Romeo & Juliet Lesson 10: Introducing Romeo - PowerPoint

The "Introducing Romeo" lesson is designed to deepen students' understanding of how Shakespeare presents the character of Romeo in the iconic play "Romeo and Juliet". The lesson focuses on the first act, where following the Prince's speech, Montague, Lady Montague, and Benvolio remain on stage. Students are tasked with reading to the end of the scene and answering questions about the relationships between the characters, Romeo's recent behaviour as described by Montague, and Benvolio's advice to him. They delve into the reasons behind Romeo's melancholy and the words Shakespeare uses to express his emotions. Additionally, the potential dangers of attending the Capulet party are explored, as well as Romeo's motivations for agreeing to go.

Students are encouraged to form their initial impressions of Romeo and describe him using specific words and phrases. They examine Romeo's speech, paying particular attention to Shakespeare's use of language and the oxymorons that Romeo employs to express his conflicted feelings about love. This examination is intended to reveal aspects of Romeo's personality and his significance in the play. The lesson prompts students to highlight these oxymorons and contemplate why Shakespeare chose to use such a rich array of them at this point in the narrative. The task culminates in writing a paragraph that explains how Shakespeare introduces Romeo to the audience, with sentence starters provided to assist students in crafting their responses.