Discover Romeo and Juliet

Meet William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Although this masterpiece was written in the mid 1590's, Romeo and Juliet became a play whose characters would transcend time and become a symbol of love, duty, and heartache for hundreds of years.

Through this webquest you will learn about each of these characters as if they were alive today and compare how their story has changed through the years to represent the issues of modern society without losing the overall message of love and sacrifice. Prepare yourself for a challenge as you will also have to apply your own experiences with love, facing adversity, rebellion, and even death. So get comfortable, and turn on your brain, as we begin this journey through time with our beloved Romeo and Juliet

Who is Romeo?

Romeo is a star struck romantic who is the sole heir to the Montague family. Only 16 years old he's loved and lost, but never loved like this before. Once he meets his beloved Juliet, his impulsive nature leads him to do just about anything to be with her forever. Little does he know, his reckless need to prove that love conquers all will cause him to be exiled and ultimately may cost him his life.

Who is Juliet?

Juliet is a 13-year-old young maiden who is the daughter of a Capulet. Her family has a long-standing feud with the Montague's though she doesn't really understand why. When her parents arrange her marriage with Paris despite her love for Romeo she is faced with the biggest challenge of her life- should she defy her parents for the first time in her life, or do the right thing and sacrifice true love with Romeo? In the end, her bold decisions, while incredibly well designed, will result in deadly consequences.

Compare and Contrast

Over the last 60 years, several movies have come out about Romeo and Juliet. Your assignment is to watch a video clip that compares three versions. The first was made in 1954, the second in 1968 and the third in 1996. As you watch the clip below try to answer the following questions:

• What major differences can you identify between the three movies?
• What do the three movies have in common?
• What is the overall message sent by all three movies? Does it change, or remain the same as the message in the original play?

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrjft9JdeFc]

** Option 1: This movie does not have any spoken language in it, but is accompanied by a song to set the mood. If you have access to sound, turn on the volume and contemplate how you would answer this question:

• What mood does the song send to the audience?

**Option 2: If you don't have access to sound, study the background of each of the scenes in the movies and contemplate how you would answer this question:

• How does the setting help the audience understand the time period and mood of the movie?

Directions: Get a piece of paper and draw a table with three columns. In the first and second columns, record the similarities and differences you noticed in the video clip within the task tab. Record the theme of the story in the third column.

            Similarities         Differences         Theme of the Story

Directions: On your paper, pick one of the following questions to answer. Use complete sentences.

• Option 1: How did the song in the video help the audience understand the mood of the story?
• Option 2: How does the setting help the audience understand the time period and mood of the movies?

You are the director for a new film version of Romeo and Juliet.

Write a letter or create a video in ASL to the film's producers explaining the following:

• Include the names of today's celebrity actors and actresses you would like to cast as Romeo and Juliet. Explain why you've chosen these actresses and how they portray the traits you see as essential to the role of each character
• Create a story line and explain how your movie will incorporate the issues of todays society while still staying true to the original story of Romeo and Juliet
• Describe where your movie will take place and/or what songs you would pick to help set the mood

Your letter or video will be graded using the following rubric: