English Journal - Shakespeare Unit
Journal 12(Rewrite a passage of "Romeo & Juliet" in modern english min. 10 lines.)
(Act 5 Secene 3 Lines 228-268)
Friar Lawerance:
I will be brief, for my short date of breath
Is not so long as is a tedious tale.
Romeo, there dead, was husband to that Juliet;
And she, there dead, that Romeo's faithful wife:
I married them; and their stol'n marriage day
Was Tybalt's doomsday, whose untimely death
Banish'd the new-made bridegroom from this city;
For whom, and not for Tybalt, Juliet pin'd.
You, to remove that siege of grief from her,
Betroth'd, and would have married her perforce,
To County Paris:--then comes she to me,
And with wild looks, bid me devise some means
To rid her from this second marriage,
Or in my cell there would she kill herself.
Then gave I her, so tutored by my art,
A sleeping potion; which so took effect
As I intended, for it wrought on her
The form of death: meantime I writ to Romeo
That he should hither come as this dire night,
To help to take her from her borrow'd grave,
Being the time the potion's force should cease.
But he which bore my letter, Friar John,
Was stay'd by accident; and yesternight
Return'd my letter back. Then all alone
At the prefixed hour of her waking
Came I to take her from her kindred's vault;
Meaning to keep her closely at my cell
Till I conveniently could send to Romeo:
But when I came,--some minute ere the time
Of her awaking,--here untimely lay
The noble Paris and true Romeo dead.
She wakes; and I entreated her come forth
And bear this work of heaven with patience:
But then a noise did scare me from the tomb;
And she, too desperate, would not go with me,
But, as it seems, did violence on herself.
All this I know; and to the marriage
Her nurse is privy: and if ought in this
Miscarried by my fault, let my old life
Be sacrific'd, some hour before his time,
Unto the rigour of severest law.
My Rewrite:
I will tell you what happened. Romeo and Juliet are dead.
I married them the day Tybalt died. When Juliet learned that Romeo had been banished she was devastated, though you all thought it was for Tybalt she grieved, it was not. It was for her lost Romeo; and that she was to marry Count Paris a few days later. She came to me, frantic and suicidal. She begged me to help her avoid the second marriage and threatened to kill herself if I did not. So, I then gave her a sleeping potion, as I have been known to dabble in such things, which made it look like she had died. Meanwhile, I had written to Romeo to tell him to come to Juliet’s grave and there she would awaken and they could steal off together.
That didn’t go as planned however, Friar John, who was to deliver the message to Romeo was detained unexpectedly last night and had today come to return the letter. So I came here, I was going to take Juliet back to my place and keep her there until I could let Romeo know where she was; but when I came I saw Romeo and Paris lying here on the ground, dead. Juliet then woke up and I begged her to come with me and confess what we had done when I heard people coming. Juliet would not come with me so scared, I ran out; and then she killed her self in desperation.
That is all I know, and as for the marriage, her nurse new about it too. If this is my entire fault then let me be punished to the fullest extent of the law, for I am sorry.
Journal 13
(Discuss Romeo's Character)
Romeo, the son of the powerful Montague, holds a high noble stature in Verona. In Act 1, Benvolio makes reference to his "noble uncle," Lord Montague, declaring his high class in Verona's society. Even Lord Capulet refers to Romeo's stature at his party and states "Verona brags of him...a bears him like a partly gentlemen."
Romeo also possesses the tragic flaw of falling in love too quickly. In Act 1, Romeo states, "Not having that which makes having short," illustrating the depth in which Romeo believed he was in live with Rosaline. Romeo's family and friends attempt to cheer him up but depression wins out until he meets Juliet. This fast and fancy-free attitude seems prevalent in Romeo as he seems to react purely out of emotion and drama with little fore thought to the consequences of his actions/emotions.
Journal 15.
(Discuss a theme of the play and cite examples)
The theme of death is portrayed many times by the characters Mercutio, Romeo, and Juliet. The first instance of this theme was in act 3 when Mercutio challenged Tybalt to a sword fight. 'Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find a grave man.'(3.1.104) Also as Mercutio is dying he says 'Help me into some house, Benvolio, Or I shall Faint.' (3.1.113.) Both quotes show how Mercutio partook in the death theme.
In Act 5, Romeo again reveals the death theme. Upon hearing of Juliet's death, he is so heartbroken that he goes to the apothecary to get poison so he can join Juliet. 'To Juliet's grave; for there must I use thee.' (5.1.93). When Romeo is about to drink the poison he says, 'Here's to my love! [Drinks.] O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die. [Falls.]' (5.3.122). This shows how Romeo loves Juliet, so much so that he is willing to die to be with her.'
After Juliet wakes up from her death-like sleep, she sees Romeo's dead corpse and like him, wants to join him in death. 'O churl! Drunk all, and left no friendly drop to help me after? I will kiss his lips. Haply some poison yet doth hang on them. To make me die with a restorative.' (5.4.163-164) shows how desperate she is to join him and ‘O happy dagger! [Snatches Romeo's dagger.] This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die. [She stabs herself and falls.]’ (5.4.169-170) shows her following through.
All these quotes show how the theme death was portrayed by the characters Mercutio, Romeo, and Juliet in the play Romeo and Juliet. This theme was very important to the play for it is the core of the tragedy and helps to heighten the emotional sensitivity of the characters which helps accelerate the pace of the plot.
Journal 16
(Write a response to the play, in any form you wish.)
Dearest Brother Laurence,
I regret to have heard about your recent dismal from the church by the cardinal. In light of your attempts to bring peace to the feuding families of Verona, one would assume they would have been more lenient. I must relay that my heart is heavily saddened by this news. It appears as ever my friend that the minds of the politicians are incomprehensible to the hearts of the clergy. I wish you well in your endeavors, I hear the Americas is a place for those who are looking for a second chance, I think our talents and adventuring spirit would be appreciated there more so, dare I say, than here.
Again my brother, my prayers are with you and I wish you all the best.
May god be with you,
Friar John.
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