Download examples for romeo and juliet essay prompts prompt 1

EXAMPLESFORROMEOANDJULIETESSAYPROMPTS
Usetheseexamplesasastartingplaceforyouressay.DONOTusethesummariesinyourwriting,butrather
usethesetohelpyouwithconcretedetails,andusethesummariestohelpyouunderstandwhat’s
happeningfortheseexamples.
PROMPT1:IRRATIONALHATRED
(DoNOTusethesesummariesinyourwriting.Theyarejustheretohelpyouunderstandthecontextofeach
passage.Useyourownthoughtsandwordswhenanalyzingthesequotes!)
Prologue:
Twohouseholds,bothalikeindignity
(InfairVerona,wherewelayourscene),
Fromancientgrudgebreaktonewmutiny,
Wherecivilbloodmakescivilhandsunclean.
Fromforththefatalloinsofthesetwofoes
Apairofstar-crossedloverstaketheirlife;
Whosemisadventuredpiteousoverthrows
Dowiththeirdeathburytheirparents'strife.
Thefearfulpassageoftheirdeath-markedlove
Andthecontinuanceoftheirparents'rage,
Which,buttheirchildren'send,noughtcouldremove,
Isnowthetwohours'trafficofourstage(Prologue.1-12).
Summary:Thinkofthislikeamini-readingguide:here,Shakespeare(ortheChorus)tellsusupfrontthat,
overthecourseoftheplay,"twohouseholds,"orfamiliesinVerona,aregoingtogetcaughtup(again)ina
longstandingfeud,or"ancientgrudge."Notonlythat,butthingsaregoingtoget"blood[y]"whentheir
children(thekidswhocamefromtheirparents'"fatalloins")fallinloveandthenlater"taketheirlife."We
alsoknowthatthedeathsofthetwo"star-crossedlovers"willputanendtotheirfamilies'hatred.Injusta
fewlines,Shakespearelaysouttheplotandafewofthemajorthemes—doneanddone.
Act1Scene1:
ABRAHAM:Doyoubiteyourthumbatus,sir?
SAMPSON:Idobitemythumb,sir.
ABRAHAM:Doyoubiteyourthumbatus,sir?
SAMPSON,asidetoGregory:Isthelawofourside,ifIsay"Ay"?
GREGORY,asidetoSampson:No.
SAMPSON:No,sir,Idonotbitemythumbatyou,sir,butIbitemythumb,sir(1.1.45-52).
Summary:Okay,whatisgoingonhere?Basically,thumbbiting,whichinvolvesbitingandthenflickingone's
thumbfrombehindtheupperteeth,isaShakespeareanversionofflippingsomeonethebird.Now,Sampson
(aCapuletservant)doesn'thaveagoodreasontoinsulttheMontagues'servants—he'sjustlookingtostirup
troublebecausehismastersarefeudingwiththeMontagues,butprobablymorebecausehe'sbored.Plus,
Sampson'stoomuchofacowardtoownuptohissillygesturebecausethe"law"won'tbeonhis"side"ifhis
thumbbitingcausesabigoldbrawl(hedoesn'twanttogetbustedforcausingafracas).What'sthepointofall
this?Well,theCapulet/Montaguefeud,whichhasobviouslytrickleddowntoinvolvetheirservants,is
completelyabsurd.JustlikeSampson'sthumbbiting.
Act1Scene1:
PRINCE:What,ho!Youmen,youbeasts,
Thatquenchthefireofyourperniciousrage
Withpurplefountainsissuingfromyourveins:
Onpainoftorture,fromthosebloodyhands
Throwyourmistemperedweaponstotheground,[…]
Threecivilbrawlsbredofanairyword
Bythee,oldCapulet,andMontague,
Havethricedisturbedthequietofourstreets
AndmadeVerona'sancientcitizens
Castbytheirgrave-beseemingornaments
Towieldoldpartisansinhandsasold,
Cankeredwithpeace,topartyourcankeredhate(1.1.85-89;91-97).
Summary:WhenthePrincecallstheCapuletsandMontaguesabunchof"beasts,"heimpliesthattheirhatred
doesn'tseemtohaveanyrationalcause–itissimplytheresultofpassionstheyrefusetorestrain.Wealso
noticethatthere'sneveranyrealexplanationofwhatcausedthefeudorwhyitevencontinues.Theonly
thingweknowisthattherehavebeenthreebigstreetfightsthathave"disturb'dthequietof[the]streets"in
Verona.ThePrince'ssolutiontoallofthisviolence?Anymancaughtbrawlinginthefuturewillbesentenced
to"death."
Act1Scene5:
TYBALT:This,byhisvoice,shouldbeaMontague.—
Fetchmemyrapier,boy.Pageexits.
Whatdarestheslave
Comehithercoveredwithananticface
Tofleerandscornatoursolemnity?
Now,bythestockandhonorofmykin,
TostrikehimdeadIholditnotasin(1.5.61-67).
Summary:WhenTybaltdiscoversthatRomeohascrashedtheCapulet'sparty,hisfirstresponseis…tostarta
swordfight.ButTybaltiseasilyprovoked.DoeshereallyhatetheMontaguessomuch,ordoeshejustlove
hatingasmuchasRomeolovesloving?
Act1Scene1:
ROMEO:Ome!Whatfraywashere?
Yettellmenot,forIhavehearditall.
Here'smuchtodowithhate,butmorewithlove.
Whythen,Obrawlinglove,Olovinghate,
Oanythingofnothingfirstcreate!
Oheavylightness,seriousvanity,
Mis-shapenchaosofwell-seemingforms!
Featheroflead,brightsmoke,coldfire,sickhealth,
Still-wakingsleep,thatisnotwhatitis!
ThislovefeelI,thatfeelnoloveinthis.
Dostthounotlaugh?(1.1.178-188).
Summary:
RomeoisabitofadramaqueenwhenhespotsbloodfromtherecentstreetbrawlbetweentheCapuletand
Montagueservants.Hedizzieshimselfherebyrelatingtheextremesofhateandlove.Weshouldalsopoint
outthatthephrases,"Obrawlinglove!Olovinghate!",areperfectexamplesof"oxymoron."An"oxymoron,"
bytheway,isthecombinationoftwotermsordinarilyseenasopposites.Keepyoureyesopenforthese
becauseShakespeareusesalotofthemintheplay.
Act1,Scene5:
JULIET:Myonlylovesprungfrommyonlyhate!
Tooearlyseenunknown,andknowntoolate!
Prodigiousbirthofloveitistome
ThatImustlovealoathèdenemy(1.5.152-155).
Summary:Julietisdevastatedwhenshelearnsthather"onlylove"(thatwouldbeRomeo)has"sprungfrom
[her]onlyhate"(isthesonofherfamily'sonlyenemies,theMontagues).Romeo'sresponsetothenewsthat
JulietisaCapuletisprettysimilar.Hesays"Odearaccount!Mylifeismyfoe'sdebt!"(1.5.8).Butarethey
bothjustoverreacting?Inanearlierpassage,weheardJuliet'sdadsaythatRomeoisanicekid.Earlyoninthe
play,Capuletalsosaysthathe'stoooldtookeeponfeudingwiththeMontagues(1.2.1).
Act2Scene3:
FRIARLAURENCE:Butcome,youngwaverer,come,gowithme.
InonerespectI'llthyassistantbe,
Forthisalliancemaysohappyprove
Toturnyourhouseholds'rancortopurelove(2.3.96-99).
FriarLaurencedoesn'tbelievethatRomeo'sloveforJulietisauthentic(especiallysinceRomeowas"inlove"
withRosalineabouttwosecondsago),butheagreestomarrythemanyway.Whatgives?Well,theFriar
believesthatamarriagebetweenayoungCapuletandayoungMontaguemightbeabletoputanendtothe
long-standingfamilyfeud.Prettyconniving,don'tyouthink?
Source:http://www.shmoop.com/romeo-and-juliet/hate-quotes-1.html
PROMPT2:DECEPTION&DISGUISE
Someexamplestogetyougoing:
Act1:
RomeogoestotheCapuletpartyinamask,passinghimselfoffasaninvitedguest(andthemasksattheparty
disguisingeveryone,allowingRomeoandJuliettomeet)
Act2:
-RomeoandJulietmarrywithouttellingthereparents
-TheNursekeepstheirmarriageasecret
-TheFriardecidestomarrytheminsecret
Act3:
-JuliettellshermomthatshehatesRomeo(eventhoughsheismarriedtohim)
-TheconversationbetweenLordCapuletandParisaboutJulietmarryingPariswithoutherconsent
-JulietmisleadsherfatherintothinkingthatshehasfollowedhisorderstomarryPariswhenshetellsthe
Nurse,"Goin,andtellmyladyIamgone,/Havingdispleasedmyfather,toLaurence'scell,/Tomakeconfession
andtobeabsolved"(III,v,ll.231-233).
-FriarLaurencebecomesinvolvedindeceivingtheCapuletswhenhegivesapotiontoJuliet,whichmakesher
appeardead.Whilehisintentionsmaybegood,theactisanythingbutforthright.Ofcourse,Juliet,too,is
guiltyofdeceptionagain.
Act4:
-TheFriar’sPlanforJuliettofakeherdeath
-Juliet,followingtheplan,tellsothersshewantstomarryParis,thentakesthepotion,deceivingeveryoneinto
thinkingsheisdead
Act5:
Everyoneishiding,hidingsomething,orintentionallydeceivingothers(thinkpotions,marriages,andpeople
hidingatthecemetery)
(fromhttp://www.enotes.com/homework-help/need-4-examples-lies-romeo-juliet-60009)
PROMPT3:ADULTS&TEENS
(DoNOTusethesesummariesinyourwriting.Theyarejustheretohelpyouunderstandthecontextofeach
passage.Useyourownthoughtsandwordswhenanalyzingthesequotes!)
Act1Scene2:
LORDCAPULET
ButMontagueisboundaswellasI,
Inpenaltyalike,and'tisnothard,Ithink,
Formensooldaswetokeepthepeace(1.2.1-3).
Summary:WhenParisasksforthirteen-year-oldJuliet'shandinmarriage,Capuletresponds(prettysensibly,if
youaskus)thatshe'swaytooyoungtobea"bride."(HealsotalksaboutJulietasthoughshe'sapieceoffruit
thatisn'tyet"ripe,"whichislesssensibleandmoregross.)TheconversationgetsevencreepierwhenParis
pointsoutthattherearetwelve-year-oldswhoarealreadymothers.Capulet'sreplyseemstocarryonthe
Juliet=apieceofunripefruitmetaphorbecauseheimpliesthatJulietwouldbe"marr'd"(bruised,tainted,
ruined,etc.)ifshemarriedandhadkidssoyoung.Uh,yep.Thatsoundsaboutright.
Act1Scene2:
LORDCAPULET:Butsayingo'erwhatIhavesaidbefore.
Mychildisyetastrangerintheworld.
Shehathnotseenthechangeoffourteenyears.
Lettwomoresummerswitherintheirpride
Erewemaythinkherripetobeabride.
PARIS:Youngerthanshearehappymothersmade.
LORDCAPULET:Andtoosoonmarredarethosesoearlymade(1.2.7-13).
Summary:WhenParisasksforthirteen-year-oldJuliet'shandinmarriage,Capuletrespondsthatshe'swaytoo
youngtobea"bride."(HealsotalksaboutJulietasthoughshe'sapieceoffruitthatisn'tyet"ripe,"whichis
lesssensibleandmoregross.)TheconversationgetsevencreepierwhenParispointsoutthatthereare
twelve-year-oldswhoarealreadymothers.Capulet'sreplyseemstocarryontheJuliet=apieceofunripefruit
metaphorbecauseheimpliesthatJulietwouldbe"marr'd"(bruised,tainted,ruined,etc.)ifshemarriedand
hadkidssoyoung.
Act1Scene5:
LORDCAPULET:Nay,sit,nay,sit,goodcousinCapulet,
ForyouandIarepastourdancingdays.
Howlongis'tnowsincelastyourselfandI
Wereinamask?
SECONDCAPULET:By'rlady,thirtyyears.
CAPULET:What,man,'tisnotsomuch,'tisnotsomuch(1.5.35-40).
Summary:LordCapuletcannotbelieveit'sbeenthirtyyearssincehishighschoolgraduation.It'slike,neday
you'rethecaptainofthefootballteam,andthenextdayyou'remiddle-agedwithacoupleofdisobedientkids
andalotofhot-headedyoungmentryingtogetyourfamilykilled.
Act2Scene5:
JULIET:TheclockstruckninewhenIdidsendtheNurse.
Inhalfanhourshepromisedtoreturn.
Perchanceshecannotmeethim.That'snotso.
O,sheislame!Love'sheraldsshouldbethoughts,
Whichtentimesfasterglidethanthesun'sbeams,
Drivingbackshadowsoverlouringhills.
Thereforedonimble-pinioneddovesdrawLove,
Andthereforehaththewind-swiftCupidwings.
Nowisthesunuponthehighmosthill
Ofthisday'sjourney,andfromninetilltwelve
Isthreelonghours,yetsheisnotcome.
Hadsheaffectionsandwarmyouthfulblood,
Shewouldbeasswiftinmotionasaball;
Mywordswouldbandyhertomysweetlove,
Andhistome.
Butoldfolks,manyfeignastheyweredead,
Unwieldy,slow,heavyandpaleaslead(2.5.1-17).
Summary:AccordingtoJuliet,theoldergeneration(includingthe"lame"Nurse)istooslowtounderstandthe
swiftpassionoflove.It'sseemsprettyclearthatlovebelongstotheyounginRomeoandJuliet.
Act3Scene3:
ROMEO:Thoucanstnotspeakofthatthoudostnotfeel.
WertthouasyoungasI,Julietthylove,
Anhourbutmarried,Tybaltmurderèd,
Dotinglikemeandlikemebanishèd,
Thenmightstthouspeak,thenmightstthoutearthy
hair,
Andfallupontheground,asIdonow,
Romeothrowshimselfdown.
Takingthemeasureofanunmadegrave(3.3.67-74).
Summary:WhenRomeolearnsfromFriarLaurencethathe'sbeenbanishedfromVerona,heflipsoutand
accusesFriarLaurenceofbeingtoooldtounderstandthispassionatesituation.AccordingtoRomeo,ifFriar
Laurencewere"young"andinthesamesituationasRomeo,he'dbe"tear[ing]out[his]hair."But,again:isn't
thiswhatkidsalwayssay?(Andiftheydo,doesthatmakeituntrue?)
Act3Scene5:
CAPULET:God'sbread,itmakesmemad.
Day,night,hour,tide,time,work,play,
Alone,incompany,stillmycarehathbeen
Tohavehermatched.Andhavingnowprovided
Agentlemanofnobleparentage,
Offairdemesnes,youthful,andnoblyligned,
Stuffed,astheysay,withhonorableparts,
Proportionedasone'sthoughtwouldwishaman—
Andthentohaveawretchedpulingfool,
Awhiningmammet,inherfortune'stender,
Toanswer'I'llnotwed.Icannotlove,
Iamtooyoung.Iprayyou,pardonme.'
But,anyouwillnotwed,I'llpardonyou!
Grazewhereyouwillyoushallnothousewithme(3.5.187-200)
Summary:WhenJulietrefusestomarryParis,LordCapuletflipshislid.HesuggeststhatyoungJulietisa
whinyingrate,threatenstothrowheroutofthehouse,andthenmocksherforpleadingthatsheis"too
young"towedParis.Thefunnythingis,whenParisfirstapproachedCapuletwithaproposaltomarryJuliet
backinAct1,Capuletseemedtoagreethatshewasaslittleyoung(1.2).Weshouldalsopointoutthat,bythis
point,JulietisalreadymarriedtoRomeo(secretly)so,shedoesn'treallythinkshe'stooyoungtobeawife—
shejustusesitasanexcusenottogethitchedtoParis.
Act3,Scene5
LORDCAPULET:Anyoubemine,I'llgiveyoutomyfriend;
Andyoubenot,hang,beg,starve,dieinthestreets,
For,bymysoul,I'llne'eracknowledgethee,
Norwhatismineshallneverdotheegood:
Trustto't,bethinkyou;I'llnotbeforsworn(3.5.192-196).
Summary:Thinkyourparentsarestrict?InShakespeare'sday,children(especiallygirls)hadverylittlecontrol
overtheirlives.Daughterswereexpectedtobesilent,chaste,andobedient,whichiswhyLordCapulettreats
Julietlikeapieceofpropertythathecanjustthrowoutonto"thestreets"whenshedoesn'tfollowhisorders.
Source:http://www.shmoop.com/romeo-and-juliet/youth-quotes-1.html
PROMPT4:DYNAMICCHARACTERS
Dynamic(changing)Characters:
-Romeo
-Juliet
-Nurse
-LordCapulet
-Friar
Static(unchanging)Characters:
-Tybalt
-LadyCapulet
-Mercutio
-Benvolio