Mrs. Teixeira: Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare Project: Home

Google Doc of Assignment

Tuesday, April 10th: Compare/Contrast notes from original text and 2 adaptations (HW Grade)
Friday, April 13th: Thesis statement and Working Annotated Bibliography (at least 4 sources beyond the original text) (HW Grade)
Monday, April 23rd: Draft 1 (due online) (Quiz Grade)
Monday, April 30th: Draft 2 (due in class) (Quiz Grade)
Friday, May 4th: Final assignment with drafts (Test Grade)

ABSOLUTELY NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED. YOU HAVE OVER A MONTH TO COMPLETE THIS ASSIGNMENT-- NO EXCUSES

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Perfection Learning, 2004.

Gnomeo and Juliet. Directed by Kelly Asbury, performances by James McAvoy and Emily Blunt, Touchstone Pictures, 2011.

Warm Bodies. Directed by Jonathan Levine, performances by Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer, Summit Entertainment, 2013.

Log into your Google Drive Account.  Then click on the box.

The template of the Note Taking Sheet will ask you to save a copy.

Click to access the Database Prezi.

To conclude our study of Romeo and Juliet, you are going to engage in extensive research to answer the question:
Should we still be teaching Shakespeare in high school?

Before you decide on an answer to this question (your thesis statement with assertion), you are to thoroughly grapple with the evidence. In order to direct to your research, here are some questions to consider:

What makes a text (novel, play, short-story, etc.) worth studying in school?

Are there any other texts that could accomplish the same objectives?

Has the original story stood the test of time?

• Is it relatable to teenagers today?
• Are modern productions (such as the 2013 film with Hailee Steinfeld and Douglas Booth) still able to reach a 21st century audience?
• How has it been reimagined and adapted for modern audiences? (Think about Gnomeo and Juliet and Warm Bodies)
• Why is it being adapted?

Can you make any connections real-life “Romeo and Juliet couples” or feuding families?

• Does familiarity with the play aid in your understanding of these figures? (see list on the back.)

After you have engaged in thorough research you are going to compose a strong, specific, and clear thesis statement based on your findings.

STEP ONE: For critical information on why Shakespeare should or should not be studied:

                 Think of keywords such as: teaching Shakespeare in schools, value, education.  When you are home,
use montytech1 as your username and password for JSTOR.

STEP TWO: Support your argument with ONE topic.  You can either study an adaptation(s) of Romeo and Juliet OR a real-life Romeo and Juliet/Feuding Family as a source.

For modern, fictional interpretations of the play Romeo & Juliet:  This could be a book (think Twilight), play (think West Side Story), movie (Warm Bodies), cartoon, television show, etc.

Also, for modern-day Romeo and Juliet Real-Life Stories (see list below).

Think of keywords like: romeo and juliet adaptation or modern romeo and juliet.  You can also read reviews of Gnomeo and Juliet and Warm Bodies.

For historical real-life Romeo and Juliet stories and Feuding Families (see list below)..

   ABC-CLIO is great for historical stories.  Try World History for foreign names and U.S. History for Americans.  When you are home, use montytech1 as your username and password for ABC-CLIO.

• 4-6 double-spaced pages, 12 pt Times New Roman.
• Introduction, multiple body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• Incorporate textual evidence from: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (Cliff Notes) AND
  • ​Gnomeo and Juliet  OR
  • Warm Bodies OR 
  • research about a real-life couple/feuding family.
• Use at least 1 popular and 1 scholarly source
• MLA formatting : heading, citations, and a Works Cited page

Real Life Couples:

Historical:

• Bonnie and Clyde
• Cleopatra and Antony
• Mary and Percy Shelley
• King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn
• Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter

Modern Day:

• Admira Ismic and Bosko Brkic (Sarajevo)
• Zakia and Mohammad Ali (Afganistan)
• Elmi Bondheri and Hodhan Abdi (Somalia)

Real Life Feuding Families:

• Strangio-Nirtas and Pelle-Vottari-Romeos (San Luca, Italy)
• Blues and Greens in the Byzantine Empire (Search: Circus factions)
• Grahams and Tewksburys (Search: The Pleasant Valley War)
• Hatfields and McCoys (United States)