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Name:___________________________________________________ Period:________ Drama and Elizabethan England

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare The Origins of Drama

Drama comes from the Greek word meaning “__________________”

Drama is usually associated with _________________

The first dramas in the ______________________ were:

tragedies, comedies, choral songs, stories of myth or history

Ancient Greek Theater Amphitheaters were on hillsides in the ________________________

Masks with megaphones and exaggerated gestures conveyed the language and emotions

Dance and movement ______________________________________

Queen Elizabeth I Ruled from ____________ to _____________

Powerful political figure ______________________

Stability & power of government equals _______________________________________

King James Reigned during second half of Shakespeare’s career

_______________ of Shakespeare’s theatre troup -- _______________________________

Elizabethan England _________________ center for all ________________; all classes attended the

_______________________

____________________ forced some theaters to __________________

_________________________ of the individual

Exploration and Discovery

Superstitions World was unknown; relied on _____________ and _____________ to explain what they didn’t

know

Elizabethans were firm believers in ____________________

Romeo and Juliet were _____________________ lovers

Marriage _________ married for ___________

Arranged to enhance ____________________________________

__________ men married _______________ women

Young women (and men) did as _______________________________________________

Children Only ___________ from ______________ families went to school

______ in _____ died before age _______

Mortality (death) rate high due to filthy living conditions

The Plague Killed _________________ people in London

Closed London __________________ from 1592 – 1594

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Population and Poverty Doubled from _______________ million people (in England)

*In the Renaissance, London’s population was about 160,000 (slightly smaller than Des Moines

city proper). Today it is over 8 million.

Stretched resources and increased poverty and unemployment

Elizabethan Entertainment Bear-baiting, dog fights, dance, music, theatre

William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) Born in _____________________ - _________ - _____________, England

Wrote __________ plays: comedies, tragedies, and histories

Considered __________________________________ in history

Shakespeare wrote: “____________________________”: love, death, human struggle, family

About all types of people: kings, beggars, women, and men

______________________________

______________________________: suicide, prejudice, sexism, political unrest

New words: created the words “bump,” “assassination,” and “catch cold”

Shakespeare’s Style Created Shakespearean Sonnett

__________________________

Iambic Pentameter (10 syllables per line; beat of unstressed, stressed)

Specific rhyme scheme:

_____________________________

Blank Verse: _____________________ lines

The Globe Theatre Typical _____________________ theatre

___________________ shape – nicknamed the “___________________________”

___________________ theater, lit by _________________

Located outside city limits of London (in Southwark)

Thrust stage (audience on ____________________)

Audience stands in _________________ or sits on _________________ in

________________________

______________________: peasant class; stood; paid _______________________

May 1599 - _______________

Shakespeare partially _______________________, worked there, and

_____________________________________

Most of his plays first performed here

Day of the play, ____________ placed at top of theater

Flag announced ____________

Red = __________________

White = _________________

Black = _________________

1613 burns down and rebuilt

1642 the Puritans close all theatres in London

Approx. 1644 either burns down or is torn down

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Acting Company ______________________________________ (Shakespeare’s acting company)

Later named _________________________ - means the king himself was their __________

The Audience A cross-section of society (everyone from royalty to peasants went)

________ of Londoners went _______________

Forced to use imaginations

“______________________” – cheered, booed, and threw food

The Actors All _____________ acting troups

__________________ parts were played by ______________________

Shakespeare had to create roles that could be played by his actors

Actors often ___________________________________

A Tragedy

1. Has an _________________________________________________________

R & J are extraordinary people for their lives are ruled almost entirely by the forces of love. They are not

necessarily of heroic stature, but they are tender and appealing characters.

2. The hero or heroine is _______________________________________ because of

________________________________________________________________________

R & J is a tragedy of fate rather than a tragedy of character. Fate works against the young lovers from the time

they meet, and it forces their deaths.

3. The _______________ serves ____________________________ in the play

The deaths of R & J reconcile the Capulets and the Montagues, thereby preventing more bloodshed. In a

sense, their deaths are a triumph.

Romeo and Juliet A tragedy

Story of “star-crossed” lovers

Set in ________________________________, 14th century (1300’s)

First presented about ____________________

Trivial Tidbits Shakespeare reduced the time span of original story from 9 months to 4 days.

Emphasizes tragedy of rashness and haste

Play begins on a Sunday with a fight between the Capulet and Montague families.

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Introduction and Prologue Study Guide

Questions 1-17 are based on “William Shakespeare’s Life: A Genius from Stratford.”

1. Where was William Shakespeare born?

2. When was Shakespeare born? When did he die? How old was he when he died? 3. Describe Shakespeare’s education. 4. How old was he when he was married? 5. Whom did he marry? How old was she? 6. What was the name of his theatrical company in London? What was it later known as? 7. When was Romeo and Juliet written? 8. How many plays did Shakespeare write? 9. Who built the first permanent English theater outside the city walls of London in 1576? 10. In 1599, Shakespeare and his company built a theater known as___________________________, for which Shakespeare wrote most of his

play. 11. Describe Shakespeare’s “Wooden O” theater: 12. Since there was no scenery or lighting, how did the actors set the stage? 13. Who were the groundlings? 14. Who played the parts of women?

15. What kind of stage does Valley High have in its auditorium? (Hint: There is no outer stage; it has only an inner stage separated from the

audience with a curtain. It looks like a window frame.) 16. What kind of stage did Shakespeare probably use which enabled him to have a minimal amount of scenery and allowed him to move his

stories rapidly from place to place? 17. Describe the difference between theater and movies.

18. What is the full setting of Romeo & Juliet? (RJ book, p. 4)

Cities: _______________________________________ & _______________________________________ Country:___________________________________ Time period: _________________________________

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Introduction Terms: Drama Iambic Pentameter Act Blank Verse Scene Rhymed Verse Archaic words Couplet Dialogue Sonnet

Prologue (RJ book, p. 7)

1. What two households are involved? 2. What does “star-crossed” mean? 3. What event causes the feuding families to make peace? 4. What is the purpose of the prologue?

Act 1 Study Guide Questions 1-26 are based on Act 1 from Romeo and Juliet (p. 9-64). Be sure to use your side notes for assistance! Scene 1 1. Which family’s servants start the fight? 2. Who initially tires to stop the fight? 3. Which Capulet attacks Benvolio? 4. Who finally stops the fight? 5. How many times recently have the Capulets and the Montagues fought in public? 6. What does the Prince say has caused the brawls? 7. What is the punishment if either family breaks the peace? 8. Where and when had Romeo last been seen?

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9. Who offers to find out what is wrong with Romeo? 10. Why is Romeo sad? 11. What advice does Benvolio give Romeo? Scene 2 12. What request does Paris make of Lord Capulet? 13. What is Lord Capulet’s answer? 14. Who is having a party? 15. How do Benvolio and Romeo find out about the party? 16. Who does Romeo love (be careful!)? 17. Why does Benvolio say Romeo should go to the party? Scene 3 18. How old is Juliet? 19. What does Juliet think of marriage? 20. How old does Lady Capulet claim to have been when Juliet was born? 21. Who does lady Capulet want Juliet to marry and what does she compare him to? Scene 4 22. Who is Queen Mab? 23. What was Romeo’s dream and how does this foreshadow a tragic end? Scene 5 24. When Romeo first sees Juliet and falls instantly in love with her, he speaks and compares her to what two things (lines 49-58)? 25. Who first recognizes Romeo at the party?

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26. In the sonnet (lines 102-121), to what do Romeo and Juliet compare themselves?

Act 1 Terms: Pun Aside Exposition Oxymoron Inciting Incident Foil Mood Low Humor Foreboding Foreshadow Monologue

Act 2 Study Guide

Questions 1-18 are based on Act 2 from Romeo and Juliet (p. 65-114). Be sure to use your side notes for assistance! Scene 1 1. Where does 2.1 begin? 2. Where is Romeo hiding? 3. What does Mercutio say to try to get Romeo to come out of hiding? 4. In lines 44-45, how does Benvolio talk them into stopping their hunt? Scene 2 5. In the opening scene of 2.2, Romeo compares Juliet to…? 6. What does Juliet say is her enemy? 7. What arrangement for the future do Romeo and Juliet make when they meet on the balcony? Scene 3 8. Where does Romeo go after speaking to Juliet on the balcony? 9. When Friar Laurence sees how tired Romeo looks, what does he think Romeo has been doing? 10. What request does Romeo make of Friar Laurence? 11. Why does Friar Laurence agree to grant the request?

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Scene 4 12. Why does Tybalt send a challenge to the Montague household? 13. Why is Mercutio worried about the challenge Tybalt has sent to the Montagues? 14. How do Romeo and his friends react when they see the Nurse? 15. Why is the Nurse angry with Peter? 16. What are the details of the arrangements made between Romeo and the Nurse? Scene 5 17. What is the Nurse complaining about when she returns to Juliet? Scene 6 18. What warning does Friar Laurence give Romeo just before the marriage (lines 9-16)?

Act 2 Terms: Rising Action Promptbook Dramatic Irony Stage Directions Soliloquy Personification Metaphor Assonance Simile Alliteration Classical Allusion

Act 3 Study Guide Questions 1-22 are based on Act 3 from Romeo and Juliet (p. 115-174). Be sure to use your side notes for assistance! Scene 1 1. With whom does Tybalt wish to quarrel and why? 2. Why doesn’t Romeo want to fight Tybalt? 3. Why does Mercutio fight Tybalt? 4. How is Mercutio injured? 5. How does Romeo avenge Mercutio’s death?

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6. How is the fight between the Capulets and Montagues finally stopped? 7. What is Romeo’s punishment for killing Tybalt? Scene 2 8. Why is Juliet excited for night to come? 9. Now that Romeo has killed Tybalt, how does Juliet feel toward Romeo? 10. As Juliet mourns the loss of her cousin and her husband, what does she threaten to do to herself? Scene 3 11. Where does Romeo hide himself? 12. Who knocks at the door of Romeo’s hiding place? What is her errand? 13. What does Romeo attempt to do to cut his name out of his body (lines 118-124)? 14. Friar Laurence lists three reasons why Romeo should feel fortunate. What are they? (lines 152-158) 15. Describe Friar Laurence’s plan for Romeo. Scene 4 16. Why does Lord Capulet consent to Paris’ marriage to Juliet? 17. When are Juliet and Paris to be married? 18. Where is Romeo as Lord Capulet and Paris are striking this deal? Scene 5 19. What evil vision of the future does Juliet see (lines 55-58)? 20. How does Juliet react to the news of her wedding? 21. How does Lord Capulet threaten his daughter when she refuses to marry Paris? 22. What advice does the Nurse give to Juliet?

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Act 3 Terms: Turning Point (crisis) Suspense Imagery

Act 4 Study Guide Questions 1-14 are based on Act 4 from Romeo and Juliet (p. 175-206). Be sure to use your side notes for assistance!

Scene 1 1. Why does Paris go to see Friar Laurence? 2. What reason does Paris give for wanting to marry Juliet before wooing her? 3. On what day is the wedding scheduled to take place? 4. What does Juliet threaten to do (in general terms) if she is forced to marry Paris? 5. In lines 85-97, Juliet lists a number of things she would rather do than marry Paris. What are they? 6. What effect will the potion have on Juliet? For how long? 7. Where will Juliet awaken from the effects of the potion? 8. Where is Romeo staying (hiding) and how will he be informed of the plan? Scene 2 9. What new arrangement does Lord Capulet make when Juliet begs his forgiveness? Why? Scene 3 10. What fears cross Juliet’s mind before she drinks the potion? (lines 16-60) Scene 4 11. Describe the mood of the characters.

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Scene 5 12. Who discovers Juliet’s body? 13. What does Friar Laurence say to comfort Juliet’s family and Paris (p. 201 – see side notes)? 14. In Lord Capulet’s last speech of the act, what contrast does he make in describing the sadness of Juliet’s death? (lines 94-100)

Act 4 Terms: Tragedy Subtext

Act 5 Study Guide Questions 1-20 are based on Act 5 from Romeo and Juliet (p. 207-239). Be sure to use your side notes for assistance! Scene 1 1. What has Romeo dreamed? 2. What news does Balthasar bring from Verona? 3. How does Romeo look after he hears the news? 4. Where does Romeo tell Balthasar he is going? 5. What is an apothecary? 6. Why does Romeo choose to purchase the poison from this apothecary (as opposed to the other apothecaries that are in Mantua)? Scene 2 7. Why was Friar John unable to deliver the message to Romeo? 8. What does Friar Laurence tell Friar John about the importance of the letter? Scene 3 9. Why did Paris go to Juliet’s tomb?

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10. For what purpose does Paris think Romeo has come to the tomb? 11. What happens when Paris and Romeo meet in front of the tomb? 12. What is Paris’ last request? 13. After reading lines 77-86, how does Romeo feel toward Paris now? Why? 14. How does Juliet look when Romeo sees her at the tomb? (lines 95-108) 15. Considering what Romeo notices about her appearance, what conclusion should he have come to? 16. Where does Friar Laurence suggest Juliet go? 17. How does Juliet kill herself? 18. Why did Lady Montague die? 19. Who explains to everyone what has happened? 20. How do Lord Montague and Lord Capulet seal their bond of peace?

Act 5 Terms: Climax Resolution Theme What are the themes of Romeo and Juliet?

Draw a Romeo and Juliet Plot Structure below:

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Terms This unit is the ultimate culmination of our year. This play incorporates ideas from our short story/novel unit (Elements of Fiction), elements from our Poetry unit, aspects from our Hero’s Journey unit, and puts it all together with the genre of drama. Many of these terms we have seen in other units already this year. Highlight them as you learn/know each.

1. act: a major unit of action in a play, similar to a chapter in a book – depending on length, plays can have as many as 5 acts 2. alliteration: repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words 3. allusion: reference to another work of literature, art, historical person, or event 4. aside: a comment made to the audience or to another character which other characters on stage supposedly don’t hear 5. archaic: old-fashioned; words that have disappeared from common use 6. assonance: repetition of vowel sounds 7. blank verse: iambic pentameter that does not rhyme 8. characterization: methods a writer uses to develop characters; pay close attention to dialogue in drama 9. classical allusion: reference to classic mythology 10. climax: moment when the reader’s interest and emotional intensity reaches the highest point – the outcome becomes apparent – toward the end of the play 11. comedy: light, amusing play with a happy ending 12. comic relief: dialogue and action designed to make the audience relax and laugh 13. conflict: a clash between opposing forces; two types are internal and external 14. couplet: two consecutive lines that rhyme 15. dialogue: written conversation between two or more characters – used in all forms of literature, but most important in drama 16. drama: literature in which plot and characters are developed through dialogue and action; a play (includes stage plays, radio

plays, movies, TV) 17. dramatic irony: a situation the audience knows about but one or more character on stage does not 18. exposition: the structure of the plot normally begins with this – sets the tone, establishes setting, introduces characters, and

gives background information 19. foil: a person or thing that makes another seem better by contrast 20. foreboding: a premonition of something evil or harmful 21. foreshadow: to give a hint or suggestion early in the play of something that will happen later in the play 22. iambic pentameter: 10 syllables per line of iambic meter: unstressed/stressed five times ./././././ 23. imagery: clusters of words to create a picture in your mind; appeals to the five senses 24. inciting incident: the first incident of significance; one that begins the complication(s) 25. inversion: words that are in an unusual order (reversals) 26. irony: anything said or done that is not expected or true 27. low humor: also called bawdy humor, intended to appeal mostly to the groundlings 28. metaphor: a comparison between two things, not using “like” or “as” 29. monologue: a character giving a long speech to others, either explaining something or telling a story 30. mood: feeling or atmosphere that the writer creates for the reader – descriptive words, setting, figurative language contribute to

mood as well as sound and rhythm of language used 31. motive: a conscious or unconscious need, drive, etc. that incites a person to some action or behavior 32. onomatopoeia: words that sound like the meaning they express 33. oxymoron: words together in a line that have opposite meanings 34. personification: giving human qualities to something that is not human 35. promptbook: copies of scripts that contain notes about performance – blocking, delivery of lines, costumes, setting, stage directions, and so on. 36. prose: ordinary written or spoken language 37. pun: a humorous play on a word with two meanings or two words that sound alike with two meanings 38. quatrain: 4 lines of poetry in which the first and third rhyme, and the second and fourth rhyme 39. resolution: conflict is resolved and any loose ends of the story are tied up 40. rhyme scheme: the pattern of rhyming words at the end of a line of poetry 41. rhymed verse: rhymed poetry – usually has a regular meter – iambic pentameter- and ends in rhyme 42. rising action: events in a story that move the plot along by adding complication or expanding the conflict; builds suspense

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43. run-on lines: lines of poetry without end punctuation; the reader doesn’t pause 44. scene: a small unit of a play in which there is no shift of location or time 45. setting: the time, place, and circumstances of a story or play 46. simile: a comparison between two things that uses “like” or “as” 47. soliloquy: one character alone on stage (or believes he’s alone), speaking his mind and heart to the audience 48. sonnet: a 14 line poem with a very specific rhyme scheme (ababcdcdefefgg), rhythm (10 syllables per line and iambic

pentameter meter), and contains 3 quatrains and 1 couplet. 49. stage directions: notes in the script of a play to tell the actors when and where to come on stage, move around, or go off stage 50. stanza: a section of a poem 51. stichomythia: rapid line-by-line dialogue, usually between two characters, making fun of each other, usually funny 52. subtext: thoughts we imagine characters have as they speak their lines 53. suspense: excitement or tension that readers feel as they become involved in a story and eager to know the outcome 54. theme: main idea of the play – perception about life or human nature that the writer shares with the reader 55. tragedy: a serious play with a sad or disastrous ending 56. turning point: crisis

Finished? Need a challenge?

Enrichment Activities – Optional Assignments

If you chose to do an optional assignment for any of the acts, it is due two school days following the act quiz. Only optional assignments turned in on time will be graded.

Act One: The Verona Herald Create a one-page newsletter to be distributed to the citizens of Verona (or your team). You should have a short item that covers each of the five scenes that happen in Act 1. You can present this in a variety of ways, just like any respectable newspaper (or scandalous tabloid if you wish – gossip, gossip!). Use catchy headlines along with your short articles. You could include graphics and pictures as they apply. Use the computer to design this newsletter (maybe even some Shakespearean language or phrasing….impress me!).

Act Two: Story Time! Make a short children’s book featuring the five scenes from Act 2. Remember that children love pictures with lots of detail, color, and imagination. Include enough text to convey the key events or central action of each scene. In writing your captions, be sure to paraphrase into modern English, and to express these events (in a way that young children could understand). You should include at least two pages for each scene (whether each contains art, text, or both art and text). You can use your artistic abilities along with help from the computer if you choose.

Act Three: Journal Now that you have come to the end of Act 3 of the play, it is time to take stock of the feelings of the two main characters. Character journals help to reinforce the individual personality of each character, as well as give you practice in looking for information in the play. Romeo has lost a dear friend, Mercutio, and has inadvertently killed the cousin of his beloved wife, Juliet. For the latter, he has been banished to Mantua. Juliet has had one night as the wife of Romeo. She has been betrayed by her old Nurse, is misunderstood by both of her parents, and is uncertain how or when she will ever see Romeo again. Type a one page journal entry for both Romeo and for Juliet that depicts the deep and desperate feelings of these two characters at this point in the play.

Act Four: Juliet’s Funeral “Every one prepare to follow this corse unto her grave.” In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, theater productions often added a scene to show the funeral of Juliet. Use Capulet’s lines 94-100 from scene 5. Write some dialogue for this short scene. This could also include a poem or sonnet that you compose that would be sung or changed during this emotional time for the people (although they don’t know the full truth!). Type your response.

Act Five: Ghostbusters! Shakespeare seemed to have been fond of ghosts; he wrote some memorable ghost scenes in his various plays (in Richard III, all the dead come back in a dream to haunt King Richard!). Write a short scene that will be called “Capulet’s Dream” (or “Capulet’s Nightmare”) that brings back some of those who have died in the play. You might have each of your ghosts telling why they died, and how they now feel about the feuding families. Don’t be afraid to let your imagination run! Your scene should be typed.