Romeo & Juliet Lesson 13: Mercutio - PowerPoint

In a lesson centred around the dynamic character of Mercutio from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," students are tasked with developing their understanding of this pivotal figure. The objective is to delve into Mercutio's traits and influence within the play. Students begin by considering their initial reactions to Mercutio, reflecting on the words and phrases that might best describe his character. This sets the stage for a more analytical approach to understanding his role and personality.

The lesson involves a close reading of Act 1, Scene 4, where Mercutio's dialogue and actions are scrutinised to infer what they reveal about his character. Students examine specific lines such as "If love be rough with you, be rough with love; Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down," discussing the implications and what these suggest about Mercutio's views on love and life. The activity encourages students to interpret text and deduce character traits, providing a foundation for a written assignment. They are then instructed to write a paragraph explaining how Shakespeare presents Mercutio to the audience, with sentence starters offered to help scaffold their responses and stimulate critical thinking about how Mercutio is portrayed in the early stages of the play.