1. List the typical behaviour of a teenager in love

2. Objective To consider how love is presented in Romeo and Juliet
To develop our understanding of Shakespeare’s language

3. When we first meet Romeo, he is love-sick for Rosaline
When we first meet Romeo, he is love-sick for Rosaline. His love is unrequited because Rosaline has vowed to ‘live chaste’.

4. This is what Romeo’s father says before we meet Romeo
This is what Romeo’s father says before we meet Romeo. How is Romeo behaving?
MONTAGUE Many a morning hath he there been seen, With tears augmenting the fresh morning dew. Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs; But all so soon as the all-cheering sun Should in the furthest east begin to draw The shady curtains from Aurora's bed, Away from the light steals home my heavy son, And private in his chamber pens himself, Shuts up his windows, locks far daylight out And makes himself an artificial night: Black and portentous must this humour prove, Unless good counsel may the cause remove.

5. Read the extract in which Benvolio and Romeo talk
Why do you think Shakespeare chose so many oxymorons? Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate! O any thing, of nothing first create! O heavy lightness! serious vanity! Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms! Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health! Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!

9. Stop and think…
What is our first impressions of Romeo and how did we come to this impression?

10. Benvolio suggests that Romeo check out the ladies at Capulet’s party, but Romeo says…
ROMEO One fairer than my love! the all-seeing sun Ne'er saw her match since first the world begun.
He seems quite obsessed with Rosaline.
How do the audience feel then, when moments later he sees Juliet and says, “I never saw true beauty til this night”.

11. When Romeo first sees Juliet – but what about Rosaline?
ROMEO [To a Servingman] What lady is that, which doth enrich the hand Of yonder knight? Servant I know not, sir. ROMEO O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear; Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows. The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand, And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

12. Zoom in…
ROMEO O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear; Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows.
What is the effect of the simile ‘It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear’?
What is the effect of the metaphor ‘So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows’