Download `Romeo and Juliet` Coursework

‘Romeo and Juliet’ Coursework
Why is Act 3 scene 5 of ‘Romeo and Juliet dramatic and tense?
Section 1 – Introduction
- Introduce the play and author
- Briefly explain what dramatic and tense mean in the terms of the play.
Section 2 – Play’s Social Context
In this section you need to consider how an Elizabethan audience would have responded
to the play. Discuss Elizabethan attitudes and values, covering the following points:
- Society was hierarchical. Everyone knew his or her place. It was difficult to
change your place in that order. What impact does this have on our understanding
of the scene?
- Men had more power and responsibility than women, as it was a patriarchal
society. Women were possessions of their father or husband. They were expected
to obey and not challenge. Why is this significant in this particular scene?
- Consider where the audience’s sympathies lie in this scene; how might an
Elizabethan audience have regarded Juliet’s plight differently to now?
Section 3 – Opening of the scene
Explain the situation, the relationship between characters, the conflict and the problems
needing to be resolved.
- The scene opens with heightened emotion and tension. Why?
- Juliet is highly emotional. She moves from mourning the death of Tybalt;
experiencing her wedding night with Romeo knowing he’s banished; to deceiving
and disobeying her parents. How does Shakespeare effectively convey these
emotions?
- Shakespeare builds on the tension knowing that the audience will appreciate the
dramatic irony. How successful is he?
Section 4 – Development and analysis of the scene
Use your annotations and notes to help you. Work your way chronologically through the
scene, commenting on the following aspects:
- How is tension created? Which points in the scene create the most tension?
- What use does Shakespeare make of dramatic irony? What effect does it have?
- Consider the tone. Is the character’s tone harsh, joyful, unsympathetic, proud,
distressed etc. Look at Juliet, Lady Capulet, Capulet and Nurse.
- What sentence structures are used? Does the character use short sentences to show
a specific emotion? Look at the use of punctuation; are there lots of exclamation
and question marks? Does the character use repetition to show anger or disbelief?
- What is effective or significant about the language used? Does the charter use
powerful, emotive or angry words? Can you find examples of dramatic irony?
What does their language suggest about their personality? What does it say about
their attitude to other characters?
- Remember to include your thoughts on the characters and whom you sympathise
with. Are you able to sympathise with Juliet?
Section 4 – Conclusion
Sum up why the scene is dramatic and tense and how well you think it works at this point
in the play.