The Animated Tales of Shakespeare: Hamlet
Shakespeare Week 2014
Romeo and Juliet (1992, PG) 100 mins
(part of The Animated Tales of Shakespeare collection)
Enrichment Focus
Key Stage Target
Curriculum Links
✓KS1 ✓KS2 ✓KS3
✓Literacy ✓Art ✓Music ✓Drama ✓ICT ✓PSHE
(c) BBC Wales
This pack is designed to help pupils engage with and understand Shakespearean texts in new ways. By
using a series of short 30-minute films as a starting point, pupils will explore the stories and learn about
key themes. Film will be used as a tool to encourage critical and creative thinking and will help pupils to
understand some of the symbols and motifs used in Shakespeare’s plays
Why this film?
Wonderful animated versions of twelve Shakespeare plays (Hamlet, The Tempest, Macbeth, A
Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, Richard III, The Taming of the Shrew, As You Like It, Julius
Caesar, The Winter's Tale, Othello and Romeo and Juliet). Each play has a different animation style to fit
the story, and trimmed down to a tidy half hour, and is the perfect way to start to get to know the work
of Britain's greatest writer.
What the critics think
“I was looking forward to watching this film because I have read lots of Shakespeare's books (short
editions) and I wanted to compare the film and the books together. I did not expect the film to be that
good”.
Into Film clubs member Mall aged 10
Running a film club in your school can enrich the curriculum and allow young people to explore a wide
variety of issues, experience cultures beyond their own, and develop their creativity, communication
skills and confidence. After watching a film students are encouraged to comment during a postscreening discussion before writing reviews on the website (which has a real audience of other young
people) where they can analyse the film and develop their literacy and critical skills. Above all, students
and teachers can enjoy the shared experience of watching and discussing a film together.
Set up a free Into Film club and enjoy free access to thousands of films and education resources for
learning through film and about film. To join or for information visit www.intofilm.org email
[email protected] call 0207 288 4520.
The Animated Tales of Shakespeare:Romeo and Juliet
Shakespeare Week 2014
(c) BBC Wales
N.B. There is a short love scene in this film that teachers may want to review for age suitability before
showing it to the class. The time code is: 00.16.02 – 00:16:28
Before the film:
What do you know about the story of Romeo and Juliet?
Guide to using the resource
Page One – Initial reactions to the film
Once pupils have viewed the film they can complete the first page of the resource. This could
then be discussed and debated as a whole class, with pupils discussing what they enjoyed
about the film and how they could improve it if they were the director.
Follow On Activity:
Pupils could write a review of the film and either upload it directly to the Into Film clubs website
or send in a postcard review (free postcards are available from Into Film)
Page Two – Introducing the 3 C’s and the 3 S’s
This pack approaches understanding film though the 3 C’s and the 3 S’s. These six elements are
used to explore and interrogate film text in detail enabling students to find a ‘’route in” to
Shakespeare. We begin by looking at story, character and setting, and then go on to encourage
pupils to look more closely at how the filmmakers have achieved deeper meaning through
sound, colour and camera.
Story
The Animated Tales of Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet
Story is another word for the narrative of a film, it provides the framework and structure. This pack begins by
encouraging pupils to understand the key events in the story and rewrite them in their own words. Ask can you
Can you retell the story of Romeo and Juliet in your own words? What are the key parts of the story?
The film begins with a fight between the Montague and the Capulet families. We meet Tybalt, a Capulet and Romeo’s cousin
Benvolio, a Montague. We also meet Juliet’s parents Old Capulet and Lady Capulet (who are dressed in red) and Romeo’s parents
(who are dressed in blue). Escalus, prince of Verona is tired of the fighting between the two families and demands a meeting with
the heads of the two families to try and end the feud.
We then meet Romeo, who is lovesick for Rosaline as she will not return his affections. Benvolio encourages Romeo to forget
Rosaline and find another woman but Romeo remains downhearted. They meet a Capulet servant and hear about a party that the
Capulet family are hosting. Benvolio thinks it could be an opportunity for Romeo to see other eligible woman, and Romeo agrees
to go as Rosaline’s name is on the invitation list.
At the party, Romeo is still despondent until he sees Juliet and falls in love with her at first sight. Tybalt sees Romeo and in angry
that he has come to a Capulet feast. He tries to attack Romeo but Juliet’s father holds him back. Romeo speaks to Juliet and she is
soon in love too. They kiss not even knowing each other’s names. When Juliet’s nurse tells Romeo that she is a Capulet he is
distraught. Nurse then tells Juliet that Romeo is a Montague and she is equally as upset. We then see Juliet on her balcony and hear
her talking about her love for Romeo. Romeo has been hiding in the garden and hears his name. He joins her and they pronounce
their love for one another.
Romeo visits Friar Lawrence and convinces him that if he marries Romeo and Juliet it will end the feud between the two families.
Juliet’s Nurse meets Romeo and arranges for Juliet to meet him so they can be married in secret. Romeo, Benvolio and Mercutio
meet Tybalt who is still angry with them being at the Capulet party. He challenges Romeo to a duel. Romeo does not want to fight,
as he is now Tybalt’s kinsman by marriage. Mercuito is disgusted with Romeo’s attempt at peace and fights Tybalt instead. Tybalt
stabs Mercuito and kills him. In a rage, Romeo kills Tybalt and flees the scene. Romeo goes to Friar Lawrence who tells him the
prince has banished him from Verona for Tybalt’s muder. The Friar arranges for Romeo to spend his wedding night with Juliet
before he has to leave for Mantua the next morning. The next morning the lovers bid a sad farewell. Juliet learns that her parents
intend her to marry Paris in three days.
Juliet goes to Friar Lawrence for help. He devises a plan to reunite the lovers. Juliet is to drink a potion the night before her
marriage that makes her appear dead. After she has been laid to rest in the family crypt Romeo will secretly come and take her away
to somewhere they can live in peace. Everything goes to plan but the message that has been sent to Romeo to tell him of the plan
does not arrive. Instead he hears that Juliet has died. He buys poison so he can go to the crypt to die alongside her. As Romeo dies,
Juliet wakes up to discover him dead. She can’t live without him so kills himself with a dagger.
In mourning for their children the Capulets and Montagues agree to end their feud and honour Romeo and Juliet’s love by creating
gold statues of them side by side in Verona.
What parts of the story are tragic?
• The feud between the two families of Capulet and Montague
• Mercutio’s fight with Tybalt that ends in his death
• That Romeo is driven to kill Tybalt to revenge Mercutio
• Romeo thinking that Juliet is dead and killing himself
• Juliet waking up to find that Romeo has poisoned himself
• Juliet killing herself because she cant live without Romeo
• It takes the death of their children for the two families to end their feud
• That loves has caused violence and death
Which parts are romantic?
• The intense love that springs up at first sight between Romeo and Juliet
• The overpowering force of love that supersedes families ties, loyalties and even death
Follow On Questions
• How do you think the story would change if events happened in a different order?
• How long does the story take? Does the film show us events in real time?
• Does this story remind you or any other stories/films?
Character
The Animated Tales of Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet
Compelling characters in difficult situations create the backbone for most stories. Pupils need to think
about the different types of characters and decide who the main characters are and how their
relationships and conflicts drive the story. This pack is designed to help pupils to think about at how the
usual convention of ‘hero overcoming villain’ is challenged in a tragedy.
Who do you think the main characters in the story are? Why?
Romeo and Juliet are the main characters as it is their love that drives the story, however it is the feud between
the families that creates conflict and makes the story more interesting. Therefore Benvolio, Mercutio and Tybalt
of are also important as they represent this conflict. Friar Lawrence and the Nurse also have key roles in the
secret marriage and ultimately the deaths of the star struck lovers.
Follow On Questions
Teachers could follow this activity up with questions such as:
•
•
•
Who is telling the story?
Is there a hero in the story? Why do you think this?
Which character interests you the most? Why?
Follow Up Activities
•
Literacy/English - Pupils could work in groups to mind map the characteristics of the main characters.
•
Art - Pupils could create their own drawings of the main characters, thinking about how they could use
cartoon style drawing to bring out the key characteristics
•
Music – Pupils could create musical motifs for the main characters
•
Drama – Pupils could be hot seated as the main characters, and the rest of the class could ask them
questions.
Setting
The Animated Tales of Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet
A setting provides the backdrop for a film and can establish the when and where of the story. Settings
can be historical and geographical and can give us an idea of the characters’ lives. Most films have a
main setting and minor settings, which can be interiors or exteriors and can be filmed on location or in
specially built sets, or which may, on occasion, be drawn backgrounds. Talking about setting can
encourage imaginative thinking about why certain settings have been chosen, what is shown and
hidden and how a change of setting could change the mood of the scene.
Where and when is Romeo and Juliet set?
The play is set in Verona, northern Italy during the Renaissance period of between 14th and 15th Century. The setting
is urban and there are lots of grand, classical buildings typical of a Italian city. The urban setting is clean and bright
and there is no evidence of poverty or the real lives of most people in a city of this size at the time.
What can you tell about the character of Juliet from where she lives?
Juliet’s home is grand and richly decorated with fabric and ornate wall and floor coverings. This, along with the
facts that the Capulet family throw an extravagant party gives the impression her family are rich and comfortable
and that Juliet is privileged.
Why do you think the balcony where Romeo and Juliet meet secretly has become such an iconic setting?
The balcony has become a symbol for romance and love. The scene happens at night in the romantic and
picturesque surrounding of a garden. After falling in love at first sight with Juliet Romeo risks his life by climbing
over the orchard wall to watch her on her balcony adoringly form afar. The balcony, as a physical obstacle,
represents the problems that the pair will face being together. Romeo has to risk his life again to climb up to Juliet
and Juliet is also at risk by allowing Romeo to join her. This highlights the main character’s flaw of impulsiveness
and the recklessness of their young love.
Follow On Questions:
•
•
•
•
How can the setting affect the characters and how they might behave?
Do you think the same story have happened in a different place?
How do you think the story might have changed if it happened in a different setting?
Were there any places mentioned in the story that you didn’t see? Why do you think this was?
Follow Up Activity
•
Pupils could look at images of different locations and talk about where and when they might be. This
could be used as a starter activity for creative writing where the pupils could think about the types of
stories that could take place in the locations and write a story based on this.
Sound
The Animated Tales of Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet
The soundtrack of a film can have several elements which all combine to contribute the overall mood and storytelling.
There are sounds within the film itself, for example, the sounds the characters would hear, such as characters’ speech
and the sound of movements, wind noise, vehicles etc. There are also sounds that are layered onto the soundtrack to
create added drama such as music and narration. Silence can also be used to create suspense or emphasis or allow a
pause for thought. Allowing pupils to listen to the soundtrack without the visuals will allow them to concentrate on the
different elements of sound and how they are adding to the storytelling.
What sounds can you hear? Play time code of clip: 00:00:13 – 00:01:50
Play the clip without letting the pupils see the animation and get them to use the Sound sheet to answer the questions.
Music
Narrator
Sword fighting
Men shouting
Sticks being hit against each other
Footsteps
Actors shouting at each other
Prince of Verona commanding the families to stop fighting
Horse hooves
What is the music like and how does it make you feel? Does the music change?
The music begins peacefully with slow lute music as the narrator introduces the story. We then hear the noise of
swords and the music changes to a faced paced percussion heavy piece of music that enhances to the drama and of
the scene. The addition of pizzicato (plucked) violins also adds to the atmosphere of excitement and conflict. The
fast paced music stops and changes to a fanfare as the Prince of Verona enters to signify his status and power to
command the end of the fight.
There is a sound heard throughout the film. Can you think what it is? Why do you think it has been included?
The sound of the clock tower striking is heard throughout the film. The romance between Romeo and Juliet lasts
only five days and the clock is used to show the quick passing of time and key events in the story. It adds to the
feeling of tragedy that the lovers only had a short time together but also highlights the impulsiveness of their love.
The clock strikes as follows:
1. Eleven o clock – Before the Capulet party when the lovers meet (Time code 00:03:22)
2. One o clock in the morning – Romeo goes to Juliet’s balcony (Time code 00:06:37)
3. Nine o clock the next morning. Romeo meets the Nurse to arrange the marriage later that day (Time code
00:09:47)
4. Four o clock – Romeo has just killed Tybalt. The sound of the clock begins to sound like a death toll. (Time
code 00:14:18)
5. One o clock in the morning – Romeo goes to Juliet before he has to leave (Time code 00:15:54)
6. Eight a clock at night - As Romeo is fleeing the city Juliet goes to visit Friar Lawrence. (Time code 00:18:03)
7. Eleven o clock at night – After hearing Juliet has died, Romeo buys poison and rides to join her at the crypt
(Time code 00:20:07)
Colour
The Animated Tales of Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet
Colour contributes to the look of the film and can convey mood and atmosphere. It can also be used to
add meaning for example, the use of red to represent blood and death. Visual contrast can be used to
make characters and objects stand out, again to add significance and meaning in the scene. Colour can
also be used to show time, for example night is often shown with blue tones.
What is the meaning of the red and blue clothes in these screen shots?
The red and blue clothes are used to show the conflict between the families. The Capulet family and
their servants wear mostly red while the Montague family wear mostly blue. This marks out their
differences and signifies that they want to remain distinct and separate.
How do the animators use colours to show daytime and night-time?
The animators use bright, light and warm colours for the day. Dark blue tones are used in the
backgrounds and in the sky to show that it is night and yellow highlights are used to show candle or
moon light. Darker areas are also drawn to show shadows and add to the feeling of darkness and
mystery.