Lesson 5 | Romeo and Juliet | 9th Grade English

Objective

Analyze Shakespeare’s characterization of Mercutio and describe his relationship with Romeo.

Readings and Materials

Play: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare — Act 1, Scene 4 (pp. 41–49)

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Target Task

Tasks that represents the peak thinking of the lesson - mastery will indicate whether or not objective was achieved

Multiple Choice

Which statement provides an accurate description of the differences between Romeo and Mercutio?

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Which two pieces of evidence from the beginning of the scene, when taken together, best prove the answer to question 1?

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Writing Prompt

Mercutio is often described as a foil for Romeo. What did you discover or start to wonder about Romeo as you contrasted him with Mercutio? Explain using evidence from the text.

Key Questions

Questions about the text that will help guide the students understanding

Why is it risky for Romeo and his friends to be going to this party?
What does Romeo mean when he describes himself as having a soul of lead? (lines 14–16)
Compare Romeo’s description of love with Mercutio’s (lines 14–26). How are they different? What is Mercutio’s opinion about Romeo’s brand of love? What do we learn about these characters here?
In lines 27–28 Mercutio uses a racy pun (he often speaks in puns!) to mock Romeo. What exactly is he mocking Romeo for here?
Mercutio does not share Romeo’s romantic or melancholy view of love. Prove this by tracking evidence in the remainder of the scene.
Mercutio’s Queen Mab speech continues to develop his skepticism about love and now about dreams, too. How does Mercutio’s view of dreams differ from Romeo’s?
In lines 113–120, Romeo makes an ominous prediction about the evening. Compare his words here to the idea of “star–crossed lovers” introduced in the prologue. What do they both suggest?
Read pp. 7–12 of Street Love. How are Damien and Kevin different from each other? How is their relationship similar to that of Romeo and Mercutio? How does Myers draw upon Romeo and Juliet in this scene?

Notes

Suggestions for teachers to help them teach this lesson

If students have not yet read Petrarch’s sonnet or the brief bio of him, they should do so today and consider how Shakespeare draws on the idea of a Petrarchan lover to develop Romeo’s character.

Lesson 4

Lesson 6

Lesson Map

Romeo and Juliet — Prologue (p. 7); Act 1, Scene 1 (pp. 9–15)
Romeo and Juliet — Prologue
Street Love — Prologue

Explain the function of the prologue in Romeo and Juliet.

Analyze the conflict in act 1, scene 1.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 1, Scene 1 (pp. 17–25)
“If No Love Is, Oh God, What Fele I So”
“Petrarch”

Analyze Shakespeare’s characterizations of Romeo and Benvolio.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 1, Scene 2 (pp. 27–33)

Analyze how Shakespeare continues to develop the theme of fate in act 1, scene 2.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 1, Scene 3 (pp. 33–41)

Analyze Shakespeare’s characterization of the three female characters introduced in act 1, scene 3.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 1, Scene 4 (pp. 41–49)

Analyze Shakespeare’s characterization of Mercutio and describe his relationship with Romeo.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 1, Scene 5 (pp. 51–61)

Analyze Shakespeare’s characterization of Romeo.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 1, Scene 5

Explain in a well-crafted essay how Shakespeare and Luhrmann each create mood in act 1, scene 5.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 2, Scenes 1–2 (pp. 65–83)

Explain how the interactions between Romeo and Juliet develop the themes of the play.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 2, Scene 3 (pp. 83–91)

Analyze how the interactions between Romeo and Friar Lawrence develop the conflict of the play.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 2, Scene 4 (pp. 91–103)

Examine the differences between Romeo the lover and Romeo the friend.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 2, Scenes 5–6 (pp. 103–111)

Analyze how Shakespeare develops the theme of young love in act 2, scenes 5-6.

Identify instances of foreshadowing in act 2, scenes 5-6.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 3, Scene 1 (pp. 115–129)

Analyze how the events of act 3, scene 1 further communicate the theme of fate.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 3, Scene 2 (pp. 129–139)

Analyze the events of act 3, scene 2 and the impact they have on the plot development.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 3, Scene 3 (pp. 139–153)

Compare Romeo’s and Juliet’s reactions to his banishment and analyze what these reactions reveal about character and theme.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 3, Scenes 4–5 (pp. 153–173)

Analyze the connections drawn between love and death in act 3, scene 5.

Analyze Juliet’s character development in act 3, scene 5.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 4, Scenes 1–3 (pp. 177–191)

Analyze Juliet’s actions and motivations for her actions in act 4, scenes 1–3.

Analyze how Shakespeare develops the theme of young love in act 4, scenes 1-3.

Street Love — pp. 112–116

Explain how Myers draws on and transforms ideas from Romeo and Juliet to develop the themes, characters, and/or conflict of Street Love.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 4, Scenes 4–5 (pp. 195–207)

Analyze the individual characters’ reactions to Juliet’s death.

Identify how the tone shifts in act 4, scene 5.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 5, Scenes 1–2 (pp. 211–219)

Analyze how Shakespeare uses the plot to develop the theme of fate in act 5, scenes 1–2.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 5, Scene 3 (pp. 219–231)

Analyze the degree to which fate shaped the deaths of the protagonists.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 5, Scene 3 (pp. 231–243)

Develop an opinion about the significance of the final scene and its relationship to earlier scenes.

Discussion & Writing

Discuss and debate the essential thematic questions of the unit.

Assessment

Romeo and Juliet

Objective

Readings and Materials

Target Task

Multiple Choice

Writing Prompt

Key Questions

Notes

Lesson Map

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