Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare
Before, During, and
After Reading Skills
Act II
Literary Response
Romeo and Juliet Act II
Read the play carefully and note the way the characters
interact with each other and the reasons behind their
actions.
Do you think that Romeo and Juliet have
made the “right” decisions in Act II?
What have they done that you either
agree or disagree with in Act II?
Is there anything you would have done
differently?
Explain your thoughts and ideas and use evidence from
the text to support your response.
Before Reading Skills
Preview and Predictions
•Examine the text features located throughout Act II.
(pages 842-869)
•Make a list of the things you “know” or “think you know”
based only on the text features.
•Make a list of at least 3 things you want to know, but
you need to read in order to find out.
•What major events do you predict will happen in Act II?
What information supports your predictions?
During Reading Skills
Structure and Purpose of a Drama
•The purpose of a drama is to entertain
the audience and to present
information/details about the characters.
•The audience will learn about the
characters in several ways. Pay attention
to the characters and try to keep them
organized as you read.
•You will be asked to create a character
chart to identify the characters and their
character traits.
How do we learn about a
character during a play?
•What the characters say
•What the characters do
•What other characters
say about them
•How other characters
treat them
Comprehension/Discussion Questions
Prologue
page 843
1. Read the prologue and examine what
information the author shares with us at the
beginning of Act II.
2. How is this information given to the audience?
3. Use your poetry skills to analyze the meaning
of the prologue.
4. Translate the information into prose.
5. What questions do you have after reading the
prologue?
Act II Prologue
843
A. Rising Action:
•
According to the chorus, what has
happened to Romeo’s old love?
•
What is his new problem?
•
What line suggests these young
people fell in love at first sight?
???
Act II Scene 1
843-845
B. Making Inferences – What is
Benvolio’s tone here? Why
would Romeo be angry at
Mercutio’s remarks?
???
Act II Scene 2
845-853
A. Paraphrasing – Juliet does not know that
Romeo is standing beneath her balcony. What
has Romeo now learned about her feelings for
him?
???
Act II Scene 2
845-853
Analyzing Visuals
page 847
How well does this staging
reflect Scene 2?
Do you think this is what
Shakespeare envisioned
when he wrote the
scene?
Act II Scene 2
845-853
B. Making Inferences – Juliet is practical. She fears
Romeo will be murdered. What is Romeo’s tone – is he
also fearful, or is he reckless and elated?
???
C. Analyzing Cause and Effect – The two lovers will
repeatedly remind us that they prefer death to
separation. What does this speech tell us of Romeo’s
intentions? What might happen if he follows through
on those intentions? What would happen if he doesn’t?
???
End of the
page two
annotation
sheet
Act II Scene 2
845-853
D. Paraphrasing – What is Juliet making
clear to Romeo here? Where does she
show that she still fears he may be
false with her?
???
Act II Scene 2
845-853
E.PLOT: Rising Action – What
terrible event might Juliet’s words
foreshadow?
???
???
Remember to read the sidebar
information and answer the ?
boxes as you read each page.
Check your understanding of
the text.
Characterization
What did you learn about the main
characters of Romeo and Juliet?
Romeo
Conclusion or
Inference
Text Detail or
Support
Juliet
Conclusion or
Inference
Text Detail or
Support
Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene 3
Pages 853-857
Page 853
1. Elements of Drama – How does the
Friar’s soliloquy on page 853 help
“set the stage” for this scene?
2. Characterization – Make a list of the
details we learn about the Friar
during this scene. What conclusions
can you draw about him based on the
things you read?
Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene 3
Pages 853-857
Page 855
A. Plot: Rising Action – Romeo enters
quietly, unseen by the friar. As the
friar explains that his flower contains
the power to heal as well as kill, why
might the audience fear for Romeo
and Juliet?
3. Making Inferences - What can you tell
about the relationship between Romeo
and the friar based on their dialogue?
Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene 3
Pages 853-857
Page 856-857
4. Elements of Drama – In the exposition of the
play, Shakespeare keeps Romeo’s intense
love in perspective by letting the audience
see how others regard him. What can we
learn about Romeo’s “love” from how the
other characters react to Romeo?
B. Analyzing Cause and Effect – Romeo has
gotten what he wants, and he dashes
offstage. Why do the friar’s last words leave
us with a sense that danger lies ahead?
Act II Scene 3
What information do we learn
about Friar Laurence?
What will his role be in the rest
of the play?
Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene 4
Pages 857-863
Page 858
A. Analyzing Cause and Effect – Now that the
play’s love story seems to be heading
toward marriage, Shakespeare turns again
to the feuding families. Why is Tybalt
looking for Romeo? What do you think will
happen when he finds him?
Page 860
B. Making Inferences – What does the loyal
Mercutio think he has accomplished for
Romeo by this game of wits?
Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene 4
Pages 857-863
Pages 862-863
C. Making Inferences – What warning does the
nurse give Romeo, and why do you think she
does this?
D. Plot: Rising Action – The nurse becomes
confiding as she rattles on and on. What
trouble for Romeo and Juliet does she talk
about? What is Juliet’s feeling for Paris now?
Act II Scene 4
What is the most important
event in this scene?
What makes it important?
Act II Scene 5
How does Shakespeare use the
Nurse for comedy in this
scene?
What conclusions can you draw
about Shakespeare’s
audience?
Act II Scene 6
How would you describe the
tone of this scene?
What feelings do you think
Shakespeare wanted his
audience to experience in this
scene?
The Language of Shakespeare
How is the language of Shakespeare’s
Romeo and Juliet different from the
language we use?
Identify the differences.
Translate Shakespeare’s words into
modern language.
Explain the meaning of important lines
from Romeo and Juliet.
My ears have yet not drunk a hundred
words of thy tongue’s uttering, yet I
know the sound.
Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague?
Sweet. So would I.
Yet I should kill thee with much
cherishing.
Parting is such sweet sorrow
That I shall say good night till it be
morrow.
O she knew well
Thy love did read by rote, that could not
spell.
But come, young waverer, come go with
me.
In one respect I’ll thy assistant be;
For this alliance may so happy prove
To turn your households’ rancor to pure
love.
I have night’s cloak to hide me from
their eyes;
And but thou love me, let them find me
here.
My life were better ended by their hate
Than death prorogued wanting of thy
love.
I should have been more strange, I
must confess,
But that thou overheard’st, ere I was
ware,
My truelove passion. Therefore pardon
me,
And not impute this yielding to light
love,
Which the dark night hath so
discovered.
Three words, dear Romeo, and good night
indeed.
If that thy bent of love be honorable,
Thy purpose marriage, send me word
tomorrow,
By one that I’ll procure to come to thee,
Where and what time thou wilt perform the
rite;
And all my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay
And follow thee my lord throughout the world.
Alas, poor Romeo, he is already dead:
stabbed
with wench’s black eye; run through
the ear with
a love song; the very pin of his heart
cleft with the blind
bow-boy’s butt-shaft; and is he a man to
encounter
Tybalt?
These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which, as they kiss, consume. The sweetest
honey
Is loathsome in his own deliciousness
And in the taste confounds the appetite.
Therefore love moderately: long love doth so;
Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.
Staging the Scene
An important part of reading drama is
the ability to visualize the scenes.
As you read the scenes in Romeo and
Juliet, try to imagine how the scene
could be created on a stage to
convey the setting to the audience.
Select a scene from Act II that you
could “stage” for a production of
Romeo and Juliet.
Illustrate how you would create the
scene on a stage.
Be creative!!!
Characterization
Write the character trait and a simple
but accurate definition.
Place a + for positive trait.
Place a – for a negative trait.
Identify which character(s) you think
demonstrate the quality in Romeo
and Juliet.
Briefly explain what the character did
that made you think he or she had
the trait.
Character Traits
• Impulsive
• Naïve
• Witty
• Vulgar
• Prudent
• Ineffectual
• Presumptuous
• Patient
Character Traits
• Hotheaded
• Passionate
• Immature
• Courageous
• Comical
• Adventurous
• Tolerant
• Sly
Character Traits
• Dutiful
• Ignorant
• Coarse
• Religious
• Loyal
• Affectionate
• Rational
• Rowdy
¤ The character
traits
¤ The synonyms
(or antonyms)
¤ The character
traits, synonyms,
and antonyms to
demonstrate your
understanding
Use symbols
to show the
details about
the words
¤
¤ How could you
group these
words in various
categories
¤ Create visuals for
the words that most
accurately describe
your selected
character(s)
Character Traits
Crude
Clever
Expressive
Fond
Truehearted Enduring
Dauntless
Responsible Futile
Impetuous
Mirthful
Serious
Enlightened
Green
Cunning
Holligan
Assuming
Spiritual
Uncouth
Nescient
Choleric
Sensible
Noetic
Gregarious
Index Card
Quiz Tomorrow on Act II!!!
You may use ONE 3x5 index card
during the quiz.
No other materials will be
available to you during the
quiz.
Everything on the card must be
handwritten – no typed
information.
Predictions and Purpose Setting
• Which predictions were
accurate?
• Which ones need to be
changed/revised?
• Which questions did we find
the answers to while
reading?
• Which questions do we still
not know the answer to yet?
• Do we need to any any new
questions to look for as we
read?