A Quick Synopsis of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet (Contains Plot Spoilers)The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is about two star-crossed lovers from feuding families, who take their own lives. Through a series of unfortunate events, fate and chance turn against the lovers. Romeo, a Montague, and Juliet, a Capulet, meet at a party thrown by Juliet’s family. Romeo only attends because his friend says it will help Romeo get over a girl, Rosaline. Romeo had loved Rosilane, but she rejected him. When Romeo lays eyes on Juliet, he forgets he ever had other devotions. Later that evening, he sneaks to Juliet’s balcony and professes his love. Juliet, who has also fallen in love with Romeo, asks him to make a serious gesture, to prove his love. He asks her to marry him, and she agrees.

Using Friar Lawrence and Juliet’s Nurse as intermediaries, wedding plans commence. However, Tybalt, a Capulet, goes out in search for the Montagues who crashed the party. A duel ensues, and Romeo’s best friend, Mercutio, is killed, causing Romeo to slay Tybalt. The Prince of Verona had previously warned the quarrelers that if one more disturbance was made, those involved would be put to death. However, because Mercutio was the Prince’s kinsman, Romeo is exiled instead of killed.

Juliet finds out that Romeo has killed her cousin and is devastated, not by the loss of life, but over the banishment of her lover. They again devise a plan to be together, but an obstacle presents itself: Juliet’s father has arranged for her to marry Count Paris in two days time. Friar Lawrence convinces Juliet to take a sleeping potion in order to appear dead, and promises to send word to Romeo.

The plan is for Romeo to wake her in her tomb, and take her away with him. The plan begins as discussed, however, a dramatic irony unfolds: Romeo does not receive the letter intended for him about the Friar’s plan. Instead, he hears Juliet is dead and decides to enter her grave and take his own life. He goes to an apothecary and purchases poison. When he reaches the tomb, he encounters Paris, who is also there to mourn Juliet. Upset, Romeo kills Paris and enters the tomb, drinking the poison.

Moments later, Juliet awakes and finds Romeo dead. Distraught, she takes the dagger from his belt and stabs herself. In the end, Friar Lawrence confesses the story to the Capulets and Montagues. Knowing that their enmity was the reason for the senseless loss of lives, the two men agree to end their longstanding feud.

Essential Questions For Romeo and Juliet:

1. What is love?2. Would you go against all your friends and family to follow your heart?3. Are our actions determined by fate, by chance, or by our free will?

Creating a Five Act Structure Diagram Storyboard

 Print ActivityGrade Level: 9-10

Difficulty Level: 2 (Reinforcing / Developing)

Type of Assignment: Individual or Group

Type of Activity: The Five Act Play (Dramatic Structure)

Common Core Standards:

[ELA-Literacy/RL/9-10/2] Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text

[ELA-Literacy/RL/9-10/3] Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme

[ELA-Literacy/RL/9-10/5] Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise

Students can create and show a storyboard that captures the concept of a Five Act Structure by making a six cell storyboard, like the one below. For each cell, have students create a scene that follows the acts in order: Prologue, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Denouement.

For The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, the Exposition or Prologue is created in the first cell. Like a modern day movie trailer, the prologue for The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet gives the audience a preview of events to come, and give us insight into the characters, setting, and background.

Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands

unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Do with their

death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children's end,

nought could remove, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

William Shakespeare The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

Cell two details the Conflict: the two lovers cannot be together because of their families' long feud.

The Rising Action introduces the secret marriage of the two lovers, as well as the arranged marriage of Juliet to Paris, and the death of Mercutio and Tybalt. It also includes the fake death of Juliet, and the banishment of Romeo.

The Climax begins when Juliet and Friar Lawrence's plan goes awry. The banished Romeo is supposed to get a letter telling him Juliet is only feigning her death. However, the outbreak of a plague stops the letter's delivery. Instead, Romeo gets word that Juliet is dead. On impulse, he seeks out an apothecary, buys poison, and heads to Juliet's family tomb. Romeo plans to commit suicide beside her body.

The Falling Action includes Romeo's visit to the tomb and his duel with Paris. After killing Paris, Romeo continues to Juliet's grave, and takes his life. Moments later that Juliet awakes. Consumed with grief, she takes her own life as well.

The Denouement or Conclusion of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet culminates with the Friar's version of the lovers' story. Friar Lawrence and the Nurse expound the truth to the Prince, the Capulets, and to the Montagues. In the resolution, the sad tone and moral of the story is evident as the two families agree to reconcile and erect monuments in the lovers' honor.