Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare
Before, During, and
After Reading Skills
Act III
Literary Response
Romeo and Juliet Act III
Read the play carefully and note the way the characters
interact with each other and the reasons behind their
actions.
Which character made the most serious
mistakes in Act III?
Explain what they did, what happened to
them, and how their mistakes impacted
other characters in the play.
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
III.
(pages 872-905)
•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 III? 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
Act III Scene 1
872-882
Page 873
A. Making Inferences – Romeo’s friends
enter the stage. Again Shakespeare
“sets the stage” by having the characters
tell us what the weather is like. Why
does this weather seem to breed
trouble?
???
Act III Scene 1
872-882
Page 877
B. Characterization – How do you think
Romeo would read line 101? Why do you
think it should be read that way?
???
Act III Scene 1
872-882
Page 877
?
Staging the Play – What curse has
Mercutio pronounced four times? What
is the reason for this action? How do
you think Mercutio should act during this
part of the scene?
???
Act III Scene 1
872-882
Page 878
C. Turing Point – What is a “turning point”?
In what way might the death of Tybalt be
a turning point in the play?
???
Act III Scene 1
872-882
Page 878
D. Tragedy – What do you think Romeo
means by calling himself “fortune’s
fool”? What does he realize will now
happen to him and Juliet?
???
Act III Scene 1
872-882
Page 882
E. Analyzing Cause and Effect – The prince
has heard arguments from both families
and has given judgment in the case.
What is Romeo’s punishment? Why
won’t the prince show greater mercy?
???
Act III Scene 2
883-887
Page 883
A. Rising Action – In which lines does
Juliet unconsciously foreshadow
Romeo’s death?
???
B. Dramatic Irony – What is dramatic irony?
What dramatic irony is created in this
scene?
???
Act III Scene 2
883-887
Page 884-885
C. Dramatic Irony – This is another example of
dramatic irony in this scene, in which we
cannot share a character’s feelings because
we know something that the character does
not know. What does Juliet think had
happened? What has really happened?
???
D. Making Inferences – Why do you think the
nurse waits so long to give Juliet the correct
news? Is she being self-centered here, or is
she truly overwhelmed by the news she
bears?
???
Act III Scene 2
883-887
Page 887
E. Analyzing Cause and Effect – Juliet
addresses the rope ladder in this speech.
What has she decided to do with the ropes?
???
Bigger Questions
1. Summarizing - After abandoning Romeo
and Juliet momentarily, the nurse
asserts herself as their accomplice.
What does she volunteer to do?
???
2. Characterization – In Juliet’s dialogue,
how does she illustrate her character
traits of being logical and practical?
???
3. Symbolism – Why does Juliet ask the
nurse to take Romeo a ring?
???
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.
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
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?