5.16.18+and+5.17.18

Summarize/Review: Act. 1, Sn.1

Summary of Sn.2 and Sn. 3: Sn.2: Sn. 3:
 * Lord Capulet and Paris talk about Paris’ desire to marry Juliet.
 * Lord Capulet is all about the plan but he wants to let Juliet get a bit older before they marry as she is still a “stranger in the world”. He wants to give her two more years.
 * Paris says that girls younger than her are already “happy mothers” so she will be too.
 * Lord Capulet worries that girls who marry so young are “easily marred” aka they are forced to grow up too soon. He suggests that Paris go slowly and try to win her heart. He also suggests that his permission is only part of things; he wants Juliet to agree as well. If she wants to marry him, he’ll consent.
 * Lord Capulet then invites him to a party (masked party) that he’s having that evening.
 * Meanwhile, Capulet servants are heading out to invite people to the party. One runs into Romeo and Benvolio who are still talking about love.
 * Benvolio is in the middle of suggesting that the only way to cure a broken heart is to find new love, or at least a new “infection to thy eyes” when they run into the servingman.
 * Ironically, the servant can’t read, and he asks Romeo and Benvolio help read out the list, which they do. The servant is grateful, and says, as long as they’re not Montagues, they should come to the party tonight.
 * After the servingman runs off, Benvolio turns to Romeo and reminds him that Rosaline will be at the party, and a lot of other pretty women. They should go so that Romeo can get over her.
 * Romeo assures him that no one holds a candle to Rosaline (Foreshadowing!), but that he’ll still go so he can at least look at Rosaline.
 * Lady Capulet asks the Nurse to call Juliet.
 * When Juliet arrives, Lady Capulet tries to get Nurse to leave so they can talk in private, but then, as Nurse leaves, she calls her back to listen in as she acknowledges that the Nurse listens in anyway.
 * Lady Capulet reminds Nurse (and Juliet) that Juliet is of a “pretty age,” meaning young.
 * The Nurse then goes into a long-winded speech about how Juliet is not quite 14 and reminds them all of what was happening during the time of Juliet’s birth (and her own daughter’s death).
 * She prattles on, and finally Lady Capulet shushes her.
 * Nurse finally quiets down after remarking on how Juliet was the “prettiest babe she ever nursed” and how much joy it would bring her to see Juliet married someday.
 * Lady Capulet seizes the moment, to say, that marriage is exactly what she wants to talk to Juliet about. She asks her what her “disposition” is toward marriage.
 * Juliet calls it “an honor that [she] dreams not of”.
 * Nurse thinks that’s a smart response.
 * Lady Capulet says, well, it’s time to think of it now. Ladies younger than Juliet are already married with children, and Lady Capulet herself was a mother already at Juliet’s age. Plus, Paris wants to marry her.
 * Nurse says that Paris is a good catch and “a man of wax” aka he’s a pretty good looking guy as if her were carved out of wax.
 * Lady Capulet agrees saying that Verona’s never seen the likes of him.
 * She then goes on to ask Juliet what she thinks of him. Can she love him? She tells her that he’ll be at the party they’re having that night at the Capulet house so that she can “read o’er the volume of young Paris’ face, and find delight writ ther with beauty’s pen”. She continues the extended metaphor to Paris=a book, suggesting that all that this story lacks is a cover aka Juliet. She finishes by saying that Juliet would lose nothing (or she would not make herself “less”) nothing in marrying Paris, she would only gain.
 * Nurse makes a pregnancy joke, suggesting that she would not be less, but she would be “bigger” aka, she’ll get pregnant. Lady Capulet is speaking about physical elements too, but Nurse is a bit more base here.
 * Lady Capulet finally asks Juliet, in brief, “Can [she] like of Paris’ love” aka Will you accept his love?
 * Juliet, very rationally, responds that she’ll “look to like” and if “looking liking move,” or that she’ll try to like him, but that she can only “love” him as much as her parents allow. In other words, she’s acknowledging that she doesn’t have control here, over her marriage, or her heart in the sense that her parents are arranging this. A subtext is also that right now this is all superficial, and so the idea of loving Paris is too.
 * A servingman interrupts to tell them that the guests are arriving.
 * Lady Capulet leaves Juliet with the instruction that Paris is waiting for her, and the Nurse to tells her “seek happy nights to happy days,” or that Paris will bring her happy days and nights.

Watch: Movie version How does the movie version match up with the reading? Is this how you pictured the text? Is this an effective film version?

Sn. 4: Start reading--->Queen Mab speech and end of Act. 1, Sn. 4 Discuss Fate v. Free-will debate:
 * The “boys” aka Romeo, Benvolio, Mercutio, and some other random “maskers” prepare to crash the Capulet party.
 * Romeo asks if they should give a speech when they get to the door (an old tradition).
 * Benvolio claims that this is an outdated tradition to be so wordy. He suggests that they can judge them as they will, and that they’ll do a little dance and then be on their way.

Close Reading: Queen Mab speech

> >> >> >>
 * Ideas to discuss:
 * Romeo and Mercutio's differing ideas about dreams: Romeo thinks they represent "truth" and trusts in the dream he has that foreshadows his death and Mercutio calls dreamers/dreams liars/lies that are born of "vain fantasy" rather than reality. Effectively, he feels that dreams are the byproduct of desire which is not "truth" and can therefore be dangerous. This philosophy works on deeper levels to reveal that human desires can be dangerous. For example, this feud is born of "vain fantasy" to some degree; it lacks substance and meaning much in the same way that dreams do, yet the Montagues and Capulets (and many others) seem to be ruled by it. Mercutio's mercurial nature is highlighted in this speech as it works to expose this truth.
 * Fate vs. Free-will: Mercutio's Queen Mab speech in comparison with Romeo's discussion of the "consequence yet hanging in the stars" reveals an important duality that Shakespeare explores in his play. He questions what we are ruled by: fate or free-will. To what degree do Romeo and Juliet (or any of us) determine our future?
 * Treatment of love: Romeo is ruled by love, and not shy about expressing how love has been "rough with him". Mercutio challenges this notion of love, stating that Romeo should "be rough with love" if "love be rough with [him]". Again, Mercutio is presenting a philosophy that works as a foil to Romeo's understanding of the world.

Romeo and Mercutio Exchange: What does this scene tell us about how each character views the impact of fate in their lives? How do these views impact their actions? What metaphors / symbols are both characters using to convey their viewpoints?

Ex.: Romeo’s lack of agency vs Mercutio’s call to action reveals...

Sn. 5: Start reading--->Romeo seeing Juliet for the first time.
 * The party is going full swing when the “boys” arrive. Lord Capulet is enjoying himself a lot. While he’s loudly commenting on how great it all is, Romeo spies Juliet across the room...

HW: In your packet for //Romeo and Juliet//, complete the handout "The Love Connection". You do NOT need to complete the response at the end, of the final page, but you do need to complete the table. Unpack each character's quote to answer the question: What does this character think about/how does this character understand love?