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Lesson 7

We will read Lines 1–175 in Act 5, Scene 3, the final scene of Romeo and Juliet. We will analyze the characterization of Romeo and Juliet and the effects of dramatic irony and figurative language in the scene.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I recognize and interpret language and sentence structures to deepen my understanding of Romeo and Juliet?

  • Can I recognize and interpret important relationships among characters within Romeo and Juliet?

  • Can I evaluate the effects of figurative language and imagery in Romeo and Juliet?

  • Can I summarize the main events of Act 5, Scene 3 of Romeo and Juliet?

  • Can I determine and explain how a theme is being developed in Act 5, Scene 3 of Romeo and Juliet?

Texts

Core

  • Tradebook
    • Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare, Folger Shakespeare Library, Simon and Schuster, 2004
  • Multimedia
    • Romeo and Juliet: The Fully Dramatized Audio Edition, William Shakespeare, Folger Shakespeare Library, Simon and Schuster, 2014

Materials

Tools

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Read – Write – Discuss

We will read lines 1–87 of Act 5, Scene 3 of Romeo and Juliet and examine the effect of dramatic irony in this scene.

As you read and annotate Lines 1-87 of Act 5, Scene 3, pay attention to the motivations of Paris and Romeo in the scene.

Respond to the following questions about Act 5, Scene 3 in your Learning Log:

  1. Why does Paris come to the tomb? What lines from the play support your answer?

  2. Why does Paris fight Romeo? What lines from the play support your answer?

  3. What dramatic irony is present in the scene?

  4. What effect does it have on the audience?

Discuss your answers with a partner.

Activity 2: Read – Discuss

We will read lines 88–120 of Act 5, Scene 3 of Romeo and Juliet and examine Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony in the scene.

Step 1

Read and annotate Lines 88-120 of Act 5, Scene 3.

As a class, respond to the following questions about Act 5, Scene 3:

  1. What dramatic irony is present in these lines?

  2. What effect does it have on the audience?

Step 2

Reread the prologue. Remember, the prologue already informed the audience of how the play ends.

Respond to the following questions about the Prologue and Act 5, Scene 3in your Learning Log:

  1. How do Romeo’s lines enhance the information found in the prologue? Cite specific textual evidence from both the prologue and Act 5, Scene 3 to support your answer.

Activity 3: Read – Discuss – Write

We will reread selected lines from Romeo’s soliloquy and examine Shakespeare’s use of language.

Step 1

Romeo’s final speech is full of imagery and figurative language. Reread the selected lines more closely.

ROMEO: O my love, my wife,

Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath,

Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty.

Thou art not conquered. Beauty’s ensign yet

Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks,

And death’s pale flag is not advancèd there. (5.3.91-96)

Respond to the following questions about Act 5, Scene 3 in your Learning Log:

  1. What metaphor is found in these lines?

  2. How do metaphor and imagery contribute to the dramatic irony of the scene?

Discuss your answers with a partner.

Step 2

Reread these selected lines.

ROMEO: Eyes, look your last.

Arms, take your last embrace. And, lips, O, you

The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss

A dateless bargain to engrossing death. (5.3.112-115)

Respond to the following questions about Act 5, Scene 3in your Learning Log:

  1. What effect does Romeo’s use of personification have on the meaning of this scene?

  2. What parallel structure is used in these lines?

  3. What effect does the use of parallel structure have on the reader’s understanding of the scene?

Activity 4: Read – Discuss

We will read lines 121–175 of Act 5, Scene 3 of Romeo and Juliet and examine Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony in the scene.

Read and annotate Lines 121-175 of Act 5, Scene 3.

As a class, respond to the following questions about Act 5, Scene 3:

  1. The prologue informs the audience of how the play ends. How do the events in this scene enhance the information found in the prologue? Cite textual evidence to support your answer.

Activity 5: Write

For homework, we will complete the character Note-Taking Tool for Romeo and Juliet.

Using information from the reading and discussion, complete the Character Note-Taking Tools for Romeo and Juliet.