Eng 10-1 – Romeo and Juliet
Name: __________________________
Critical/Analytical Response to Literary Text
TASK
You are writing a 750 word critical response to Romeo and Juliet. This means that you are:
- Choosing a topic to write about from the list below.
- Developing a thesis statement (main argument/ controlling idea/ statement of belief)
that connects to your topic of choice. Critically responding to something doesn’t
mean that you are being critical of it; it means that you are evaluating the work
closely and analyzing it.
- Using examples from the play that support your thesis statement, and explaining how
those examples support your thesis statement. You are to use a minimum of six
quotes from Romeo and Juliet that support your thesis statement.
- When writing, it is important to keep your audience in mind. You don’t need to focus
on summarize information because I already know what happens in the play. Instead,
focus on analyzing and evaluating the work based on your topic and thesis
statement.
THESIS STATEMENTS. WHAT ARE THOSE, ANYWAY?
A thesis statement is the main idea that you will be backing up in your essay using evidence from
the story. It’s the main idea that keeps your essay focused.
Examples:
Limited: “I think that Romeo and Juliet is a really bad play.” This could work, but it’s
pretty weak.
Excellent: “Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet clearly highlights the emotional impact
many modern teens suffer when parents make demands on whom they can and cannot
develop friendships with.” Great – now all you have to do is use evidence from the play
to prove what you’ve just stated!
TOPICS – CHOOSE ONE
Discuss the idea(s) developed by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet about:
 the effect of choices in a character’s life
 fate’s role in a character’s life
 a tragic flaw’s role in a character’s life
 the juxtaposition between two characters in the play
 the idea of infatuation and its effects on a character.
 the effect of relationships between older characters and younger characters.
In your planning and writing, consider the following instructions:
 Carefully consider your controlling idea and how you will create a strong unifying effect
in your response.
 As you develop your ideas, support them with appropriate, relevant, and meaningful
examples from Romeo and Juliet. You are required to use at least 4 quotes from the play.