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 Scene 1
843-845
A. 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?
???
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?
Pages 848-853
Read the rest of the scene
and respond to questions
B-E on your own paper.
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.
Gregory to Sampson
To move is to stir, and to be valiant
is to stand.
Therefore, if thou art moved, thou
run’st away.
Tybalt to Benvolio
What, art thou drawn among these
heartless hinds?
Turn thee, Benvolio; look upon thy
death.
Montague
Thou villain Capulet! – Hold me not;
let me go.
Lady Montague
Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a
foe.
Romeo to Mercutio
Is love a tender thing? It is too
rough,
Too rude, too boist’rous, and it
pricks like a thorn
Romeo to Mercutio
Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace!
Thou talk’st of nothing.
Nurse to Juliet
Peace, I have done. God mark thee
to his grace!
Thou wast the prettiest babe that
e’er I nursed.
And I might live to see thee married
once, I have my wish.
Lady Capulet to Nurse
I have rememb’red me; thou’s hear
our counsel.
Thou knowest my daughter’s of a
pretty age.
Your Favorite Lines
Select a total of four lines from Act I
that you thought were important,
interesting, funny, or odd.
Copy the lines, page(s), and
character(s) involved.
Translate any words or phrases that
need to be clarified.
Explain the meaning of the lines and
what was happening in the play as
the lines were being spoken.
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?
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?
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.
Parting is such sweet sorrow
That I shall say good night till it be
morrow
For this alliance may so happy prove
To turn your households’ rancor to
pure love.
Storyboard
A storyboard is a series of small
illustrations to tell a story.
You will be creating a 9-box storyboard to
summarize the most important events
from Act II.
Be sure to select the 9 scenes carefully
and make your illustrations accurate
and clear (use labels if necessary).
On the back of the storyboard write a 9
sentence summary of Act II.
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?
Critical Thinking Questions