Figuring Out the Subtext in Scenes 1 and 2 of Act 4

For 4.1, select Paris, the Friar, or Juliet, and write a paragraph describing what you think your character's subtext is during this meeting. Be sure to identify which character you've chosen.

For 4.2, select Juliet or her father, and write a paragraph describing what you think your character's subtext is during this meeting. Be sure to identify which character you've chosen.

Remember that the SUBTEXT is what the character is thinking when he or she is speaking. What's going on their heads that they're not actually saying? You have to read between the lines and IMAGINE what thoughts they might be having as they speak their lines.

Reviewing Act 2 (scenes 1 -6)

1) Looking back at our work with Act 2 (including class discussions, activities, and homework), what do you think is important to know AND understand about Act 2? Think about not only plot, but also characters, themes, tone, and what we've done with figurative language.

2) Submit THREE (3) questions that you think would be important to ask on an Act 2 Quiz. When writing these questions, think about why they are important and what understanding their answers would show.

3) Remember to complete your creative writing assignment. It's due on MONDAY!

* The Act 2 Quiz will be on Tuesday. Please let me know (e-mail me) if you will not be in class on Tuesday.

Summaries of scenes

When it is your turn (your name is picked out of a hat), submit a summary of your assigned scene.

Act 2, scenes 4-6 Reading Response Questions

Please answer these questions in COMPLETE SENTENCES.

1. From what you've read so far (including Act 2), how would you describe MERCUTIO? What are some of his PERSONALITY TRAITS?

2. In scene 4, what is the Nurse worried that Romeo might be doing?

3. In scene 4, what message does Romeo send to Juliet through the Nurse?

4. What is Juliet waiting for in scene 5?

5. What IMAGES does Juliet use to describe LOVE in lines 4-8 of scene 5?

6. What is Romeo going to do with the rope ladder?

7. In scene 6, what does the Friar warn Romeo about in terms of love? (lines 14-15)

8. Do you think Romeo and Juliet are paying attention his warning? In other words, how would you characterize their love?

Act 2, Scene 1-3 Reading Response Questions

Answer the following three questions. (e-mail me if you need any clarifications.)

1. Do you believe in love at first sight? Explain why or why not.

2. Summarize scenes 1, 2, and 3 of Act 2. For each scene, pretend that you are one of the characters in that scene and you are sending a text-message on your cell phone to another character about what just happened in the scene. You want to get your message out quickly, so you need to keep it short. Limit yourself to 25 words FOR EACH MESSAGE and don't be afraid to use short hand or abbreviations. The challenge will be for you to accurately summarize the action and to stay in character while staying within the limit. You need a total of three (3) text messages - one per scene.

EXAMPLE: Scene 1 - Mercutio to Romeo (I could have also chosen to be Romeo or Benvolio)

Where r u?? in bed? Ignoring us? B said you were over a wall. I called - no answer. Tired. going to bed. C U 2morrow?


3. The importance of a person's name comes into question in scene 2 when Juliet asks "What’s in a name?" (line 46). She and Romeo both wish, of course, that his last name were not Montague. Also, earlier in scene 1, Mercutio calls Romeo all sorts of different names.

How important do you think names are? How much of one's identity is linked to one's name - either first name, last name. or both? How about nicknames?

Act 1 Review

Answer ALL of the following questions. They will help you to review.

1. Looking back at scene 4, summarize how ROMEO feels about dreams and how MERCUTIO feels about dreams. How much importance does each of them give dreams? (Remember that Romeo dreams of something bad happening.) Whose attitude toward dreams (Romeo's or Mercutio's) do you most agree with? EXPLAIN why.

2. Scene 4 doesn't further the plot, so why is this scene important to the play? Even if you aren't sure, throw out some possible ideas.

3. List the important events in scene 5.

4. Looking back at scenes 1-4 and the "love/marriage" chart, whose view on love and marriage do you most identify with? Summarize what their view is and EXPLAIN why you most identify with it.

5. Generate two more questions that would test your knowledge of scenes 1 and 2. Answer these questions.