Romeo & Juliet Lesson 9: The Prince's Speech - PowerPoint

In an educational resource for teaching Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," the focus is on analysing the Prince's speech from Act One, Scene One. The objective of the lesson is to develop students' understanding of how Shakespeare utilises language to create effect, particularly in conveying the deep-seated animosity between the Montague and Capulet families. The Prince's speech is presented as a key piece of text for scrutiny, where he addresses the citizens of Verona, chastising them for their disruptive and violent behaviour. The Prince's stern and commanding tone is evident as he labels the feuding parties as 'rebellious subjects' and 'enemies to peace,' and demands they lay down their 'mistemper'd weapons.'

Students are encouraged to take a closer look at the Prince's choice of words, identifying phrases that express his fury and the extent of the violence and hatred that has plagued the city. They are tasked with highlighting specific language that illustrates the Prince's anger, such as 'purple fountains issuing from your veins,' which vividly symbolises the bloodshed resulting from the feud. To deepen their comprehension, students are prompted to answer questions about the Prince's identity, his descriptions of the brawling men, the rhetorical techniques used, the frequency of the recent fights, the intended audience of the speech, the threat he issues against future disturbances, and whom he requests to speak with afterwards. This exercise not only reinforces their grasp of the text but also enhances their analytical skills in interpreting Shakespearean language.