Romeo and Juliet Act 3 Scene 2 Date: Objectives Finish Act 3 Scene 2 See Juliet’s reaction to her lover having killed her cousin. By the end of the class, students should have a deeper understanding of Juliet’s character. Warm –up – write the quote, answer the questions “But wherefore, villain, didst thou kill my cousin? That villain cousin would have killed my husband” Juliet is deeply conflicted by what happened in the last scene. Our question to begin the class is this. Imagine your friend and your family have a disagreement or argument. For example, your friend hit your brother or sister. What would your response be WHEN YOU ARE TOLD ABOUT THIS.

Today’s Reading Act 3 Scene 2 1.32 – 1.38 Juliet is waiting for her new husband to return. Instead, the Nurse enters to deliver bad news. In line with her character, the Nurse confuses Juliet by not speaking clearly. Juliet’s initial reaction is that Romeo is a villain. (Pause reading when Nurse agrees that Romeo should be ashamed. ) 1.38– 1.41 When the Nurse starts bad-mouthing Romeo, Juliet comes to his defence. She regrets her first reaction and gives out to the Nurse for agreeing with her. Audiobook at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYDFQL_LfeY

Notes – Act 3 Scene 2 part 1 It is typical of the Nurse that she confuses Juliet when she speaks. By refusing to name who has been killed, Juliet assumes it is Romeo who died. Then when Tybalt’s name is mentioned, she believes they both died. This torments Juliet who is an emotional wreck when she finally hears exactly what happened. Her first response is to go on a wild rant, calling Romeo an evil, yet beautiful, person who pretended to be good. “I serpent heart, hid with a flowering face!” This image of plants and poisons continues here, preparing the audience for the use of actual poisons later.

Notes – Act 3 Scene 2 part 2 Juliet curses the Nurse when, as a friend trying to make Juliet feel better, she agrees that Romeo is evil. The Nurse’s attack on Romeo makes Juliet realise how much she loves him and how loyal she is to him. To make up for this, and the confusion earlier, the Nurse agrees to help Juliet by bringing Romeo to her room at night. It is important to note one of many references to death that appear in this scene. Here, Juliet talks about dying a virgin with death as her husband. “But I, a maid, die maiden-widowed.... .... And death, not Romeo, take my maidenhead” Romeo shall be thinking the same way. Their obsession with death shall continue.

Exercises The purpose of this exercise is to encourage students to remember the confusion between the Nurse and Juliet in this scene. In pairs, play the game 20 questions. Player one thinks of a well known person or celebrity (no one they can see in the class). Player two can ask at most 20 questions to guess who player one is thinking of. Player one can only answer by nodding up and down for ‘yes’ and shaking his head from side to side for ‘no’

Exercise In pairs, write and perform the following scenario. One of your friends, Friend A, has just killed someone in your family. At first your are really angry at them. Friend B (your partner in this exercise) agrees with you and is angry as well. When they agree with you, call them an idiot and start defending the killer strongly. Friend B must then apologise and try to help. Sort out a time and place to meet Friend A to end the scenario.

Questions – Point, “reference”, explain. How is Juliet feeling at the start of this scene? Who is the Nurse describing when she says the lines: ‘I saw the wound. I saw it with mine eyes’. How does Juliet describe Romeo when she learns that he killed Tybalt? How does she talk about Romeo after the Nurse speaks badly of him? Why do you think Juliet sends Romeo her wedding ring?

Cooldown Question Did that scene change your view of Juliet? How she reacted – her position towards Romeo or Tybalt – that she wants to see Romeo again? Are you more or less likely to want to meet her?