Here’s a summary of the play in simple English with most of the relevant quotes.
Click to download: Romeo and Juliet.pdf
Remember the type of questions you’ll be asked:
- A central character (a winner or a loser, lucky or unlucky, your favourite character)
- The relationship between two characters (they might specify – a tense/conflicted/loving/close/important relationship)
- Character profiles & an introduction to the play (focusing on the main theme) for the programme.
- Discuss the main theme/message of the play (2006 they specified one of these 4 themes: love/death/conflict/harmony) and show how this is relevant to your own life.
- Describe the world of the play & discuss whether you would/would not like to live in this society.
- Would you recommend this play? (plot, setting, themes, characterisation, style of writing, opening & ending)
- A scene from the play – one filled with conflict or the most dramatic/memorable/tense/atmospheric/happy/sad/funny/tragic and discuss how this mood/feeling is created.
- Describe how you would produce a scene from the play you have studied.
- The opening scene or the final scene(s) – their impact on the audience & on you personally.
Never ever write a summary of the story, that’s not what they’re looking for. Knowing the story is the first step for you which is why I’ve written this summary but you must look at individual aspects – characters, themes, dramatic scenes – for answering exam questions.
Best of luck!
