesday morning through early Wednesday morning • • • • • Overall Goals Make predictions and recognize dramatic irony Recognize theme and imagery of fear, comic relief, monologue and soliloquy Cause and effect from tragic error to the conclusion Soliloquy (IV.iii) Recognize simile, dramatic irony, alliteration (IV.iii)

Sociogram

• • A sociogram is a drawing where each character is represented by a small, simple drawing. That drawing is interacting with other drawings in a visual diagram; use arrows, squiggles, or other cues to show the characters’ interactions. Model:

Act IV CAT Questions

1. (Summary) Summarize Juliet’s soliloquy from IV.iv being sure to write an overarching statement and including specific details from the beginning, middle, and end of her speech.

2. (Literary elements) Analyze the use of dramatic irony in IV.v. Who knows more than other characters? How does this effect the story?

3. (Author’s purpose) Why does Shakespeare show Lord and Lady Capulet’s reaction to Juliet’s death: what is his purpose? Support your answer with quotes that show their feelings.

Act V

late Thursday night • • • • • Overall Goals Analyze tragic formula as it concludes and cause and effect Theme of fate and fortune Recognize foreshadowing, soliloquy, and metaphor (V.i) Personification Recognize dramatic irony (V.iii)

Cause and Effect Pre-reading Act V

• • • • The tragic error causes a domino chain reaction. Draw ten rectangle shaped dominoes on your paper.

Label the first one, “Romeo tries to stop Tybalt and Mercutio’s fight” Label the others, in order, with consequences of that scene.

Cause and Effect Pre-reading Act V

• • Draw more rectangle shaped dominoes on your paper.

– V.i = 3 dominoes – V.ii = 9 dominoes – V.iii = 5 dominoes Label the dominoes with the chain reaction as it continues in Act V.

Overall After-Reading

• • • Overall Goals Tragic formula Tragic heroes Tragic errors Does the play generally follow these guidelines?

 Does the plot extend over one or two days?

 Is the setting in one city and its countryside?

 Do the events make you feel pity and fear for the characters?

 Does the climax combine a reversal of fortune and do characters discover/realize important things as a consequence of this?

Is this play a tragedy?

Is Romeo a Tragic Hero?

 reversal of fortune or character brings own destruction  discovery of the nature of the universe (fate, stars, fortune)  noble blood  morally equal to peers  makes a tragic error  audience pities the character  audience fears to make the same “tragic error” as the character  audience learns from character’s “tragic error”

Is Juliet a Tragic Hero?

 reversal of fortune or character brings own destruction  discovery of the nature of the universe (fate, stars, fortune)  noble blood  morally equal to peers  makes a tragic error  audience pities the character  audience fears to make the same “tragic error” as the character  audience learns from character’s “tragic error”

Is Mercutio a Tragic Hero?

 reversal of fortune or character brings own destruction  discovery of the nature of the universe (fate, stars, fortune)  noble blood  morally equal to peers  makes a tragic error  audience pities the character  audience fears to make the same “tragic error” as the character  audience learns from character’s “tragic error”

Is Friar Lawrence a Tragic Hero?

 reversal of fortune or character brings own destruction  discovery of the nature of the universe (fate, stars, fortune)  noble blood  morally equal to peers  makes a tragic error  audience pities the character  audience fears to make the same “tragic error” as the character  audience learns from character’s “tragic error”

Is Tybalt a Tragic Hero?

 reversal of fortune or character brings own destruction  discovery of the nature of the universe (fate, stars, fortune)  noble blood  morally equal to peers  makes a tragic error  audience pities the character  audience fears to make the same “tragic error” as the character  audience learns from character’s “tragic error”

Is Paris a Tragic Hero?

 reversal of fortune or character brings own destruction  discovery of the nature of the universe (fate, stars, fortune)  noble blood  morally equal to peers  makes a tragic error  audience pities the character  audience fears to make the same “tragic error” as the character  audience learns from character’s “tragic error”

Short Answer Questions Comprehension

1. Discuss rebellion as a central theme of Romeo and Juliet. Include details that support this as an overall theme by selecting relevant details from throughout the play.

2. Write an overarching statement about the secrets Juliet keeps from her parents then summarize the secrets in a detailed paragraph. 3. Predict what Romeo and Juliet’s would be like if they both ran away to Mantua based on details from the play. Use the details to support your prediction.

Short Answer Questions - Analysis

4. Analyze the conflict Romeo experiences with Juliet’s family. What is the source of this conflict? Explain your thinking by using specific details from the text.

5. Contrast Friar Lawrence and Nurse. Though both help Romeo and Juliet, in what ways is their help different? Support your analysis with text-based details. 6. How does what Romeo ignores effect the outcome of the play? Support your analysis of these causes and effects with specific details.

Short Answer Questions – Thinking Critically

7. What do you believe is the author’s purpose or overall message in this play? Support your thinking with specific, text-based details.

8. Evaluate Romeo and Juliet’s final decision; was it a good idea? Consider the context of the story and support your judgment with specific details from the play.

9. Draw a conclusion about the Capulet and Montague families. Will they end the feud? Support your conclusion with specific, text based details.

Essay Prompts

• • • Compare and contrast Romeo with Juliet. What similarities do they have that bring their downfall?

Explain tragic heroes and their tragic errors. Are Romeo, Juliet, and Friar Lawrence responsible for the play’s conclusion? How and who are the tragic heroes?

Write an alternate conclusion to the play.