Romeo and Juliet: the tragedy of societal expectations
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Why this why now
This unit uses and builds on all of the previous 'Romeo and Juliet' units. It enables pupils to develop deeper and more nuanced responses, and write in a more tentative and considered way. Pupils integrate their knowledge of love and fate, as well as masculinity and female agency, to consider how Shakespeare questions or reinforces Elizabethan societal expectations. This ensures that they have a more fully rounded understanding of the play and Shakespeare's intentions, and can write from a range of different perspectives.
Prior knowledge requirements
- Pupils know the plot of the play.
- Pupils know the main characters in the play and their role in the plot.
- Pupils have a detailed understanding of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's role in their own downfall.
- Pupils can structure arguments clearly, using thesis statements, topic sentences and single paragraph outlines.
- Pupils have memorised numerous quotations from the play and can select them judiciously for evidence.
- Pupils can identify the main motifs of the play - blood, sleep and nature.
- Pupils use the historical and social context of the play to support their analysis.
- Pupils can use tentative language to explore alternative interpretations.
- Pupils can use superlatives to evaluate an author's choice of language or structure.
- Pupils can draw clear conclusions to their arguments.
Why this why now
This unit uses and builds on all of the previous 'Romeo and Juliet' units. It enables pupils to develop deeper and more nuanced responses, and write in a more tentative and considered way. Pupils integrate their knowledge of love and fate, as well as masculinity and female agency, to consider how Shakespeare questions or reinforces Elizabethan societal expectations. This ensures that they have a more fully rounded understanding of the play and Shakespeare's intentions, and can write from a range of different perspectives.
Prior knowledge requirements
- Pupils know the plot of the play.
- Pupils know the main characters in the play and their role in the plot.
- Pupils have a detailed understanding of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's role in their own downfall.
- Pupils can structure arguments clearly, using thesis statements, topic sentences and single paragraph outlines.
- Pupils have memorised numerous quotations from the play and can select them judiciously for evidence.
- Pupils can identify the main motifs of the play - blood, sleep and nature.
- Pupils use the historical and social context of the play to support their analysis.
- Pupils can use tentative language to explore alternative interpretations.
- Pupils can use superlatives to evaluate an author's choice of language or structure.
- Pupils can draw clear conclusions to their arguments.
Literature
Romeo and Juliet: the tragedy of societal expectations
In this unit, pupils explore the tragedy of societal expectations in 'Romeo and Juliet'. They look at the problem through a range of different prisms, including the tension between individualism and the status quo. They plan and write an essay on Shakespeare's presentation of societal expectations.
7 lessons in unit
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