Romeo and Juliet

Lesson 2
icon/ela/white

ELA

Unit 11

9th Grade

Lesson 2 of 23

Objective


Analyze Shakespeare’s characterizations of Romeo and Benvolio.

Readings and Materials


  • Play: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare  — Act 1, Scene 1 (pp. 17–25)

  • Article: “Petrarch” 

Fishtank Plus

Unlock features to optimize your prep time, plan engaging lessons, and monitor student progress.

Target Task


Multiple Choice

What do lines 159 and 160 reveal about Benvolio?

Create a free account or sign in to view multiple choice options

Sample Response

Upgrade to Fishtank Plus to view Sample Response.

What is the main effect of the line “Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs…a choking fall, and preserving sweet”?

Create a free account or sign in to view multiple choice options

Sample Response

Upgrade to Fishtank Plus to view Sample Response.

What is the central irony of this scene between Benvolio and Romeo?

Create a free account or sign in to view multiple choice options

Sample Response

Upgrade to Fishtank Plus to view Sample Response.

Key Questions


  • What does Benvolio promise Romeo’s parents that he will do?
  • What does Benvolio learn from Romeo about the source of his sadness on pp. 21–23?
  • What is Benvolio’s advice to Romeo?
  • Who is the object of Romeo’s desire? (You will need to guide students to look at the introduction to act 1, scene 2 in order to answer this question.) What is ironic about this?
  • How does Shakespeare characterize Romeo? What diction does he use to show this? How about Benvolio?

Notes


  • There are a number of characters, many with unfamiliar sounding names. It would be helpful to post a list of names in the classroom to help students keep track of who is affiliated with the Montagues, who’s affiliated with the Capulets, and who is neutral.
  • Either on this day or on day 5, students should read the brief bio and poem by Petrarch so they can analyze how Shakespeare draws on the idea of a Petrarchan lover through the character of Romeo. On the day they do this reading, the following target task question should be added:
  • What is a “Petrarchan lover” and how does Shakespeare use this concept to deepen our understanding of Romeo’s character? Explain using evidence from the play and/or the related readings.

Next

Analyze how Shakespeare continues to develop the theme of fate in act 1, scene 2.

Lesson 3
icon/arrow/right/large

Lesson Map

A7CB09C2-D12F-4F55-80DB-37298FF0A765

Request a Demo

See all of the features of Fishtank in action and begin the conversation about adoption.

Learn more about Fishtank Learning School Adoption.

Contact Information

School Information

What courses are you interested in?

ELA

Math

Are you interested in onboarding professional learning for your teachers and instructional leaders?

Yes

No

Any other information you would like to provide about your school?

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students

We've got you covered with rigorous, relevant, and adaptable ELA lesson plans for free