This document provides guidance for students on strategies for analyzing William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. It discusses examining dramatic conventions like soliloquies and dramatic irony. It also recommends that students study character relationships, track unfamiliar language, and analyze how language and dramatic elements enhance understanding of the plot and themes. The document models close reading of excerpts and having students summarize settings, events, characters' traits and motivations, and make predictions based on evidence from the text.

1. DRAMA TEKS
• explain how dramatic conventions (e.g.,
monologues, soliloquies, dramatic irony)
enhance dramatic text.[4A]
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
1

2. Romeo & Juliet
Literary Workshop, Part 1
Part 1
Characteristics
of Shakespearean Tragedy
2
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10

3. Part 1, Model 1: Character
• Inthefollowingexcerpt,Romeo—theyoung
protagonistoftheplayandamemberofthe
Montaguefamily—complainstohiscousin,
Benvolio,aboutaproblemthatisplaguinghim. As
youread,consider…
1. WhatisRomeoexperiencingthatyoucanrelateto?
2. WhatpossibleweaknessorflawdoesRomeo’s
attitudehintat?
3. WhatdoyoulearnaboutRomeo’spersonality?
3
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10

4. 4
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10

5. Part 1, Model 2: Soliloquy
• Throughthissoliloquy, readersgainaccesstothe
thoughtsandfeelingsofJuliet,aCapulet—and
thereforeahatedenemyofanyMontague. Asyou
read,consider…
1. Whatdoestheimageryinlines20–25revealabout
Juliet’sfeelingsforRomeo?
2. Rereadtheboxedtext.WhatisJuliet’smoodasshe
waitsforRomeo?Pointoutspecific wordsand
details thatrevealherstateofmind.
5
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10

6. Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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7. Romeo & Juliet
Literary Workshop, Part 2
Part 2
The Language
of Shakespeare
7
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10

8. Part 2: The Language of Shakespeare
• Shakespeare’s plays deal with experiences and
emotions that are easy to relate to, but his
language can be challenging for today’s
readers to understand.
• Once you get past the unfamiliar language,
learn the rhythm and learn to “get” his
allusions and puns, you’ll find his sense of
romance, drama and humor fascinating.
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
8

9. Part 2: The Language of Shakespeare
— Blank Verse
• Shakespeare wrote mostly in a poetic form
called blank verse.
• Blank verse is a poetic form that does not
rhyme.
• It carries the rhythm of natural speech.
• Blank verse is made up of unrhymed lines that
follow a rhythm of iambic pentameter.
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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10. Part 2: The Language of Shakespeare
— Iambic Pentameter
• Read the following lines aloud. Make sure to
emphasize each stressed (accented) syllable:
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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While this pattern is is thegeneralrule, not every line
of the play is written this way. Shakespeareincluded
many variationsto avoidsounding monotonous.

11. Part 2: The Language of Shakespeare
— Iambic Pentameter
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
11

12. Part 2: The Language of Shakespeare
— Allusion and Word Play
• Allusionis a referenceto something that the
audience is expected to know.
• Shakespeare’s audience was familiar with Greek
and Roman mythology as well as the Bible. He
sprinkled references to these works throughout
his plays.
• In the following excerpt, identify the allusion.
What mental image does it conjurefor you?
• Why do you think Shakespeareincluded this
reference?
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
12

13. Part 2: The Language of Shakespeare
— Allusion and Word Play
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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14. Part 2: The Language of Shakespeare
— Pun
• A pun is a joke exploiting 1) the different
possible meanings of a word or 2) the fact that
there are words that sound alike but have
different meanings.
• In the following excerpt,one example of a pun has
been boxed. Which of the two-part definition
(above) does this pun fit?
• There’s another example as well. Find it! Explain
it!
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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15. Part 2: The Language of Shakespeare
— Pun
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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16. Romeo & Juliet
Literary Workshop, Part 3
Part 3
Strategies for Reading
Shakespearean Drama
16
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10

17. Part 3: Reading Shakespearean Drama
• BEFORE you begin reading each Act of a
Shakespearean play:
• Study the opening Cast of Characters
– Who are these people? Why should you care?
• Read the Stage Directions
– Where does the scene take place?
– Who’s on stage?
– What are they doing there?
• Read the Synopsis at the beginning of the scene.
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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18. Part 3: Reading Shakespearean Drama
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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19. Part 3: Reading Shakespearean
Tragedy: Relationships
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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• Keep track of relationships between characters:
• Are they
– Friends?
– Relatives?
– Enemies?

20. Part 3: Reading Shakespearean
Tragedy: Relationships
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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• What arethe characterroles — how are the related
in terms of plot and action?
• TragicHero?
• Foil?
• Antagonist?
• Comic Relief?
• Write the names of charactersin the “Examples”
spaceon the appropriateFrayer Model sheetyou
began filling out last week.

21. Part 3: Reading Shakespearean
Tragedy: Relationships
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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• What are the Charactertraits of the characters?
• Character traits are revealed through dialog,
soliloquies and asides as well as through actions.
• Does the character exhibit any flaws or
weaknesses? (Characterflaws and weaknesses
are particularly important to note in tragedies like
Romeo& Juliet.)

22. Part 3: Reading Shakespearean
Tragedy: Relationships
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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• Look for Cause-and-Effectrelationships between
events — especially events that lead to tragic
outcome.
• Tracking Cause-and-Effectrelationships is
extremely important for writing your essay this
six weeks — “Who Is Most Responsible for the
Deaths of Romeo & Juliet?”
• Track them on a Graphic Organizer, like the one on
the following slide…

23. Part 3: Reading Shakespearean
Tragedy: Relationships
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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24. Part 3: Reading Shakespearean
Language: Unfamiliar Words and
Phrases
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
24
• In reading Romeo & Juliet, you will encounter
a number of unfamiliar words and phrases.
• Take care to write down and paraphrase
unfamiliar terms into terms you understand.
• You can track unfamiliar words and phrases
on a Graphic Organizer like the one on the
next page…

25. Part 3: Reading Shakespearean
Language: Unfamiliar Words and
Phrases
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
25

26. Part 3 Model:
Reading Shakespearean Drama
• Let’s read together the fight scene in Act 1,
Scene 1…
• Setting: Verona, where the play is set; an open
marketplace
• Action: Sampson and Gregory, servants of the
Capulets, have gotten into a heated argument
with Abram and Balthasar, servants of the
Montagues.
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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27. Part 3 Model:
Reading Shakespearean Drama
• Use the strategies we’ve discussed so far to
analyze the following episode…
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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28. Part 3 Model:
Reading Shakespearean Drama
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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1. Close Read the
entire excerpt.
2. On your K-W-L
worksheet, write
to describe the
setting,
characters and
action you
visualized as you
read.
3. Cite details from
the dialog and
stage direction
that helped you
form a mental
image.

29. Part 3 Model:
Reading Shakespearean Drama
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
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4. What is Benvolio
trying to do when
Tybalt arrives?
Support your
answer.

30. Part 3 Model:
Reading Shakespearean Drama
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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5. Using marginal
notes as necessary,
paraphrase
Tybalt’s speech in
the boxed lines.
Why does Tybalt
hate Benvolio so
much?

31. Part 3 Model:
Reading Shakespearean Drama
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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6. How would you
characterize Tybalt
on the basis of this
excerpt? In what
way is he different
from Benvolio?
Cite details from
the text to support
your answer.

32. Romeo & Juliet
Literary Workshop, Part 4
Part 4
Analyze the Literature
32
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10

33. Part 4: Analyze the Literature
• Apply the strategies you’ve learned so far to
analyze a longer excerpt from the beginning of
the tragedy (next slide):
• Setting: A costume party at the Capulets.
Disguised with masks, Romeo and other
Montagues have crashed the party.
• Action: Romeo sees Juliet from across the
room; he falls in love at first sight. This sets
the course of tragic events in motion.
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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34. Part 4 Model:
Analyze the Literature
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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1. Choose a part of
this passage with
several unfamiliar
Elizabethan words.
Paraphrase the
part using
Marginal Notes
and the word list
on page 1028, as
necessary.

35. Part 4 Model:
Analyze the Literature
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
35
2. Consider Capulet’s
attitude toward his
guests and his
servants. How
would you
describe Capulet?
Support your
answer with
details from the
text.

36. Part 4 Model:
Analyze the Literature
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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3. Reread the boxed
text. How is the
pattern of Romeo’s
smitten speech
different from the
patterns of earlier
lines in the scene.

37. Part 4 Model:
Analyze the Literature
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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4. Reread lines 52 –
57. What does
Tybalt want to do
to Romeo? Explain
what has made
Tybalt so enraged.

38. Part 4 Model:
Analyze the Literature
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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5. Tybalt is just one
of many
antagonists
working against
Romeo & Juliet.
Cite details that
show Tybalt’s
searing hatred for
Romeo.

39. Part 4 Model:
Analyze the Literature
Based on Holt McDougal Literature Grade
9, Unit 10
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6. Given what you
know about the
characters’
personalities, what
do you think what
might happen next
between Romeo
and Tybalt?
Support your
prediction with
evidence.