Romeo & Juliet Act lll Exercises
Warm Up – Write a sentence using a participial phrase to
describe a scene from “Act lll”
EXAMPLE: Refusing her father’s arranged marriage
proposal, Juliet was threatened by her father with
abandonment.
Other possible participial phrases to start your sentence
with:
Getting between Mercutio and Tybalt
Trying to avoid the fight
Mistaking Juliet’s lamenting
Hoping the Friar could help
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, Act III,
Literary Analysis: Dramatic Speeches
Characters in plays often deliver these types of dramatic speeches:
• Soliloquy: a lengthy speech in which a character—usually alone on
stage—expresses his or her true thoughts or feelings. Soliloquies are
unheard by other characters.
• Aside: a brief remark by a character revealing his or her true thoughts
or feelings, unheard by other characters.
• Monologue: a lengthy speech by one person. Unlike a soliloquy, a
monologue is addressed to other characters.
•
Characters often add meaning to speeches by making allusions—
references to well-known people, places, or events from mythology
or literature. For example, in Act II, Mercutio insultingly calls Tybalt
“Prince of Cats,” alluding to a cat named Tybalt in French fables.
Allusion
• 5. Explain Juliet’s allusion to Greek mythology
in the opening lines of Scene ii p. 870.
Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds,
Toward Phoebus’ lodging!
What is Juliet wanting and why?
Answer
• Phoebus (Apollo) was the sun god who pulls
the sun across the horizon to the place it sets.
• Phaeton was Phoebus son who tried to drive
his father’s horses but got too close to the
sun.
• Juliet is wanting the sun to set and evening to
come because that is when she is expecting
Romeo.
Discussion Questions Write Answers in
Notes:
1. In Scene v, p. 885 beginning with line 70
Juliet’s mother comes to speak with her about
her grieving. In line 78 she refers to Romeo as
a villain. In an aside, Juliet says, “Villain and
he be many miles asunder.” What is the effect
of this aside? Why do you think Shakespeare
wrote just the one remark as an aside?
Answer:
• Juliet speaks the words in an aside, so her
mother won’t hear them. But they let the
audience know the double meaning to the
rest of her words. “He is not at all like a
villain, God pardon him, I do! Yet he makes me
very sad.
Monologue
2. In Scene v, p. 888 Capulet delivers a
monologue when he discovers that Juliet has
rejected the match with Paris. Reread lines
177–197. What makes this speech a
monologue? What is he saying?
Answer:
• It is a monologue because Capulet is
addressing everyone present with his wrath.
• He is essentially saying that Juliet is a spoiled
brat and that if she does not marry Paris he
will throw her out of his house and on the
streets to beg.
3. Why is it important for Juliet and the others
to hear Capulet’s monologue?
Answer:
• It is important for:
– Lady Capulet because she must submit to her
husband and cannot help Juliet.
– Nurse because she realizes she will be out of a job
– Juliet because she is pushed to desperation
Soliloquy
• 4. At the close of Scene v, Juliet delivers a
soliloquy. Reread lines 237–244. What makes
these last eight lines a soliloquy?
ANSWER
• This is a soliloquy because Juliet is alone.
• It reveals her anger with the nurse and her
desperation as she threatens to commit
suicide if the Friar can’t help her.
Exercise
• Literature book p. 933 Do “Editorial Exercise”
• Steps:
– Decide whether you agree or disagree
– Develop two to three reasons
– Write your editorial based on those reasons.
Intro Example
Paragraph 1:
Today in the fair city of Verona, two men are
dead, and one by edict of the Prince, has been
banished. This sentence of banishment for
Romeo Montague is (horribly unjust or is an act of
mercy and more than fair.)
Paragraph 2:
The fray began at the insults and hand of Tybalt
Capulet who underhandedly killed Mercutio
cousin to the Prince.
Possible Arguments
• If fair:
• Romeo gave every effort to keep the peace and stop the
fight
• Tybalt refused peace and killed Mercutio when Romeo got
between them and he was distracted.
• “An Eye for an Eye” Romeo needed to avenge Mercutio’s
death.
• Unfair and he should be sentenced to death:
• The law said no fighting and offenders would suffer death
• Romeo gave into fighting and killed Tybalt, Tybalt’s death
must be avenged
• The people of Verona will think they can get away with
murder
Warm - up
• Combine the following sentences creating a
participial phrase out of one of them.
– Juliet cried profusely.
– Juliet heard the news of Tybalt’s death and
Romeo’s banishment.
• Using the same two sentences create a
complex sentence using a subordination
conjunction.
Examples
• Hearing the news of Tybalt’s death and
Romeo’s banishment, Juliet cried profusely.
• When Juliet heard the news of Tybalt’s death
and Romeo’s banishment, she cried profusely.
Essay Revision
• Add 5 vocabulary words to your essay.
• Add two of the following or make up your own
participial phrases:
– Underhandedly killing Mercutio
– Desiring to keep the peace
– Avenging his death
– Setting an example for the community