Objectives:
*To explore the context of the
play and Elizabethan England;
*To understand the plot and
characters in the play;
* To analyse the representation
of the character Mercutio.
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Front Covers for ‘Romeo and Juliet’- What
do they suggest about the play?
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Exploring Context
Fill in the gaps on the sheet
about Shakespeare and his
plays. Tick the True or
False boxes.
Read the cartoon versions of the
play
* Do they tell the full story properly?
* Who is it aimed at? How can you
tell?
* Does it help you to understand the
play’s plot?
On the sheet, number the
paragraphs 1-12 in the order that
they happen in the play.
Select the 6 most important
events in the play and draw a
storyboard on the sheet,
explaining what your pictures
show underneath.
Use arrows to link the
feelings to the answers and
fill in the gaps about Act 1.
Social and Historical Context
• Shakespeare based the ideas for ‘Romeo and
Juliet’ on the poem : ‘The Tragical Historie of
Romeus and Juliet’ by Arthur Brooke, written in
1562.
• His version added the character of Mercutio and
made the part of the Nurse bigger to give the
play more humour.
Introduction to Mercutio
In your Controlled Assessment you will
be focussing on the character of
Mercutio and exploring how he acts,
speaks and reacts to other characters.
Copy the below spider diagram, sideways in your
books, leave spaces round the 5 spokes.
Mercurial
Violent
Mercutio
Comedic
Views love as
solely physical
(sex)
Loyal friend
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4Km_MLCsgs
Different images of Mercutio
Which if these is closest to what you
imagined him to be like? Why?
Read Act 1, Scene 4
1. What is Mercutio’s relationship with
Romeo like?
2. How is what Mercutio says funny?
3. What is suggested about his personality
from what he says?