The Balcony Scene Close Reading Part Two Romeo and Juliet The Balcony Scene Close Reading Part Two

DISCUSSION GROUPS Form discussion groups of 2-3 people. These should be people the same people you worked with on Part One. When your group has been organized, send one person up to get the materials necessary for this lesson. In addition to the material I provide, your group will need a separate sheet of paper for its written responses. Individuals will also need a sheet of paper.

Standards Addressed Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone). Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

Key Vocabulary Bescreened (adj.) = hidden from sight Counsel (n.) = private thoughts Thine (pron.) = that which belongs to you Enmity (n.) = hatred Compliment (n) = a formal act Perjuries (n.) = false vows Fain (adv.) = gladly Peril (n.) = danger

More Key Vocabulary Cunning (n.) = skill, charm Strange (adj.) = reserved, distant Light (adj.) = of little weight, shallow, insubstantial

Rereading Take a few moments to independently reread lines 1-51 of “The Balcony Scene.” On your own paper, choose a specific line from both Romeo and Juliet that you feel demonstrates the emotion Shakespeare is crafting in this scene.

Moving Forward On your own paper, jot down a response to the following question: To what is Juliet responding in lines 52-53 (below)? “What man art thou that thus bescreen'd in night/So stumblest on my counsel?”

Professional Reading Follow along in your copy of the text while listening to the professional reading of Act II, scene ii, lines 52-106.

Close Reading – Lines 52-61 As a group, respond to the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. Why doesn’t Romeo know how to tell Juliet who he is? What relationship is Romeo establishing between his name and himself?

Close Reading – Lines 62-73 According to Romeo, what power does love have? Don’t just quote the line, explain what you think Romeo means by it. What concern is Juliet expressing in line 70? For Romeo, what is Juliet’s eye more perilous than twenty swords? What concern is Romeo expressing? What imagery in line 72 can help you understand what peril means? How does Romeo’s concern differ from Juliet’s? What might this comparison reveal about the personalities of these two characters?

Close Reading: Lines 74-84 What does Romeo prefer to life without Juliet’s love? How does this support your previous judgments/understanding of what Romeo values? What extended metaphor is Romeo constructing in lines 79-84? What might this reveal about how Romeo understands his relationship to Juliet?

Close Reading: Lines 85-89 Write down any words that repeat in these lines. If fain means “gladly,” what does the use of fain in these lines reveal about how Juliet is feeling? Why might she be feeling this way? In this context, compliment means “formality.” When Juliet says, “farewell, compliment,” to what is she saying goodbye? What shift in Juliet’s attitude might this indicate?

Close Reading: Lines 90-97 What concerns motivate Juliet’s requests? What might this reveal about how she understands her relationship to Romeo?

Close Reading: Lines 98-106 What is the definition of light in line 99 and 105? How does this description inform your understanding of Juliet’s intentions towards Romeo?

Final Group Steps On one copy of the text, circle all the imagery found in Romeo’s lines. Then repeat the process by underlining all the imagery found in Juliet’s lines. What do you notice about the use of imagery in Romeo’s lines versus Juliet’s?

Quick Write: Independent On the piece of paper you started with at the beginning of the hour, please respond to the following prompt using specific evidence from the text to support your thinking. PROMPT: What can you infer about Romeo’s and Juliet’s personalities by comparing their use of language