Romeo and Juliet Essay

9th Grade Periods 3,5, and 6Mr. Chao

Overall Structure (BETTER) Using Quotes (MUCH BETTER) Understanding of the Book Intro Paragraphs (BETTER)

And…

Most of you wrote better essays than last time

Things You Did Well

Outlining Supports in Topic Sentences Addressing the Prompt Active Voice Writing STRONG Claims Using Examples to PROVE Using Context in Quotes Including ANALYSIS Conclusions!!!

Things To Improve

There was a VERY clear trend among papers:◦ Overwhelmingly, the papers that had completed

outlines scored higher than the papers that didn’t.◦ EVERY paper (besides one) that received a 5 or 6

had a finished outline◦ Most 2-3 papers didn’t have outlines that were

completed Verdict: DO YOUR

OUTLINES!

Outlines

The Breakdown

Topic Period 3

Period 5

Period 6 Total

Fate is in Control 4 10 11 25

Passion is in Control 5 2 3 10

Light Imagery 5 5 6 16

Juliet Grows 5 3 0 8

Generation Gap 0 0 1 1

LIGHT IMAGERY ◦ Summarizing Quotes◦ Paying attention to LIGHT in quotes ◦ Being SPECIFIC in claims about how LIGHT is used

FATE◦ PROVING that Fate is IN CONTROL (not that it exists)◦ Explaining Foreshadowing◦ Using the Cosmic Dance◦ Using Death as Bridegroom◦ Using Analysis effectively to reconnect to Fate

PASSION◦ PROVING that PASSION is IN CONTROL (not that it exists)◦ Explaining how Passion CHANGES the plot◦ Writing claims that ADDRESS THE PROMPT

JULIET GROWS◦ Showing change through CONTRAST◦ Explaining how Juliet is OVERALL at each stage ◦ Avoiding repetition

Issues

Thesis: In this play, fate takes control of Romeo and Juliet’s tragic story. We can clearly see this power through coincidences, the blatant blaming of it, and when the balance of natural forces are disturbed.

◦ TS#1: Fate shows us its extensive reaches as it sets up coincidences in the story that lead to Romeo and Juliet’s demise. Coincidences happen often when characters try to get somewhere, when they run into each other, and when the lovers’ deaths are nearing.

Support #1: Coincidences seem to appear when characters are trying to travel places.

Support #2: Coincidences also appear with random character intertwinement.

Support #3: More coincidences appear when fate leads the lovers to their deaths.

A Well-Structured Paragraph

Strong supports state arguments that ADDRESS THE PROMPT. The best support statements are specific and detailed.

For LIGHT IMAGERY, supports need to mention how Light Imagery works

For FATE, supports need to explain how Fate is in control

For PASSION, supports need to explain how Passion is in control

For JULIET GROWS, supports need to explain how Juliet’s actions reveal change

Supports

PASSION is in Control

Effective Supports◦ Passionate love brings Romeo and Juliet together which

gets the ball rolling and leads to their death.

◦ The characters’ overwhelming anger causes them to make rash, ill-advised choices that lead to tragic consequences.

◦ Passion drives the story by giving Romeo and Juliet the ability to overcome the obstacles to their love, which ultimately brings them together in death.

Supports: PASSION

PASSION is in Control

Weak Supports◦ An emotion that is caused is love

But how does this show us that Passion is in control?

◦ Other important decisions were some painful decisions

But how is Passion involved?

◦ Love causes people to defy order Which shows us that Passion is in control HOW?

Supports: PASSION

FATE is in Control

Effective Supports◦ Fate tells us directly [that it is in control] in the form of dreams

many times in the story. Dreams usually end up, or are from what will happen in life thus stating that fate is in control.

◦ Chance proves that fate is in control because by chance all these events line up to lead to one situation to happen.

◦ Shakespeare also tells the reader that Fate is in control by giving the two lovers dreams of themselves dying or seeing each other die. When this comes true it shows Fate was steering their lives towards that result.

Supports: FATE

FATE is in Control

Weak Supports◦ Romeo gives us many example and quotes to support fate.

And these are…?

◦ Foreshadowing is used when there is death as bridegroom references.

Okay, but FATE and foreshadowing are not the same. Explain how this proves that FATE is in control…

◦ The Cosmic Dance shows the reversal of day being good with light and night being bad with darkness.

True, but what does this tell us about FATE?

Supports: FATE

Light Imagery does x

Effective Supports◦ Shakespeare foreshadow fatal occurrences by flipping the

Cosmic Dance through associating night with goodness and day with evil.

◦ Shakespeare shows beauty by degrading other bright beautiful things to make another seem more desirable

◦ Shakespeare uses inconsistent bright objects like the moon and lightning to express that love is quick and destructive

Supports: Light Imagery

Light Imagery does x

Weak Supports◦ “One of the characters Shakespeare portrays using light is

Juliet. An example of this is when Romeo is describing Juliet when he first sees her at the Capulet’s party…”

◦ Light imagery is used by Shakespeare, as well, to depict how fast scenes are unfolding.

◦ “My grave is like to be my wedding bed.” (A1, S5, L149). In this statement, Juliet is saying that her love is also her hate, she is not supposed to love a Montague… it is foreshadowing that Juliet will die and her relationship with Romeo will have a bitter ending.

Supports: Light Imagery

Juliet CHANGES by…

Effective Supports◦ Early on in the story, Juliet is compliant to her parents’

demands and displays respectful manners, which is child-like behavior

◦ As the story moves forward, Juliet’s thought processes begin to change and she starts to think more like an adult and double-check her thinking to make sure it is right.

◦ Juliet’s perception of those she had previously loved changes completely: her parents have turned their backs on her and the Nurse, her closest friend, has betrayed her as well. All the faithfulness recently given to them is thrown onto Romeo.

Supports: Juliet Grows

Juliet CHANGES by…

Weak Supports◦ By the end of the story, Juliet was starting to

make decisions for herself. If it’s the end, then shouldn’t she have changed by now?

◦ Juliet is obedient to authority in many ways. Such as…?

Supports: Juliet Grows

Being Specific◦ You can make strong supports stronger by being

specific

◦ In Romeo and Juliet, passion is important in describing Romeo’s love for Juliet.

◦ Day and night is commonly used in the play to set a certain atmosphere or mood.

◦ Light imagery is also being used to show how Juliet seemingly teaches things to be bright.

Supports

Thesis: Many emotions are expressed throughout the story that end up causing certain things to happen which lead to more situations. Many of these emotions include violence, romance, or sadness.

Paragraph 1: Romeo and Juliet show violence or confusion in the story when they’re angry or

when they do not know why something had happened. When Juliet says, “My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, that I must love a loathed enemy. ( shakespeare.1.5.10 )”. Juliet is confused and angry at the fact that she found out Romeo is a Montague and she fell in love with him, but knows that she cannot hate him anymore because she loves him which starts their secret romantic relationship. She is confused on how she can love the one person she was taught to hate for so long. Also when Romeo sees Capulet’s and Montague’s dead after their brawl, he says, “TO me! What fray was here? Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love. Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate!(1.1.5)”

Claims vs. Evidence

Of the 5 things we mentioned needed to be done, most of you did 3.

1. Introduce the quote with SPEAKER and CONTEXT

2. Provide the quote.3. Properly CITE the quote.4. Summarize the quote5. Explain how the quote proves your point.

Most of you didn’t do 1 and 5.

Quotes

Tips◦ Always provide speaker and context before

quotes◦ Use alternatives to “said”

Exclaims, proclaims, announces, denounces, rebukes, whispers, relates, derides, punctuates, confides, reiterates, etc.

◦ Use a colon For example, Romeo uses fire to describe how hot

and dangerous passionate revenge can be after witnessng the death of Mercutio: “Fire-eyed fury be my conduct now” (III.I.129).

Integrating Quotes

Rule of Thumb:◦ NEVER start a sentence with a quote. Instead,

introduce it with CONTEXT or PLOT SUMMARY.

◦ Passion is in control because the characters challenge Fate “Then I defy you stars!”

Romeo provides an example of how passion overrules Fate after he learns of Juliet’s “death.” Anxious to take his own life in order to “beat” Fate by being with Juliet, Romeo exclaims, “Then I defy you stars!” (V.I.25).

Providing Context

For LIGHT IMAGERY, analysis needs to reveal how specifically light is being used in each quote.

For FATE, analysis needs to prove how each example reveals Fate’s control over the story

For PASSION, analysis needs to prove how each example reveals Passion’s control over the story

For JULIET GROWS, analysis needs to explain how each example reveals a change in Juliet’s character from a previous state.

What is ANALYSIS?

Light Imagery◦ One emotion that Shakespeare portrays is anger. When

Tybalt stabs Mercutio and comes back to fight Romeo, Romeo’s passion and anger take over. Romeo says “Away to heaven, respective lenity, and fire-eyed fury be my conduct now” (III.I.129). What Romeo means by this is that if provoked he will attack and have no control because of passion and anger. Shakespeare uses fire to describe the way Romeo is feeling inside and what Romeo wants to do about his anger. It shows that Romeo’s passion is relentless and unpredictable. His anger is shown with fire because of the way fire is unpredictable and if provoked you will get burned.

Excellent Quote Examples

Green=Speaker+ContextBlack=Quote

Purple=SummaryBlue=Analysis (Meaning)

Juliet Grows Up◦ When Juliet and Romeo meet for the first time, Romeo is very

confident and gets right to the point: he wants to kiss her. Juliet, conversely lacking in self-confidence to engage in a kiss, pushes Romeo away when he hints at a kiss. Much as she would welcome Romeo’s advances, she does not give in. Romeo hints unabashedly by saying, “Have not saint lips, and holy palmers too?” (I.V.112). In a play on words and grasping her hand, Romeo implies pilgrims and saints use their hands and mouths to pray; if Juliet finds his hands too rough, then her lips could meet instead […] she resists his advances, denying him a kiss. While seeming to act out of self-assurance in denying Romeo a kiss, Juliet is actually unable to bring herself to kiss him without her mother’s consent.

Excellent Quote Examples

Green=Speaker+ContextBlack=Quote

Purple=SummaryBlue=Analysis (Meaning)

Fate is in Control◦ A strong quote was said by Friar Laurence. He said, “A greater

power than we can contradict hath thwarted our intents.” (Act 5 Scene 3 Lines 58-59) He is saying that this “greater power” is fate, and that we cannot control it.

Juliet Grows◦ Juliet is also too young to be married. We are shown this

multiple times. One time is when the county Paris comes to ask for her hand. Her father says, “Let two more summers wither in their pride / ere we may think her ripe to be a bride” (I.II.10-11). Here Capulet is saying let her get older before she can be a bride.

Quote Practice

Mr. Chao’s favorite comments:

◦Which proves (insert topic here) HOW?

◦Be SPECIFIC

◦How does this SHOW (insert topic here)?

How? Be Specific! Show?

The Cosmic Dance shows the reversal of day being good with light and night being bad with darkness.

Which proves FATE HOW?

Shakespeare uses light imagery to show that love is painful. Be SPECIFIC

Light imagery is not just used express love but to show hate. One example of the hate between families is when Tybalt sees Benvolio and says “Talk of peace? I hate the word as I hate hell and all, all Montagues and thee” (I.I.69). The meaning of the quote is very clear. Tybalt hates everything. He hates hell and all Montagues.

How does this SHOW Light Imagery?

How? Be Specific! Show?

Common Issues

STOP using CONTRACTIONS◦ Didn’t, wasn’t, it’s, doesn’t, he’s, etc.

STOP using First and Second Person◦ You CANNOT use “I” “we” “you” or “us”

Books are ITALICIZED◦ Romeo and Juliet

PROOFREAD◦ LOTS of stupid mistakes. SPELLING COUNTS!

“This way, light imagery can become a ROLL in your speech habits.”

Writing Conventions

Roll#nomno

m

Cut down on “to be” verbs◦ Instead of using “is saying” use “says

In this quote, Romeo is saying that… Romeo says here that…

Avoid sentence structures that lead to passive voice◦ Another example of Fate being in control is… (Passive)◦ Fate also reveals its control when… (Active)

Limiting Passive Voice

Mr. Chao when he sees a “to be” verb.

“An example of this would be when Romeo is trying…”

“An example of this is the fact that…”

“Sadness is portrayed by Shakespeare using darkness.”

“The first object Shakespeare uses to prove the points of beauty, pain and contradiction of emotions is fire and fiery objects.”

“Firstly, many death as bridegroom references are made, and Juliet actually ends up dying unofficially married.”

“Another quality of Juliet’s character in this early stage of her development is her lack of interest in love.”

“Fate is blamed for every misfortune, no matter who is affected by the troubles.”

Overly Passive Sentences

Make sure you end with something OUTSIDE the book◦ Why should we care about SHAKESPEARE? It was written in

the 1500s! MAKE ME CARE!

See “Things to Do in a Concluding Paragraph”

◦ Use a Quote◦ Ask a Question◦ Connect to Today◦ Universalize◦ Suggest an Application◦ Provide a Warning◦ Call to Action◦ Paint a Vivid Picture

Concluding Paragraph

Paint a Vivid Picture

As you can see, Shakespeare used light imagery dramatically throughout this play. Light imagery was a fantastic way of expressing details because light is so powerful and domineering and that relayed into the way Shakespeare spoke of his characters. Whether it was Romeo describing the way Juliet’s eyes gleamed like the stars, or how everything was dark and sunless after the loss of the star-crossed lovers, the use of light imagery was very prevalent from start to finish. Like a shooting star, Romeo and Juliet were timeless, so full of life for that short time, and in the flash of a second… gone.

Awesome Concluding Paragraph

Provide a Warning

Juliet makes the unforgettable transformation in Romeo and Juliet from an obedient child to a self-empowered individual to someone who starts to make her own decisions to a woman so in love that she is willing to make any choice, no matter how bold or drastic, and follow through with it in the name of her love, yet she still lacked the last component of growth and maturity: wisdom; which is the icing finalizing the cake, so to speak.  Wisdom comes with age, years, and experience, and cannot be obtained in a matter of days.  It is this wisdom combined with bold choices that make great people and great things happen in this world.  However this lack of wisdom is an extremely dangerous thing.  If we act without rational thought, we could end up like Juliet and her Romeo, or worse.

Awesome Concluding Paragraph

Provide a WarningUniversalize

…as we see now, things certainly did not end well for anyone in Verona. Maybe Romeo and Juliet isn’t just a classic love tragedy, but holds a hidden message as to what potential we all hold, and a warning if we do not avoid the mistakes the characters did. Perhaps Shakespeare was encouraging us to swallow our pride, and help others help us, or reason with our superiors, and respect our inferiors. Perhaps Shakespeare meant the biggest theme of the tale to be that age is just a number and everyone is equally capable of shaping the course of history.

Awesome Concluding Paragraph

Connect to Today

I think that even the rules set in society are what may have caused this gap between generations. The fact that the older generation is in charge, and the younger generation has to listen to their elders, may have been what caused this gap. Similar to real life, teenagers tend to rebel more than not. Because of the pressure of being perfect in our parents eyes, we sometimes want to be free and follow our own rules. I think that’s what happened with Romeo, Juliet, and the rest of the younger generation. They just couldn’t follow the rules anymore and that’s what caused all of this chaos, which brought out the differences in the generations. That’s just what happens in life. When we try to break free and express ourselves, we show our true colors, and along with that, comes differences. No one is exactly alike, or entirely different, but there definitely are more similarities among youth, and more similarities among older generations. Thus, causing differences between young and old.

Awesome Concluding Paragraph