R&J Argumentative Essay

In Romeo and Juliet, what does the expression "star-crossed lovers" mean?

• Their relationship will not work out.

• Their relationship will end in death.

• Their relationship was meant to be.

• Their relationship was already planned a long, long time ago.

For the Romeo and Juliet argumentative essay, what should you assume that you reader already knows (and therefore is information you should not add to your essay)?

Check all that apply.

• Who Shakespeare was.

• A basic summary of Romeo and Juliet.

• All the characters’ names & their basic descriptions.

• How Romeo and Juliet both die.

"When you’re writing a persuasive essay, you need more than just an opinion to make your voice heard. Even the strongest stance won’t be compelling if it’s not structured properly and reinforced with ___________"

• Intelligent logic.

• Well organized ideas.

• Solid reasoning and evidence.

• Clear explanation and analysis.

What should be your goal in writing your argumentative essay on Romeo and Juliet?

• To present strong evidence.

• To write with lots of imagery and figurative language.

• To show why Romeo and Juliet died.

• To convince your reader that your thesis is correct.

Another word for a thesis is...

• Claim.

• Main idea.

• Theme.

• Tone.

Where should you include your thesis statement in your argumentative essay?

• The first sentence

• The last sentence of your introduction

• The last sentence of your essay

• The first body paragraph

What should your thesis be supported by?

• Personal opinions, logic, morality, or philosophy

• External research

• Textual evidence

• Hypothetical logic

• Movie versions of the play

A reference to the source of information used in your writing is called...

• Textual evidence

• Quotes

• A citation

• A source

Which Shakespearean citation is correctly written for the second sentence in the passage below?

Lady Capulet, for instance, demands Romeo’s life for killing her nephew (III, i, 179-180). Since Escalus originally told both the Montagues and the Capulets, “If ever you disturb our streets again / Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace” [CITATION], Lady Capulet’s claim has merit.

• I, i, 91-92

• (I, i, 91-92)

• In Act 1, scene 1, lines 91-92

• (91-92)

Which is the BEST way to smoothly incorporate a direct quote into the following paragraph?

Prince Escalus, the ruler of Verona, plays a significant role in Romeo and Juliet's tragic ending. He failed to enforce the law and maintain order in his city, which allowed the Montagues and Capulets to continue their feud unchecked. When the two families' violence escalates, . . .

• Prince Escalus decrees, "If ever you disturb our streets again, / Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace" (II, i, 91-92).

• In the text, it says, "If ever you disturb our streets again, / Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace" (II, i, 91-92).

• Shakespeare writes, "If ever you disturb our streets again, / Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace" (II, i, 91-92).

• "If ever you disturb our streets again, / Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace" (II, i, 91-92).

Answer explanation

The BEST way to smoothly incorporate a quote from a play into an essay is to introduce the quote with the speaker's name.

Using the playwright's name, the pronoun "it," or sticking the quote into the paragraph are all much weaker methods. Always maintain grammatical structures when incorporating quotes.