Differentiation of Study Guides Evidence of Learning: During our Romeo and Juliet unit, each student may decide how he or she wants to demonstrate his or her learning of the five different acts. No matter which option you choose for each act, your choice will be worth 20 points to your grade. You may choose different options for different acts. Students will choose from among these three options: A. Factual Questions Study Guide: Each act will have a set of questions that will ask for basic comprehension. The advantage of this option is that these are fairly easy questions; the disadvantage is that there are many questions. Because we correct these guides in class, this option may not be turned in late for any credit, or by students who were absent the day before. Act I = 50 questions Act II = 44 questions Act III = 53 questions Act IV = 24 questions Act V = 30 questions B. Lucky 7 Questions: Another option will be to answer 7 shorter essay questions. These questions are much more interpretive in nature (contrasted with the basic comprehension questions of option A). Your answers for these questions must be typed, and the final product should be approximately 1 1/2 pages in length. This option may be turned in late for reduced points. C. Creative Project Alternative: A third alternative is to do one creative project about an act. You can see the details for these projects in this packet. This option may also be turned in late for reduced points.
Prologue and Act I Study Guide Prologue: Name/Period: 1. What two households are involved? 2. What does star-crossed mean? Explain. 3. What event will eventually cause the feuding families to make peace? Scene 1: 1. Who are Sampson and Gregory? Who are Abram and Balthasar? 2. Who is Benvolio? What specific line (quotation) characterizes him? 3. How do the citizens probably feel about this old feud? 4. Explain Lady Capulet s remark to her husband about a crutch, a crutch. 5. What ultimatum does the Prince pronounce? 6. What adjective does Benvolio use to describe Tybalt? 7. What information do we now get about Romeo and why he has been so moody lately? 8. List at least four oxymorons (sets of opposites) that Romeo gives when describing love. 9. Who is Rosaline? How does Romeo describe her? 10. What advice does Benvolio give Romeo? 11. What is Romeo s answer? 12. What will soon be the dramatic irony about this?
Scene 2: 1. Who now enters? (list everyone) 2. What important information do we find out here? 3. Explain what Lord Capulet means when he says my child is yet a stranger to the world. 4. What indicates that the servant cannot read? 5. What particular name is among those on the list that catches Romeo s attention? 6. Why does Benvolio think Romeo should go to the party when the servant invites him? 7. What is the only purpose Romeo has in agreeing to go to the party? 8. With what does Romeo compare his love? Scene 3: 1. What does Lady Capulet advise Juliet of? 2. What metaphor do Lady Capulet and the Nurse use to describe Paris? 3. List at least three words or phrases that show bookishness of love in Lady Capulet s definition: 4. What is Juliet s answer to the courtship? (a phrase that uses alliteration) Scene 4: 1. Who is introduced in this scene? 2. How does Romeo feel about attending the party? 3. What does Mercutio say about dreams and dreamers? 4. Who is Queen Mab? What does she do? 5. What is the dramatic irony in Romeo s last speech?
Scene 5: 1. Where does this scene take place? 2. What are the serving men talking about? 3. What is the purpose of this excitement about the party? 4. What kind of host is Capulet toward his guests? 5. What does Lord Capulet argue about with the Second Capulet? 6. What question does Romeo ask a serving man? 7. What impression has Juliet made on Romeo? 8. What simile does Romeo use to characterize Juliet? 9. Who now objects to Romeo s presence? How is Romeo recognized when he is wearing a mask? 10. What rebuke (response) does Lord Capulet give Tybalt? 11. What description does Capulet give of Romeo? (what has he heard about Romeo?) 12. What is the dramatic purpose of this quarrel between Capulet and Tybalt? 13. What significance does holding or shaking hands have for Romeo and Juliet? 14. What description does the Nurse give of Juliet s mother? 15. After all except Juliet and the Nurse have made their exit, what does Juliet ask the Nurse? 16. What is her comment about Romeo before she knows who he is? (almost foreshadowing) 17. What is the dramatic irony based on this previous statement? 18. What is Juliet s reaction when she learns who Romeo is?
Act I Study Guide Alternatives Lucky 7 Questions: Type your answers to the following seven interpretive questions (number your responses); you should have a solid paragraph for each question for a total of about one and a half pages of answers. Handwritten answers will not be accepted! 1. Why does Shakespeare begin the play with a sword fight between two minor characters? 2. What is your opinion of Prince Escalus? 3. Write one or two sentences describing Romeo and one or two describing Juliet. 4. How similar are Romeo and Juliet to each other? Consider their attitudes toward love, their actions and discussion during the party, and their reactions later. 5. In your opinion, does Romeo understand his own feelings? Explain. 6. What if the characters were in modern clothing and spoke modern-day English? Which characters, situations, and conflicts would seem realistic? Which would not? 7. In your opinion, which character is the most troubled at this point in the play? Explain your choice. Creative Project Alternative: The Verona Herald: Your job for this act is to create a one-page newsletter to be distributed to the citizens of Verona (or Green Down). You should have a short item that covers each of the five scenes that happen in Act I. 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 II Study Guide Scene 1: Name/Period: 1. What two people are looking for Romeo? 2. What do they decide to do since they can t find him? 3. When does this scene occur? Scene 2: 1. To whom does Romeo allude when he says, He jests at scars...? 2. What description (a metaphor) of Juliet does Romeo give when he sees Juliet? 3. Why is the moon sick and pale? 4. What does Juliet want Romeo to do about his being a Montague? 5. Why is it dangerous for Romeo to come onto the property of the Capulets? 6. Why is Romeo not afraid? (how does he feel protected?) 7. If Juliet doesn t love him, what does he want? 8. Why might Juliet be perverse once she knows that Romeo has overheard her confess her love? 9. Upon what does Romeo swear? Why doesn t Juliet like this? 10. How does Juliet compare their love to lightning? (what type of figurative language?) 11. Who interrupts the scene? 12. After Juliet returns, what arrangements do the two of them make? 13. After Juliet leaves, what does Romeo decide to do? What is a ghostly father?
Scene 3: 1. What does Friar Laurence say about certain herbs and plants? 2. What practical lesson does he express? (how can this be applied to anything in life?) 3. How are these words an example of foreshadowing? 4. Who enters? Why is the Friar shocked at his arrival? 5. What question does the Friar ask Romeo about Rosaline? What is Romeo s reply? 6. What does the Friar think about Romeo s sudden change of affection? 7. Did the Friar and Rosaline know that Romeo was simply in love with the idea of being in love and not actually in love with Rosaline? 8. What is the Friar s motive in agreeing to marry Romeo and Juliet? 9. What warning/advice does he now give to Romeo? Scene 4: 1. What does Mercutio think is wrong with Romeo? 2. What important information does Benvolio convey about Tybalt? 3. How does Mercutio describe Tybalt? (name at least two ways) 4. Why does Shakespeare add passado, hai, and punto reverso? 5. When Romeo enters, what is his mood? 6. Who then enters? 7. What effect on the Nurse do the comments of Mercutio have? 8. What message or instructions does Romeo send back to Juliet? 9. What does Romeo ask the Nurse to get? 10. What does the Nurse tell Romeo about Juliet s feelings for Paris? 11. What does the Nurse say is the effect of her teasing/comments on Juliet? 12. The Nurse tries to explain to Romeo that Juliet had a beautiful image about him and what herb that also starts with the letter R?
Scene 5: 1. What is the effect upon Juliet s mood of the long delay in the Nurse s return? 2. What does the Nurse say she has to get? 3. What is the Nurse s character here? (her role for both Romeo and Juliet) Scene 6: 1. What words of Friar Laurence foreshadow what is to come for the lovers? 2. What warning does Friar Laurence give? 3. Who enters? 4. What action does the Friar take?
Act II Study Guide Alternatives Lucky 7 Questions: Type your answers to the following seven interpretive questions (number your responses); you should have a solid paragraph for each question for a total of about one and a half pages of answers. Handwritten answers will not be accepted! 1. How do you feel about the speed of this romance? 2. What associations does the author set up between the symbols of sun and moon? 3. Do you think Romeo and Juliet do the right thing by marrying before anyone can object? Why or why not? 4. In your opinion, do Friar Laurence and the Nurse act responsibly in helping Romeo and Juliet to marry? Explain. 5. What are the possible consequences of this marriage ceremony? 6. Do you think it strange that Juliet's Nurse herself has a servant? 7. What is the best thing that could happen in the remaining acts of the play? What is the worst thing that could happen? Creative Project Alternative: Story Time! Your task is to make a short children's book featuring the five scenes from this act. 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 III Study Guide Scene 1: Name/Period: 1. What does Benvolio say about the day s weather? 2. When Mercutio replies that Benvolio is quarrelsome, how does Benvolio answer this accusation? 3. Who now enters? What is Benvolio afraid will happen? Does it? 4. What does Benvolio urge the two to do with the fight? Is this consistent with Benvolio s peacemaker reputation? 5. How does Mercutio take Benvolio s suggestion? 6. Who now enters? 7. How does Tybalt deliberately insult Romeo? Why is Tybalt so mad at Romeo? 8. How does Romeo react? Why does he react this way? 9. What does Mercutio say to Romeo? 10. What does Romeo try to do when the two men fight? What is the unfortunate result? 11. After receiving this fatal wound, how does Mercutio respond to both the Capulets and Montagues? 12. What news is soon announced by Benvolio? Why has Shakespeare ended Mercutio s life so early? 13. When Tybalt returns, what happens next? 14. What desperate warning does Benvolio try to give Romeo? 15. What does Romeo say of himself? (give a quotation) 16. Who enters now? (name all) 17. Does Benvolio give an honest account of the events to the Prince?
18. Who then begs for revenge? 19. What does Lord Montague say in Romeo s defense? 20. What sentence or punishment does the Prince pronounce upon Romeo? 21. What does the Prince mean by My blood...doth lie a-bleeding? Scene 2: 1. What revelation of her feelings does Juliet make at the beginning here? 2. Who enters? What does she bring? 3. Why is the Nurse s account of the events not clear at first to Juliet? 4. Why does Juliet keep emphasizing the word banished? 5. On what mission does the Nurse go? What does Juliet give her to take? Scene 3: 1. What is the effect on Romeo of the Prince s doom/punishment? 2. Why is Romeo not comforted by the Friar? 3. Why does Romeo think that the Friar is unable to sympathize with what he is going through? 4. What does Romeo do when he becomes too emotional? 5. Who now enters? How does she scold Romeo? (what does she tell him to do?) 6. What effect does the Nurse s information about Juliet have on Romeo? 7. What sharp rebuke (similar to that of the Nurse) does the Friar give Romeo? Why would the Friar be especially upset with Romeo? 8. What does the Nurse say of the Friar s good counsel or plan? 9. What effect does the ring have on Romeo? 10. What plan has the Friar outlined for Romeo s future?
Scene 4: 1. What does Capulet say about death? 2. What arrangements for Juliet s marriage to Paris does he make? What day is it now? 3. What command regarding the marriage does Lord Capulet give Lady Capulet? 4. What is the dramatic effect of the well-intentioned but ill-advised reaction of Capulet? Scene 5: 1. What do Romeo and Juliet disagree about at the beginning of this scene? 2. When Romeo is leaving, what simile does Juliet use as she notices his appearance? 3. What is Lady Capulet s comment to Juliet about showing too much grief? 4. Why does Juliet speak of Romeo to her mother as she does? 5. How does Lady Capulet propose to revenge Tybalt s death? what is her plan? 6. What joyful news does Lady Capulet bring to Juliet? 7. What is the effect on Lord Capulet of Juliet s refusal to marry Paris? 8. How does the Nurse come to Juliet s defense? 9. How does Lord Capulet sum up his disgust? (what does he threaten if Juliet refuses his will?) 10. How does Lady Capulet reply to Juliet s plea to delay the marriage? 11. What does the Nurse advise Juliet to do? Does Juliet accept the advice? 12. In what way does Juliet now think the Nurse has betrayed her? 13. To whom does Juliet decide to go for help?
Act III Study Guide Alternatives Lucky 7 Questions: Type your answers to the following seven interpretive questions (number your responses); you should have a solid paragraph for each question for a total of about one and a half pages of answers. Handwritten answers will note be accepted! 1. The act opens with talk about sword fighting followed shortly by the real thing. How does this fight compare with that at the opening of the play? 2. If you were either Romeo or Juliet, what would be your strongest feeling at the end of this act? 3. Which event in this act causes the most problems for Romeo and Juliet? Why? 4. What do you think of Juliet's refusal to marry Paris? 5. Think about Romeo's behavior throughout the act. Do you sympathize with him? Do you respect him? Give reasons for your opinions. 6. Consider the actions of the Nurse and Friar Laurence in this act. Which character would you trust more if you were Romeo or Juliet? Which would you trust if you were one of their parents? Explain. 7. At the end of Act III, what are Juliet's choices of action? Creative Project Alternative: Journal Entry for Romeo and Juliet: Now that you have come to the end of Act III 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 his 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 IV Study Guide Scene 1: Name/Period: 1. Where does the scene take place? 2. What can we tell about Juliet by the way she talks to Paris when they meet? 3. What different revelation does she make to the Friar after Paris leaves? 4. If the Friar cannot help her, what does she intend to do? 5. Why does the Friar think Juliet will accept his extreme remedy? Does Juliet agree to the plan? 6. What is Friar Laurence s plan? (name the three main stages of his plan) 7. What important task does the Friar now have to take care of? Scene 2: 1. What directions for the wedding feast does Capulet give the serving men? 2. How does Juliet conduct herself with her father when she appears? 3. What does Capulet do concerning the wedding? 4. What is the effect of this change for Juliet? for Romeo?
Scene 3: 1. What request does Juliet make of the nurse? 2. In her soliloquy, list four main thoughts, feelings, or fears of Juliet about the Friar s plan: a. b. c. d. 3. What does she think she sees? 4. To whom does she drink the potion? Scene 4: 1. What is the purpose of this scene? Scene 5: 1. What is Juliet s condition when the nurse attempts to awaken her? 2. Why is this dramatic irony? 3. How can the Friar speak so calmly? 4. What final advice does the Friar give to Lord and Lady Capulet? 5. Why does Shakespeare not make the grief of the Capulet family so tragic at this point in the play?
Act IV Study Guide Alternatives Lucky 7 Questions: Type your answers to the following seven interpretive questions (number your responses); you should have a solid paragraph for each question for a total of about one and a half pages of answers. Handwritten answers will not be accepted! 1. What do you think of Juliet and the actions she has taken in this act? 2. Why is Friar Laurence's plan dangerous? What might go wrong? 3. Why doesn't Friar Laurence tell Juliet's parents about her secret marriage? Consider the consequences to both himself and Juliet. 4. The Nurse used to be Juliet's advisor and close friend. How is Juliet's anger with her important in Act IV? Do you think that Juliet would have acted differently if the Nurse had been involved in the conversation with Friar Laurence? 5. What do you think is the purpose of the short Scene 4? 6. At this point, which characters, if any, have earned your sympathy? 7. Should any characters feel guilty? Which ones, and why? Creative Project Alternative: 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 chanted during this emotional time for the people (although they don't know the full truth!). Type your response.
Act V Study Guide Scene 1: Name/Period: 1. Where does this scene take place? 2. Describe Romeo s dream. Why is this foreshadowing? 3. What news does Balthasar bring from Verona? 4. What two things does Romeo command Balthasar to do (or get)? What does Romeo plan to do now? 5. To what shop in Mantua does he go? What does he intend to buy there? Scene 2: 1. What character first appears here? On what mission had he been sent by Friar Laurence? 2. What does Friar Laurence now instruct Friar John to get? For whom is Friar Laurence concerned? 3. In a soliloquy, what two things does Friar Laurence say that he must do? 4. Where will the future action take place?
Scene 3: 1. What orders does Paris give his page? What has he brought with him? 2. What two people now arrive at Juliet s tomb? 3. What does Romeo send his father? How has this been foreshadowed in Scene 1? 4. What strict command does he give to Balthasar? Does Balthasar actually obey his instructions? 5. What does Romeo say about his intents? (give a quotation here that contains a simile) 6. What does Paris say to Romeo? What is Romeo s reply? What do they do? 7. What does Romeo think is unusual about Juliet s dead body? 8. Who now enters the churchyard? 9. What dream did Balthasar have while sleeping under the yew tree? 10. What two people does the Friar find in the tomb? in what condition? 11. What urgent request does he make of Juliet? Does she agree? 12. Why does the Friar leave Juliet behind? 13. What does Juliet do? (give a complete description) 14. Who now enters? 15. Who does the watch arrest? 16. What surprising fact does Lord Montague reveal when he arrives? 17. What dramatic device does Shakespeare use with Friar Laurence to reveal the whole plot and untangle its threads? 18. Explain the Prince s comment to Friar Laurence that We still have known thee for a holy man. 19. What proof does the letter of Romeo give as to the story that the Friar tells everyone? 20. The Prince takes some of the blame for what has happened. Why? 21. What do Lord Montague and Lord Capulet decide to do as a tribute to their dead children?
Act V Study Guide Alternatives Lucky 7 Questions: Type your answers to the following seven interpretive questions (number your responses); you should have a solid paragraph for each question for a total of about one and a half pages of answers. Handwritten answers will not be accepted! 1. The apothecary tells Romeo, "Such mortal drugs I have, but Mantua's law/ Is death to any he that utters them." Why does Shakespeare add this illicit element to the story? 2. What is interesting about the way Shakespeare prevents Friar John from reaching Romeo with the letter? 3. What is your first reaction to the suicides of Romeo and Juliet? Jot down your feelings. 4. In your judgment, do Romeo and Juliet act nobly or cowardly in choosing suicide? Consider other actions they might have taken. 5. What events in this act could be due to fate? How much responsibility do you think fate bears in the tragedy? Explain. 6. The Prince blames Montague, Capulet, and himself for this tragedy. Who do you think should take the most blame? Explain. 7. Do you think either Romeo or Juliet grows in character from the beginning of the play to the end? Support your answer with evidence from the play. Creative Project Alternative: 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.