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Year 11
AQA

'Romeo and Juliet': exploring the relationship between adults and adolescents

I can explore the societal expectations around adolescent behaviour and parental control in ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

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Year 11
AQA

'Romeo and Juliet': exploring the relationship between adults and adolescents

I can explore the societal expectations around adolescent behaviour and parental control in ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Arguably, Shakespeare suggests that adolescence was associated with impulsiveness in Elizabethan England.
  2. Therefore, we might suggest that the tragedy of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ was in part due to societal expectations of youth.
  3. Shakespeare presents parental relationships as distant and separate from their children.
  4. Potentially, we might see Shakespeare as questioning ideas of parental control and children's obedience.

Keywords

  • Stereotype - a set idea that people have about what someone or something is like

  • Societal expectations - the beliefs and norms that a society holds about how individuals should behave and act

  • Adolescent - (of a young person) in the process of developing from a child into an adult

  • Impulsive - showing behaviour in which you do things suddenly without any planning

  • Autonomy - the ability to make your own decisions about what to do

Common misconception

That parents have always taken their children's wishes into account.

In Elizabethan England, children were expected to act in a way that would benefit their family through work or marriage.


To help you plan your year 11 english lesson on: 'Romeo and Juliet': exploring the relationship between adults and adolescents, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

You could extend the discussion in LC2 to think about how we might see the surrogate parents, the Nurse and Friar Lawrence, as also trying to exert control over Romeo and Juliet.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

You may wish to have a copy of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' for this lesson.

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Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of mental health issues
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision required

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', which of the following is true of Lord Capulet and Juliet?
Lord Capulet supports Juliet's decision to marry whoever she wants.
Correct answer: Lord Capulet tries to force Juliet to marry Count Paris.
Lord Capulet doesn't want Juliet to marry anyone.
Q2.
To be obedient means which of the following?
To do what you want to do.
Correct answer: To do what you are told to do.
To question someone's authority.
Q3.
'A set idea that people have about what someone or something is like' is the definition of which word beginning with 's'?
Correct Answer: stereotype, stereotypical , Stereotype
Q4.
'To behave in line with socially acceptable conventions or standards' is the definition of which word beginning with 'c'?
Correct Answer: conform, conformity , Conform
Q5.
'(Of a young person) in the process of developing from a child into an adult' is the definition of which word beginning with 'a'?
Correct Answer: adolescent, adolescence , Adolescent
Q6.
'The beliefs and norms that a society holds about how individuals should behave and act' is the definition of societal .
Correct Answer: expectations, Expectations, Expectation, expectation

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following are stereotypical behaviours of adolescents?
rationality
seriouseness
Correct answer: rashness
Correct answer: irresponsibility
Q2.
Which of the following is true of Lord Montague's relationship with Romeo in Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet'?
They have a close relationship.
Correct answer: They have a distant relationship.
They have a volatile relationship.
Q3.
'Showing behaviour in which you do things suddenly without any planning' is the definition of which of the following?
responsible
accountable
Correct answer: impulsive
Q4.
In Act 3, Scene 5 of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', Lord Capulet refers to his word as which of the following?
Correct answer: decree
request
favour
Q5.
In Elizabethan England, children were expected to do which of the following?
Correct answer: obey their parents
challenge their parents
follow their own dreams
Correct answer: benefit their families
Q6.
'The ability to make your own decisions about what to do' is the definition of which word beginning with 'a'?
Correct Answer: autonomy, autonomous , Autonomy