Before reading Romeo and Juliet
We are about to begin reading the famous play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. In order to
understand and appreciate this story, some basic background information will be helpful. Since some
people have had extensive background in this while others have nearly none, we will work in topic groups
that are responsible for teaching the class some important information about a topic related to Shakespeare
and Romeo and Juliet. To do this, you will create a Wikipage, which is like a “center,” so that other
students can read and learn about your topic. In the end, each person will focus on areas with which he or
she is the LEAST familiar.
1. RESEARCH the topic and CREATE AN OUTLINE of important FACTS and LINKS that are
organized clearly and purposefully on the page. Students will save their OUTLINE as a Word
document, compiling the group members’ research. We will create LINKS to all the finished
OUTLINES from a page on our class Wikispace.
2. On your topic OUTLINE, be sure to include links that contain VISUALS that clearly enhance
understanding of the topic.
3. Include a WORKS CITED section at the end of your outline which shows that you used at least
FIVE different sources, at least ONE of which must be a PRINT source. Do your best to follow
MLA format; do not obsess over this at this time. You do not have to use internal citations
within your outline.
POSSIBLE TOPICS:
o Shakespeare’s life (youth, education, family, death)
o Shakespeare’s career (as a poet, actor, and playwright)
o The Globe Theatre
o Elizabethan theatre and customs
o Actors and acting in Elizabethan England
o Clothing styles in Elizabethan England & 14th century Verona, Italy (by social class and gender)
o Queen Elizabeth I & King James I and their connection to the theatre/Shakespeare
o Life in Elizabethan England (food, shelter, education, class structure, entertainment, activities,
customs, beliefs, family life, etc.)
o Life in Verona, Italy in the 14th century (See list above.)
o The history of feuding (ancient to modern day)
o Plants & herbal medicine of Elizabethan England/14th century Verona, Italy
o The plague and its effect on the theatre
o Three types of Shakespeare’s plays: comedies, tragedies, and histories
o Sources for Romeo and Juliet
o The parallels between Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story
o The Tempest as Shakespeare’s “final bow”
o Other?
Busarello
Romeo and Juliet