Romeo and Julietby William Shakespeare

Before, During, and After Reading Skills

Act IV

Literary ResponseRomeo and Juliet Act IV

 Read the play carefully and note the choices and

decisions the characters make and how those choices and decisions impact the characters, events, and

conflicts. 

Which character do you think is in the most danger at the end of this Act?

Explain the situation, why it is dangerous, and how you would have

handled the events and conflicts differently.

Explain your thoughts and ideas and use evidence

from the text to support your response.

Before Reading SkillsPreview and Predictions

• Examine the text features located throughout Act IV.

• Make a list of the things you “know” or “think you know” based only on the text features.

• Make a list of at least 3 things you want to know, but you need to read in order to find out.

• What major events do you predict will happen in Act III? What information supports your predictions?

During Reading SkillsStructure and Purpose of a

Drama

• The purpose of a drama is to entertain the audience and to present information/details about the characters.• The audience will learn about the

characters in several ways. Pay attention to the characters and try to keep them organized as you read.• You will be asked to create a

character chart to identify the characters and their character traits.

How do we learn about a character during a play?•What the characters say•What the characters do•What other characters

say about them•How other characters

treat them

Act IV Scene 4919-921

Sidebar Questions

1. How does this peaceful domestic scene contrast with what has just happened?

???The Capulets and their servants are making

jokes and busily preparing for the wedding; meanwhile, Juliet lies in her

room in a deathlike state, having risked her life to avoid what her family

celebrates.

Act IV Scene 4919-921

Sidebar Questions

12. What is Lady Capulet’s tone here????

Lady Capulet is teasingly affectionate here, poking fun of her husband’s past

womanizing.

Act IV Scene 4919-921

Sidebar Questions

23. The music is the bridal music, for the wedding. What irony would the audience sense on hearing this music and knowing what has happened to Juliet?

???The audience knows that Juliet will not be

Paris’s bride and that the wedding music will give way to a funeral dirge.

Act IV Scene 4919-921

Reading Focus Question

A. Analyzing Cause and Effect – Why do you think Capulet is so happy to see his daughter marry Paris? What effect will the marriage have on his family and the feud between the Capulets and Montagues?

???Lord Capulet is happy to have Juliet marry Paris because it increases the family’s social standing in

Verona.In addition, the marriage may help the Capulets gain an

ally in the feud.

Act IV Scene 5Pages 922-927

Read the scene and all information and questions carefully.

* Summarize the major events on each page.* Identify 2-4 significant lines on each page

using the line numbers only. State the importance and/or meaning of the lines.

* Select the mood, tone, or character trait that is revealed through the lines.

Bigger Questions1. Summarizing - After abandoning Romeo

and Juliet momentarily, the nurse asserts herself as their accomplice. What does she volunteer to do?

???2. Characterization – In Juliet’s dialogue,

how does she illustrate her character traits of being logical and practical?

???3. Symbolism – Why does Juliet ask the

nurse to take Romeo a ring????

Most Significant Lines Select a total of four lines from Act

IV that you thought were important, interesting, funny, or odd.Copy the lines, page(s), and character(s) involved.Translate any words or phrases that need to be clarified.Explain the meaning of the lines and what was happening in the play as the lines were being spoken.

Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene 3Pages 853-857

Page 853

1. Elements of Drama – How does the Friar’s soliloquy on page 853 help “set the stage” for this scene?

2. Characterization – Make a list of the details we learn about the Friar during this scene. What conclusions can you draw about him based on the things you read?

Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene 3Pages 853-857

Page 855

A. Plot: Rising Action – Romeo enters quietly, unseen by the friar. As the friar explains that his flower contains the power to heal as well as kill, why might the audience fear for Romeo and Juliet?

3. Making Inferences - What can you tell about the relationship between Romeo and the friar based on their dialogue?

Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene 3Pages 853-857

Page 856-857

4. Elements of Drama – In the exposition of the play, Shakespeare keeps Romeo’s intense love in perspective by letting the audience see how others regard him. What can we learn about Romeo’s “love” from how the other characters react to Romeo?

B. Analyzing Cause and Effect – Romeo has gotten what he wants, and he dashes offstage. Why do the friar’s last words leave us with a sense that danger lies ahead?

Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene 4Pages 857-863

Page 858

A. Analyzing Cause and Effect – Now that the play’s love story seems to be heading toward marriage, Shakespeare turns again to the feuding families. Why is Tybalt looking for Romeo? What do you think will happen when he finds him?

Page 860

B. Making Inferences – What does the loyal Mercutio think he has accomplished for Romeo by this game of wits?

Romeo and Juliet Act II Scene 4Pages 857-863

Pages 862-863

C. Making Inferences – What warning does the nurse give Romeo, and why do you think she does this?

D. Plot: Rising Action – The nurse becomes confiding as she rattles on and on. What trouble for Romeo and Juliet does she talk about? What is Juliet’s feeling for Paris now?

The Language of ShakespeareHow is the language of Shakespeare’s

Romeo and Juliet different from the language we use?

Identify the differences.Translate Shakespeare’s words into

modern language.Explain the meaning of important lines

from Romeo and Juliet.

StoryboardA storyboard is a series of small

illustrations to tell a story.You will be creating a 9-box storyboard to

summarize the most important events from Act IV.

Be sure to select the 9 scenes carefully and make your illustrations accurate and clear (use labels if necessary).

On the back of the storyboard write a 9 sentence summary of Act IV.

Staging the SceneAn important part of reading drama is

the ability to visualize the scenes.As you read the scenes in Romeo and

Juliet, try to imagine how the scene could be created on a stage to

convey the setting to the audience.Select a scene from Act IV that you

could “stage” for a production of Romeo and Juliet.

Illustrate how you would create the scene on a stage. Be creative!!!

Index CardQuiz Tomorrow on Act IV!!!

You may use ONE 3x5 index card during the quiz.

No other materials will be available to you during the

quiz.Everything on the card must be

handwritten – no typed information.

• Which predictions were accurate?

• Which ones need to be changed/revised?

• Which questions did we find the answers to while reading?

• Which questions do we still not know the answer to yet?

• Do we need to any any new questions to look for as we read?

Predictions and Purpose Setting