Romeo and Juliet: A Tragedy

26th April 1564 Who am I? 23rd April 1616

Test your knowledge – Work out which of these are Shakepeare’s words.... ‘Better a witty fool than a Foolish Wit’ ‘Revolutionaries wait for my head on a silver plate’ ‘Better three hours too soon that a minute too late’ ‘To know I hold the weight of boulders on my shoulder blades’ ‘Neither a borrower nor a lender be’ ‘All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players’ ‘Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice’ ‘I grapple an axe for them baffling acts, The mysterious stab in the backs who dabble in wax’ ‘What’s here? The portrait of a blinking idiot’ ‘It’s hatred I spew’ ‘I will speak daggers to her but use none’ ‘You were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles. Daddy said stay away from Juliet’

And the answers are..... Better a witty fool than a Foolish Wit’ Shakespeare ‘Revolutionaries wait for my head on a silver plate’ Coldplay ‘Better three hours too soon that a minute too late’ Shakespeare ‘To know I hold the weight of boulders on my shoulder blades’ Eminem ‘Neither a borrower nor a lender be’ Shakespeare ‘All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players’ Shakespeare ‘Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice’ Shakespeare ‘I grapple an axe for them baffling acts, The mysterious stab in the backs who dabble in wax’ Eminem ‘What’s here? The portrait of a blinking idiot’ Shakespeare ‘It’s hatred I spew’ Eminem ‘I will speak daggers to her but use none’ Shakespeare ‘You were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles. Daddy said stay away from Juliet’ Taylor Swift

Now brainstorm what these phrases actually mean... Work together in small groups to discuss what these expressions mean and why Shakespeare’s language is so effective... Words to think about: Grapple Witty Boulder Spew Baffling Dabble Pebbles

Timeline of Romeo and Juliet’s Relationship Sunday Morning Sunday Evening Sunday Night Monday Morning The balcony scene. Romeo and Juliet swear their love and decide to get married. “Parting in such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow.” Romeo is sad because Rosaline doesn’t love him. “Ay me! sad hours seem long.” Romeo meets Juliet at the Capulet Ball. They fall in love at first sight. “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.” Romeo and Juliet are married by Friar Lawrence. “These violent delights have violent ends”

A comparison of staging the Balcony Scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py5YPJGCtpg In groups, think about/discuss: What different approaches are there to staging the balcony scene

The Balcony Scene Now look at the comprehension question worksheet and in groups, answer the questions The EXTENSION tasks worksheet has lots more ideas about how to continue your understanding of Romeo and Juliet.