Aims for Today:
•Complete Romeo and Juliet Essay Plan
•Begin ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Essay
•Review of folio
•Tomorrow…Close Reading
When I was eight, I watched ‘Marine
Boy’ because on a wet Thursday
afternoon, there was absolutely nothing
else to do. Now, kids have got YouTube,
Xbox, MSN, Facebook, text, email, PSP,
DVD, and Sky+. All the world’s ones and
noughts have been harnessed for their
edification and you’re not going to drag
them back to the box with a bunch of
jolly-what-tally-ho Enid Blyton kids in big
shorts getting into scrapes with
smugglers. That was then, and it’s as
gone as the ruff and tuberculosis.
Show how the writer’s sentence
structure helps to clarify the point
that he is making.
When I was eight, I watched ‘Marine
Boy’ because on a wet Thursday
afternoon, there was absolutely nothing
else to do. Now, kids have got YouTube,
Xbox, MSN, Facebook, text, email, PSP,
DVD, and Sky+. All the world’s ones and
noughts have been harnessed for their
edification and you’re not going to drag
them back to the box with a bunch of
jolly-what-tally-ho Enid Blyton kids in big
shorts getting into scrapes with
smugglers. That was then, and it’s as
gone as the ruff and tuberculosis.
Show how the writer’s sentence
structure helps to clarify the point
that he is making.
•Choose a play in which there is
a scene which provides a clear
turning point in the action.
•Explain why this is a turning
point and go on to discuss
the importance of the scene
to your appreciation of the
text as a whole.
Shakespeare’s great tragedy ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is
a play in which the central character of Romeo
makes a crucial error when he kills Tybalt in
retaliation following the murder of his dear friend
Mercutio in Act 3 Scene 1. Widely considered to
be the greatest love story of all time, the play
describes how Romeo and Juliet struggle to
maintain their relationship against the backdrop
of the bitter feud between their families. In
killing Tybalt, Romeo effectively destroys any
chance of being able to sustain a relationship with
his new wife Juliet.
Point 1:
Shakespeare opens the play with a
description of the feud between the Capulets and
the Montagues. This feud is what drives the play
and ultimately leads to the violent confrontation
between Romeo and Tybalt in Act 3 Scene 1.
Remember! For a point…
•
Where in the play are you
discussing?
•
What is happening?
•
Why is it important?
Point 1:
Shakespeare opens the play with a
description of the feud between the Capulets and
the Montagues. This feud is what drives the play
and ultimately leads to the violent confrontation
between Romeo and Tybalt in Act 3 Scene 1.
Quote:
From ancient grudge breaks to new
mutiny
A pair of star cross’d lovers
Evaluation
The prologue to the play introduces the conflict
between the Capulet family and the Montagues. This
conflict is key to the tragedy of the play as it divides the
characters along purely tribal lines. The description of
the ‘ancient grudge’ emphasises just how long standing
the feud between the families has lasted, and how
difficult it will be for Romeo and Juliet to overcome it.
There is also a suggestion that it has intensified in recent
times through the use of the description ‘new mutiny’.
This tense conflict leads Juliet to suggest that the
Montague family are her ‘only hate’, all of which
emphasises the intense conflict between the two families.
This conflict fuels the violent confrontation between
Romeo and Tybalt.
Point 2:
As the play develops, the audience become
aware of Romeo’s tempestuous nature. It is clear
that he is fickle and changeable and that he often
acts rashly. These rash actions lead to his violent
actions when confronted by Tybalt.
Remember! For a point…
•
Where in the play are you
discussing?
•
What is happening?
•
Why is it important?
Point 2:
As the play develops, the audience become
aware of Romeo’s tempestuous nature. It is clear
that he is fickle and changeable and that he often
acts rashly. These rash actions lead to his violent
actions when confronted by Tybalt.
Quote:
Did my heart love till now? Forswear
it, sight! For my heart never knew true
love till this night!
Evaluation
In this paragraph, you are trying to prove that
there is a weakness in Romeo’s character: he is too
impulsive and rash. He follows his desires and does not
pause to consider the consequences.
In the quote he is discussing his reaction to Juliet.
Was he not supposed to be in love with Rosaline?
Likewise, Juliet herself sees his desire to marry
her as ‘too rash, too sudden, too unadvised’.
All of this builds an impression of Romeo as an
impetuous and rash character…this is seen perfectly in
our key scene where he kills Tybalt.
Point 3:
Our key scene occurs in Act 3 Scene 1.
Following the marriage of Romeo and Juliet, the
audience are once again reminded of the tension
between the Capulets and the Montagues when
Shakespeare depicts a fatal battle in which
Mercutio loses his life at the hands of Tybalt.
Remember! For a point…
•
Where in the play are you
discussing?
•
What is happening?
Point 3:
Shakespeare opens the play with a
description of the feud between the Capulets and
the Montagues. This feud is what drives the play
and ultimately leads to the violent confrontation
between Romeo and Tybalt in Act 3 Scene 1.
Quote:
The day is hot; the Capulets, abroad;
And if we meet we shall not ’scape a brawl,
Thou art a villain
Villain am I none
A plague on both your houses
Evaluation
In this paragraph, you are trying to prove that
there is a weakness in Romeo’s character: he is too
impulsive and rash. He follows his desires and does
not pause to consider the consequences.
In the quote he is discussing his reaction to Juliet.
Was he not supposed to be in love with Rosaline?
Likewise, Juliet herself sees his desire to marry
her as ‘too rash, too sudden, too unadvised’.
All of this builds an impression of Romeo as an
impetuous and rash character…this is seen
perfectly in our key scene where he kills Tybalt.
Point 4:
As the key scene develops, Romeo makes a crucial
error. In retaliation at the brutal murder of his
dear friend Mercutio, Romeo kills Tybalt. In doing
this he is punished by the Prince and is banished
from Verona .
Remember! For a point…
•
Where in the play are you
discussing?
•
What is happening?
•
Why is it important?
Point 4:
As the key scene develops, Romeo makes a crucial
error. In retaliation at the brutal murder of his
dear friend Mercutio, Romeo kills Tybalt. In doing
this he is punished by the Prince and is banished
from Verona .
Quote…
‘Oh I am fortune’s fool’
‘Ha, banishment! Be merciful, say “death,”’
Evaluation
In this paragraph, you are trying to prove that
there is a weakness in Romeo’s character: he is too
impulsive and rash. He follows his desires and does
not pause to consider the consequences.
In the quote he is discussing his reaction to Juliet.
Was he not supposed to be in love with Rosaline?
Likewise, Juliet herself sees his desire to marry
her as ‘too rash, too sudden, too unadvised’.
All of this builds an impression of Romeo as an
impetuous and rash character…this is seen
perfectly in our key scene where he kills Tybalt.