Romeo And Juliet Essay Guidelines

ROMEO AND JULIET – COURSEWORK ASSIGNMENT Contents 1. What to do in six stages Use this guide to plan the writing of your essay. It tells you what you need to do in six, easy to understand stages. 2. Scene structure table Use this table to divide the scene into four sections. When you write your essay you will write about these sections in turn. By doing this you will explore the dramatic structure of the scene. 3. The PEE chain Use the PEE (point – evidence – explanation) chain to structure the points in your essay. 4. Sequence the events of Act 3 Scene 5 Understand what happens in Act 3 Scene 5 by putting these seven statements into the correct order. Answers included! 5. What happens before Act 3 Scene 5? Use this fourteen stage summary of the play to understand the events leading up to Act 3 Scene 5.

What to do in six stages

1.

Write an introduction. Tell me what you are going to do in the essay and what has happened in the story before Act 3 Scene 5. Keep this section brief – assume I know who Shakespeare is and the plays he wrote.

2.

Write about the first part of the scene. Tell me what happens, and what the tone is. Provide evidence to back up your opinion. Then tell me how Shakespeare gains the audience’s sympathy for Juliet and how she relates to Nurse, Lady C and Capulet. Explain the relationships between the characters.

3.

Write about the second part of the scene. Tell me what happens, and what the tone is. Provide evidence to back up your opinion. Then tell me how Shakespeare gains the audience’s sympathy for Juliet and how she relates to Nurse, Lady C and Capulet. Explain the relationships between the characters.

4.

Write about the third part of the scene. Tell me what happens, and what the tone is. Provide evidence to back up your opinion. Then tell me how Shakespeare gains the audience’s sympathy for Juliet and how she relates to Nurse, Lady C and Capulet. Explain the relationships between the characters.

5.

Write about the fourth part of the scene. Tell me what happens, and what the tone is. Provide evidence to back up your opinion. Then tell me how Shakespeare gains the audience’s sympathy for Juliet and how she relates to Nurse, Lady C and Capulet. Explain the relationships between the characters.

6.

Write a conclusion. Tell me what you have just done. Summarise the dramatic structure of the scene – how it starts calmly, becomes more dramatic and violent and ends on a quieter, desperate note. Tell me what you think of the scene. Is it effective? Moving? Why is it important? What must happen afterwards?

Scene structure table Section 1

Section 2

Line numbers: 1-36

Line numbers: 37-125

What happens in this section?

What happens in this section?

What

is

the

overall

mood

(anger, What is the overall mood?

sympathy etc.)? How does Shakespeare make us feel How does Shakespeare make us feel sympathy towards Juliet? sympathy towards Juliet? How does Juliet relate to the Nurse, Lady How does Juliet relate to the Nurse, Lady Capulet and/or Capulet? Capulet and/or Capulet?

Section 3

Section 4

Line numbers: 126-175

Line numbers: 176-242

What happens in this section?

What happens in this section?

What is the overall mood?

What is the overall mood?

How does Shakespeare make us feel How does Shakespeare make us feel sympathy towards Juliet?

sympathy towards Juliet?

How does Juliet relate to the Nurse, Lady How does Juliet relate to the Nurse, Lady Capulet and/or Capulet?

Capulet and/or Capulet?

The PEE chain

You should use the PEE Chain to help you structure your responses to texts. Try to picture the chain in your head as you answer. .

POINT

LINK PHRASE 1

For example … I know this because he says … This is apparent in the line … This is shown by …

EXAMPL E (Quote)

LINK PHRASE 2

EXPLAIN /EXPLOR E

This quotation shows … This example highlights … The writer says this to suggest … I chose this quotation because …

An example: During the balcony scene in Act 3 Scene 5 Shakespeare makes us feel sympathy for Juliet by using dramatic irony. For example, Juliet says ‘Methinks I see thee now, thou art so low, As one dead in the bottom of a tomb.’ The audience responds sympathetically because they know that Juliet’s husband will in fact soon be dead; it is as if she cannot escape fate.

Sequence the events of Act 3 Scene 5

1. Lady Capulet tells Juliet that she is to marry Paris next Thursday. Juliet says she is not happy about this.

2. The sun rises and Romeo and Juliet talk about parting. The Nurse enters to announce Lady Capulet’s approach and Romeo leaves.

3. Lord Capulet is very angry with Juliet. He threatens to disown her if she refuses to marry Paris. He exits. Lady Capulet offers no sympathy for Juliet and exits.

4. Juliet decides to see Friar Lawrence for advice. Juliet exits.

5. Lord Capulet enters and wonders why Juliet is crying so much. He asks Lady Capulet whether she has given Juliet the news of her marriage to Paris. Lady Capulet tells Lord Capulet that Juliet isn’t happy about this news.

6. Lady Capulet enters and asks why Juliet is crying: she thinks it’s because Tybalt has died.

7. Juliet asks Nurse what she should do. Nurse advises marrying Paris because Romeo is as good as dead, having been exiled from Verona (this would mean that Juliet would commit bigamy!) Nurse exits.

The correct order is:

1. The sun rises and Romeo and Juliet talk about parting. The Nurse enters to announce Lady Capulet’s approach, and Romeo leaves.

2. Lady Capulet enters and asks why Juliet is crying: Lady Capulet thinks it’s because Tybalt has died.

3. Lady Capulet tells Juliet that she is to marry Paris next Thursday. Juliet says she is not happy about this.

4. Lord Capulet enters and wonders why Juliet is crying so much. He asks Lady Capulet whether she has given Juliet the news of her marriage to Paris. Lady Capulet tells Lord Capulet that Juliet isn’t happy about this news.

5. Lord Capulet is very angry with Juliet. He threatens to disown her if she refuses to marry Paris. He exits. Lady Capulet offers no sympathy for Juliet and exits.

6. Juliet asks Nurse what she should do. Nurse advises marrying Paris because Romeo is as good as dead, having been exiled from Verona (this would mean that Juliet would commit bigamy!) Nurse exits.

7. Juliet decides to see Friar Lawrence for advice. Juliet exits.

What happens before Act 3 Scene 5? 1. There is a fight between the Montagues and Capulets on the streets of Verona. The Prince intervenes and says anyone caught fighting will be executed. 2. Romeo is depressed: he is in love with Rosaline. She has vowed never to sleep with anyone. 3. Romeo, Benvolio and Mercutio go to a party. 4. Tybalt sees Romeo at the party and threatens to kill him. Lord Capulet stops him. 5. Romeo and Juliet meet and fall in love. 6. Romeo and Juliet see each other on the balcony. 7. They agree to marry. 8. Friar Lawrence agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet. 9. They are married (off stage). 10. Mercutio and Tybalt meet on the street. Romeo (who is now related to Tybalt by marriage) appears. Tybalt kills Mercutio, Romeo kills Tybalt. 11. The Prince appears. Benvoilio tells him what happens and The Prince banishes Romeo. 12. Friar Lawrence arranges for Romeo and Juliet to meet in Mantua. 13. Lord Capulet agrees for Paris to marry Juliet – a father’s word is law back in the 14th Century.