william shakespeare’s romeo + juliet

Objective: To analyse and respond to a range of ideas, purposes and themes. Develop an understanding of how ideas and values portrayed in texts reflect

historical and cultural context.

Why do we have to study

Shakespeare??

It is part of our cultural and literary heritage.

It is part of your curriculum – the government say you have to.

But more importantly…The themes and issues dealt with are universal and still relevant. The stories continue to be re-told.



Can you think of any films, TV shows, books or story

lines that have been inspired by Romeo and

Juliet?



What are the themes in Romeo and Juliet?

The Prologue: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 foesA pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;Whose misadventured piteous overthrowsDo with their death bury their parents' strife.The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,And the continuance of their parents' rage,Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;The which if you with patient ears attend,What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

Analyse the Prologue. You need to search for clues about possible themes within the play.



From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,

An old argument New violence and fighting

Theme: Conflict



Themes we could consider:ConflictLoveFateLoyaltyHonesty



What kind of conflicts have you experienced?An open clash between

two opposing groups.

Dispute: a disagreement or argument about something important.

Opposition between two simultaneous but incompatible feelings.

Action that goes against rules, laws or social norms.



Complete the spider-diagram, to show different areas of conflict in Romeo & Juliet. Think about:• physical fights• long-running background feuds• arguments between two or more people. Conflic

tVerbal fighting: Servants A1S1



●Capulets and MontaguesTybalt and MercutioJuliet and Lord CapuletRomeo and ParisJuliet and her nurse

If you are struggling, you may want to think about the relationships between the following characters and the type of conflict that arises as a result.

Are there any other relationships that lead to conflict?



In our study of the play we will focus on how the theme of conflict is explored through the relationships of the following characters:

The families’ servants (dispute)

Tybalt and Mercutio (hatred/open clash of personalities)

Juliet and Capulet (clash of incompatible personal feelings and loyalties and a clash of expectations)

As we explore the actions of the servants in Act One Scene One, consider what comment Shakespeare is making on involving yourself in other people’s issues.



The Prologue warns us that “civil blood” has made “civil hands unclean”. In other words the family feud has engulfed those outside, but loyal to, the families too.



What type of character is Sampson?Read the extracts to build an image of Sampson.



Name:

Role in play:

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

In three words:

In your exercise books, create a character profile for Sampson.



A recurring theme in Shakespeare’s play is ‘appearance and reality’. Compare the quotations from Sampson with those from his friend and fellow servant Gregory.

What does Gregory reveal to be the true nature of Sampson’s character?



After his over-the-top show of masculinity, which he seems to equate naturally with a desire for violence, the line “quarrel, I will back thee” betrays the true nature of his weakness: he will not start the fight, but merely follow.



What is the effect of this?What did Shakespeare want us to think about

Sampson?Following the conventions of the time, Shakespeare used prose to indicate that Sampson was a character of low-status (a servant). The prose adds another interpretation: it was also a convention that comic characters speak in prose. Taking into account his over-the-top self-declarations and subsequent revelation of true character by Gregory, we are left with a sense that Sampson is a rather farcical character.

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://k41.pbase.com/v3/90/494590/1/51321746.SadClown_sat.jpg&imgrefurl=http://fusenumber8.blogspot.com/2007/02/clown-will-not-bite-me-and-throw-me-in.html&usg=__pC-YoKfgUnwjNP1XnH6OBXnVO_I=&h=782&w=606&sz=117&hl=en&start=2&tbnid=apQ6LuOJi5I5oM:&tbnh=143&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dclown%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D21%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN



Returning to an earlier point for consideration:

What comment is Shakespeare making on involving yourself in other people’s issues?



Watch the following extract from Franco Zeffirelli’s version of Romeo and Juliet.

How does the dispute between the servants of the two families escalate?

Are the older characters any wiser?What, according to the Prince, was the initial

cause of the feud?What is the punishment for ‘disturbing the

streets’ again?



http://www.24hourtrading.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/tv.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCLlIw8rFIA



How does the dispute between the servants of the two families escalate?

Are the older characters any wiser?What, according to the Prince, was the initial

cause of the feud?What is the punishment for ‘disturbing the

streets’ again?



How far would you go to protect your family name?

How far would you go to protect the reputation of a

friend?



Montague is bound as well as I,

In penalty alike; and 'tis not hard, I think,

For men so old as we to keep the peace.

After the Prince declares the punishment for any future brawling, Capulet, in conversation with Paris, says:

What is the problem with this statement?



... peace! I hate the word



Tybalt is Juliet’s cousin and, as the eldest male, heir to the Capulet legacy.

He takes the feud seriously, seeing it to be as much his birthright as the family fortune.

He hates Romeo, heir to the Montague ‘throne’, and sees it as a personal slight that Romeo gate-crashes the Capulet celebrations. He is further enraged by, his uncle, Lord Capulet’s command to ignore Romeo’s presence, calling him, Romeo, “a virtuous and well-govern'd youth”.



As evident in Act One Scene One, Tybalt is hot-tempered and quarrelsome.

In Act Three Scene One, Mercutio calls him “Prince of Cats”.What character traits does this suggest?

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This is partly a compliment: cats are lithe and agile, a reference to Tybalt’s swordsmanship.

Like Tybalt, cats are considered finicky, predatory and territorial creatures. At the time Shakespeare was writing they were also often superstitiously linked to witchcraft and evil.

But, as per the continuing theme of appearance and reality, there is a less flattering reading to Mercutio’s nickname.

Mercutio is mocking Tybalt for sharing his name with a character from an earlier fable, the cat in ‘Reynard the Fox’. He knows this will wind him up, as, like the cat in the fable, Tybalt is easily irritated.



Read Act Three Scene One carefully and answer the questions on your

sheet.



Þ There is a neighbourhood feud between rival gangs. Þ Tim (a member of the Shark gang) spots Rob (a member of the Jet

gang) gate-crashing a Shark party, he is furious at the intrusion. Tim sends Rob a text message; ‘Meet 2morro in town @ 12. We’ll sort it out once & 4 all!’ Þ But Rob’s phone battery is dead and he doesn’t go home that night because he has met a ‘special’ girl at the party. He doesn’t charge his phone and never receives the message.

Þ At the Shark party, Rob met and fell in love with Julie, the daughter of the Shark’s leader and Tim’s cousin. On the morning of ‘the fight’, Rob secretly marries Julie.

Elated at the marriage, Rob goes into town to find his friends and tell them about his new wife.



By chance, Rob arrives at the town centre at 12noon, where he finds Tim waiting for him. Believing Rob received his message and is in town to fight, Tim

attempts to start a fight with Rob. Rob, unaware of the message, refuses to fight his new wife’s cousin. Tim takes Rob’s refusal as an insult and becomes more determined to fight/kill him.

Rob’s best friend (Mike), steps in to protect his friend.Þ In the scuffle that ensues Tim accidentally stabs Mike, who dies in

Rob’s arms.

Blinded by anger, Rob pursues and kills Tim in revenge.



Who’s to blame?The Capulet’s want retribution for the death of Tybalt, but who is really to blame?

Use the text to justify your answer.

Consider all the avenues of fault.



We are now going to consider the relationship between Juliet and Lord Capulet.

What type of conflict arises from this relationship?

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My only love sprung from my only hate!Too early seen unknown, and known too late!Prodigious birth of love it is to me,That I must love a loathed enemy.

How does Juliet’s love for Romeo create not only personal conflict for herself , but also put her into conflict with her family?



• Can parents predict who will make the best partner for their child?• Can parents predict who their child will find attractive?• How important is physical attraction in a long-term relationship?• Can young people predict who will make a good partner for them?• How important is it for a partner to be liked by the other’s family?• Can parents judge people more accurately than their children sometimes?• Do marriages work best if people come from similar backgrounds?• Do marriages work best if people have similar viewpoints?• Can a difference in money and status cause problems between partners?• Do opposites really attract?• Do you think parents can determine when their children are ready to marry?• Should young people obey their parents’ wishes?• Why do you think that some arranged marriages work well and last?• Why do you think that so many ‘love’ marriages fail?



“Arranged marriages are in the interests of parents and

children alike.”



My will to her consent is but a part;An she agree, within her scope of choice

My child is yet a stranger in the world;She hath not seen the change of fourteen years,Let two more summers wither in their pride,Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.

Act 1 Scene 2: Capulet’s response to Paris’ request for Juliet’s hand in marriage.



Sir Paris, I will make a desperate tenderOf my child's love: I think she will be ruledIn all respects by me; nay, more, I doubt it not.Wife, go you to her ere you go to bed;Acquaint her here of my son Paris' love;And bid her, mark you me, on Wednesday next-

Act 3 Scene 5: The aftermath of Tybalt’s death.



How does this differ from Capulet’s earlier response to Paris’ request for Juliet’s hand?

As an audience, what does this moment make you feel?

Why does Capulet now agree to marriage? What does he not know that the audience do?

How will Juliet feel?

Who should have stopped this from happening?



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1DMxEbJ6P8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjR15RDUz24&feature=related

In Shakespeare’s time, boys could marry at fourteen, and girls could marry at twelve, with parental consent. It was unusual for marriages to take place so young, but not unheard of.

Shakespeare’s audience generally had an unsentimental view of marriage.

Across all levels of society, marriage was entered into for commercial and dynastic reasons.


historical and cultural context.C

onte

xt:



How might an audience’s belief and value system affect their interpretation of Juliet and

Capulet’s relationship?

Character: What do the questions reveal about Capulet’s expectations and feelings regarding Juliet’s refusal?



CAPULET:

Soft! take me with you, take me with you, wife.

How! will she none? doth she not give us thanks?

Is she not proud? doth she not count her blest,

Unworthy as she is, that we have wrought

So worthy a gentleman to be her bridegroom?

Language: What tone has the exclamation mark created? What are the ‘normal’ connotations of the word “soft”? How has the meaning altered here?

Character: What does this reveal about Capulet’s intentions for the marriage? (Relate to S & H Context)

Language: What do these language choices reveal about the perception of men and women when Shakespeare was writing?



Things to look out for when analysing and annotating:

Consider the connotations of word choices – why has Shakespeare used this word, what does it make you think of, what tone/atmosphere does the choice create? Think also about the significance of the type of word – noun, adjective, imperative verb, modal, etc.

Think about imagery. The use of emotionally charged words and phrases which conjure up vivid mental pictures: imagery is like painting with words.



Pay particular attention to use of metaphors, similes and personification.

In Macbeth, the protagonist is plagued by evil thoughts:O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!



Rhyme, rhythm and order – which words are stressed (iambic pentameter) and do they particularly add a specific meaning, has Shakespeare played around with natural word order, has rhyme been used to highlight certain ideas or images, has he used lists to intensify descriptions and increase dramatic effect?

Hark, villains, I will grind your bones to dust,



How is character revealed? Think about what the character says and how they say it, how other characters react to them, how they behave and treat others, even names can be revealing.

What character traits does Shakespeare portray?

Does the character change or remain the same throughout? Refer back and compare the character’s actions from different sections of the text.

What relationship does the character have with others in the play? How do they influence them?



How are the themes of the text developed? What references are made to the key themes and how do these add to our understanding of the theme within the context of the play?

How do the themes and purposes of the writer shape both the narrative and the audience’s interpretation of the text?

What do the themes reveal about the writer’s purpose and intentions for writing?



We will analyse and annotate a short extract together on the board,

remember to consider all the points you have just made a note of.



JULIET

Not proud, you have; but thankful, that you have:

Proud can I never be of what I hate;

But thankful even for hate, that is meant love.



In pairs, complete the annotation of the rest of the extract. Remember, while you are specifically looking for examples of conflict, you should consider language, character and theme.

Your Task:



Assessment:On your own, annotate the extract. Remember, your annotations should lead you to answer the questions at the top of the sheet.

william shakespeare’s romeo + juliet

Documents

range of ideas

cultural context

possible themes

importantlythe themes

new mutiny

ancient grudge break

covers appeal

rj prologue sheets