Romeo & Juliet William Shakespeare

Comp. Book #25: Shakespeare Taxonomy A I q Y B J R Z C K S D L T E M U F N V G o W H p X

Comp. Book #25: Shakespeare uncovered: romeo & Juliet with joseph fiennes Watch Video Write down 5 things you learned About romeo & Juliet http://www.pbs.org/video/2365419342/

#29 Comp. Book: What is Iambic Pentameter? commonly used metrical line in traditional verse and verse drama. The term describes the particular rhythm that the words establish in that line. That rhythm is measured in small groups of syllables; these small groups of syllables are called "feet".

What is Iambic Pentameter? The word "iambic" describes the type of foot that is used (an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable). (U /) The word "pentameter" indicates that a line has five of these "feet.“ (U /) (U /) (U /) (U /) (U /)

Simple Example An iambic foot (iamb) is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. The rhythm can be written as: da DUM The da-DUM of a human heartbeat is the most common example of this rhythm.

When I do count the clock that tells the time Simple Example A line of iambic pentameter is five iambic feet in a row: (da DUM) (da DUM) (da DUM) (da DUM) (da DUM) The tick-TOCK rhythm of iambic pentameter can be heard in the opening line of Shakespeare's Sonnet 12: When I do count the clock that tells the time

When I do count the clock that tells the time Simple Example It is possible to notate this with a ‘U’ (breve) mark representing an unstressed syllable and a '/' mark representing a stressed syllable. In this notation a line of iambic pentameter would look like this: U / U / U / U / U / When I do count the clock that tells the time

Simple Examples The divisions between iambs are marked with a ( ). (To swell) (the gourd, ) (and plump) (the ha-) (zel shells)

YOuTube examples https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NEo2wdRtjw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArrR66OSa0Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rxU-zhwM0k

Sonnet 12 When I do count the clock that tells the time, And see the brave day sunk in hideous night; When I behold the violet past prime, And sable curls, all silvered o'er with white;  When lofty trees I see barren of leaves, Which erst from heat did canopy the herd, And summer's green all girded up in sheaves, Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard, Then of thy beauty do I question make, That thou among the wastes of time must go, Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake And die as fast as they see others grow;      And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence      Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence. 

#30 R & J Prologue questions What does “alike in dignity” mean? Where is Verona? What does the word “civil” mean…two meanings here? What does fatal mean…two meanings here? What does it mean to be “star-cross’ d”? In line 7, what word is the noun? Which words are the adjectives? What is strife? In line 12 – something is the “two hours traffic of our stage”. What is that something? The Prologue is a poem! What do you notice about the rhyme scheme? The rhythm? Other poetic elements, like imagery, metaphor etc.? What does the Prologue tell us? What will be the elements of this story? Why give us the head’s up?

Consider…the word “feud”

This is NOT a feud

These could be a feud… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSOv2FqTk Wc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17PWaEqs U5w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBhkXR5cu hU

Comp. Book #31 What is a feud? How is it different from a fight or an argument? What other stories do you know that involve feuds? What about real- world feuds? What does it usually take to resolve a feud? What might two families (both alike in dignity) feud about?

House of Montague - Blue Casting a Feud House of Capulet - Red House of Montague - Blue Gregory Sampson Tybalt Lord Capulet Lady Capulet Abraham Balthasar Benvolio Lord Montague Lady Montague Create a short chant and hand gesture that represents your side…like “Capulets Take No Crap!” 

Homework due Thurs., May 12th Make a hat, symbol, or “weapon” (must be paper) that screams Capulet or Montague

Read 1.1 In small groups… read 1.1; stop at line 33. What’s going on? Who are these people? Read lines 34-82

Reading Shakespeare Tips Just read it through with your group members. The first time…just relax. The second time, listen and look for words, phrases, and expressions that you understand! The third time, see if you can unpack some new parts. What do you think it could mean? If it seems like it might be a dirty joke, it probably is.

Getting ready for the fight… pair up.  There is an actor and a reader.  The actor gets to bite his thumb, make gestures, and be a jerk.  The reader reads the lines in a loud boisterous threatening way. 

All Together Now…(except you hate each other) Full Class Reading… Full cast – actors (act the words) Full cast – readers (speak the words)

Comp. Book # Romeo & Benvolio (1.1.165 - 1.1.247) (Scene begins with… “Ay Me, Sad hours seem so long.” and ends with… “I’ll pay that doctrine or else die in debt.”) What do we learn about Rome from this scene? What lines support your conclusion? What do we learn about Benvolio? What lines support your conclusion? How would you stage this scene? What would romeo and Benvolio be doing during this conversation?

Homework: Three different versions of opening scenes Watch the opening scene in at least three different versions…see the links page of my website. compare and contrast the different versions. What do you notice about staging? Intonation? Action? Which is the most like your imagining of the scene? Read the Prince’s speech.

Once you are done with your Vocab. Quiz… Read Act 1, Scene 4 in Romeo & Juliet

Queen Mab Assignment Queen Mab’s speech (1.4.53-94) Choose six visually compelling elements Illustrate elements and label drawing w/quote and citation (I.4.85-86) Divide paper up into six separate areas or on full-page scene

#33 Comp. Book: Role of Fairies/Characters’ Views About Dreams What is the role of the fairies & queen mab? What are Romeo’s and Mercutio’s views about dreams?

#32 5-19-16 Character Diary Entry Assume the role of Romeo, Juliet or Tybalt and write a diary entry about your reactions to the evening.

#33 5-19-16 1.5 Sonnet Examination Find the embedded sonnet in 1.5 Sonnet: --14 lines -- rhymes ababcdcdefefgg --Iambic pentameter Copy sonnet down in comp. book (cite lines) & divide up into iambs and stress notation What is the effect of turning this exchange into a sonnet? What stage movement does the sonnet suggest?

2.2 Promptbook Promptbooks are… --scripts that contain notes about performance—blocking, delivery of lines, setting, costumes, and so on. --Used by directors, actors, stage managers, and others involved in the production.

Promptbook goals: Envision the setting of the play Make choices about how lines might be delivered Suit movement to the words Experiment with different but equally valid ways to stage a scene

Setting Where does 2.1 take place? What would the set look like? Direct a student in drawing the set on the blackboard Questions to consider: --What does the text indicate the scene needs—e.g. wall, trees, balcony? --Where should we place the wall? The trees? The balcony? Why (consider how your decisions may or may not facilitate the action?) --What other props might be useful?

movements Mark entrances, exits, movements. Example: Romeo enters u.l., moves u.R. Benvolio and Mercutio enter u.r., move center Ask Lots of questions: Where does Benvolio move? On what line? Why does he go there? What does the text say? (Remember: Down is toward the audience)

Presentation of lines After you’ve envisioned where each actor moves during the scene and have marked your scripts accordingly, find lines that need special delivery. Should Benvolio boom our his first line? Should Mercutio whisper “I conjure thee by Rosaline’s bright eyes…”? Make notes about delivery throughout the scene

2.3 “The Grey-eyed morn” Read Friar Lawrence’s speech in unison Discuss the language tricks Shakespeare uses in this speech

“the gray-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night.” Lit. Devices “the gray-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night.” Shakespeare attributes to morn and night human actions. Which actions? Which lit. device is this?

“check’ring the eastern clouds with streaks of light.” Lit. Devices “check’ring the eastern clouds with streaks of light.” What picture do you get in your mind when you hear this phrase? Do you see a sky with areas of dark and light? Why might Shakespeare have used the word check’ring? What does that word contribute to the pattern of dark and light you see? Does it invite a comparison with a checkerboard? What lit. Device is this?

“and fleckled darkness like a drunkard reels.” Lit. Devices “and fleckled darkness like a drunkard reels.” Is this an example of a simile or metaphor? What is being compared to what?

“From forth day’s path and titan’s fiery wheels.” Lit. Devices “From forth day’s path and titan’s fiery wheels.” Who is titan? References to ancient greek and roman mythology are called classical allusions.

reversals “Upfill” (2.3.7) What is unusual about this phrase?

reversals “the earth that’s nature’s mother is her tome;/what is her burying grave, that is her womb” (2.3.9-10) Identify what is unusual about these ideas? (see next slide for answer)

reversals “the earth that’s nature’s mother is her tome;/what is her burying grave, that is her womb” (2.3.9-10) Identify what is unusual about these ideas? ANSWER: The thoughts are reversed. What gives birth serves as a grave; what serves as a grave gives birth. = Reversed thoughts

reversals “and from her womb children of divers kind / we sucking on her natural bosom find” (2.3.11-12) what is unusual about the wording of the sentence (other than the fact that it sounds like a foreign language)? (see next slide for answer)

reversals “and from her womb children of divers kind / we sucking on her natural bosom find” (2.3.11-12) what is unusual about the wording of the sentence (other than the fact that it sounds like a foreign language)? ANSWER: the wording is an example of reversed sentence construction.

reversals “and from her womb children of divers kind / we sucking on her natural bosom find” (2.3.11-12) Can you unscramble the sentence? (see next slide for possible answer)

reversals “and from her womb children of divers kind / we sucking on her natural bosom find” (2.3.11-12) Can you unscramble the sentence? (see next slide for possible answer) Answer: and we find children of divers kind from her womb sucking on her natural bosom.

Handout 8: Shakespeare’s language tricks Generate examples of your own for each. Volunteers share?

A last look at morn Groups of 3 10 minutes Study the rest of the speech for more examples of these devices Present discoveries

Conclusions about speech… What does friar Lawrence explain about the nature of these herbs? How does this nature lesson apply to life in general? How does this nature lesson apply to the relationship between romeo & Juliet? How does the use of these language tricks enhance this speech for you?

Close reading 2.3.23-93 Return to groups and study the rest of the scene. Write down more examples of these language tricks

Homework Read 2.6 and write a summary of the scene. Summary: write your summaries in a letter format as if writing to a friend. Pretend to be aware of the entire situation between Romeo & Juliet, and share the latest developments in the relationship along with your concerns for or approval of the young lovers. Include a Language trick in the letter (please highlight this).