(3/ES1) Romeo and Juliet Theme Revision

Todays Lesson:

 

 

Learning Intention: To learn about the themes within Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and to explore what Shakespeare is saying about our world and the text 

 

Check your understanding:

 

• I have an understanding of how the main themes in R+J are explored
• I can explain how the themes to each of the characters
• I can compare the characters based on the themes in the text
• I can identify symbols that relate to the themes in the text

Learning Activity:

 

Answer the foll questions in mini paragraphs. You need to include substantial detail and quotes to support your response.

 

The following blog explores how each of the main themes within Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet are discussed. It is by no means a comprehensive resource but is intended to be a summary of the themes and how they are explored by the characters.

Love/Hate

1) How is love best described in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet?
Love within Romeo and Juliet is best described as a weak emotion that only gets in the way of the families plans, love is also depicted as a way to get someone to support the family so it can advance in the times society.

2) Compare how Romeo and Juliet approach love in ‘R+J’
Romeo sees love as an emotion – the want, the need, the lust – and sex. He wants to feel the emotions of love for someone, whereas Juliet sees love as a way to make her own decisions and choices for her own life, to be able to control her life, no one else.

3) How does Shakespeare’s exploration of love relate to our contemporary world?
They relate because both teens relationships today, and Romeo and Juliet’s love are both more of a physical, noncommittal love. They both have no proper feeling other than lust.

5) Do you think that love was the cause of the tragedy in Romeo and Juliet?
Yes, because Romeo and Juliet were guides by their emotions and made silly decisions related to their death.

6)Find  and explain 4 quotes that discuss love

·         "What's in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other word would smell as sweet." – Romeo and Juliet are willing to give up on their names just so they can be together

·         "Good Night, Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow." – Romeo and Juliet feel as if one night apart is such a curse. There is nothing in the world as sad as Romeo and Juliet parting

·         It's my lady it's my love – Romeo says that no one can tell who to love or how to love anyone, especially Juliet.

·         It is the east and Juliet is the sun – Romeo compares Juliet to the sun.

 

Fate

1. How is fate described in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
2. How does fate relate to social expectation and conventions?
3. How does Shakespeare's exploration of fate relates to our contemporary world?
4. Do you think that fate was the cause of the tragedy in Romeo and Juliet?
5. Find and explore 4 quotes that discuss fate?
6. How does Romeo relate to fate. Do you think Romeo believes in it?

Social Expectation

1) What are the social expectations within Romeo and Juliet's Verona?

You are either a Montague or a Capulet, you are unable to be in between (With the exception of Mercutio) and you are to hate the opposed house.  

Evidence: This is shown by the constant fights between the two houses and also when Romeo and Tybalt are expected to fight.

 

 

2) How does the social expectations govern the characters? what restriction does it place on them?

They are expected to act a certain way, for Juliet she is expected to marry Paris. They are expected to live by the rules of created by their parents or their families, therefore making things forbidden seem more desirable. The restrictions that this places on the due is that they have to sneak around and devise a plan to allow them to elope.

Evidence: When Juliet told her parents that she didn't want to marry Paris, she was in love with Romeo, they told her straight out no and that she was to marry who they said she was to marry, no questions asked.

3) Do you think social expectation causes the play's tragedy?

Yes, as previously stated things that were branded forbidden seem more desirable to the pair of star crossed lovers. When the parents tried to tear them apart, it only made them want to be with each other more and more.

Evidence: When they both killed themselves.  

Family

1. What role does family have in the characters lives?
2. What does the source of the feud say about how hatred functions in our society?
3. Compare how Romeo and Juliet are restricted by their families?