William Shakespeare’s The Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

Lesson 1 The excellent and lamentable tragedy of romeo and juliet What information can you gather from the full title of the play? How does the word LAMENTABLE impact the title of the play? What meanings of the word TRAGEDY do you know? Why might a play be called a TRAGEDY?

Lesson 1 The excellent and lamentable tragedy of romeo and juliet What word parts or phrases help you to infer the definition of ALIKE in line1? What do you learn about the “households” in line 1? What words or phrases develop the relationship between these two households? Whose hands are being made “unclean”? How does line 4 develop your understanding of this “ancient grudge”?

Lesson 1 The excellent and lamentable tragedy of romeo and juliet What does the audience learn in lines 5-6 about the relationship between the lovers and the “two households”? What does the word FATAL in line 5 tell the audience about the lovers? What familiar word can you find in FATAL? What alternative meaning of FATAL, besides “causing death,” does this suggest?

Lesson 1 The excellent and lamentable tragedy of romeo and juliet How does Shakespeare’s choice of the word FATAL develop the tragic tone of the play? What familiar word can you find in MISADVENTURED? How does the prefix mis- impact your understanding of the word? How does Shakespeare’s specific word choices in lines 5-8 develop the definition of star-crossed?

Lesson 1 The excellent and lamentable tragedy of romeo and juliet What effect do the “star-crossed” lovers’ deaths have on their parents? How does Shakespeare’s choice of the word death-marked develop the tone of the Prologue? To whom do “our” and “you” refer to in lines 12-14? Cite evidence from the text to support your response. Paraphrase what happens during the “two hours traffic” on the stage. What does the Chorus ask of the audience? How do lines 9-11 and the definition of prologue develop the role of the Chorus?

Lesson 1 Quick write Bell work: How do Shakespeare’s specific word choices establish a tragic tone in the text? Write your response in 1 sentence using an IVC and several words from the prologue that answer the question.

Lesson 2: Act 1, scene 1, lines 158-202 Why is Romeo surprised it is so early in the day? What does the audience learn about the reasons for Romeo’s sadness through his response to Benvolio? How does Romeo respond to Benvolio’s weeping at his “good heart’s oppression”? How does Shakespeare use metaphor to develop Romeo’s character? How does Romeo’s refusal to tell Benvolio whom he loves further develop Romeo’s character?

Lesson 2 QuickWrite How does Shakespeare introduce Romeo in lines 158-202? Your response should be one sentence in length including an IVC and evidence from the text.