Penguin Readers Factsheets

Level 3 – Pre-Intermediate
Teacher’s Notes

Romeo and Juliet

by William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet

Instead, he hears that Juliet, his true love, is dead. He decides to
Summary go to her side and poison himself so that the couple can be
together in death. When Romeo arrives at the vault Paris is already
The play begins with two servants of the Capulet family meeting there, placing flowers with the ‘dead’ Juliet. Paris attacks Romeo,
two servants of the Montague family in the town square in Verona. and Romeo kills Paris. Then he kisses Juliet, drinks his poison, and
They exchange unpleasant words and begin fighting with their dies. Only moments later Juliet lifts her head, and finds her love
swords. This robust fight is interrupted by Benvolio, another dead beside her. She kisses his lips hoping to taste some poison
Montague, who then gets drawn into the fight as well. They are so that she too will die. She hears the sound of guards, and
joined by some of the townspeople, while other townspeople shout wishing to die quickly, she picks up Romeo’s sword and kills
‘Down with the Capulets!’ and others shout ‘Down with the herself. The tragedy ends with Capulet and Montague, two sad
Montagues!’ This sets the scene for the long and bitter battle fathers, becoming friends because that is all they can do for their
between these two noble families, an important plot element that children now.
runs through the play.
The young Romeo is hopelessly in love with the beautiful
Rosaline and decides to go to Lord Capulet’s party to see her. But About the author
at the party he sees the beautiful Juliet across the room and
Rosaline is forgotten. The couple meet and they immediately fall in
William Shakespeare lived from 1564–1616. In the late 1580s he
love. This secret love between a Capulet and a Montague is most
left his family in order to go to London to write plays and to work as
beautifully expressed when Romeo stands under Juliet’s window
an actor. It did not take long for the theatre company that
that night and they decide to run away and marry. Romeo goes to
Shakespeare was in to become the best and the richest of all the
Friar Laurence, who decides to help them only because he hopes
companies. From 1599–1613, Shakespeare and his theatre
this marriage will bring the two families together at last. Juliet’s
company performed in the Globe Theatre on the banks of the River
nurse gets drawn into the plan and helps them too. The Friar
Thames in South London. The Globe was destroyed by fire during
marries them, Juliet returns to her parents’ house and waits for
a performance of Henry VIII in 1613. A new Globe was built and
Romeo to return that night. In Act 3, another sword fight in the town
Shakespeare became one of the four owners. He was a poet, a
square results in Tybalt killing Mercutio and Romeo killing Tybalt in
playwright and a great intellect. He understood the complete range
revenge. When the Prince discovers what has happened, he
of emotions and motives of his fellow human beings and he could
banishes Romeo from Verona. As Juliet waits for the sun to set so
write with extremely clever words and images. He wrote thirty-
that Romeo can come for her, the news of Tybalt’s death and
seven plays, which are as popular today as they were in
Romeo’s banishment is brought to her. The broken-hearted Romeo
Elizabethan England.
goes to the Friar for help. Juliet’s nurse arrives at Friar Laurence’s
with a ring from Juliet and a message asking him to come and say
goodbye to her. The action then moves away from the lovers and
to the house of the Capulets, where Lord Capulet tells the young Background and themes
noble man, Paris, that he may marry Juliet in three days’ time.
Romeo returns that night to say goodbye to Juliet and to assure her Romeo and Juliet deals with innocence and the power of love, and
that the Prince will forgive him after he learns about their marriage. contrasts it with the total destruction brought on by hatred and
After Romeo leaves, Lord and Lady Capulet deliver the news to revenge. At the same time that the play reveals what controls the
Juliet of her planned marriage to Paris. In desperation, Juliet seeks hearts and dominates the minds of those who love and who are
help from the Friar once again. When she arrives, Paris is there willing to die for love, it reveals the hearts and minds of those who
and is telling the Friar about his marriage to Juliet. The Friar sends lie, deceive and plot against others. Shakespeare’s most famous
Paris away and tells Juliet his plan to drug her so that she appears tragedy revolves around the lives of two families and their servants.
dead in her bed. It seems a good plan. Everyone except the lovers While it takes place in Verona, Italy, it could happen anywhere. The
and the Friar will think she’s dead and her family will put her body joy, hope and fear that each family feels is felt by all humans
in the vault. But then Romeo can return at night from Mantua when through all time.
Juliet is waking up from her deep sleep and he can take her back
there with him. But Romeo does not hear about the plan in time.

© Pearson Education Limited 2002

Penguin Readers Factsheets

Level 3 – Pre-Intermediate
Teacher’s Notes

Acts 2 and 3
Communicative activities
1 Write these sentences from Act 2 on the board. Ask students
to work in pairs and to discuss what Shakespeare wants us
The following teacher-led activities cover the same sections of text
to understand by these words. Do they agree with him?
as the exercises at the back of the reader, and supplement those
Afterwards, compare students’ answers.
exercises. For supplementary exercises see the photocopiable
Student’s Activities pages of this Factsheet. These are primarily for (a) If we call a rose by a different name, it will still smell just
use with class Readers but, with the exception of discussion and as sweet.
pair/groupwork questions, can also be used by students working (b) Sometimes even bad things can do good.
alone in a self-access center. (c) Young men don’t fall in love with their hearts, only with
their eyes.
ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK (d) These strong feelings of love don’t bring happiness. They
burn, and then they die.
1 Find out how many of your students have read or seen the

Romeo and Juliet

play or seen the movie Romeo and Juliet. Elicit from the 2 Write on the board, ‘Banishment is more terrible than death’
class the names of the characters and their relationships to and ask the students to work in small groups and to discuss
each other. Write the names on a large sheet of paper stuck how Nurse, Friar Laurence, Romeo and Juliet feel about this
on the wall. Draw links between parents and children, statement and why. If the students were Romeo or Juliet,
relatives and friends. Make sure everyone can pronounce the would they prefer banishment or death?
names correctly. The students will probably not be able to
3 Ask students to open their books to page 30. Put them in
give very many names at this stage, so ask them to open
groups of three, each student taking a part. Ask them to
their books to page viii to complete the wall chart. Keep it on
prepare a role play starting with ‘You silly boy, listen to me’
the wall as a reference source while students read or perform
and finishing with [Romeo gets up] on page 31. They must do
the play. If the students are going to perform the play, now is
the actions and try to use the correct intonation. Then
a good time for them to choose their parts. If you have more
students can vote for the best performance.
students than characters, the others can be townspeople, or
they can be the directors. Acts 4 and 5
2 Ask the students to look at the cover and to say what they 1 Put students into groups of five and ask them to role-play Act
think Romeo is saying to Juliet in this scene from the film. 4 scene 2. They must not only read the lines correctly, but
Then ask them to look at the illustrations in the book and to they must understand the stage directions, moving, entering
say who is speaking the words in the captions. Why is the and leaving as indicated. They should use facial expressions
speaker saying these words and to whom? and try to convey the correct emotions. Choose the best
group and ask them to perform for the rest of the class first.
3 Explain that in Act I the Capulets will give a party and the
Then the other groups can perform their role play.
young men will arrive wearing masks so that when the boys
ask the girls to dance, the girls will not know who they are 2 Ask the students to work in small groups and to discuss why
dancing with. Tell them that Romeo, Benvolio and Mercutio Shakespeare had Paris and Lady Montague die in the story.
decide to go to the Capulet’s party as uninvited guests. Put How does he want us to feel about their deaths? Do the
the students into small groups and ask them to discuss what students feel sorry for them?
they think, or know, happens at this party. How do Tybalt and
Lord Capulet feel when they discover Montagues have been
in the Capulet house? How does Juliet feel?
Glossary
ACTIVITIES AFTER READING A SECTION
Act 1 servant (n) a person who is paid to do
Act 1 personal services for someone,
act (n) one of the main divisions of a
stage play especially in their house
1 After the students have read aloud their parts for the first
scene of Act I, put the class in groups of four. They will take character (n) a person in a book, play, sword (n) a weapon with a long sharp
film, etc. metal blade and a handle
the parts of Sampson, Gregory, Abram and Balthasar. Each
group will role-play page 1 up to when Benvolio speaks. gentleman (n) a man who behaves Acts 2 and 3
well towards others and always acts banish (v) to send away by official
Listen and correct pronunciation and intonation as needed.
honourably order, usually from one’s own country
Give them fifteen minutes to prepare their role-plays, then
grave (n) the place in the ground curse (n) words asking God to make
ask them to perform for each other. Students can vote for the where a dead person is buried something evil or harmful happen to
best performance and have a class discussion about what heaven (n) the place where God or the someone
was particularly good, not so good and why. gods are supposed to live friar (n) a man belonging to a Christian
2 After students have read aloud their parts for the rest of Act I, lord (n) a man of noble rank religious group
ask them to discuss these questions in small groups. mask (n) a covering for the face or for poison (n) a substance that can cause
part of the face illness or death if taken into the body
(a) How do Lord and Lady Capulet feel about Juliet marrying master (n) a man in control of people rope (n) a strong thick cord made by
Paris? twisting together threads of cotton
noble (adj) of or belonging to the
(b) Why doesn’t Romeo really want to go to the Capulet’s highest social class in society vault (n) a room under a church where
party? peace (n) a condition in which there is bodies of dead people are placed
(c) How does Shakespeare show us that simple mistakes no war between people Acts 4 and 5
can turn to danger? scene (n) (in a play) a division within crowbar (n) an iron bar
an act used to force open a
box, door, etc.

© Pearson Education Limited 2002 Published and distributed by Pearson Education

Factsheet written by Coleen Degnan-Veness
Factsheet series developed by Louise James
Penguin Readers Factsheets

Level 3 – Pre-Intermediate
Student’s activities

Romeo and Juliet

by William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet

ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK (b) ‘Go and find the people on this list. Invite them to my
party this evening.’
1 Read the Introduction and answer these questions.
(c) ‘Can you read, sir?’
(a) Where do the Capulets and Montagues live? (d) ‘Your great love, Rosaline, is going to be at this party.”
(b) Who tries to help Romeo and Juliet? (e) ‘I’ll look at him and try to like him.’
(c) Who laughs and jokes about love? ( f ) ‘I have a feeling that this party tonight is going to be the
(d) Who does not understand Juliet? start of something terrible.’
(e) Where did Shakespeare get his ideas for Romeo and (g) ‘If he’s married, I’ll never have a wedding-bed, only a
Juliet? grave.’
2 Read page vii then close your books and choose the correct Acts 2 and 3
words for the gaps below.

Photocopiable
1 Match the adjectives with the name of the character they best
actions act actors characters scenes play describe in Act 2.
Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet for (a) __________ on Adjectives: (a) amusing (b) beautiful (c) brave (d) calm
a theatre stage. You can read the (b) __________ in a group (e) uncomfortable (f) excited (g) frightened (h) grateful
with other people. You can speak the words and bring the (i) nervous (j) impatient (k) romantic (l) rude
(c) __________ to life. But you can have more fun if you (m) sensible (n) worried
(d) __________ the play. There are wonderful love
Characters: Romeo, Juliet, Friar, Mercutio, Benvolio, Nurse
(e) __________ The characters can show their feelings by
their words and by their ( f ) __________ 2 Circle the correct word in each sentence.
(a) A vault/curse on both your families!
ACTIVITIES WHILE READING THE BOOK
(b) Tybalt pushed his sword/rope into Mercutio under
Act 1 Romeo’s arm.
(c) And for this crime, I am going to return/banish him from
1 Are these sentences right or wrong? Correct the wrong
Verona.
sentences.
(d) Romeo planned to use the medicine/rope as a pathway
(a) Sampson and Gregory want to fight with the Montague’s to my bed.
servants. (e) Tell her that on Thursday this noble/old gentleman will
(b) Benvolio starts a fight with Tybalt. marry her.
(c) Prince Escalus wants peace in the streets of Verona. ( f ) We look dark/pale because we’re so sad.
(d) Romeo has been seen in the wood after the sun comes (g) Put my wedding-bed in the dark vault/room where
up. Tybalt’s body lies.
(e) When Romeo looks at other women, he thinks more
3 Answer these questions.
about Rosaline.
( f ) Paris thinks that Juliet is too young to be his wife. (a) What will Juliet send to Romeo at nine o’clock?
(b) What is the Friar putting into his bag?
2 Put the sentences into the correct order.
(c) What will happen if somebody tastes the flower?
(a) ___ Sampson makes a rude face. (d) Why was the Friar unhappy about Romeo’s love for
(b) ___ Lord Montague tries to join the fight. Rosaline?
(c) ___ Benvolio tries to stop the fight. (e) Why did Romeo kill Tybalt?
(d) ___ Tybalt attacks Benvolio. ( f ) What does Lady Capulet ask the Prince to do after she
(e) ___ Prince Escalus stops the fight and tells everyone to finds Tybalt?
go home except Capulet. (g) What does the Prince say will happen to Romeo if he is
( f ) ___ Gregory tells Sampson to get ready to fight with his found in Verona?
sword.
(g) ___ Romeo arrives.
(h) ___ Abram says that Sampson is lying.
(i) ___ Lord Capulet calls for his sword.
3 Who are the speakers, who are they speaking to and why?
(a) ‘But now, sir, what do you say to my hopes of marrying
your daughter, Juliet?’

© Pearson Education Limited 2002

Penguin Readers Factsheets

Level 3 – Pre-Intermediate
Student’s activities

Acts 4 and 5
1 Read each question about Act 4 and circle Yes or No.
(a) Is the Friar happy about Paris’s plan to marry Juliet?
YES NO
(b) Does Paris think Juliet is sad about Romeo’s death?
YES NO
(c) Does the Friar think Juliet is brave?
YES NO
(d) Will the Friar’s medicine kill Juliet?
YES NO
(e) Will Paris think Juliet is dead in her bed?
YES NO

Romeo and Juliet

( f ) Will the Friar ask Romeo to return to Verona?
YES NO
(g) Will Juliet wake up inside the vault?
YES NO
(h) Does Juliet lie to her father?
YES NO
( i ) Does Lord Capulet go to bed after Juliet promises to
marry Paris? YES NO
( j ) Before Juliet drinks the medicine, is she very brave
and happy? YES NO
2 In Act 5, who gives these things? To who?

Photocopiable
(a) news about Juliet
(b) gold
(c) poison
(d) a letter for Romeo
(e) a crowbar
(f) a letter for Lord Montague
3 Complete these sentences.
(a) Friar John didn’t take the letter to Romeo because
(b) Paris and his servant arrive at the Capulet’s vault
because
(c) Romeo breaks into the vault because
(d) Romeo kills himself because
(e) Juliet kisses Romeo’s mouth because
( f ) Juliet picks up Romeo’s knife because

ACTIVITIES AFTER READING THE BOOK

1 Imagine you are Friar Laurence at the end of the play. Write
about what you did in a letter to the Capulets and Lord
Montague. Write about how you feel you were right or wrong.
2 When you go to the theatre to see a play, you can buy a
programme. Write one page for the programme. Tell your
readers what Shakespeare wanted people to feel at the end
of the play. What did he want people to think about?

© Pearson Education Limited 2002 Published and distributed by Pearson Education

Factsheet written by Coleen Degnan-Veness
Factsheet series developed by Louise James