Choose one of the following topics and write a well-organized and well-crafted five paragraph essay.
1. Is Mercutio a foil to Romeo? A foil is a character whose personality or traits are the opposite of those of the the lead character; these differences point out and highlight the personality of the lead character. You should find quotations and examples from the play to support your thesis. You may want to use your Act 2 vocabulary packet to help you on this one.
2. Examine Shakespeare’s use of light and dark in literary tropes to illustrate Romeo’s mood in the play. For example, in the beginning of the play Romeo frequently refers to darkness and heaviness; it is when he meets Juliet that he begins to speak of lightness (“It is with love’s light wings did I o’er perch these walls...”) You must find examples to support your thesis.
3. Examine Shakespeare’s use of irony to enhance the suspense in the play. One might examine the dramatic irony in Act 4, Scene 2 in which Juliet’s mother informs her of her impending marriage to Paris. There are many examples of situational and dramatic irony, as well as some verbal irony, in ROMEO and JULIET. Give at least three examples of irony (one of each: situational, verbal, and dramatic) in the play.
4. Examine the role of women in the play: Juliet, the Nurse and Lady Capulet. Show how each responds to the crisis in her life: Juliet’s forced marriage to Paris; Lord Capulet’s abuse of the Nurse and Lady Capulet, and Juliet’s estrangement from the Nurse. You might also wish to consider Lady Capulet's life; in all probability she too was forced into an arranged marriage at the same age as Juliet. Notice in Act 4 Lady Capulet's response to Lord Capulet's sudden decision to change the wedding date. How much resistance does she offer? Does Lord Capulet even consider her objections? Consider too that this scene follows hard upon Act 4, Scene 2 in which Lord Capulet reacts violently to Juliet's refusal to bend to his will. Consider the Nurse's hard, realistic advice to Juliet. Did her life experiences teach her to be pragmatic and realistic?
5. Discuss the theme of the play, ROMEO and JULIET. Find examples to support what you believe is the theme of the play.
6. Throughout the play Romeo makes frequent references to the stars and to the prophetic power of dreams. However, is it the stars and dreams that lead to Romeo's and Juliet's deaths or is it just poor, rash judgment on his part that leads to tragedy? Be sure to use examples from the play to support your thesis.
7. Analyzing the text, find examples in which the characters' poor decisions lead to the tragedy. What better decisions could Lord and Lady Capulet, the Montagues, the Friar, the Nurse, Mercutio, Tybalt, and of course, Romeo and Juliet have made that would have averted tragedy? You might want to use your "consequences" paper to help you on this.
8. Compare and contrast Romeo and Juliet. How are they similar and how are they dissimilar?
9. Compare and contrast any two characters in the play. How is Benvolio a foil to Mercutio? Or how is Tybalt a foil to Mercutio? Or how is the Apothecary a foil to the Friar?
10. Discuss Shakespeare's use of literary language to enhance meaning in the play. Some of the literary language you may wish to consider are: personification, metaphor, simile, allusion, imagery, apostrophe and ironic devices. How does he use these devices to: reveal character or to enhance suspense or to reveal theme or to forward the plot.
You must include a rough draft along with your finished final draft.
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