Romeo and JulietAct 1

Ms. Marshall-KraussHCMS

Prediction: Review the “Social Offenses” ranking you did yesterday. Choose one that you felt strongly about and explain why. (Glue the Study Guide onto page 79)

Today’s objective is to discuss themes in Romeo and Juliet and read and paraphrase in Modern English the Act 1 Prologue.

Act 1 Prologue95

CHORUS: Two households, both alike in dignity,In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.From forth the fatal loins of these two foesA pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;Whole misadventured piteous overthrowsDo with their death bury their parents' strife.The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,And the continuance of their parents' rage,Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;The which if you with patient ears attend,What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

Act 1 Prologue95

Early Modern Text

Why is this difficult to understand?

Modern Paraphrase

How did you figure it out?

1. “Two households both alike in dignity.”

Because the vocabulary is different.

Two families who are both respected.

I changed household to the modern word families and dignity to the modern word respect.

2.

3.

4.

Early Modern to Modern English Paraphrase

96

Before reading Romeo and Juliet, you learned a little about Early Modern English, sonnets, and Shakespeare’s life as a writer. Did any of this knowledge increase your appreciation or understanding of the Act 1 Prologue? Explain.

Reflection95

Warm up: Copy the question and try to think of an answer.◦ Why can’t the bicycle stand on its own?

◦ Why did the golfer bring two pairs of pants to the game?

Today’s objective is to define and analyze puns while reading Act 1 Scene.

Act 1 Scene 1 (1)December 9, 2011

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COPY: A pun is a humorous play on words using similar words or sounds with different meanings.

Words you will need to know (copy these):◦ Carry coals: submit to humiliation◦ Collier: people who work with coal◦ In choler: angry◦ Collar: hangman’s noose

Pun97

Answer the following question as you read.1 What is going on in these lines?

2 Who are these people?

3 How do they feel about each other?

4 Where does the scene take place?

While reading97-98

Warm up: What happened in Act I Scene 1? Write everything you can remember.

Today’s objective is to write short summaries of parts of Act 1 Scene 1 and act them out.

Act I Scene i cont.December 12, 2011

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  Write a short modern summary of part of the

scene. For instance, if you were given the opening lines where Sampson and Gregory are discussing the Montagues, a short summary of the scene would be:

Sampson: I hate the Montagues.Gregory: Oh yeah, me too. But what are

you going to do about it?Sampson: I’ll beat them up.Gregory: Yea right, you’re a wimp.Sampson: Am not.Gregory: We’ll let’s see then; here they

come.

After reading98

Group 1 Lines 31-58   Group 2 Lines 59-73   Group 3 Lines 76-98  

Group 4 Lines 99-154   Group 5 Lines 155-190   Group 6 Lines 191-233

Why is this opening scene so important? What does it show the audience about the play? How does reading a modern paraphrase help you understand it?

Reflection and Homework98