Romeo & Juliet Web Quest
English 9 - Klenz

Directions:

The assignment is to answer all the questions using the links provided. You can type your answers into a word document or record them by hand on notebook paper.  Be sure you answer all parts of each question.

 

About Shakespeare
Click on this link and answer the following questions (1-7).

  1. Click on the link to Birth 1564 & Early Years. William Shakespeare was born in what year?
  2. What date do we recognize as his birthday?
  3. What was important about Stratford-upon-Avon in the 16th century?
  4. Click on the link for 1594 and find the acting companies Shakespeare was associated with in the early days. Name one.
  5. Click on 1599 The Great Globe. What is the probable year that Romeo and Juliet was written?
  6. Scroll down to the section "Construction of the Globe," and answer these questions: a. Where did the timbers to build the Globe come from? b. Who was the carpenter who built the Globe? c. What was Shakespeare's share as "householder?"
  7. What day and year did Shakespeare die? Why is this an interesting date? How old was Shakespeare when he died?

 

About Marriage
Click on this link and answer the next questions (8-10).

  1. Romeo & Juliet marry secretly, but because she is trying to escape the arranged marriage to Paris. Read this site about marriage in the Renaissance and answer these questions. a. Name three marriage and betrothal customs found on this page.
  2. Click on the link for "more wedding customs." a. What color should the bride's dress be? b. How is the intention to marry announced? What happens if it is not announced previous to the event? c. Describe the wedding procession. d. What is a dowry?
  3. How important is a wedding ring to the Elizabethans?

 

 

About Food
Click on this link and continue (11-12).

  1. How many meals do people generally eat each day?
  2. Plan a small menu for a dinner using only food available in Europe during this time. Choose two vegetables, two meats, and two fruits or nuts.

Dinner Menu


 

 

 

About Language
Click on this link and continue (13-15).

  1. A famous line from Romeo and Juliet is when Juliet says, "Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" What does "wherefore" mean?
  2. What does "stay" mean?
  3. Click here: to get the information you need to translate this conversation. Put your translation in column two. Keep the phrases just about the same, but use Elizabethan words where you can.

Person A

Hello. (A sneezes) Excuse me.

 

Person B

Gesundheit!

 

A

Thank you.

 

B

Say, do you know where the closest bathroom is?

 

A

Certainly. It's down the street in the Kings Tavern.

 

B

Thanks. Goodbye.

 

 

About Theatre in Shakespeare's Time
Click here and then on the link "Actors, Acting, & Audience" and continue (16-19).

  1. How many women actors did the company usually feature?
  2. Was Shakespeare an actor? What was the term used to refer to actors?
  3. How were the seating arrangements for the audience? How did one get a good seat?
  4. What would the audience do if they did not like a performance?

 

 

Shakespearean Insults

  1. Go to the Shakespearean Insult Kit and create your own insult. How you do it is to start with the word "Thou." Next, take a phrase/word from the first column to begin your insult, continue by adding something from the second column, and finish it up royally with something from the third column. Type your own personal Shakespearean insult in the table below. [Thou + choice from column 1 + choice from column 2 + choice from column 3 = your custom made insult].

 

 

 

Click on this link to be insulted "professionally."  Copy your insult here: