innovative lessons for romeo and juliet

7/23/2019 Innovative Lessons for Romeo and Juliet

1/3

Innovative Lessons for Romeo and Juliet

For teachers, a new school year can either mean rehashing the same old same old or looking for

ways to stretch their pedagogical wings. One area that needs regular revamping is literature. How

do you bring literature to life for students who only read under duress? Romeo and Juliet is a

standard high school text, and a nexus from which dozens of inventive lesson plans can be created.In my class, one of the most effective was "Flashing Swords and Poetic Words." In that unit, students

performed the famous fight scene in Romeo and Juliet with real foils, but only after much scaffolding

and practice.

Source of the Scene in Romeo and Juliet

Act III, Scene 1 finds Benvolio and Mercutio entering the square where Tybalt and his "homies" will

shortly appear. Mercutio is itching for a fight, calling Tybalt out even when that Capulet indicates he

is more interested in Romeo than Mercutio. Finally, almost in a dancing duel, the two cross swords.

Romeo comes on the scene and tries to separate them. In the process, Tybalt slides the point of hisblade under Romeo's arm and pierces Mercutio's chest. Mercutio chastises Romeo for getting in the

way. "I thought all for the best," says Romeo defending himself. Mercutio is less forgiving of his best

friend, "A plague o' both your houses," and he dies shortly after.

Rapiers, Epees, and Foils

All three of these small swords are typical of the type Romeo, Mercutio, and Tybalt might have used.

Longer and more slender, they were designed for piercing rather than slicing. Proficiency with a

sword was one of many measures of a man, others being courtly behavior and wit. Mercutio finds

fault with Tybalt's skill, "...a villain, that fights by the book of arithmetic!"

Steps of Lesson Plan Delivery

1. Read the scene, afterward discussing issues such as "quick to anger", "heat" as it relates to

temper and weather, "Why Tybalt won the first fight", and "group mentality."

2. Watch the sword fight scene on YouTube.There are many versions. The best I've found are: 1) Act

III, Scene 1, from Franco Zeffirelli's movie, or 2) the 1996 remake.

3. Check out the weapon - An actual foil, rapier, or epee, available at various retailers for around

$70. (Be sure the foil is fitted with a button for safety.) Masks are about the same price. If your

Drama department does not have these props available, plastic versions of foils can be purchased

from costume shops online, or fairly realistic models can be made by rolling poster paper very tightly

and fitting a hilt and handle with tape. Regardless of the type of weapon used in this unit, the safety

section is still a necessity.

4. A diagram of the weapon - Use this to discuss the purpose, history and vocabulary associated with

the fencing weapons.

Purpose - Fashion and ProtectionHistory - Young men and their deadly toys. Vocabulary - hilt, blade,

pommel, button, grip, guard, point, lunge, en garde, attack, parry, riposte,feint, counter-attack,thrust.5. Safety - Many sites online outline safety issues clearly, and it is critical that students sign

off on the safety requirements, even if the weapons they use are not "real". My students signed a


2/3

document promising to maintain safe usage of the swords throughout the practice and performance.

6. Parts - Assign parts for the performance:

RomeoMercutioTybaltBenvolio7. Choreography - This is not the time to recreate the actual sword

fight from the play. Instead, keep it simple, just 6 or 8 moves. It will be enough to deliver the lines

spoken just before and during the fight scene that leaves Mercutio mortally wounded. The

performance should start at the point when Romeo enters and sees Mercutio facing off against

Tybalt.

ROMEO [enters]

Mercutio!

TYBALT

Well, peace be with you, sir. Here comes my man.

The actual sword fight begins shortly after, when Romeo has tried to pacify Tybalt and Mercutio gets

angry.

MERCUTIO

O calm, dishonorable, vile submission! [draws his sword]

Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?

Choreography:

Both fencers in en garde position - swords raised and crossed. Feet should be close together with

one perpendicular to the other at the center. The non-sword hand should be behind the back.Fencer#1 advances - swords are crossed. Advancing fencer extends leg forward as in second

photograph.Advancing fencer parries- that is, he/she moves his/her sword back and forth against the

other.Fencer #2 backs up - swords are raised as fencers parry back and forth.Fencer #2 advances -


3/3

swords are raised and fencers parry.Fencer #1 backs up - fencers continue to parry.Fencer #2 goes

for the coup de gras by extending

http://www.rodriguezlandscapes.com/an-overview-of-the-two-way-radio/his/her sword arm and

gently tapping the rib cage of Fencer #1.8. Assessment - This assignment should not be graded

strictly on the quality of the performance. Instead, look at issues such as effort , following directions,

safety, and partnering.

BREAK A LEG!
http://www.rodriguezlandscapes.com/an-overview-of-the-two-way-radio/http://www.rodriguezlandscapes.com/an-overview-of-the-two-way-radio/

innovative lessons for romeo and juliet

Documents