Romeo and Juliet: Theme Connections

Romeo and Juliet
Theme Connections

By Emileigh Eiden

Multiple Choice

What is theme? 

• The attitude and mood of a piece of literature

• Something tangible that represents something else

• A universal message that we can learn from a novel, situation, etc. 

• An statement that is exaggerated

Theme is the universal message of a story!

It's mean to act as a lesson for the reader to learn from that can apply to anyone and anything! Stories can have multiple themes- like Romeo and Juliet!

Open Ended

What one ONE POSSIBLE theme you can think of for Romeo and Juliet?

1. "People will go to extremes for love."

2. "You have a responsibility to your family."

3. "There is no honor in needless violence and death."

4. "Do not defy authority."

5. "You may not be able to fight the inevitability of fate."

Here are the 5 themes that This lesson will dive into from Romeo and Juliet-
do you see your guess among them?

The themes of R&J

Romeo and Juliet is a play about two "star crossed" lovers, their passionate love, the trials they went through to be together, and the tragedy when they were unsuccessful.

Complete the following activities For this theme.

"People will go to extremes for love."

THEME #1

Categorize

Options (4)

Act 2

Act 4

Act 4

Act 3

Sort the following quotes into 2 QUOTES for "People will go to extremes for love." and 2 QUOTES for "Not this theme."

""People will go to extremes for love."

Not this theme

Romeo and Juliet is a play about two "star crossed" lovers, their passionate love, the trials they went through to be together, and the tragedy when they were unsuccessful.

Complete the following activities For this theme.

"You have a responsibility to your family."

THEME #2

Categorize

Options (4)

Act 3

Act 2

Act 1

Act 5

Sort the following quotes into 2 QUOTES for "You have a responsibility to your family." and 3 QUOTES for "Not this theme."

"...a responsibility to your family"

Not this theme

Romeo and Juliet is a play about two "star crossed" lovers, their passionate love, the trials they went through to be together, and the tragedy when they were unsuccessful.

Complete the following activities For this theme.

"There is no honor in needless violence and death."

THEME #3

Categorize

Options (4)

Act 3

Act 5

Act 2

Act 2

Sort the following quotes into 2 QUOTES for "There is no honor in needless violence and death." and 2 QUOTES for "Not this theme."

"... no honor in needless violence."

Not this theme.

Romeo and Juliet is a play about two "star crossed" lovers, their passionate love, the trials they went through to be together, and the tragedy when they were unsuccessful.

Complete the following activities For this theme.

"Do not defy authority."

THEME #4

Categorize

Options (4)

Act 3

Act 1

Act 2

Act 4

Sort the following quotes into 2 QUOTES for "Do not defy authority." and 2 QUOTES for "Not this theme."

"Do not defy authority."

Not this theme

Romeo and Juliet is a play about two "star crossed" lovers, their passionate love, the trials they went through to be together, and the tragedy when they were unsuccessful.

Complete the following activities For this theme.

"You may not be able to fight the inevitability of fate."

THEME #5

Categorize

Options (4)

Act 1

Prologue

Act 3

Act 4

Sort the following quotes into 2 QUOTES for "You may not be able to fight the inevitability of fate." and 2 QUOTES for "Not this theme."

"... the inevitability of fate."

Not this theme

Match

Now that we've found some quotes for each theme, match the characters to the theme they most identify with:

• Power of Love

• Family Duty

• Violence and Death

• Defying Authority

• Inevitability of Fate

Romeo and Juliet

Lord Capulet and Juliet

Tybalt and Mercutio

Montagues/Capulets and the Prince

Friar Lawrence and Romeo/Juliet

• Romeo and Juliet

• Lord Capulet and Juliet

• Tybalt and Mercutio

• Montagues/Capulets and the Prince

• Friar Lawrence and Romeo/Juliet

Theme is the message of a story....

Of the 5 themes covered, chose the one that you feel was the MOST obvious during your time reading Romeo and Juliet, and complete the following tasks all on that one theme.

Poll

Which theme do you feel was the MOST obvious during your time reading Romeo and Juliet?

• The Power of Love

• Family Duty

• Violence and Death

• Defying Authority

• The Inevitability of Fate

Draw

Draw an artistic representation of a scene that best embodies this theme- it does not have to be artistically perfect BUT I must be able to understand what I am seeing.

Open Ended

In a COMPLETE SENTENCE explain WHY you chose to draw the scene you did, and how it connects to your chosen theme- "I chose to draw the scene _______ because ______."