The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

1. We think of love as a wonderful thing, but can it also involve risks and dangers? The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

2. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet An Introduction to Romeo and Juliet The story of two young lovers doomed by their passion for each other. love at first sight

3. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Reading Shakespeare Aloud As you read Romeo and Juliet, you’ll be reading both prose and poetry. Prose is the ordinary speech or writing. It has no structure or rhythm. • The common people—and sometimes Mercutio when he is joking—speak in prose. Now I’ll tell you without asking. My master is the great rich Capulet; and if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray you come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry.

4. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Reading Shakespeare Aloud Most characters speak in poetry, which is different from prose because it has a specific meter, or rhythm, to the lines. My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late!

5. ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? ˘ ˘ ˘ ˘ ˘ The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Reading Shakespeare Aloud Iambic pentameter is the meter of most of the poetry in Romeo and Juliet. The prefix penta- means five; there are five iambic units in each line of iambic pentameter.

6. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Reading Shakespeare Aloud When you read poetry, pay attention to the punctuation at the end of each line. If you stop at the end of each line, you may miss out on some of the excitement of the play.

7. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Reading Shakespeare Aloud Many of the words you will come across as you read the play are archaic, meaning that they are no longer commonly used or have taken on a different meaning. Use your book’s sidenotes to help you with archaic words and other unfamiliar expressions.

8. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Literary Skills Focus: Tragedy A tragedy is a story about serious, important events that ends unhappily.

9. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Literary Skills Focus: Tragedy Sometimes the characters affected by the tragic outcome are innocent and haven’t done anything to cause their bad fortune. In other tragedies, the main characters are responsible in some way for their unhappy ending.

10. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Literary Skills Focus: Tragedy Tragedies usually follow a dramatic structure, or pattern that looks like this: Climax Turning Point Resolution Rising Action Exposition

11. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Reading Skills Focus: Reading Drama When you read a full-length play, use a variety of strategies: Read the lines aloud to help bring them to life. Juliet: What’s he that follows there, that would not dance? Nurse: I know not. Juliet: Go ask his name.—If he be marrièd, My grave is like to be my wedding bed.

12. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Reading Skills Focus: Reading Drama When you read a full-length play, use a variety of strategies: Paraphrase (put into your own words) difficult sections to be sure you understand. Juliet: What’s he that follows there, that would not dance? Nurse: I know not. Juliet: Go ask his name.—If he be marrièd, My grave is like to be my wedding bed. Juliet: Who’s that guy who wouldn’t dance? Nurse: I don’t know. Juliet: Go find out. If he’s married, I’ll die before I marry! Juliet: What’s he that follows there, that would not dance? Nurse: I know not. Juliet: Go ask his name.—If he be marrièd, My grave is like to be my wedding bed.

13. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Reading Skills Focus: Reading Drama When you read a full-length play, use a variety of strategies: Make inferences, or educated guesses, based on your reading about why the characters act the way they do. Romeo seems very emotional. That may be why he falls in love so quickly. Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, Too rude, too boist’rous and it pricks like thorn.

14. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Introducing Act II In Act I . . . Paris asks Capulet for permission to marry Juliet. Capulet tells him to woo her at his party that night. A fight between Capulet and Montague servants restarts their families’ feud. The prince promises death to anyone continuing the violence.

15. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Introducing Act II In Act I . . . Separately, Romeo and Juliet find out each other’s identity. Both are upset that they’re from feuding families. Romeo agrees to crash Capulet’s party with Benvolio. He hopes to see Rosaline, a girl who rejected him. Romeo and Juliet meet at the party and feel an instant attraction.

16. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Introducing Act II In Act I, Romeo and Juliet fall in love at first sight at her father’s party, before they even know each other’s names. What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet. Now that each knows the other’s identity, can their love overpower their families’ feud?