Romeo and Julietby William Shakespeare

Before, During, and After Reading Skills

Act II

Literary ResponseRomeo and Juliet Act II

 Read the play carefully and note the way the

characters interact with each other and the reasons behind their actions.

 

Do you think that Romeo and Juliet have made the “right” decisions in Act II? What have they done that

you either agree or disagree with in Act II?

Is there anything you would have done differently?

Explain your thoughts and ideas and use evidence from the text to support your response.

Before Reading Skills

Preview and Predictions

• Examine the text features located throughout Act II.

(pages 842-869)

• Make a list of the things you “know” or “think you know” based only on the text features.

• Make a list of at least 3 things you want to know, but you need to read in order to find out.

• What major events do you predict will happen in Act II? What information supports your predictions?

During Reading Skills

Structure and Purpose of a Drama• The purpose of a drama is to entertain

the audience and to present information/details about the characters.

• The audience will learn about the characters in several ways. Pay attention to the characters and try to keep them organized as you read.

• You will be asked to create a character chart to identify the characters and their character traits.

How do we learn about a character during a play?

•What the characters say

•What the characters do

•What other characters say about them

•How other characters treat them

Comprehension/Discussion Questions

Prologue page 843

1. Read the prologue and examine what information the author shares with us at the beginning of Act II.

2. How is this information given to the audience?

3. Use your poetry skills to analyze the meaning of the prologue.

4. Translate the information into prose.

5. What questions do you have after reading the prologue?

Act II Prologue843

A. Rising Action: • According to the chorus, what has

happened to Romeo’s old love?

• What is his new problem?

• What line suggests these young people fell in love at first sight?

???

Act II Scene 1843-845

B. Making Inferences – What is Benvolio’s tone here? Why would Romeo be angry at Mercutio’s remarks?

???

Act II Scene 2845-853

A. Paraphrasing – Juliet does not know that Romeo is standing beneath her balcony. What has Romeo now learned about her feelings for him?

???

Act II Scene 2845-853

Analyzing Visuals

page 847

How well does this staging reflect Scene 2?

Do you think this is what Shakespeare envisioned when he wrote the scene?

Act II Scene 2845-853

B. Making Inferences – Juliet is practical. She fears Romeo will be murdered. What is Romeo’s tone – is he also fearful, or is he reckless and elated?

???

C. Analyzing Cause and Effect – The two lovers will repeatedly remind us that they prefer death to separation. What does this speech tell us of Romeo’s intentions? What might happen if he follows through on those intentions? What would happen if he doesn’t?

???

Act II Scene 2845-853

D. Paraphrasing – What is Juliet making clear to Romeo here? Where does she show that she still fears he may be false with her?

???

E. PLOT: Rising Action – What terrible event might Juliet’s words foreshadow?

???

???Remember to read the sidebar

information and answer the ? boxes as you read each page.

Check your understanding of the text.

CharacterizationWhat did you learn about the main

characters of Romeo and Juliet?

Romeo JulietConclusion or

InferenceText Detail or

SupportConclusion or

InferenceText Detail or

Support

Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene 3Pages 853-857

Page 853

1. Elements of Drama – How does the Friar’s soliloquy on page 853 help “set the stage” for this scene?

2. Characterization – Make a list of the details we learn about the Friar during this scene. What conclusions can you draw about him based on the things you read?

Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene 3Pages 853-857

Page 855

A. Plot: Rising Action – Romeo enters quietly, unseen by the friar. As the friar explains that his flower contains the power to heal as well as kill, why might the audience fear for Romeo and Juliet?

3. Making Inferences - What can you tell about the relationship between Romeo and the friar based on their dialogue?

Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene 3Pages 853-857

Page 856-857

4. Elements of Drama – In the exposition of the play, Shakespeare keeps Romeo’s intense love in perspective by letting the audience see how others regard him. What can we learn about Romeo’s “love” from how the other characters react to Romeo?

B. Analyzing Cause and Effect – Romeo has gotten what he wants, and he dashes offstage. Why do the friar’s last words leave us with a sense that danger lies ahead?

Act II Scene 3What information do we learn

about Friar Laurence?

What will his role be in the rest of the play?

Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene 4Pages 857-863

Page 858

A. Analyzing Cause and Effect – Now that the play’s love story seems to be heading toward marriage, Shakespeare turns again to the feuding families. Why is Tybalt looking for Romeo? What do you think will happen when he finds him?

Page 860

B. Making Inferences – What does the loyal Mercutio think he has accomplished for Romeo by this game of wits?

Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene 4Pages 857-863

Pages 862-863

C. Making Inferences – What warning does the nurse give Romeo, and why do you think she does this?

D. Plot: Rising Action – The nurse becomes confiding as she rattles on and on. What trouble for Romeo and Juliet does she talk about? What is Juliet’s feeling for Paris now?

Act II Scene 4What is the most important

event in this scene?

What makes it important?

Act II Scene 5How does Shakespeare use the

Nurse for comedy in this scene?

What conclusions can you draw about Shakespeare’s

audience?

Act II Scene 6How would you describe the

tone of this scene?

What feelings do you think Shakespeare wanted his

audience to experience in this scene?

The Language of ShakespeareHow is the language of Shakespeare’s

Romeo and Juliet different from the language we use?

Identify the differences.

Translate Shakespeare’s words into modern language.

Explain the meaning of important lines from Romeo and Juliet.

My ears have yet not drunk a hundred words of thy tongue’s uttering, yet I

know the sound.

Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague?

Sweet. So would I.

Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.

Parting is such sweet sorrow

That I shall say good night till it be morrow.

O she knew well

Thy love did read by rote, that could not spell.

But come, young waverer, come go with me.

In one respect I’ll thy assistant be;

For this alliance may so happy prove

To turn your households’ rancor to pure love.

I have night’s cloak to hide me from their eyes;

And but thou love me, let them find me here.

My life were better ended by their hate

Than death prorogued wanting of thy love.

I should have been more strange, I must confess,

But that thou overheard’st, ere I was ware,

My truelove passion. Therefore pardon me,

And not impute this yielding to light love,

Which the dark night hath so discovered.

Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed.

If that thy bent of love be honorable,

Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow,

By one that I’ll procure to come to thee,

Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite;

And all my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay

And follow thee my lord throughout the world.

Alas, poor Romeo, he is already dead: stabbed

with wench’s black eye; run through the ear with

a love song; the very pin of his heart cleft with the blind

bow-boy’s butt-shaft; and is he a man to encounter

Tybalt?

These violent delights have violent ends

And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,

Which, as they kiss, consume. The sweetest honey

Is loathsome in his own deliciousness

And in the taste confounds the appetite.

Therefore love moderately: long love doth so;

Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.

Staging the Scene

An important part of reading drama is the ability to visualize the scenes.

As you read the scenes in Romeo and Juliet, try to imagine how the scene

could be created on a stage to convey the setting to the audience.

Select a scene from Act II that you could “stage” for a production of

Romeo and Juliet.

Illustrate how you would create the scene on a stage.

Be creative!!!

Characterization

Write the character trait and a simple but accurate definition.

Place a + for positive trait.

Place a – for a negative trait.

Identify which character(s) you think demonstrate the quality in Romeo

and Juliet.

Briefly explain what the character did that made you think he or she had

the trait.

Character Traits

• Impulsive

• Naïve

• Witty

• Vulgar

• Prudent

• Ineffectual

• Presumptuous

• Patient

Character Traits

• Hotheaded

• Passionate

• Immature

• Courageous

• Comical

• Adventurous

• Tolerant

• Sly

Character Traits

• Dutiful

• Ignorant

• Coarse

• Religious

• Loyal

• Affectionate

• Rational

• Rowdy

Define!¤ The character traits¤ The synonyms (or antonyms)

Connect!¤ The character traits, synonyms, and antonyms to demonstrate your understanding

Classify!¤ Use symbols to show the details about the words

Organize!¤ How could you group these words in various categories

Symbolize!¤ Create visuals for the words that most accurately describe your selected character(s)

Character Traits

Crude Clever Expressive

Fond Truehearted Enduring

Dauntless Responsible Futile

Impetuous Mirthful Serious

Enlightened Green Cunning

Holligan Assuming Spiritual

Uncouth Nescient Choleric

Sensible NoeticGregarious

Index Card

Quiz Tomorrow on Act II!!!

You may use ONE 3x5 index card during the quiz.

No other materials will be available to you during the

quiz.

Everything on the card must be handwritten – no typed

information.

• Which predictions were accurate?

• Which ones need to be changed/revised?

• Which questions did we find the answers to while reading?

• Which questions do we still not know the answer to yet?

• Do we need to any any new questions to look for as we read?

Predictions and Purpose Setting