Exploring Benvolio and Mercutio as Romeo's counsellors in Act 1, Scene 4
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain Benvolio and Mercutio’s advice to Romeo in Act 1, Scene 4 and how it relates to the theme of love and fate.
Key learning points
- Our first impressions of Benvolio imply that he will play the role of the peace-maker in the play.
- Our first impressions of Mercutio suggest that he will be a character who provides comic relief.
- Benvolio and Mercutio’s advice to Romeo suggests that they don’t see love as emotional whereas Romeo does.
- Mercutio’s ‘Queen Mab’ speech suggests that dreams are merely wish-fulfillment.
- Romeo’s prophetic dream suggests that we cannot escape our fate.
Keywords
Portentous - something that seems to be a sign related to a future event — generally an ominous sign
Mercurial - changing suddenly and often; intelligent, enthusiastic, quick
Fate - the development of events outside a person's control, regarded as predetermined by a supernatural power
Divination - the skill or act of saying or discovering what will happen in the future
Innuendo - a remark or remarks that suggest something sexual or something unpleasant but do not refer to it directly
Common misconception
That everyone in Elizabethan England thought dreams were profound and important.
Mercutio's 'Queen Mab' speech implies that dreams are inconsequential and merely wish-fulfillment.
Teacher tip
If you have time, it might be useful to explore Mercutio's 'Queen Mab' speech in more detail and what it suggests about the nature of dreams.
Equipment
You may wish to have a copy of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' for this lesson.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sexual content
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.In Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', Romeo is in love with __________ at the beginning of the play.
Q2.At the start of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', Romeo's unrequited love makes him feel...
Q3.'The development of events outside a person's control, regarded as predetermined by a supernatural power' is the definition of which word beginning with 'f'?
Q4.To say that something is 'empty' implies that it is ...
Q5.Describing a beam of light as "watery" suggests that it is a ...
Q6.To be 'mercurial' means to be which of the following?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.In Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', Benvolio's name means which of the following?
Q2.In Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', Mercutio's advice to Romeo contains which of the following?
Q3.In Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', Romeo's dream in Act 1, Scene 4 suggests that something __________ will happen at Lord Capulet's ball.
Q4.In Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', Mercutio's 'Queen Mab' speech implies that dreams are which of the following?
Q5.'The skill or act of saying or discovering what will happen in the future' is the definition of which word?
Q6.'Something that seems to be a sign related to a future event — generally an ominous sign' is the definition of which of the following?
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: Exploring Benvolio and Mercutio as Romeo's counsellors in Act 1, Scene 4, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: Exploring Benvolio and Mercutio as Romeo's counsellors in Act 1, Scene 4, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 English lessons from the Romeo and Juliet: exploring the role of love and fate unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.