Paragraphs on Romeo and Juliet

Tips

• Don’t mention how great or beautiful Shakespeare’s writing is. We know this.

• Shakespeare uses imagery to describe Romeo’s love for Juliet. Not: Romeo uses imagery to describe Juliet’s beauty.

• Present tense: Romeo runs to Friar Lawrence.

• Don’t worry about page numbers and lines for this essay. Worry about analysis. Sound smart!

• Don’t make value statements such as:– Great story– Interesting characters– Well written book

More than four lines:

Romeo first refers to Juliet’s bright beauty at the Capulets feast:

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!

It seems she hangs upon the cheek of

As a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear-

Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear.

Juliet’s beauty not only informs the torches how to illuminate the

Night, but it also shines like a jewel against the backdrop of

blackness like a diamond against dark skin.

How to quote quotes in verse

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! / It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night / As a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear (1.5.23-45).

Wordiness: Romeo has again fallen in love which is clearly written through depicted images of light.

Romeo’s love for Juliet is depicted through images of light.

Fixing awkward transitions

• Another way Romeo compares Juliet’s beauty to light, after sneaking into her house, is by saying that “two of the…”

• After sneaking into the orchard, Romeo also compares Juliet’s beauty to the light of stars: “Two of the…”

Commas

• Use after introductory or parenthetical clause.• After the party Romeo did his homework.• Juliet, on the other hand thinks their love is

too quick. • Before going home Romeo visited Ms.

Briskin and asked her for advice on his essay.

Combining sentencesLater in act two scene two when Romeo is outside of Juliet's balcony he says on line three, “It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. When Romeo says this he is comparing Juliet to the sun.

Later, outside Juliet’s balcony, Romeo compares Juliet to a greater fire: “It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.”

• After the party, Romeo did his homework.• Juliet, on the other hand, thinks their love is

too quick. • Before going home, Romeo visited Ms.

Briskin and asked her for advice on his essay.

Transition to 2nd paragraph in body of paper

• Have you used a linking expression or reference from the previous paragraph to the new one?

• This, that, those, these, such, other, another, etc.

Closing statement

• Shakespeare’s imagery helps enhance the lovers romance and allows readers to picture the characters through a different perspective.

• “Different perspective” is too general. What new

perspective does the writer mean? A new perspective of love? A new perspective on Romeo’s awakening of real love, untarnished by romantic ideals? Be specific.

Closing statement: Final statement on main point made in paragraph.

These images of light reflect Romeo’s inner state of enlightenment. He is no longer depressed; instead, he now shines with the new hope of a new love.

In c

• Does topic sentence relate to thesis and introduce main idea of paragraph?

• Do you provide context for first example?

• Is quote connected? Cited properly?

– (1.4.51-22)

• Is quote explained?

– He raven’s wings refers night.

• Does commentary relate to topic sentence?

• Transition to next example smooth?

• Commentary on example sufficient?

• Closing statement relate back to T.S.?

• Transition to next paragraph?

Ghost Quotes

• Romeo compares Juliet’s beauty to fire. “ O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright.”

• Romeo compares Juliet’s beauty to fire: “ O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright.”

Connect with colon here.

Introducing Quotes smoothly Shakespeare uses opposition in Friar Lawrence’s speech to

show love and hate.“Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied” meaning that love when done incorrectly or obsessively can become something truly terrible that will cause suffering or pain.

Shakespeare uses opposition in Friar Lawrence’s speech to show love and hate. While picking herbs Friar Lawrence contemplates this juxtaposition of love and hate: “Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied.” He seems to be musing on the ability of love to turn harmful if it becomes obsessive.

Quotes

1 Explain what the quote means

2 How it relates to point you are making

3 Go deeper…more than one

sentence to develop idea

“It is the east and Juliet is the sun”

Juliet lights up Romeo’s life as the sun lights up the day. The image of the sun rising in the east also suggests a new beginning for Romeo’s love life.

Juliet is the sun that will brighten up Romeo’s night and erase his depression over Rosaline’s unrequited love.

“…all the birds would think it were not night”

• Go deeper- ANALYZE: don’t just say: and her beauty is so bright the birds think it is day. What does that symbolize to Romeo? A new day, a new awakening, leaving the darkness of night, walking into the light, a new dawn, a new chance, or: bringing life back from the darkness of night.

When Shakespeare wrote Friar Lawrence’s monologue, he used the analogy of man as a plant to

illustrate how either can be used for good or evil.

In Friar Lawrence’s Monologue Shakespeare uses the analogy of man as a plant to illustrate how either can be used for good or evil.

Topic Sentences: style

Writing about imagery

• What does the sun represent:

• Warmth

• Gives life

• The center of the universe

• Shakespeare used images that contradict each other during Friar Lawrence’s speech in Romeo and Juliet to express a love and hate theme.

• Shakespeare uses contradictory images in Friar Lawrence’s speech to express the opposing themes of love and hate.