Romeo and Juliet Essay
The Assignment

Write a well-constructed 5-paragraph formal essay of approximately 400 - 500 words.

I will not be assigning a topic but some potential ideas are listed below.

This is a formal piece of writing and thus your language, sentence structure and tone should be
adjusted accordingly.

Each paragraph and should be DOUBLED SPACED.

Each paragraph will consist of (Refer to GERRC paragraph format)
A. An introductory/topic sentence
B. 3 supporting sentences
C. A concluding/transition sentence

An essay outline and rough draft must be completed before writing your final copy.

You will then have time to peer edit your essays and hand in the final copy.

All work must be handed in.

This should be a well-organized and focused essay.

You should refer to specific passages and lines from the novel as evidence.

Remember that this is a formal essay and you should use formal language structure (no use of the
word “I” or “In this essay”). You are writing for a formal, adult audience.
Potential Topics
1. What effect does the accelerated time scheme have on the play’s development? Is it plausible that a
love story of this magnitude could take place so quickly? Does the play seem to take place over as
little time as it actually occupies?
2. Explain in detail how/if Romeo and Juliet both mature during the course of the play. Cite examples
from their speech or actions that illustrate your position.
3. Who is most to blame for the tragedy in Romeo and Juliet? The Nurse, the Friar, their parents?
Haste, love, immaturity? Discuss the people and fate that lead up to Romeo and Juliet’s final end.
4. Impetuosity is a tragic flaw that affects character and action. This flaw within a character will
ultimately cause the death of the protagonist. How does this tragic flaw affect any of the characters in
this play?
5. "A tragedy must reflect a range of experience and base itself on a system of values which are felt by
its audience to be real." Do Romeo and Juliet achieve this? Or is it an ancient story on which we
reflect with sorrow and nothing more?
1
At the end of Romeo and Juliet the Prince says: 'Some shall be pardon'd, and some punished' (V, iii, 307). Whom do
you think should be pardoned and whom punished?
2
"It is too rash, too unadvis'd, too sudden." How do Juliet's words apply to the action of the play?
3
"The blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet ultimately rests with Friar Lawrence." Do you agree?
4
Was "their parents' strife" the reason for the love between Romeo and Juliet proving to be fatal?
5
"The lesson of Romeo and Juliet is that children should not deceive their parents." Do you agree?
6
"Shakespeare made Mercutio so sparkling and diverting that he had to kill him in order to allow the tragic focus of the
play to emerge." Do you agree?
7
"The Nurse fills the role of Juliet's mother, and Friar Laurence acts as Romeo's father." Discuss the importance of these
characters in Romeo and Juliet.
8
"Romeo and Juliet come from what we, in the twenty-first century, would call dysfunctional families. This is the true
cause of their tragedy." Do you agree?
9
"For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo." What do you think of this estimation of the
play's events?
10
"A tragedy must reflect a range of experience and base itself on a system of values which are felt by its audience to be
real." Do Romeo and Juliet achieve this? Or is it an ancient story on which we reflect with sorrow and nothing more?
11
"The tragedy of a faulty postal service." What do you think this interpretation has overlooked?
12
In the Prologue, Romeo and Juliet are described as "star-crossed lovers" and reference is made to their "death-marked
love". They themselves speak like this. Do you think that Shakespeare wants to create the impression that their death
is brought about by a cruel overwhelming Fate, by sheer accident or by their own wilfulness — or by some or all of
these?
13
"The theme of Romeo and Juliet is about a consuming love. It is a story of hatred overcome by that love, old hate
versus young love, taking no thought for the past or future. And this love ends in 'love-devouring death'; but the effect
of the play is not wholly pessimistic." Discuss.
14
"Romeo and Juliet is a story of revolt against authority." Discuss.
15
"Romeo and Juliet's love is doomed not just by the world around it, but by its own intensity." Do you agree?
16
"The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is simply a case of bad luck." Do you think this is true?
17
"Romeo and Juliet is a play about two silly, immature teenagers who lack common sense. Therefore, the play
expresses the danger of a love in which two people become the whole world to one another." Do you agree?
18
' A plague on both your houses!'
"Mercutio's dying curse reminds us that, in the end, it is the adults who need to be condemned and punished for their
irresponsibility and senseless feuding. Romeo and Juliet are merely innocent victims of their parents' rage." Discuss.
Essay Rubric
Name:
Class:
Date:
Achievement Categories
Weight
Assigned
Knowledge/Understanding
 Understanding of the
_____/5


form of the essay
Understanding of ideas,
information and theme
Use of organizational
pattern.
Thinking/Inquiry



Critical thinking
skills/development of
argument
Use of specific relevant
evidence
Refined and critical
thesis
Communication
 Communication of ideas
 Communication to an
audience for a purpose
Application
 Use of appropriate


academic language
Application of language
conventions
Application of Writing
Process
_____/5
_____/10
_____/10
_____/10
_____/10
_____/5
_____/5
_____/5
_____/10
_____/5
Level 0 (0-49%)
Level 1 (50-59%)
Level 2 (60-69%)
Level 3 (70-79%)
Level 4 (80-100%)
Demonstrates very limited
knowledge and command
of the form.
Shows very limited
understanding of ideas,
information, and theme.
Uses organisational pattern
with very limited
effectiveness.
Develops arguments with
very limited logic,
objectivity and coherence.
Selects and incorporates
very limited specific and
relevant evidence to
support ideas and opinion.
Demonstrates limited
knowledge and command
of the form.
Shows limited
understanding of ideas,
information, and theme.
Uses organisational pattern
with limited effectiveness.
Demonstrates some
knowledge and command
of the form.
Shows some understanding
of ideas, information, and
theme.
Uses organisational pattern
with some effectiveness.
Demonstrates considerable
knowledge and command
of the form.
Shows considerable
understanding of ideas,
information, and theme.
Uses organisational pattern
effectively.
Develops arguments with
limited logic, objectivity
and coherence.
Selects and incorporates
limited specific and
relevant evidence to
support ideas and opinion.
Develops arguments with
some logic, objectivity and
coherence.
Selects and incorporates
some specific and relevant
evidence to support ideas
and opinion.
Develops arguments with
considerable logic,
objectivity and coherence.
Selects and incorporates
considerable specific and
relevant evidence to
support ideas and opinion.
Thesis shows very limited
development and critical
thinking.
Communicates ideas with
very limited clarity.
Communicates with a very
limited sense of audience
and purpose.
Selects and uses
appropriate academic and
technical language with
very limited precision.
Uses language conventions
with very limited accuracy.
Thesis shows limited
development and critical
thinking.
Communicates ideas with
limited clarity.
Communicates with a
limited sense of audience
and purpose.
Selects and uses
appropriate academic and
technical language with
limited precision.
Uses language conventions
with limited accuracy.
Formulate and refines a
somewhat interesting and
critical thesis.
Communicates ideas with
some clarity.
Communicates with some
sense of audience and
purpose.
Selects and uses
appropriate academic and
technical language with
some precision.
Uses language conventions
with some accuracy.
Formulate and refines
interesting and critical
thesis.
Communicates ideas with
considerable clarity.
Communicates with a clear
sense of audience and
purpose.
Selects and uses
appropriate academic and
technical language with
precision.
Uses language conventions
with considerable accuracy
and some effectiveness.
Uses the writing process
with very limited
competence.
Uses the writing process
with limited competence.
Uses the writing process
with some competence.
Uses the writing process
with considerable
competence.
Demonstrates thorough
knowledge and command
of the form.
Shows insightful
understanding of ideas,
information, and theme.
Uses organisational pattern
very effectively to suit
form and purpose.
Develops arguments with a
high degree of logic,
objectivity and coherence.
Selects and incorporates a
high degree of specific and
relevant evidence to
support ideas and opinion
thoroughly.
Formulate and refines
interesting and highly
critical thesis.
Communicates ideas with a
high degree of clarity.
Communicates with a
strong sense of audience
and purpose.
Selects and uses
appropriate academic and
technical language with a
high degree of precision.
Uses language conventions
with extensive accuracy
and considerable
effectiveness.
Uses the writing process
with a high degree of
competence.
Overall Mark
/80