Romeo and Juliet meet at the Capulet's ball. During their first conversation, they use religious language to describe one another and their growing affection. Romeo sees Juliet as a holy saint, referring to himself as a pilgrim who has traveled far to reach his sacred destination - Juliet. The romantic, physical language builds upon religious terms and imagery, with rhyming couplets that build towards a climactic kiss. The document provides context for understanding Romeo and Juliet's thoughts and feelings during this pivotal first meeting.

1. Romeo & Juliet –
Capulet’s ball
LO: To understand the thoughts and feelings of Romeo and Juliet
during their first conversation
11/03/2016

2. What does the word ‘religion’ make you
think of?
Religion

5. Label yourself A or B
• A’s will look at Romeo’s lines
• B’s will look at Juliet’s lines

6. Read the shared speech
Highlight/Annotate the following:
A. Words that remind you of religion
B. Words that mention body parts
C. Any repetition you can find
Challenge – Think about the form of the shared
speech. Rhyme scheme? What is it called?

7. ROMEO:
If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.
JULIET:
Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.

8. ROMEO:
Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?
JULIET:
Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.
ROMEO:
O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;
They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.

9. JULIET:
Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.
ROMEO:
Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.

10. Think about the meaning of the shared
sonnet

11. ROMEO:
If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.
JULIET:
Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.
The religious language makes the meeting
seem a sacred, holy moment and adds to the
sense that Romeo perceives Juliet as a
goddess/ angel/ saint
Repetition
creates sense
of
togetherness/
unity as the
couple come
together
Romantic,
affectionate
language

12. ROMEO:
Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?
JULIET:
Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.
ROMEO:
O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;
They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.
Religious language plays on Romeo’s name to imply he has
travelled a long way to reach his destination/ shrine -
Juliet
Romantic,
physical
language

13. JULIET:
Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.
ROMEO:
Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.
Religious
language
Rhyming couplets build up to a moment of
climax, which is the kiss.

14. Scene – Romeo and Juliet meet
• When watching the scene, write down how Romeo and
Juliet must be feeling
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yClVlc_niac

15. Task
• Write the start of a diary entry reminiscing the
first time you saw Romeo/Juliet
• If you were A’s, you will be writing as Romeo
• If you were B’s, you will be writing as Juliet

16. It must include…
 2 – 3 quotes that Shakespeare has used
 Write about your thoughts and feelings towards
either Romeo or Juliet
 Context of the situation
 Challenge – can you think of other religious
terminology that you could compare to either
Romeo or Juliet

17. Plenary
• On your post-it note, write down the quote you find
most powerful and WHY