ROMEO AND JULIET BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Welcome and thank you for bringing Shakespeare Festival St. Louis to your school. Our mission at Shakespeare Festival St. Louis is to produce professional Shakespeare theatre, culminating in a free production in Forest Park and to celebrate both Shakespeare s language and the artists he has inspired. We present Shakespeare and works inspired by Shakespeare. We are in the Schools, in the Streets, and in the Park. Our work seeks to better the community, facilitate a diverse conversation, and encourage collaboration across disciplines. In our 18-year history, the Festival has grown from a single performance in Forest Park to reach over one million people through programming In the Schools, In the Streets, and In the Park. Over 40,000 attend our performance in Shakespeare Glen each year. Our Education Tour reaches over 50 schools per year. Thousands have joined us in the streets of St. Louis in 5 different neighborhoods for our grassroots program, Shakespeare in the Streets. This culminates in over 100 annual performances across the greater St. Louis community each year. In 2001, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis held its inaugural performance in Forest Park with Romeo and Juliet. Now its 18th season, the Festival is excited to return to this beloved classic In the Park and In the Schools. The Festival Education staff has compiled a collection of curriculum support materials in the form of a resource guide to complement our 2018 touring production of Romeo and Juliet. Our goal is for you to use the accompanying guide to provide your students with meaningful connections to Shakespeare s work both before and after the performance. Please feel free to reach out to us and tell us your thoughts. We would love to hear more about how you might use these activities in your classroom. Enjoy the show, JENNIFER WINTZER Interim Producing Director CONTENTS The Playwright...1 Shakespeare Timeline...3 ACTIVITY: The Paper O...4 HANDOUT: The Paper O...5 Synopsis...6 Themes...8 Cast of Characters...9 Interview with the Director, Joanna Battles... 10 ACTIVITY: Pre-reading Romeo and Juliet: Performing and Analyzing the Prologue... 11 HANDOUT: 15-minute Romeo and Juliet... 13 HANDOUT: Prologue Cards... 14 ACTIVITY: All the World s a Stage... 15 Shakespeare's Language... 16 ACTIVITY: A Word from the Bard... 16 HANDOUT: A Word from the Bard... 17 Style & Literary Devices... 18 ACTIVITY: Sharpening the Speech... 19 Pre- and Post-Show Questions... 21 SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL ST. LOUIS 5715 Elizabeth Avenue St. Louis, MO 63110 (314) 531-9800 SFSTL.com JENNIFER WINTZER, Interim Producing Director KRISTIN RION, Artistic Line Producer EMILY CLINGER, Education Associate & Tour Manager Curriculum Guide Designed by CHRIS CARCIONE ON THE COVER: Jennifer Ikeda*, SFSTL 2001 production of Romeo and Juliet *Denotes member, Actors Equity Association PHOTO 2001 JERRY NAUNHEIM @shakesfeststl /shakesfeststl CONNECT WITH US @shakesfeststl eclinger@sfstl.com /shakesfeststl SPONSORS Shakespeare Festival St. Louis Education Tour visits to rural communities are sponsored by The Monsanto Fund. The Education Tour also receives generous support from the Saigh Foundation, the Dana Brown Charitable Trust, First Bank, and UMB Bank.
"SOUL OF THE AGE! THE APPLAUSE! DELIGHT! THE WONDER OF OUR STAGE!" -Ben Johnson, Eulogy for William Shakespeare THE BELOW INFORMATION IS COURTESY OF THE FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY: WWW.FOLGER.EDU/SHAKESPEARE-FAQ SHAKESPEARE S LIFE AND FAMILY WHEN AND WHERE WAS SHAKESPEARE BORN? Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, in 1564. The exact date of his birth isn't known, but it is generally celebrated on April 23. We do know that he was baptized on April 26, and it was common practice at the time to have an infant be baptized no later than the first Sunday after birth. PLAYWRIGHT THE WHAT WAS SHAKESPEARE'S EDUCATION? He likely attended the local grammar school, beginning at age 7, although he probably had learned his letters and basic reading before then. There is no record of him attending university. WHEN DID SHAKESPEARE DIE? Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616 and was buried on April 25, 1616 in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon. DOES SHAKESPEARE HAVE DESCENDANTS? William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway had three children. The eldest, Susanna, was baptized on May 26, 1583, and married John Hall in 1607. They had one child, Elizabeth, in 1608. Elizabeth was married twice, to Thomas Nash in 1626, and to John Bernard in 1649. However, she had no children by either husband. William and Anne also had twins, Judith and Hamnet, who were baptized on February 2, 1585. Hamnet died at age 11 and a half. Judith married Thomas Quiney in 1616, and the couple had three sons: Shakespeare Quiney, who died in infancy, and Richard and Thomas, who both died in 1639 within a month of each other. Since neither of the boys married, there is no possibility of any legitimate descendants from Shakespeare's line. It is possible, however, to claim a relationship to Shakespeare through his sister, Joan. She married William Hart some time before 1600 and there are many descendants of this marriage alive today, in both the male and female lines. 1
SHAKESPEARE'S WORKS HOW MANY PLAYS DID SHAKESPEARE WRITE? Thirty-eight is the generally accepted number, though recent claims have been made for King Edward III and some scholars would include part of Sir Thomas More. Another play, Cardenio, has not survived. WHAT IS SHAKESPEARE S EARLIEST PLAY? His earliest play is probably one of the three parts of King Henry VI (Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3), written between 1589 1591. WHAT IS SHAKESPEARE S LAST PLAY? His last play is probably The Two Noble Kinsmen, which Shakespeare co-wrote with John Fletcher around 1613. WHAT IS SHAKESPEARE S LONGEST PLAY? Hamlet, with 4,042 lines. WHAT IS SHAKESPEARE S SHORTEST PLAY? The Comedy of Errors, with 1,787 lines. WHAT IS THE "FIRST FOLIO"? The First Folio is the first comprehensive collection of Shakespeare's plays, containing 36 of the 38 plays we now consider to be his. It was published in 1623, seven years after Shakespeare's death, by some of the actors from his company. It was the first time a number of Shakespeare's plays, including Macbeth and As You Like It, were published at all. Without the First Folio we might have only about half of the plays that Shakespeare ever wrote. SHAKESPEARE'S THEATER WHAT WERE THE DIFFERENT TICKET COSTS TO GO TO A PLAY IN SHAKESPEARE S TIME? Prices of admission depended on the kind of theater. Outdoor theaters like the Globe charged one penny to get in and another penny if you wanted to sit in the balconies. By the early seventeenth century, the price of admission went up to about sixpence. Admission to the private indoor theaters, which catered to a more affluent audience, generally began at a basic sixpence to gain entry to the galleries. Fancy gallants who wanted to be seen, however, could sit on the stage for two shillings (24 pence), and a box could be had for half-a-crown (30 pence). It s a bit trickier to work out what those costs mean in today s money: was a penny to get in cheap or expensive? Maybe the easiest way to think about this question is that it cost about 4 pence to provide food and drink for a grown man for one day. HOW DID MEN COVER UP THEIR BEARDS IF THEY PLAYED WOMEN S ROLES IN SHAKESPEARE S THEATER? Usually boys and young men played women's parts on stage, so there was no problem about beards. In fact, Hamlet jokes with one of the actors who visit the court in Denmark: "Why, thy face is valanced since I saw thee last" (Hamlet Act 2, scene 2, lines 447 48), meaning that the boy has reached puberty and started to grow a beard. Since his voice would change about the same time (Hamlet says, "Pray God your voice, like a piece of uncurrent gold, be not cracked within the ring." [Act 2, scene 2, lines 451 53]), that would signal the end of female roles for him. Older men probably played female roles from time-totime, including comic figures like Juliet's Nurse. In that case, they would probably shave off any beard. Sean McNall* and Jodie McKlintock* SFSTL 2001 production of Romeo and Juliet *Denotes member, Actors Equity Association PHOTO 2001 JERRY NAUNHEIM 2
THE 1558 November 17 Accession of Queen Elizabeth 1564 April 26 William Shakespeare's baptism 1568 September 4 Election of John Shakespeare as Bailiff of Stratford 1582 November 27 Shakespeare marries Anne Hathaway 1583 May 26 Susanna Shakespeare s baptism 1585 February 2 Hamnet & Judith Shakespeare s baptism 1593 May 30 Death of Christopher Marlowe 1596 August 11 Burial of Hamnet Shakespeare October 20 John Shakespeare granted coat of arms 1597 May 4 Shakespeare buys New Place in Stratford 1599 Opening of the Globe Theatre 1603 March 24 Death of Queen Elizabeth I May 19 King James I creates the King s Men 1608 The King s Men buy Blackfriars Theatre 1609 Publication of Shakespeare s Sonnets 1613 June 29 Fire at the Globe Theatre 1616 April 23 William Shakespeare dies HISTORY historical & personal events April 25 Burial of William Shakespeare 1623 November First Folio published by John Heminges and Henry Condell THE HENRY VI, PARTS 1-3 1589-90 EDWARD III 1590-94 RICHARD III 1592-94 THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA THE TAMING OF THE SHREW TITUS ANDRONICUS THE COMEDY OF ERRORS ROMEO AND JULIET 1594-97 THE MERCHANT OF VENICE RICHARD II 1595 LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST KING JOHN 1595-96 A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM SIR THOMAS MORE 1596 HENRY IV, PART 1 1596-97 THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR HENRY IV, PART 2 1598 HENRY V MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING AS YOU LIKE IT 1599 JULIUS CAESAR HAMLET 1600-03 TROILUS AND CRESSIDA TWELFTH NIGHT ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL MEASURE FOR MEASURE 1604 OTHELLO KING LEAR 1605-06 MACBETH CORIOLANUS 1607-08 ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA TIMON OF ATHENS PERICLES SHAKESPEARE'S SONNETS 1609 CYMBELINE PLAYS in order of publication THE WINTER'S TALE 1610-11 THE TEMPEST HENRY VIII 1612-14 THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN 3
MATERIALS Handout for Shakespeare s Globe (PAGE 5) Scissors Glue THE PAPER "O" ACTIVITY In this activity, students will create a paper model of the Globe Theatre using the handout. The original Globe opened in 1599 in London on the south bank of the Thames River, in an area now known as Bankside. The Globe was the principal playhouse of the Lord Chamberlain s Men (who would become the King s Men in 1603), of which William Shakespeare was a shareholder, playwright, and actor. Many of his most famous plays were first staged at the Globe, including Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Othello, King Lear, and Hamlet. On June 29, 1613, the Globe Theatre went up in flames during a performance of Henry VIII. A theatrical cannon, set off during the performance, misfired, igniting the wooden beams and thatching. According to one of the few surviving documents of the event, no one was hurt except a man who put out his burning breeches with a bottle of ale. Like all the other theatres in London, the Globe was closed down by the Puritans in 1642. It was destroyed in 1644 to make room for tenements. Its exact location remained unknown until remnants of its foundations were discovered in 1989 beneath the car park of Anchor Terrace on Park Street. FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION OF SHAKESPEARE AND THE GLOBE: BrainPOP (Shakespeare): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsuq8eo50og Globe Theatre Tour (short): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3vga6fp3zi Globe Theatre Tour (long): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3vga6fp3zi 4
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Although our touring production of Romeo and Juliet does not include all of the characters and events found in Shakespeare s full text, the following synopsis of the play is derived from the unabridged version of the play. SYNOPSIS THE ACT ONE After the famous prologue sets the scene, two Capulet servants, Sampson & Gregory, open the show by brawling with members of the opposing house of Montague. The Prince arrives and threatens execution if the feuding families continue the violence. Shortly after, we meet love-struck Romeo Montague, wallowing in his unrequited love for Rosaline. In an attempt to cheer him up, his friends, Benvolio and Mercutio, sneak him into the masked feast at the Capulet household. At the party, Romeo meets and falls in love with Juliet Capulet, who has been urged by her parents to marry the wealthy, well-connected Count Paris. The act ends with Juliet asking her loyal Nurse about Romeo s family and expressing her love for the son of her enemy. ACT TWO The night of the party, Romeo slips away from his friends and meets Juliet at her balcony, where they agree to marry each other the following morning in Friar Laurence s cell. Romeo hurries to Friar Laurence s cell, where the Friar reluctantly agrees to marry the two young But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? / It is the east and Juliet is the sun! ROMEO Act 2, Scene 2 For saints have hands that pilgrims hands do touch, / And palm to palm is holy palmers kiss. JULIET Act 1, Scene 5 lovers, hoping it may bring peace between the warring families. An anxious Juliet sends the Nurse to get details of the marriage plan from Romeo, and the Nurse agrees to aid Romeo s coming to Juliet the night after their marriage is contracted by the Friar. Romeo and Juliet are wed in the Friar Laurence s cell. 6
ACT THREE Shortly after the marriage of the two lovers, Benvolio and Mercutio encounter Juliet s cousin, Tybalt, on the streets of Verona. Romeo stumbles upon the scene and the verbal sparring between Mercutio and Tybalt quickly turns into a fight. When Romeo tries to end the brawl, Tybalt stabs Mercutio and runs away. Mercutio dies and Tybalt returns, encountering a furious Romeo. Romeo slays Tybalt and runs away, leaving Benvolio to explain the recent events to the Prince, Capulets, and Montagues. The Prince banishes Romeo from Verona on threat of death. The Nurse breaks news of Tybalt s death and Romeo s banishment to a conflicted Juliet and A plague o both your houses, / They have made worms meat of me. MERCUTIO Act 3, Scene 1 then leaves to find Romeo to comfort her. Romeo runs to Friar Laurence for advice, where the Nurse stumbles upon them with news of Juliet s distress. The Friar convinces Romeo to visit Juliet one last time and then hide out in the nearby town of Mantua until he is welcome again in Verona. Meanwhile, Lord and Lady Capulet finalize the marriage arrangement of Juliet to Count Paris. After their marriage night, Romeo leaves Juliet s room and Lady Capulet brings Juliet the news of her betrothal to Paris. Juliet refuses to wed Paris and Capulet scolds Juliet, threatening to disown her if she disobeys I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins / That almost freezes up the heat of life. JULIET Act 4, Scene 3 ACT FOUR Act Four opens on Paris trying to arrange his nuptials with the Friar and Juliet interrupting their conversation. Once Paris leaves, Juliet concocts a plan with the Friar to escape with Romeo to Mantua. Later that night, Juliet pretends to reconcile with her parents and agree to marry Paris, but takes a potion from Friar Laurence that simulates death for brief time. On the morning of her wedding to Paris, the Capulets and Nurse discover Juliet, who appears to be dead, and prepare to take her to the family tomb. ACT FIVE Banished Romeo hears news of Juliet s death and buys a lethal poison from an apothecary, meaning to join Juliet in death. Meanwhile, Friar John, a colleague of Friar Laurence, confesses that he failed to deliver Friar Laurence s letter with news of his and Juliet s plan to Romeo. Friar Laurence hurries to the tomb to wait with Juliet until Romeo arrives. Later, Paris arrives at Juliet s tomb and encounters Romeo, who slays him. Romeo takes the poison and dies near the sleeping Juliet. The Friar arrives to find Romeo dead as Juliet awakens. Juliet refuses to leave with the Friar, who flees the tomb, and instead ends her life with Romeo s dagger. The Watch arrives at the tomb, having stopped the Friar s departure, and the Prince, the Capulets, and the Montagues arrive shortly thereafter. The Friar gives an account of the events leading up to the death of the young lovers, and the Capulets and Montagues strike a peace between the two families. The Prince orders everyone to leave and discuss the events more before he doles out pardon and punishment. For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo. PRINCE Act 5, Scene 3 7
THEMES FAMILY What s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet; -Juliet Act 2, Scene 2 The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is centered around a long-standing feud between two families, the Montagues and the Capulets. Romeo and Juliet, pressured by their families hatred of each other, keep their love a secret and ultimately choose to end their lives rather than abide by their expectations. Tybalt picks a fight with Romeo and his friends to avenge a perceived slight to his family. Lord Capulet agrees to marry Juliet off to County Paris to maintain his family legacy and high standing. The Prince chooses to banish Romeo rather than execute him, knowing that he is a friend to his kinsman, Mercutio. Ultimately, the Capulets' and Montagues' mourning of their children leads them to strike a peace between the families. LOYALTY Will you speak well of him that kill d your cousin? -Nurse Act 3, Scene 2 Loyalty is seen in many forms throughout the play. As mentioned above, loyalty to the family unit is the root of much of the violence in the story. Loyalty to self and to their marriage motivates Romeo and Juliet to ultimately end their lives rather than succumb to their families expectations. We see the conflict between Juliet s loyalty to her family and loyalty to herself and her love, Romeo, play out when she learns that Romeo has killed her cousin Tybalt. We see Friar Laurence remain loyal to Juliet and Romeo by providing Juliet with a powerful sleeping potion in the face of Juliet s betrothal to Paris. Benvolio exhibits great loyalty to his friend Romeo after Tybalt s death by recalling Romeo s repeated efforts to keep the peace between a quarreling Mercutio and Tybalt. LOVE This bud of love, by summer s ripening breath, / May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet. -Juliet Act 2, Scene 2 In the face of great hatred, love abounds in Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet, enemies in name, find a real and meaningful love that ultimately leads to a peace between the warring Montagues and Capulets, showing that love can blossom in the most difficult of environments and overcome the biggest obstacles. We also see love in the actions of the play s supporting characters. The Nurse shows Juliet great maternal love and helps her wed Romeo, even while expressing her disagreement with Juliet s choice of partner. Benvolio shows great love for his friends and city, repeatedly trying to keep the Capulets and Montagues from fighting in the streets of Verona. We even see Paris express his love for Juliet while mourning her in her family s tomb, where he believes he is alone. FORGIVENESS A glooming peace this morning with it brings; -Prince Act 5, Scene 3 After all of the crimes the houses of Montague and Capulet commit against one of each other, in the end they forgive each other and forge a peaceful co-existence in Verona. Arguably, the Capulets forgive Juliet s disobedience when she reconciles with them and agrees to wed Paris, despite her plans to trick them with a sleeping potion. Finally, the Prince shows the feuding families forgiveness in response to their children s deaths, although the extent to which he will pardon and punish their actions is left unstated at the end of the play. 8
Our touring adaptation of Romeo and Juliet does not include all the characters from the entire play, so we ve listed the characters who do appear, with the photos of the actors portraying them. Most of the five actors plays multiple roles. MERCUTIO TYBALT FRIAR LAURENCE LADY CAPULET NURSE ROMEO JULIET BALTHASAR APOTHECARY MONTAGUE CHARACTERS A friend of Romeo. Witty and quick to fight. Juliet s cousin. Short-tempered and fiercely loyal to his family, the Capulets. A monk in the Franciscan order; friend and advisor to Romeo and Juliet. Juliet s mother. Juliet s nurse and primary caretaker. Young son of the Montague family. Young daughter of the Capulet family. Servant to Romeo and the Montagues. Poor man who sells Romeo a lethal poison. Romeo s father and the patriarch of the Montague family. ERIKA DENISE FLOWERS-ROBERTS Juliet KARL HAWKINS Mercutio / Balthasar / Montague JESSE EMANUEL MUÑOZ Romeo CAST THE MICHAEL JAMES REED Nurse / Friar Laurence JEN SINNEN Tybalt / Lady Capulet / Apothecary 9
Q &A WITH THE DIRECTOR Joanna Battles Please describe your overall concept for Romeo and Juliet. I believe Romeo and Juliet is a story of hope. The characters in our play know that the odds are stacked against them, and yet, they continue to persevere. We see it in their actions, and their language there is great hope that all will be well from each character s point of view. Even at the end, after Romeo and Juliet have taken their own lives, their families come together to mend, to grow, and to learn from this tragedy. It seemed only fitting to me to set the story in New Orleans, a city that is so full of life, despite hardship. Due to sea levels, New Orleans cemeteries are above ground, and so it changes the way one lives their life, when death is so visible. Thus, we will set our story in a cemetery, during Mardi Gras, at a time when celebration and renewal is possible. Can you describe your casting process? In casting the characters of Romeo and Juliet, it was so important to me that our actors had chemistry, that it was believable that this young woman and man could fall in love in an instant. Therefore, having the actors read a scene together, rather than with a reader, was imperative to finding that chemistry. Lastly, as this is an educational tour, it was important to me to have a diverse cast in gender, race, and ethnicity so that our school audiences recognize themselves on stage, and as a result, better engage with the material. How is this play still relevant to contemporary audiences? Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare's most popular plays. The themes present in the play - love, friendship, identity, and family - are universally relatable, and therefore stand the test of time. It is important to produce this play now because I think we find ourselves at a particularly hopeless time in U.S. history. "Us vs Them" is a common story played out in our government and our communities. Allowing this hatred to fester can only lead to heartache, and so this play serves as a warning of sorts. Love knows no boundaries. Love is innocent. Even in the darkest of times, we can come together to create a better tomorrow. What would you like students to take away from this performance? I hope the students have a good time watching our production. The idea of a "tragedy" feels very dark and brooding, so I hope to play with their expectations. I hope they find themselves laughing more than they would've thought. I hope they catch the energy of celebration spilling forth from our production. I hope they realize that despite the heightened language, Shakespeare can speak to them and is more easily accessible than they imagined. Above all, I hope they realize that we can, indeed, overcome our differences to find our common truths and heal together. What advice do you have for students that want to pursue careers in theatre? Good training is the foundation for any theatrical pursuit. This includes on the job training as well as training in an educational setting. Read as many plays as you can get your hands on. See as much theatre as you possibly can. Read reviews of plays and interviews with theatre artists you admire. Grab a bunch of friends and read plays out loud. Try your hand at writing dialogue. Any activity that gets your creative juices flowing is worthwhile. If you surround yourself with theatre, opportunities will find you. 10
PRE-READING ROMEO AND JULIET: PERFORMING AND ANALYSING THE PROLOGUE FROM THE FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY ACTIVITY Lesson Overview Students will perform the prologue to Romeo and Juliet as a pre-reading activity. Through movement and vocal work, students will work in groups to create a brief presentation of the prologue to clarify meaning, get to know the style and language of the text, and make inferences about the play's central questions. Time: Two to three 45-minute class periods PROLOGUE THE MATERIALS Folger edition of Romeo and Juliet 15-Minute Romeo and Juliet Handout (p13) Prologue text: Romeo and Juliet (Below) Romeo and Juliet prologue cards (p14) Shakespeare Festival St. Louis is a partner theater with the Folger Shakespeare Library, the world s largest Shakespeare collection, housed in Washington, D.C. The following is a lesson plan by Lucretia M. Anderson, Former Elementary School Program Coordinator, Folger Shakespeare Library. Other lesson plans from the Folger can be found at https://www.folger.edu/teachingmodules. Author: Lucretia M. Anderson, Former Elementary School Program Coordinator, Folger Shakespeare Library Editors: Greta Brasgalla, Folger National Teacher Corps and Curriculum Specialist at El Dorado High School, El Paso, TX, and Corinne Viglietta, Assistant Director of Education at Folger Shakespeare Library Text: Romeo and Juliet, prologue 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 foes A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Doth with their death bury their parents strife. The fearful passage of their death-marked love And the continuance of their parents rage, Which, but their children s end, naught 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. 11
WHAT TO DO Day One 1. Have students break up into groups of two or three. Give each group two or three numbered lines from the fifteen minute plot narrative. 2. Allow students a few minutes to practice how they might say the line with some slight movement or gesture. Each person must say at least part of the line, if not all reciting chorally. 3. Once the groups have practiced, have students stand in a circle. The leader should read the narrative, calling out each number that corresponds to a line from the play as it appears on the page. When a group's number is called, students should enter the circle and perform their line(s) as they have practiced, stepping back into their place in the circle when finished. 4. Discuss the possible themes from the play and write them on the board. Day Two 1. Distribute copies of the prologue to students. Read it aloud and invite student questions about vocabulary and structure. Help students use context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words. 2. Have each quatrain (four line chunks) of the prologue typed on cards to distribute to the students in groups. There will be one card with only two lines for the rhyming couplet. 3. Divide the students into four groups. Have students rehearse a performance of their card's lines that includes reading chorally or individually, physically expressing the words through movement and gestures, and showing the meaning of their lines of text in at least one frozen dramatic picture (tableau). 4. After rehearsal, students should perform their part of the prologue in front of the class in sequential order. 5. Compare and contrast the contemporary plot narrative from the warm up and the prologue from the play. One strategy for this activity is to project both passages side by side on the board. Invite students to point out differences either orally or as a chalk talk in which students mark up the board silently before a whole-class discussion. If your students know rhetorical and literary devices, have them identify them and compare the two texts on this basis. Almost always, students reach the conclusion on their own that Shakespeare s original language is superior in its style and richness. If you choose to take a deep dive into this activity, it alone can take up a whole class period. Afterwards, though, students are poised to close-read and appreciate the real thing, not a paraphrase. ASSESSMENT Possible writing prompts What is the tone of the prologue? What words and phrases make you say this? In your opinion, which line tells us the most about the world we are about to enter? What makes you say this? Write a brief paragraph of the plot of the story in your own words. Summarize the differences between the prologue and its plot narrative paraphrase. Use evidence from both passages to support your claim. Reflection Three things I know about the play; two things I can guess will happen; one question I have. 12
In Verona there are two families that have hated each other for a long time. They yell in the streets (1. Down with the Capulets!), and (2. Down with the Montagues!) There is a fight in the street that is so disruptive that the Prince, tired of this violence, lays down the law: (3. If ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit.) Meanwhile, Romeo has been staying out all night and sleeping all day because he is in love with Rosaline who doesn t love him back. His friends, Benvolio and Mercutio are headed for a party at the Capulets house. It's a masked ball, so they all can sneak in undetected and no one will know who they are. Benvolio is excited because the ball will give Romeo a chance to get over Rosaline. (4. Examine other beauties.) Juliet s father doesn t know that Romeo and his friends are Montagues either, and he welcomes them. (5. You are welcome, gentlemen! Come, musicians, play!) There, at this party, is where Romeo first sees Juliet. (6. O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!) They dance. They kiss. She says, (7. You kiss by the book.) Only at the end of the party do they learn that the other is from their own family s hated enemy. It s too late, they are in love with each other. Romeo sneaks away from his friends, climbs the wall into the Capulet s orchard, and sees Juliet at her window (8. But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?) Juliet, not knowing Romeo is nearby, says (9. O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?) They confess their love to each other, but Juliet is called inside. Romeo says, (10. Wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?) Juliet says, (11. If that thy bent of love be honorable, Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow.) They enlist the help of Juliet s Nurse to send messages and Friar Lawrence to marry them. Even so, the feud continues. In the town square, Tybalt, Juliet s cousin, comes looking for Romeo. Mercutio takes the bait. (12. Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?) Tybalt angrily answers, (13. I am for you.) They fight. Romeo tries to peacefully break them up, but only gets in Mercutio s way, allowing Tybalt to stab Mercutio. Mercutio dies, and Tybalt runs away. A few minutes later, (14. Here comes the furious Tybalt back again!) In a fury, Romeo kills Tybalt. He immediately realizes his horrible 15-MINUTE ROMEO AND JULIET mistake and says, (15. O, I am Fortune s Fool!) The Prince banishes Romeo to Mantua for killing Tybalt. Before Romeo leaves Verona, he spends the night with Juliet. As he climbs out her window the next morning, she says (16. Then, window, let day in, and let life out.) Juliet s parents burst in to inform her that they have arranged for her to marry the County Paris. She says (17. I ll not marry yet.) Her father, angry that Juliet is refusing him, says, (18. Hang thee, young baggage, Disobedient wretch!) and tells her that if she won t marry Paris he will cast her into the streets to beg. Juliet and the Friar come up with a plan. Juliet will take a potion in order to appear dead so her parents will put her body in their funeral monument. Then Friar Lawrence will fetch her and take her to Mantua. Juliet takes the potion (19. Romeo! Here s drink I drink to thee.) It works. Her nurse and her mother find her in the morning (20. Alack the day, she s dead, she s dead, she s dead!) They put her body in the tomb. In Mantua, Romeo gets the news that Juliet is dead. He buys some poison and heads to the tomb to join Juliet in death. Friar Lawrence is on his way to the tomb, as well, to get Juliet and take her to Mantua. Paris is also heading to the tomb to mourn his almost-wife. Paris gets there first, and tries to defend the tomb from Romeo. Romeo kills him (21. O, I am slain!). Then Romeo drinks his poison and bids Juliet a final farewell (22. Here s to my love... thus with a kiss I die.) Friar Lawrence arrives to find Romeo dead, Juliet waking up, and the city of Verona on its way to see what the commotion was. He tries to console Juliet and hurry her away (23. I ll dispose of thee among a sisterhood of holy nuns), but Juliet refuses to leave. Friar Lawrence runs away, and Juliet decides to join Romeo in death. (24. O, happy dagger, this is thy sheath.) They are discovered by their families who finally see that their quarrels have gone too far. They vow to make peace, for (25. Never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.) 13
1 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. 3 The fearful passage of their death marked love And the continuance of their parents rage, Which but their children s end, naught could remove, Is now the two hours traffic of our stage; 2 From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Doth with their death bury their parents strife. 4 The which, if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. 14
Costume rendering for Juliet by JENNIFER JC KRAJICEK ALL THE WORLD S A STAGE ACTIVITY OBJECTIVES Explore/discuss different time periods in which to set Romeo and Juliet. Individually or in groups, create costumes for Romeo, Juliet, and Friar Laurence based on the time period. Sketch a scenic design for the play based on your chosen time period. DISCUSS Scenic design for Romeo and Juliet by PETER and MARGERY SPACK How does the time period in which the play is set affect its meaning? For instance, if we place the action of Romeo and Juliet in a border state during the American Civil War, the feud between the two families highlights the values struggle of a young country. Have students reflect upon the impact of their choice of setting on both the characters and events in the play. 15
SHAKESPEARE'S LANGUAGE Shakespeare used at least 15,000 different words in his plays and poems (although some think it closer to 30,000!), compared to the King James Bible, which used only 8,000. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) even credits Shakespeare with coming up with over 500 original words. You can find a great list of Shakespeare s Frequently Encountered Words on the Shakespeare s Words website: www.shakespeareswords.com/few A WORD FROM THE BARD ACTIVITY Prior to class, prepare individual index cards based on the handout on page 16. Select a time-keeper from the class; he/she/they will also record the team points on the board. Divide the class into two to four groups. Select a person from each group who will be responsible for putting a hand up when the team has figured out a word. This person will be able to look at the word being drawn in advance, but he/she/they MAY NOT give hints about the word to others on the team, nor tell the player who is drawing how to draw the picture. Have teams count off to see who will go first, second, third, etc. Post large sheets of newsprint paper and markers in each team s area. Or use an easel or whiteboard if available. Give one member from each team a word to draw from your stack of index cards. Show the word on the card or quietly say the word in the player s ear. All teams get their word at the same time. They will have 45 seconds in which to draw pictures (à la Pictionary) and guess their word. The first team to guess correctly gets a point for the word. Give the next player from each team the next word. Repeat until each person has had one or two turns. MATERIALS Handout (PAGE 17) Index Cards Large Sheets of Paper Markers NOTE: If you wish to simplify the game for younger students or to save time, record the full list of words to be drawn on the board or distribute a list to each team. Students will search for, rather than guess, the word that is being drawn. 16
MOUNTAINEER FORTUNE-TELLER BANDIT WATCH-DOG SCHOOLBOY FOOTBALL WORMHOLE HORN-BOOK SHOOTING STAR MOONBEAM DEW-DROP GLOW DAWN ALLIGATOR LADY-BIRD LUGGAGE EYEBALL LOVE-LETTER PUPPY-DOG FARMHOUSE BEDROOM A WORD FROM THE BARD BIRTHPLACE FAIRY-LAND WORTHLESS LONG-LEGGED PALE-FACED HOT-BLOODED FLEA-BITTEN GREEN-EYED UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS SKIM MILK OBSCENE HOT-BLOODED EPILEPTIC HOUSEHOLD LAUGHING STOCK NAKED TRUTH RELATIONSHIP ADVERTISING ASSASSINATION BEDAZZLED DISHEARTEN ENMESH EVENTFUL EYESORE LACKLUSTER OUTBREAK QUARRELSOME RADIANCE RECLUSIVE SEAMY-SIDE STEALTHY SUBMERGE TIME-HONORED UNDERVALUED UNMITIGATED UNREAL WELL-READ WHIRLIGIG DENOTE GOSSIP RANT 17
Understanding the way Shakespeare structured his verse can be a great tool when trying to unlock more about a character s emotional state, mood, and intentions. STYLE & LITERARY DEVICES Also, like a musical score, the structural choices Shakespeare made help the reader and/or speaker to naturally feel the tempos and rhythms of the language. There was very little time to rehearse in Shakespeare s days, so this was a quick way for actors to get inside the minds and hearts of his characters. Today we speak in what is called prose, regular speech that doesn t have a specific pattern or rhythm to it. While Shakespeare sometimes wrote in prose to denote a lower status (for example, the servants Sampson and Gregory in Act 1, Scene 1), many of the lines of the noble status characters in Romeo and Juliet are written in a specific type of verse (or poetry), called blank verse. Blank verse is unrhymed iambic pentameter a line of ten syllables that has a rhythm like a heartbeat. The first syllable (or beat) is unstressed and the second is stressed; this particular pair is called an iamb. Here s a line of unrhymed iambic pentameter from the balcony scene (Act 2, Scene 2) of Romeo and Juliet (note the marks of scansion): While this is the basic structure of unrhymed iambic pentameter, Shakespeare loved to break his own rules, and did so intentionally to indicate a heightened emotional state. For example, Shakespeare adds a syllable to the ending of the phrase started above, giving it what is called a feminine ending (eleven beats instead of ten): Some questions to consider when analyzing a line like this with students could be: 1. Why do you think Shakespeare chose to end the line with an unstressed syllable? (A feminine ending? ) What does that tells us about how Romeo feels? 2. If iambic pentameter represents a normal heartbeat, how do you think Shakespeare s language changes when a character is terrified, excited, depressed, angry, etc. (Helpful hint: have students imagine what happens to their heartbeat when they experience these emotions.) LITERARY DEVICES IN ROMEO AND JULIET Simile: a comparison of two different things that often uses like, than, or as. Love goes towards love, as schoolboys from their books, - Romeo Act 2, Scene 2 Metaphor: a condensed comparison that expresses a complex idea in a precise way. My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand / To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. - Romeo Act 1, Scene 5 Antithesis: setting one idea against another. Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate, - Romeo Act 1, Scene 1 Personification: giving human characteristics to an abstract idea or something which is not human. By love, who first did prompt me to inquire; / He lent me counsel and I lent him eyes. - Romeo Act 2, Scene 2 / / / / / But soft! What light through yon-der win-dow breaks? / / / / / It is the east and Jul-i-et is the sun." Dramatic Irony: a kind of irony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play. Alack the day! He s gone, he s killed, he s dead! - Nurse Act 3, Scene 2 Juliet thinks Nurse is talking about Romeo, but the audience knows it is Tybalt who has been killed. Foreshadowing: an indication of what is to come. These violent delights have violent ends - Friar Laurence Act 2, Scene 6 Alliteration: repeated consonant sounds. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes - Chorus Prologue Imagery: describing offstage action, encouraging audiences to use their imagination. All this uttered / With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bowed, - Benvolio Act 3, Scene 1 18
SHARPENING THE SPEECH ACTIVITY In this activity, students will explore one of Romeo s famous speeches from the balcony scene (Act 2, Scene 2) of Romeo and Juliet. Independently, have students: Read the speech aloud (text on page 20). Circle any words or lines they don t understand. Examine the action of the play leading up to this speech. Working in small groups of 3-4, have students identify and discuss any words and lines that have been circled. Have each group member take turns reading the speech to their peers: First Person take a slight pause each time they reach punctuation marks. Second Person pace back and forth throughout the whole speech. Third Person stay completely still. Fourth Person shout one line of the speech while doing the rest in a whisper. Discuss how these different vocal & physical choices affect the speech s meaning & rhythm. DISCUSSION TOPICS In a couple sentences, describe what is happening in the speech. What is Romeo trying to work out in the speech? What does he decide? What discoveries does he make, if any? 19
ROMEO: He jests at scars that never felt a wound. [JULIET appears above at a window] But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou her maid art far more fair than she: Be not her maid, since she is envious; Her vestal livery is but sick and green And none but fools do wear it; cast it off. It is my lady, O, it is my love! O, that she knew she were! She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that? Her eye discourses; I will answer it. I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks: Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, Having some business, do entreat her eyes To twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven Would through the airy region stream so bright That birds would sing and think it were not night. See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O, that I were a glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek! 20
PRE-SHOW QUESTIONS 1. Describe a time when someone wanted you to act differently than you thought you should. POST-SHOW QUESTIONS 1. How were the four themes discussed in this guide (family, love, loyalty, and forgiveness) referenced in the performance? PRE- AND POST-SHOW QUESTIONS 2. Your friend asks you to choose their side in an argument with another friend. How do you handle the situation? 3. Why do we see some individuals or groups as the same or different than us? 4. Name some individuals whose advice you trust when making a difficult decision. 2. Which character(s) would you consider to be the most loyal? Was their loyalty more important than keeping the peace? 3. What did you learn from watching the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet that you can apply to how you interact with your family or community? 4. Describe a situation in which you disagreed with a figure of authority (your parents, your teachers, etc.) and how you handled the situation. 21