top of page

Unit IV: Shakespeare

How can a work of literature transcend time, place, and culture?

 

This unit question is very fitting for english in general. English class in my opinion is a way to explore literature from the past and decide how it relates to the present. It is evident when a work is able transcend when is can strike such a deep understanding and discussion based on the orginal text of the play or poem or whatever it is. Romeo and Juliet is a perfect example of a text that can be read and interpreted in hundreds of different ways. That is the true beauty of it.

In honor of the Shakespeare unit all of the headings for the sections are written in iamic pentameter!

The Very Special Shakespeare Quote Breakdown 

Our english class has just started to read Shakespeares' Romeo and Juliet through Act I and we were practicing how to interpret and how to understand some of the main quotes that appeared in the text. 

The Process:

Our group was assigned Act I Scene 4, so we had only two quotes from which we could choose to use for our mini-project. They were as seen below...

QUOTE 1

'For my mind misgives 

Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars,

Shall bitterly begin his fearful date

With this night's revels and expire the term

Of a despised life, closed in my breast,

By some vile forfeit of untimely death.'

QUOTE 2

‘You have dancing shoes

With nimble soles. I have a soul of lead

So stakes me to the ground I cannot move.'

We chose quote #2 becuase we immediately saw the pun on the word "soul" and we knew that this would have a big significance and impact the meaning of the quote. It was also shorter than the other quote!

 

The next step of this project was to come up with the context from where this quote was said, a translation of that quote into a passage that may be more recognizable and easy to understand, and to explain the significance of the quote and how that could relate to a literary device or element within the play.

You can see what our final project turned out to look like down below!

 

If you want this image for yourself all you have to do is click the icon to the right!

This mini-project that we completed relates to the unit questions becuase even though we are interpreting quotes from a pretty old play, we can still find new meanings and connects to these quotes to help explain them better. Often very famous works on literature like Shakespeare are known for how anybody can find a deeper meaning out of them even if it is many years latter from the context of the play. We were able to break down a peice of a play that has trancended time, place and culture becuase the meanings and themes behind the quote are applicable to life today.

Unique Portrayals of These Characters 

Over the years, as the story of Romeo and Juliet has become more and more popular and well-known, there have been different interpretations of what these characters look like. 

 

In class as we have been reading Romeo and Juliet and after we finish an act we will watch the movie equivalent to represent the material we were learning in a different way. On top of that we have been watching different versions of movies that have been made to illustrate this famous play. I then thought it would be interesting to see how they compare. 

 

So below I have made a chart to show the different iterations of Romeo and Juliet over the years in the different movies!

ROMEO

JULIET

Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Romeo & Juliet (2013)

Romeo and Juliet (1968)

Movie:

I find it very interesting to compare and contrast how each time period has portrayed these iconic figures. You can see that the basic figure and apperance of the characters has remained the same. Over time we have not changed skin color or hair color drastically, which could be interpreted in many ways. Sometimes people have such a narrow vision for a certain pair of characters that they are hesitant to change the way they think they are supposed to look.

This also relates to the unit question because even after all of these years we are able to pictures this story in a similiar way. Of cource there are changes made to make the context to fit the time period but for the most part these characters have transcended time, place and culture. Society is able to contantly replace these famous roles becuase these characters are almost like a mold. They stand for a larger meaning that keeps being re-represented, as we teach more and more children about this work. 

The Different Questions All About the Acts 

While we were reading Romeo and Juliet we had to fill out a review guide for each act that had questions about the plot and other information found in the different scenes. Below you can see all five of the review guides filled out...

ACT I REVIEW GUIDE

Scene 1:  

 

  1. As Sampson and Gregory are discussing their hatred for the Montagues, what bawdy comment does Sampson make?  What kind of ‘love’ is this an example of?  

    1. “Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maindenheads" (1.1.27-28).

    2. This kind of live is considered unrequited love.

  2. Why do you suppose biting a thumb is offensive to the Capulets?

    1. They might be disgraced by that rude gesture. Like the modern day middle finger.

  3. During the fight between the Montagues and the Capulets, the Prince appears and he is very angry.  What is the promise and threat he makes?

    1. If there is another fight that brakes out between the two families, then the two heads of the families will be put to death. 

  4. Benvolio and Montague describe the way Romeo has been acting.  What do they have to say about him?

    1. They say that he wanders the nights in the forest crying and then he comes back and locks himself in a darkened room.

  5. Why is Romeo so depressed?

    1. He is troubled by the though of love and how he is “out of love”. He is upset that the woman he loves does not want anything to do with him. 

  6. What advice does Benvolio give Romeo?  

    1. To try and forget about her by trying to find somebody else that will love him as much as he loves her. 

 

 

Scene 2: 

 

  1. Why does Capulet think it will be easy for Montague and him to keep the peace?

    1. They are both under the same punishment and of the same age 

  2. After speaking briefly, Paris gets to the point of his visit to the Capulets.  What does he ask of Lord Capulet?  What is Capulet’s response?

    1. He wants he permission to marry Juliet 

    2. He says yes but not till she is a little older

  3. Paris responds that girls younger than she have been married.  What is Capulet’s response to this?  What suggestion and invitation does Capulet make to Paris?

    1. Sometimes it hurts children to be mothers so early and since Juliet is his last child alive he wants to make sure she will be ok

    2. Comes to the party and make sure you are positive about her

  4. While Benvolio is trying to convince Romeo to find other women in order to overcome his heartache over Rosaline, what suggestion does he make?  Why?  

    1. He suggests the he go to the party

    2. So he can “see other beauties” as he has said before

 

 

Scene 3:

 

  1. How old is Juliet?

    1. 13

  2. When Lady Capulet asks Juliet how she feels about marriage, what is Juliet’s answer?

    1. She not too excited by getting married 

  3. Following Juliet’s answer, what does Lady Capulet then tell Juliet?

    1. She tells him about Paris and what a perfect man for her he is

 

 

Scene 4:  

 

  1. Why does Romeo say he is unable to dance?

    1. He says he is too sad and overcome in depression because of his rejection from Rosaline 

  2. How do the Montagues expect to be able to enter a Capulet house?

    1. They will try and blend in, and will be able to because it is a Mascaraed type of party 

  3. Romeo is apprehensive about going to the masquerade because of the dream he had the night before.  Romeo seems to believe (as did many in Shakespeare’s day) that dreams have something to do with life.  Perhaps Romeo believes dreams act as omens.  What is Mercutio’s opinion of dreams?  What does Mercutio’s speech reveal about his character?

    1. He thinks that dreams do not mean anything 

    2. He might think more on the logical side and not for the imagination or elaboration that some may let influence their thoughts. 

  4. What is Romeo’s misgiving, and what does the line “some consequence, yet hanging in the stars” have to do with his feeling of dread?  Discuss the theme this quote illustrates.  

    1. He is afraid that something bad is going to happen and that we will regret just ignoring it. 

    2. The theme is that often refusing to believe ones inner thoughts is pointless and harmful 

 

 

Scene 5:

 

  1. What does Romeo think of Juliet the first time he sees her?

    1. He thinks she is the most beautiful woman he has every seen

  2. How does Tybalt recognize Romeo?  What does he vow to do?

    1. By his voice

    2. To kill him

  3. When Tybalt is ready to seize Romeo and throw him out of the party, what does Capulet say to Tybalt?

    1. That he has heard that he is a good man and that he has to cope with him being there.

  4. Explain what the conversation is between Romeo and Juliet.

    1. Romeo is trying to appeal to Juliet and she is kind of playing hard to get with describing flaws in the comparisons that he is making.

  5. During their conversation, Romeo ends up kissing Juliet twice before the Nurse comes to tell Juliet that her mother requests her.  Romeo and his friends leave.  How does the audience know that Juliet feel as strongly about Romeo as he does for her?

    1. Because she is very aware about the “crime” she has done ageist her family because she would only feel this way if she knew that she would have to marry him, and the he would be the only person that she would every love.

  6. How does Romeo find out Juliet’s last name?

    1. When the nurse calls for her mother as a Capulet 

  7. How does Juliet find out Romeo’s last name? 

    1. When the nurse tells her as he and the rest of the guests are leaving

  8. How do they each react to finding out they are from feuding families?

    1. Juliet is very nervous and wishing she would have known before because now it is too late

 

ACT II REVIEW GUIDE

Scenes 1 and 2:

 

  1. ________________ is the term for the dramatic device by which the audience and some of the characters on stage are aware of a situation of which other characters on stage are ignorant.

    1. ​Dramatic Irony 

  2. Cite an example of #1 from the play. 

    1. ​​“I conjure thee by Rosaline’s bright eyes / By her high forehead and her scarlet lip” (2.1.19-20)

    2. They still think he is in love with Rosaline when we know he has now met his new love Juliet.

  3. Do Romeo’s friends know that Romeo has fallen in love with Juliet? How do you know?

    1. ​No

    2. They are teasing him about her and her appearance when they are trying to find him

  4. Romeo alludes to ____________ when he says, “He jests at scars that never felt a wound.” Explain his remark. 

    1. ​He alludes to the fact the Mercutio has not had the feeling of being in love, so he would not know what it feels like, therefore he shouldn’t be making jokes about something that he has not experienced himself.

  5. When Juliet steps out onto the balcony, what description of her does Romeo give when he sees her?

    1. He compares her to something as beautiful as the sun, the stars, the night sky and an angle guarding the clouds.

  6. What does Romeo mean when he describes the moon as being “sick and pale with grief”?

    1. He is giving the comparison of her to the sun and that the moon is jealous of her

  7. How do Romeo and Juliet feel about their respective last names?

    1. They feel as though the name does not matter and that it does not influence who the person really is

  8. Why is Romeo unafraid to tell Juliet how he feels?

    1. He is in love with Juliet to the point that he doesn’t care he rather be in love then prolong his live without having her love.

  9. Why doesn’t Juliet want Romeo to swear by the moon?

    1. Because the moon changes every month and she wants their love to be consistent. Also we thinks this is a pretty quick decision and doesn’t want their love to be that fast

  10. A ______________ is where a character talks to himself or reveals his thoughts in the form of a monologue with addressing a listener; the act of speaking to oneself.

    1. Soliloquy

  11. The scene is interrupted by _________________________. What does she represent?

    1. The nurse calling to Juliet within the house

    2. This represents how their love will get interrupted by unfortunate events

  12. After the lovers exchange “Love’s faithful vows,” what arrangements do they make for future meetings? ________________________________________

    1. Juliet will send a messenger to Romeo to ask him if he intends to marry her and where at 9 o’clock.

  13. The lovers find it difficult to part. How does Juliet express this?

    1. She compares is to wishing she could have Romeo on a string like a bird so they can always be together. She then says that parting is a sweet sorrow.

  14. After Juliet leaves a second time, Romeo decides to visit ____________ in order to _________________.

    1. His spiritual advisor/priest

    2. Help him deal with all of the recent events

  15. What is the purpose of this announcement?

    1. So Juliet knows to send the servant, so Romeo can let her know where and when they are going to get married.

 

 

Scene 3:

 

  1. Characterize Friar Lawrence as he appears in this scene and what does he think or feel about plants?

    1. ​He is a very accepting and open-minded person. He accepts things as they are and not for how he feels about them. He believes that some plants are good, while others are bad, but that all have a purpose.

  2. Why does Friar Laurence think Romeo has sinned?

    1. ​Because he thinks he was with Rosaline all night.

  3. Explain Friar Laurence’s statement “Young men’s love then lies/ Not truly in their hearts but in their eyes.” Do you agree or disagree and explain your answer.

    1. ​He thinks that men only look at the women’s appearance as think it is love, rather then really love a person for what they are like on the inside.

  4. What is the friar’s motive in agreeing to marry Romeo and Juliet?

    1. ​He thinks the marriage of them will turn the families hate into love.

  5. What is the theme of the friar’s soliloquy? Relate it to the play? What is he talking about?

    1. ​The theme is that everything has a purpose in life, that can be a good thing or a bad thing based on minor details.

    2. This is like the play because love is such a good thing (Romeo and Juliet falling in love), but with in put into a different context can lead to a bad thing (their death).

  6. In what respect is this scene a contrast to the proceeding one?

    1. ​In the last scene Juliet was very hesitant and wanting to make sure that this was the right thing to do while in this scene Friar wants to marry them almost immediately after Romeo mentions it. 

  7. What warning does the friar give Romeo when Romeo urges haste (meaning he wants to hurry)? Does Romeo seem likely to heed this warning and take the Friar’s advice? Explain

    1. ​He tells him that people who often rush into something will stumble along the way.

    2. No, he seems like he is intent on marring her as soon as he can.

 

 

Scene 4:

 

  1. How do you know that Tybalt is still angry?

    1. ​He sent a letter to Romeo expression his anger that he crashed the party.

  2. Romeo does not tell his friends about Juliet? Why and what does this silence reveal about him?

    1. ​That he wants this love to be in a secret without anybody messing it up.

  3. What information does Benvolio give which is foreshadowing?

    1. ​That Tybalt is angry and that there will be a duel between him and Romeo soon

  4. Mercutio describes ___________________ as “Prince of Cats”.

    1. ​Tybalt

  5. The nurse is a go-between in the lovers’ affairs. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using her as such?

    1. ​Advantages

      1. She is very close to Juliet and understands how she feels about this love

      2. It is not suspicious for the nurse to be talking to Juliet

    2. Disadvantages

      1. It is odd for people to see a servant of a Capulet trying to get a message from a Montague.

      2. She is close to Juliet’s parents and it is possible they could find out what is going on.

  6. Why does Shakespeare include this humorous scene with the Nurse?

    1. ​To show the other side of her personality. Trying to appear more than people would treat her based on her status. This scene shows the unprofessionalism in her. Also the nurse provides some comic relief 

  7. What instructions does Romeo give Nurse?

    1. ​Tell her to have Juliet come to Friar Lawrence’s cellar in the afternoon to get married. And that the excuse for her leaving is that she is going to get rid of her sins.

  8. Can Nurse be trusted not to tell Juliet’s parents? Do you think she should tell them?

    1. ​No, she is too close and probably will easily slip up and give something big away.

    2. No, she should respect Juliet and her private manners.

 

 

Scene 5:

 

  1. Compare this scene to that of Romeo’s interview with Friar Lawrence.

    1. ​It is different because in the scene with Romeo and Friar Lawrence he agreed to marry them right away and the conversation was very short. Then with the conversation with the nurse lasted much longer and was much more drawn out.

  2. Why is Juliet worried and frustrated at the beginning of the scene?

    1. ​Because the nurse has not arrived yet and she had been waiting, in her mind, forever to wait till she arrives.

  3. When Nurse arrives, how does she act?

    1. ​She delays in telling Juliet about the news in an attempt to tease her.

  4. How does Nurse seem to feel about the marriage?

    1. ​The nurse goes back and forth on whether this is good or bad, but eventually she is excited and very happy for her.

 

 

Scene 6:

 

  1. At the beginning of this scene, what words of Friar Lawrence foreshadow what is soon to come to the young lovers?

    1. ​He says that too much of something too fast is a bad thing and this relates to how their love turned bad when their love was so strong that they killed themselves.

  2. What advice does Friar Lawrence give about love?

    1. ​Be careful and “love moderately”.

  3. How soon after meeting one another have Romeo and Juliet married?

    1. ​About a day

  4. What do you think would have happened if Friar Laurence had told Lord Capulet as soon as he learned that Romeo wanted to marry Juliet?

    1. They wouldn’t have been able to get married and Romeo would have been in big troubl

  5. Rome and Juliet rushed into marriage. Would this be a good decision to make in real life? What problems might result?

    1. ​No! This is not a good idea

    2. They could have second thoughts and one or the other in the couple could decide that they don’t love the other person. That is why it is best to wait till you know that person better.

  6. Juliet says that her love for Romeo has made her feel that she has more wealth than even the richest people. What does she mean by this? List your non-material wealth. Do you feel the same way Juliet feels, whether you are a boy or a girl?

    1. ​She means that, I all of the joy and happiness Romeo has given her by just the short amount of time that he has been with her is priceless and that she wouldn’t trade it for anything.

    2. Some things that are my “non-material wealth” are my family, friends and teachers that are the most important people in my life.

 

 

ACT III REVIEW GUIDE

Scene 1:

 

  1. At the beginning of the scene, why does Benvolio think that there will be a fight?

    1. He is aware the Mercuito is itching for a fight and that the Capulets are in the area somewhere

  2. What does Mercutio accuse Benvolio of in lines 15-30?

    1. He accuses him of being a person who picks a fight a lot when really that is himself

  3. When Tybalt and Mercutio first begin arguing, what does Benvolio try to get them to do?

    1. To get them to go in a privet place because here in the streets they could get in troubl

  4. What does Tybalt call Romeo?

    1. Because he crashed the party and stood him up

  5. Why won’t Romeo fight Tybalt?

    1. He wants to like Tybalt because they now have this special connection since he is married to Julie

  6. What does Mercutio think is the reason that Romeo refuses to fight?

    1. He thinks that he is afraid to fight Tybalt

  7. Why does Mercutio keep repeating, “A plague o’ both your houses”?

    1. He is warning Romeo that only more death will fallow both of the families. That feud is responsible for his death

  8. What does Romeo say that Juliet’s love has done for him?

    1. He says is has made him distracted and less brave

  9. Why does Romeo call himself “fortunes fool”?

    1. He calls himself that because fate has made it that he has made some impulsive actions, which now portray him as a fool. He has made this big mess

  10. When Benvolio tells the Prince what happened, what does he say Romeo tried before Mercutio was killed?

    1. He tried to just talk to him calmly and nicely

  11. What does Lady Capulet accuse Benvolio of? Why?

    1. She says that he is lying because he is a Montague and because he is related to Romeo that he has a bias

  12. What is Romeo’s punishment for killing Tybalt?

    1. He is banished from Verona and if he does not leave then he shall be killed.

 

 

Scene 2:

 

  1. Why is Juliet so impatient for the nurse to return?

    1. ​She wants to have her special night with Romeo

  2. Describe Juliet’s rapidly changing attitude toward Romeo in this scene.

    1. 1st: She wants him to come back to he

    2. 2nd: She hates him for killing Tybal

    3. 3rd: She then feels bad for scolding him                                                                                                                                                     

  3. What piece of news has upset Juliet the most?

    1. She is upset at the fact that Romeo has been banished and that she will not be able to be with him

  4. What does the nurse promise to do?

    1. She promises to bring Romeo to her.

 

 

Scene 3:

 

  1. Explain Romeo’s reaction to the news of his banishment. 

    1. He is very angry and wishing that they wanted to kill him

  2. Romeo tells Friar Laurence that the priest cannot know or understand how he feels. Why?

    1. He says this because he has not been through this situation of loving someone so much to then be forces to part with him or her forever

  3. What argument does Friar Laurence use to prevent Romeo from killing himself?

    1. He tries to talk to him and comfort him in this time of trouble for him. He also tells him that he can see her one more time.

  4. What does the nurse give Romeo?

    1. The nurse gives Romeo a ring.

 

 

Scene 4:

 

  1. What does Capulet tell his wife to say to Juliet?

    1. That she will get married on Thursday with Paris.

 

 

Scene 5:

 

  1. As Romeo is preparing to leave Juliet, what argument does she use to convince him to stay?

    1. She tries to trick him by saying it is still nighttime

  2. Later, why does Juliet think Romeo should leave?

    1. She now thinks that she should leave because if they find him here then he will be killed

  3. Just as Romeo is about to descend the rope ladder and leave Juliet, what does Juliet say about the way Romeo looks?

    1. It looks like he is descending into his grave

  4. Why does Lady Capulet think Juliet is crying?​

    1. She thinks she is crying because of the death of Tybalt

  5. When Lady Capulet threatens to send someone to Mantua to poison Romeo, what does Juliet say?

    1. She says that we should temper it, so she wouldn’t do it. To her mother she thinks that she will do it.

  6. After Lady Capulet breaks the news about Paris, what is Juliet’s response?

    1. She is not happy and says that she wont do it.

  7. If Juliet’s mother does not arrange to delay the marriage, what will Juliet do?

    1. She will kill herself.

  8. What is Lady Capulet’s reaction to Juliet’s threats?

    1. She will not hear anymore of it and leaves.

  9. What is nurse’s advice to Juliet?

    1. That she should marry Paris instead, it will be better for her.

  10. How does Juliet’s attitude toward the nurse change?

    1. She is very angry at her and will not trust her ever again.

  11. What “scheme” does Juliet devise to get rid of the nurse and to get out of the house?

    1. She is going to have the nurse go tell her mother that she is going to Friar Lawrence to confess her sins. 

ACT IV REVIEW GUIDE

Scene 1:

 

  1. Why is the Friar Laurence reluctat to marry Paris to Juliet?

    1. Because they are getting married so soon after they have met

  2. How dose Paris explain the sudden haste of the marriage plans?

    1. He says that the marriage will cheer her up after hearing about her cousins death.

  3. What is ironic about the conversation between between Juliet and Paris?

    1. Paris thinks that Juliet is excited to marry him when really she has a double meaning to not want to.

  4. If Friar Laurence cannot help her, then what does Juliet theaten to do?

    1. She will kill herself…

  5. Why dose Friar Laurence think that Juliet will acceptis plan?

    1. Because she is so desperate and that if she is willing to die then she will be ok with almost killing herself.

  6. Describethe Friar’s plan for Julit.

    1. She will go home and tell her parents that she will marry Paris. Then when she is alone she will take the potion and they will think that she is dead. But really she is in a death-like state. She will be put into a morgue when Friar lets Romeo know to come back to the place where she is buried. She will wake up and he will be there and they will run away together.

 

 

Scene 2:

 

  1. What does Juliet say that makes her father happy?

    1. • That she will marry Paris.

  2. How dose Capulet change the wedding plans? What iplication does this have?

    1. • He moves it to Wednesday and then this changes the entire plan. Everything has to happen day earlier.

 

 

Scene 3:

 

  1. How dos e Juliet showher aturity and independencein this scene

    1. She is being proactive and trying to solve the thing that is bothering her herself.

  2. If the potion does not work, what will Juliet do?

    1. She will kill herself

  3. What are some of the fears Juliet has about the potion?

    1. That it may not work

    2. That it may kill her

 

 

Scene 4:

 

  1. What is happening in this brief scene?

    1. Everyone is getting ready for the wedding. This scene is called comic relief.

 

 

Scene 5:

 

  1. Describe the imagery Shakespeare uses in describing Juliet’s “death”?

    1. He is personifying death as this figure runing the day.

  2. What does Friar Laurence say to comfort the Capulet family?

    1. She is in the best of place…. Heaven. Now she is everywhere and that is best.

  3. What event are the Capulets now preparing for?

    1. Her funeral

ACT V REVIEW GUIDE:

Scene 1:

 

  1. What news does Balthasar bring Romeo?

    1. That Juliet is dead

  2. What does Romeo an when he says, “Then I defy you, stars!”?

    1. He is cursing destiny and fate.

  3. What actions does Balthasar's news prompt Romeo to do?

    1. To go and buy some poison to kill himself once he is buy Juliet’s side.

 

 

Scene 2:

 

  1. What does Friar John tell Friar Laurence?

    1. That he was unable to deliver the letter because they thought be might be caring a disease.

  2. After hearing this news from Friar John, what does Friar Laurence intend to do?

    1. To go to the tomb and take Juliet when he wakes up and hide her in his cell until he can explain it to Romeo.

 

 

Scene 3:

 

  1. Why is Paris at Juliet’s tomb?

    1. To pay his respects

  2. Romeo gives Balthasar two reasons for entering the Capulet’s tomb.  What are those two reaons?

    1. To see Juliet

    2. To give her the ring

  3. Why dose Paris think that Romeo has come to the tomb?

    1. To get revenge for being banished from Verona. He thinks he is going to do something to the bodies.

  4. What is it about Juliet that should have told Romeo that she was not dead?

    1. How she still looked as beautiful as ever and showed no signs of not just being asleep.

  5. Why doesn’t Friar Laurence stay in the tomb with Juliet after she awakens?

    1. He hears a noise and thinks it is a guard coming.

  6. Why does Juliet kiss Roeo after he is dead?

    1. To try and get some of the poison off of his lips so she can did with him.

  7. When Montague first arrives on the scene, what does he tell those gathered?

    1. That his wife has died because of Romeo’s return to Verona after his banishment

  8. Relate the events that lead to Romeo and Juliet’s death as they are told by Friar Laurence near the play’s end.

    1. The whole plan got ruined by the changing of the wedding because then the Friar had no time to warn Romeo of the faking of Juliet’s death.

  9. What inforation does Romeo’s letter give?

    1. It gave his intentions of buying poison to die by Juliet. It gives proof to what the Friar said.

  10. How do Montague and Capulet plan to honor the memories of their children?

    1. They are going to build both of them statues in honor of their children and end their feud.

 

 

This all brings us deeper to the meaning of the unit question becuase these questions help us explore the true meaning of the text and all of the little details hidden in the text. The actions and events that are going on in that time are relatable to emotions and feelings that people feel today. As we understand the thought process of Shakespeare during this time, we are letting this text transcend our thoughts. We are exploring new meanings of this play that help us understand our life today.

Word Usage In One of Shakespeare's Plays 

When somebody thinks of Romeo and Juliet what is most memorable? The characters, the actions, for me it is the words. This play was the first of all of Shakespeare's works that I really had the chance to break to down to understand the meaning of. And for me, after having read the first few acts, the one thing about the play that stood out to me was the language Shakespeare used to tell the story of Romeo and Juliet. 

So I thought it would be interesting to see which words were used most in the play Romeo and Juliet. I went on a website (www.wordle.net) and created a wordle containing the enitre text of the play. The result was a graphic that dsiplays words in different sizes based on how frequently they showed up in the text. You can see the wordle down below!

What are some words that you noticed that stood out? I know that when I saw that Romeo being larger than Juliet surprised me becuase after all the play is called Romeo and Juliet. This picture also shows the word choice that was used as words like "thou", "thee", and "thy" were almost as common as some of the characters of the story.

If you want a copy of the wordle for yourself just click the icon to the right!

If you want to make your own wordle click this button to go to their website!

This relates to the unit questions because as we continue to look and anaylize this very famous text, we learn more and more about the words and culture in that time period. A sign that a play has transcended time place and culture is when people are always facinated with this type of work. People are always wanting to understand more and more about the thought process behind these works of Shakespeare becuase then we can learn about values and ideals of that time.  

How We Tried to Improve Writing Skills ...

Towards the beginning of this unit we wrote about some aspects of the play Romeo and Juliet. The paragraph was either about the development of Romeo's character or how Shakespeare uses figureative language to portray a conflict in the play. In this activity the main purpose was to revise a provided paragraph for practice. Instead of doing some general revisions to the work, we did this process to try and focus on refining certain aspects of the writing. So as you will see below each slide contains a certain aspect of this paragraph that we were practiced revising.

The main aspect that we were trying to observe and correct in this paragraph was to look at its Mechanics, Usage and Grammar. Some of the common changes that the groups in our class revised was the first statement of the entire paragraph. Often people would refer to a scene by stating "In Act 1 Scene ...". When really the correct format is "In 1.1 ...". Something that our group noticed in our praragraph was the absence of a slash between lines in the quote since it is verse.

Here in this portion of the revision process we were looking just at the argument of the paragraph. The argument can be one of the most important parts of the paragraph (besides the quotes) because this sets the tone for all of your evidence and analysis. Sometimes in our writing we are not as clear with the direction of our piece becuase the argument in our topic sentence does not give any indication of our stance on the topic. 

In this next area of focus was on the quotes! The quotes, also refered to as the evidence, is often just thought of a requirment that has to be filled. The result of just "plopping" in random passages from the text is a very confused reader becuase if you don't have good evidence to support the topic that should have been stated in the beginning, then how can you argue said topic with insufficuant evidence, and expect it to back you up? The answer is you can't, so instead we are practicing how to find meaningful quotes that clearly support our claim to make it much easier when in comes to the analysis.

The analysis can be the hardest part of composing a body paragraph. Stating your topic is simple becuase part of it is provided by the assignment, finding quotes are staightforward becuase the are already writen in the text, but the analysis has to come from you and for some people that is challenging. What our group observed was the writer not digging deep enough with fining the message behind the words. Expanding beyong the literal level of thinking is easier said then done, but one technique that I use is to try and connect what is going on in the text to an idea is simply stated anywhere else not in the text. Seems simple right? But the main issue that students have is when they end up summarizing the quote, and if you are talking about something not in the text then how can you reapete a quote?

This whole idea of revising our work and changing up our wording, relates very closly to our unit question. This work of Shakespeare that we are arguing is still able to resonate and relate to our ideas today. We are arguing and proving and presenting eveidence for ideas and themes that must have been present enough in Shakesepears time for him to encorperate it into his plays. Plus just as we spend almost as much time revising our work than writing it, so did Skakespeare! We are practicing what is it like to be a writer and a thinker in the 1500's.

How To Interpret Shakespeares Language 

The main reason that causes people to think that they don't understand Shakespeare and his plays is the way in which they were written. People say that the language and words used are every hard to undertstand, but really it should make sense since it is all written in modern english? It's true all of his plays are written in MODERN ENGLISH despite all of the rumors that say it is old english. If you don't know the different look below at an attempt to explain the evolution of our beloved enlgish!

What is Old English and where did it originate?

 

This is the earliest version of the language that we call english today. It began to form in Scottland around the time of the Middle Ages. Early Indo-Europeans beganto speak this as it evolved into what was called Middle English.

 

Here are some examples of words and their equivalent in Old English:

Modern English:

 

    born     

that 

for

came

time

would

VS.

Old English:

 

arius

þæm

þá

engel

ándaga

dulmúnus

What do you notice? Anything different or the same???

 

It is clear that the resemblence with Old and Modern English is very minor as there are almost no similarities between the two languages. The only connection is the word length (occasionally). 

If you want to go to the website and learn more about the history of Old English click here! 

If you want to take a look at what some other words translate to if spoken in Old English just click the button below!

What is Middle English and where did it originate?

 

This evolved form of Old English had concentrated its popularity in England. This picked up in England towards the end of the Middle Ages. The language became simplier as it got rid of the complicated grammar rules of Old English. English evolved even further as William Shakespeare's Modern English took root.

 

 

Here are some examples of words and their equivalent in Old English:

Modern English:

 

    born     

that 

for  

came

time

would

VS.

Middle English:

 

borenn

þatt

forr

comm

time

wollde

What do you notice? Anything different or the same???

 

It is clear that the resemblence with Middle English and Modern English is getting closer to how we form words today. There are similar starting letters and there are even some words that look the same!

If you want to learn some more about Middle English and where is came from and later evolved to click the button below!

This is all very important to understand because people still think that all of Shakespeares' plays are impossible to understand, when really Modern English is more relatable to what we speak today. This relates to the unit question becuase this language of English has transcended time and has evolved for the time. People have been able to communicate ideas in all of these versions of this language. Shakespeare has given us a glimpse into what the world was like and how the times have changed. Since we are becoming more aware of the history of these words, we are able to connect more with the meaning and how it relates more to the time period of the text. 

© 2014-2015 Block 4 Hakim 

bottom of page