Romeo And Juliet Mock Trial

I've seen four live productions of Romeo and Juliet, (5 if y'all include West Side Story). I've also watched four films (half dozen if you include Due west Side Story and Gnomio and Juliet) and one thing that I've noticed again and again, and again is that y'all tin can tell the whole story of the play with wearable. This is a story almost families who are office of reverse factions whose children secretly meet, ally, dice, and fuse the families into one, and their wearing apparel tin show each step of that journey.

The feud
Almost every story about a disharmonize or war uses contrasting colors to testify the different factions. Sometimes fifty-fifty real wars get famous for the clothes of the opposing armies. The Revolutionary War between the redcoats and the blue and gilt Continentals, the American Civil War between the Rebel Grays and the Yankee Bluebellies. In almost every product I've e'er seen, the feud in Romeo and Juliet is also demonstrated past the opposing factions wearing distinctive habiliment.

Historically, warring factions in Itally during the period the original Romeo and Juliet is set, wore distinctive apparel and banners as well. . In this medieval drawing, you can see Italians in the Ghibelline faction, who were loyal to the Holy Roman Empire, fighting the Guelph faction (crimson cross), who supported the Pope. Powerful families were constantly fighting and taking sides in the Guelf vs. ghibelines conflict in Verona, which might accept inspired the Capulet Montegue feud in Romeo and Juliet.

Even the servants of the nobles got roped into these conflicts, and they literally wore their loyalties on their sleeves. The servants wore a kind of uniform or livery to show what household they belonged to. The servants Gregory and Sampson owe their jobs to Lord Capulet, and are willing to fight to protect his award. Perhaps Shakespeare started the play with these servants to make this distinction very obvious. Here's a curt overview on Italian Liveries from the Metropolitan Museum of Fine art:

https://world wide web.metmuseum.org/fine art/drove/search/86582

In 1966, manager Franco Zepherelli set a trend with his iconic use of color in his moving picture. He chose to make the Capulets clothing warm tones while the Montegues wore blue and silver. Juliet (Olivia Hussey) wore a gorgeous ruby wearing apparel that made her look youthful, passionate, and lovely, while Tybalt (Michael York), wore red, orange, and black to emphasize his anger, and jealousy (which has been associated for centuries with the color orangish). By contrast, the Montagues like Romeo (Leonard Whiting) wore blueish, making him wait peaceful and cool. These color choices not only clearly bespeak who belongs to which contrasting factions, but besides assist telegraph the character'due south personalities. Look at the manner these costumes make the two lovers stand up out even when they're surrounded by people at the Capulet ball:

Trip the light fantastic scene from the iconic 1968 picture show of Romeo and Juliet, directed past Franco Zeffirelli.

Zepherilli's colour choices were most blatantly exploited in the kids moving-picture show Gnomio and Juliet, where they did abroad with the names Capulet and Montegue birthday, and just called the two groups of gnomes the Reds and the Blues.

The Trip the light fantastic toe

To get Romeo and Juliet to meet and fall in love, Shakespeare gives them a dance scene for them to meet and fall in love. He further makes information technology clear that when they kickoff run across, Romeo is in disguise. The original source Shakespeare used made the dance a carnival brawl, (which even today is celebrated in Italy with masks). Most productions today have Romeo wearing a mask or some other costume and so that he is non easily recognizable as a Montague. Masks are a large part of Italian civilisation, especially in Venice during Funfair:

In the 1996 movie, Baz Luhrman creates a bacchanal costume party, where nobody wears masks but the costumes help telegraph important character points. Mercutio is dressed in drag, which not just displays his vibrant personality but also conveniently distracts anybody from the fact that Romeo is at the Capulet party with no mask on.

Capulet is dressed like a Roman emperor, which emphasizes his role every bit the patriarch of the Capulet family. Juliet (Claire Danes) is dressed equally an angel, to emphasize the celestial imagery Shakespeare uses to describe her. Finally, Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio) is dressed as a crusader knight because of the dialogue in the play when he kickoff meets Juliet:

Romeo. [To JULIET] If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:720 My lips, 2 blushing pilgrims, prepare stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender osculation. Juliet. Expert pilgrim, you do incorrect your paw too much, Which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints accept hands that pilgrims' easily practice touch,725 And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss. Romeo. Have not saints lips, and holy palmers also? Juliet. Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer. Romeo. O, then, honey saint, allow lips practise what easily exercise; They pray, grant thou, lest faith plough to despair.730 Juliet. Saints practice not move, though grant for prayers' sake. Romeo. And so motility non, while my prayer's event I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged. Juliet. Then have my lips the sin that they have took. Romeo. Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged!735 Requite me my sin again. Juliet. Y'all osculation past the book.                Romeo and Juliet,                Act I, Scene 5, Lines 719-737.

Notice that Romeo calls Juliet a saint, and later an angel in the famous balcony scene, which explains her costume at the ball. Juliet refers to Romoe every bit a Pilgrim, which is a cheeky comment on his crusader knight costume. In the Crusades, crusader knights made pilgrimages to the holy land, with the hope that God (and presumably, his angels) would forgive their sins. Romeo's name even means "Pilgrim." Luhrman makes clever nods to Shakespeare's text by dressing Romeo and Juliet in this manner, and gives the dialogue a bit of a playful roleplay as the characters make jokes about each other'south costumes- Romeo hopes that he will continue a pilgrimage and that this angel volition take his sin with a kiss.

In Gnomio and Juliet, the titular characters meet in a different kind of disguise. Rather than going to a trip the light fantastic with their family unit, they are both simultaneously trying to sneak into a garden and steal a flower, and then they are both wearing blackness, ninja-inspired outfits. Their black clothing helps them meet and interact without fear of retribution from their parents (since they do not yet know that they are supposed to be enemies. The ninja apparel also establishes that for these two gnomes, love of adventure unites them. Alas though, it doesn't last; Juliet finds out that Gnomio is a Bluish, when they both accidentally autumn in a pool, stripping their warpaint off and revealing who they are.

Trailer for "Due west Side Story," (2021) directed by Steven Spielberg.

Sometimes the dance shows a key departure between the lovers and the feuding factions. West Side Story is a 20th-century musical that re-imagines the feuding families every bit juvenile street gangs, who like their Veronese counterparts, article of clothing contrasting colors. The Jets (who stand for the Montagues) wear Blueish and xanthous, while the Sharks (Capulets), wear red and black. The gang members continue wearing these colors on the night of the high school trip the light fantastic, except for Tony and Maria (the Romeo and Juliet analogs). In nearly productions I've seen, (including the 2021 movie), these immature lovers wear white throughout the bulk of the play, to emphasize the purity of their feelings, and their rejection of violence. Thus, unlike Shakespeare'due south version of the story, Westward Side Story makes the lovers unquestionably purer are more peaceful than Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and their habiliment makes this articulate.

Romeo (John Warren), meets Juliet (Alesia Lawson) in the 2010 Ashland Academy production of "Romeo and Juliet," directed past Ric Goodwin.

The Merging of the family
(8:30-11:00)

Costume Designer Charlene in the 2006 AU production deliberately had the characters change clothes when they get married. Juliet was wearing the same iconic red wearing apparel equally Olivia Hussey for the first two acts of the play only then changed into a stake blue gown that matches Romeo. The clothes re-enforce the idea that the marriage represents Romeo and Juliet abandoning their family unit'south conflicts, and just showing their true colors.

Two sets of costumes for Juliet in the 2006 Ashland University Production. Pull the slider bar left to meet how Juliet's costume changes from the start of the show to the end.

Another style of getting everyone in the family to subconsciously unite in grief would be to costume everyone wearing black except Romeo and Juliet. At the cease of the play, The Capulets are already mourning Juliet, (because she faked her death in Act Iv), and the Montegues are already mourning Lady Montegue (who died offstage). Only past these circumstances, everyone could come onstage wearing blackness, uniting in their grief, which is further solidified when they see their children dead onstage.

Non all productions choose to costume the characters like warring factions, but nevertheless, any theatrical product's costumes must telegraph something about the characters. In these production slides for a production I worked on in 2012, the costumes reflect the distinct personality of each character and show a class divergence between the Montagues and the Capulets.

The 2013 Film: Costumes Done Desperately

The 2013 motion picture is more than concerned with showing off the beauty of the thespian'southward faces, and the literal jewels than the dress:

Most of the actors and costumes are literally in the dark for virtually of the film, probably because the film was financed past the Swarofski Crystal company, who literally wanted the film to sparkle. Ultimately, like about jewelry, I thought the film was pretty to wait at, only the costumes and cinematography had little utilitarian value. The costumes and visual didn't tell the story efficiently, just mainly was designed to distract the audition with the beauty of the sets, costumes and the attractive young actors. The only thing I liked was a subtle selection to make Juliet's mask reminiscent of Medusa, the monster in Greek Myth, who could turn people to rock with a expect. I liked that the film was subtly implying that honey, at first sight, tin can exist lethal.

Class Experience

This 7 office class is geared towards students who accept taken my class or some other combat class in the past. We volition go in-depth into how to train for, rehearse, and perform a fight from a Shakespeare play. Nosotros'll comprehend fight safety, footwork, proper cuing, and selling the fight. I will likewise contextualize the fights in "Romeo and Juliet," (the play with more fights than any other in Shakespeare), to explain how the Elizabethans felt well-nigh violence, and what this play says nearly violence in our ain time.                
The class will mostly be up-on- your feet demonstrations with me in front of the camera and the students mirroring my movements, but there will also exist handouts, websites, and video presentations to help supplement what I say.                
                
Grade Structure:
Calendar week of  March 5th: Background on swords/ sword crafts                  
-We will acquire almost the history of swords from ancient war machine weapons, to the musical instrument of private dueling. We'll too embrace the culture of duelling that permeated 17th century Europe, too as the text of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The class will conclude with me instructing the kids how to make a exercise sword themselves!
                
Week of March 12: Proper Footwork/ Stances For Sword Combat-
Nosotros'll cover proper stance and en baby-sit positions
We'll practice advances and retreats
Nosotros'll evidence you lot how to practise a lunge and the footwork involved.
We'll incorporate advances and retreats with unproblematic high-low parries and cuts.
                
Week of March 19th : Cuts, Swipes, and Thrusts                  
You'll learn the lines of assault and defense
You'll acquire the proper way to hold a blade and deliver realistic-looking cuts.
Acquire how to thrust (online and offline)
                
Week of March 26th: Parries and other defensive moves
We'll cover the 6 basic parries to stop an attacker's blade.
We'll likewise comprehend ducking, avoidances, and                
                
Week Apr 2nd: Fight Rehearsal 1                  
We'll assign roles for the fight between Mercutio, Tybalt and Romeo in Act III I of "Romeo and Juliet." The students will then go a fight                  
script, and you can practise the fight at ½ speed. We will also explicate the concept of Cue-Reaction-Activeness: A basic stage combat principle/process used to achieve a safe and dramatically effective sequence of events.                  
We will discuss the importance of center contact and cuing to ensure that the combatants know what to expect at all times.
                
Week of Apr 9th: Fight practice 2
- We'll go through a warm-up fight drill
- We'll rehearse the fight at iii/4 speed to make certain you empathize all the moves.
- We'll Incorporate acting into the fight- selling pain, acrimony, and fear. Use distance to show character relationships.
                
Calendar week of April 16th: Concluding Fight performance                  
- We'll go through a warm-up fight drill again
- We'll rehearse the fight at three/4 speed over again to brand sure you understand all the moves.
-We'll pretend we're doing this fight for an audition at ¾ speed. If demand be, I'll play one of the aggressors and you tin can do the fight pretending I'thou in the room with you.
At the end of class, I'll prove you a similar fight from my production of Romeo and Juliet and we'll discuss the differences between our fight and the one I showed the students. Finally, we will discuss the way Shakespeare portrays violence in the play and its relevance in our world.
              

Click here to register for this course:

https://outschool.com/classes/shakespearean-stage-gainsay-TyjzafsK?usid=MaRDyJ13&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link

Get $10 off my grade "Shakespearean Stage Combat" with coupon code HTHES13UPF10 until Apr 24, 2022. Get started at https://outschool.com/classes/shakespearean-stage-combat-TyjzafsK and enter the coupon code at checkout.

I'k very proud to announce that just in time for Valentines' Day, I'm offering a course of classes most Shakespeare'southward most pop play well-nigh love. The play volition include fight choreography, dramatic readings, games, escape rooms, and an activity where the students create their own Shakespearean insults!

Course Description:

We'll engage with the play with thoughtful word.

You'll go on a virtual tour to the Globe Theater!

Y'all'll play detective and solve a Shakespearean murder!

Instead of simply reading the play "Romeo and Juliet," this class will actively delve into the world of the play through a combination of lectures, dramatic readings, virtual field trips, online quizzes and activities, and finally, a digital escape room to examination the student's knowledge of the play and its ideas. Each class is ala carte, meaning that once you take one class, you lot choose whether to cease at one form or go along onwards. Each form volition delve into a dissimilar theme, literary device, and historical concept in the play:

Grade Structure:

Class 1: Why Read Romeo and Juliet? - The instructor will decode the Prologue of Romeo and Juliet and tell the basic story of the play - We will explain dramatic irony through looking at the prologue, - The teacher volition explain why Shakespeare used verse in the play, instead of just writing in common prose - Nosotros will discuss why we still read Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet in item.  Class 2: Foils and Fights  - The learner will learn almost the culture of dueling and sword fighting that was rampant in the 17th century. - The teacher will explain and the learner volition learn to recognize grapheme foils in the play like Romeo and Friar Laurence - Nosotros volition encompass the topic of antithesis- how opposite imagery permeates the play. - We will hash out figurative language through insults and the students will have a contest to see who tin can craft the best Elizabethan insults!  Class iii: Acts 1& 2- The Language of Dear and Detest - We will recap how insults piece of work- hyperbole and metaphor used to brand someone seem the worst, the smallest, the ugliest, the dumbest, etc. - We'll examine passages from Act II that show how these techniques employ to wooing and expressing beloved through metaphor, hyperbole, and allusions. - The teacher volition explain what a sonnet is and how Shakespeare uses them repeatedly in "Romeo and Juliet" - We will discuss staging the famous Balustrade Scene of Romeo and Juliet and enquire if it's possible to do and so in a virtual environment.  Class 3:  Act 3 fighting 💪 swordplay and plague imagery  The teacher will explicate the plot construction of Elizabethan tragedies and explain that Act Three is the climax of the play.  Nosotros will epitomize  the events that led to the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt The teacher will unpack Mercutio'southward famous expletive "A plague on both your houses," which is a foreshadowing, and the climax of the action. The class will end with a curt, safe demonstration of phase fighting where the students may choose to enact Mercutio's fight with Tybalt and/ or Romeo's fight with Tybalt.  Grade 4: Act 4 antithesis and dramatic irony  We volition talk near the imagery in Act Four, scene one, which foreshadows the end of the play. I will also do a dramatic re-enactment of Juliet's soliloquy in Human activity IV,  Nosotros'll keep a virtual field trip to an Elizabethan wedding ceremony. The teacher will historical context of the black decease and its relevance to the play and Shakespeare's life.  Grade 5: The terminal mantle Nosotros will discuss Human action V of the play and how so many forces seemed to be out of Romeo and Juliet's control, pushing them apart. We will also talk over whether or non Friar Laurence should be punished for encouraging Romeo and Juliet to disobey their parents.  Grade 6: Performance then and Now The instructor will perform in character as William Shakespeare, and teach the students how to deed like real Elizabethan actors. This volition include a virtual tour of the Earth Theater, a virtual costume plumbing equipment, stage fighting lessons, and DIY Elizabethan crafts. The teacher will then engage the class past discussing different adaptations, sequels, and spin-offs of Romeo and Juliet, in order to illustrate how popular and long-lasting this story is. The students will spotter and discuss clips from various movies, plays, and ballets based on Romeo and Juliet. The instructor will conclude past sharing his own experience acting in Romeo and Juliet three times every bit The Prince, Friar Laurence, and Peter.  Class 7:  Last projection- CSI ROMEO AND JULIET Fashion The class volition play the office of a detective trying to solve the mystery of Juliet'southward death in Act IV, (when she actually takes the sleeping potion). (S)he doesn't know what happened but must piece together clues hidden in a digital escape room, such as handwritten notes, blog posts, receipts from "The Apothecary," etc. The clues will non only examination the pupil's knowledge of the play, but their understanding of metaphor, verse, Elizabethan history, and more than! In the end, the Detective will be the one who tells Lord and Lady Capulet the true story of what happened to Juliet. To unlock the digital escape room, the students will decode messages hidden in the clues and enter them into a Google Grade.              

First course runs from February 2nd to March 19th, 7PM EST. If yous tin't make information technology to this section, I can schedule one for y'all.

Register here: https://outschool.com/classes/an-immersive-guide-to-romeo-and-juliet-M4EdgCM5#usMaRDyJ13

I've got some extra time to do online teaching Fri, and then I've come upward with a nice long schedule of classes Thursday, Fri, and Saturday:

Thursday, Janurary twelfth

Intro to Shakespeare– 3PM

Romeo and Juliet: 6PM PST, 9PM EST

The Violent Rhetoric of Julius Caesar- 7PM PST, 10PM EST,

Click here to schedule now! See you in form!

Fri, January 13th

Intro to Shakespeare- 8AM EST

Basics of Shakespearean Acting 9AM EST

How to Write Like Shakespeare 10AM EST

The Violent Rhetoric of Julius Caesar 11AM EST

Basics of Phase Gainsay– 1PM EST

Beloved Poesy, Shakespeare Fashion– 2PM EST

Intro to Romeo and Juliet- 3PM EST

Click here to schedule at present! See you in class!

Sat, January 15th,

Romeo and Juliet 1PM EST

How to Write Similar Shakespeare 2PM EST

Click here to schedule now! See y'all in form!

I have a petty actress time for classes, and then if yous want to sign up for my classes, get to my Outschool profile page:

Classes for Monday, January ninth:

Class schedule for January 7th.

Class Schedule for TUesday, January 8th

Hope you to run into you at that place!

Your child will learn how to write poesy like Shakespeare himself, through a mix of presentations, a printable guideline, and some fun quizzes to test your knowledge of Shakespeare'southward sonnets! Designed for ages 13-eighteen.

Course Description:

Nosotros will cover what a sonnet is, namely a blazon of verse Shakespeare wrote in iambic pentameter with a particular rhyme scheme. Using a combination of Prezi video presentation and Google Slides, I volition go in-depth to explain how he organized his poetic ideas into a very compact class.                
Using primarily Google slides, we will then analyze Shakespeare's sonnets for their themes, literary devices, and the way he uses the verse to enhance and heighten emotion and ideas. I will focus mainly on Sonnet 18, "Shall I compare thee to a summer'due south mean solar day?" I will cover Shakespeare's use of such literary devices every bit:
- Metaphor
- Simile
- Personification
- Rhetorical Question
- Irony
- Paranomasia
Analyzing this sonnet will allow the course to grasp the basics of how a sonnet is constructed, and begin to prepare to write their own. While the presentation is in play, students will be given an access code to an optional Nearpod presentation, that will allow them to construct an iambic pentameter line, quiz themselves on the vocabulary I cover, and provide visual aides to better empathize Shakespeare's sonnets.
In the side by side role of the course, Nosotros will appoint in a group brainstorming session. I will provide the students with potential topics (assuming they don't accept 1 of their own), and then we volition construct a curt story using madlibs effectually that topic that will later exist condensed into a sonnet. I will demonstrate to the students how to use imagery and poetic linguistic communication to enhance the ideas and feelings in the poem. After this, I volition use the nearpod and Google slide presentations to guide the students how to tell their own story using such devices as metaphor, personification, allusion, and sensory details. They can jot their ideas down on the provided handout to assistance organize their thoughts. In addition, the optional handout will have useful brainstorming activities such as a web link to websites like Rhymezone.com, (which helps poets discover rhymes to words), and imagery boards that will let the students to think of sensory details to include in the sonnet . The class volition depict attending to the handout activities, and suspension briefly to allow the students to exercise them.
                
In the concluding part of the form, I will give the students footstep-by-footstep instructions on how to transform their brainstorming ideas into a sonnet. I will begin by showing them how to construct an iambic pentameter line. I volition engage the students by clapping out the beats for this line and allow them time to exercise the same, so they may internalize the rhythm. This will exist accomplished via a Google Slides screen.
The last page of the handout has a page to write a draft of their last sonnet, with the line numbers conveniently provided. I will go over every section of the worksheet so the students know how to utilize it effectively.                
                
After all this practice and training, the students will be able to create a basic xiv line sonnet which will give them practice not simply writing poetry but also using and recognizing literary devices. It is my hope that this grade will non only assist the student(due south) gain an appreciation for Shakespeare'due south verse but also develop their own ability to speak and write eloquently and persuasively.                
              

Link to the OUtschool Course:

Trailer for my 2021 Acting class via Outschool.com

I've been working on a remote learning grade for Outschool.com where I take some of the audition communication I wrote in Creating A Character: Macbeth, and some of the other acting posts I've published over the years. This volition be a weekly virtual acting course for kids ages 13-18, starting September 12th at 10AM EST.

This class will outline the tools and techniques of Shakespearean acting such as project, articulation, and imagination. Each Nosotros'll also go over Shakespeare'southward own advice on acting in his play "Hamlet: Prince of Denmark." The grade will culminate with the students choosing their ain Shakespearean monologues and scenes, which they can employ going frontwards in auditions, school plays, and classes.

The best thing about the class is that each calendar week builds on the previous week's feel, just you don't need to go to all of them. I'll be flexible and work with the student'due south schedule so everyone gets as much out of the class as possible.

If you're interested in signing upwardly, go to Outschool.com. If you take any questions, email me past clicking here:

Promise to encounter you online soon!

If you lot're a teacher and your students are reading Romeo and Juliet, ane question that your students might innevitably ask is, who'south to blame? The play ends with The Prince and the Watch trying to ascertain what happened over the past v days to Romeo and Juliet. He seems to place arraign loosely on everyone, but it does make one wonder- will anyone face consequences for the numerous deaths, damages, anguish, and broken promises that resulted from the double suicides?

In 2021, I decided to create an action that would allow the students in the English language class I worked in to decide who is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. I developed the project with the assistance of an English teacher and a real judge. We designed the project and so it would test the kids' knowledge of the play, and their persuassive speaking abilities (which nosotros worked on in a previous unit).

I would similar to share the journey of this project, which I think is a lovely manner to get kids to engage with English language Literature, besides as touching on other topics in high school English courses similar persuassive writing, critical thinking, and research.

What kind of trial is it to be?

My original thought was to put Friar Laurence on trial for criminal negligence and/ or conspiracy to assist a suicide, There's been plenty of classrooms, comedy sketches, and fifty-fifty some juries that blame Friar Laurence for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, including the U.s.a. Supreme Court, who put him in the dock as part of a mock trial at the Shakespeare Theater in Washington DC bac in 2016. If you lot become to C-Bridge's website, yous can lookout man the total trial itself: https://world wide web.c-span.org/video/?419930-1/federal-judges-hash out-romeo-juliet

1. 

Though mock trials have tried Friar Laurence for murder in the past, the teacher I worked with decided we wanted to exist sensitive to the issue of suicide and not place the arraign for suicide on anyone other than Romeo and Juliet. This is a valid business- since teenagers practice occassionaly encounter suicide, nosotros didn't want to advise that anyone could be held responsible for someone else'southward suicide. However, if you make up one's mind to have a criminal murder or manslaughter trial, you can do so.

Our trial chose to focus on a different sort of negligence: we noted that, although Friar Laurence arguably isn't guilty of murder, he certainly did perform the hymeneals of two minors without parental consent, a wedding that their parents absolutely didn't apprve of, and that arguably caused irreperable financial damages to the houses of Capulet and Montegue. I therefore went well-nigh consstructing a criminal trial based on this perceived negligence.

The CRIMINAL PROHIBITIONS ON THE MARRIAGE OF MINORS ACT

In most states in the United states, parental consent is required to marry a minor, so in reality, Friar Laurence would almost certainly be institute guilty of illegal marriage. The judge I worked with wanted to give the instance a fighting chance, and then she created a fae police force that is just for our class called the CRIMINAL PROHIBITIONS ON THE Matrimony OF MINORS Human action, which you tin can read beneath. This constabulary is designed to provide a loophole for Friar Laurence that allows a clergyman to perform a modest wedding ceremony without parental consent if the parents are themselves creating an unsafe and unsafe domicile. Our teacher liked this aspect of the example, becasue it allows the form to consider the partriarchial values of Lord Capulet, who for near of the play, treats his daugher similar a piece of property, and threatens her with dire consequences if she chooses her own husband. This is the key statement of the trial- Was Friar Laurence negligent and irresponsible in marrying Romeo and Juliet, or was he respecting Juliet's autonomy and trying to complimentary her from an abusive household? Below is a complete description of the project, a presentation I created for the class, and some downloadable materials to become you started. If y'all have questions or suggestions for other projects, let me know!

Overview

A mock trial is an excellent way to engage a student's disquisitional thinking skills, persuasive writing skills, and challenge their knowledge of a sequence of events. In Shakespeare'due south Romeo and Juliet, several violent deaths occur and at then finish of the play information technology's ambiguous who will exist punished and how. Therefore, to appoint students in the play, they can play judge, jury, and lawyers in a trial to answer the question: was Friar Laurence guilty of performing an illegal marriage?

Goals

1. Test the student's knowledge of the plot of the play
2. Become them to brand persuasive arguments defending and prosecuting the character of Friar Lawrence.
3. Come up to conclusions
4. Get the Jury to look at the rhetoric of the prosecution and defense.

Structure

1. Quiz on the play to help assign roles- The highest scorers go to be lawyers and prosecutor, the next highest go to be witnesses, and the lowest scorers become to be the jury.
2. Mock trial where the students take on the roles of witnesses, judge, lawyer, prosecutor, and jury
3. The Jury delivers a verdict
4. Course discussion.

Before the Trial

But people who know the plot of the play should be allowed to be the lawyers, and then I propose that before the trial starts, each educatee should be quizzed on the plot of the play. The students who score the highest should be allowed to play the prosecutor and defense force lawyer. The third, fourth, and 5th highest scoring students can be The Judge and the two witnesses. Anybody else can be the jury. I would propose that the teacher or educational activity assistant play the part of Friar Lawrence, as he/she will have to respond the toughest questions and know the well-nigh about the play. Of class, if you have a student with real acting talent, he or she tin can play Friar Lawrence.

The Trial will accept place over at least two days- one day for constructing legal arguments, and one 24-hour interval for the trial itself.

When the trial begins, each person volition become a grapheme sheet that details who they are, what their role is, in the trial, and what they know most the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Unlike other mock trials, this will not be scripted. Think of information technology more like a D&D grapheme sheet or murder mystery game; the characters are given information merely non told what to say.  Beneath is a sample character sheet I made for the Prosecuting Chaser.

Structure Of the Trial

The Prosecutor intends to prove that Friar Lawrence performed an illegal marriage considering he married two minors without their parent's consent. The Defence force intends to bear witness that the marriage was legal nether the CRIMINAL PROHIBITIONS ON THE Wedlock OF MINORS ACT (a false law made up for our class).

1. Jury Instructions- The Gauge
2. Opening Statements- Prosecutor and Defense Lawyer
3. Witness For the Prosecution- Lord Capulet
4. Cross-Examination- Lord Capulet
5. Witness For the Defense- Ghost Juliet
6. Witness For the Prosecution- The Nurse
7. Cross-Exam- The Nurse
8. Defendant's Testimony- Friar Lawrence
9. Cross-Test- Friar Lawrence
10. Witness For the Prosecution- Lady Capulet
11. Cross-Examination- Lady Capulet
12. Endmost Statements- Prosecutor and Defense Lawyer
13. Mail service Trial Instructions- Judge
14. The Verdict- Jury
15. Weighing In- Judge

Worksheet content-

All characters will have a package explaining who they are, their goal for the trial, and what their graphic symbol knows about the alleged offense. They also have a copy of the structure of the trial, so they know when to speak. During the pre-trial prep day, the lawyers will decide on questions to ask the witnesses and construct arguments based on their knowledge of the law and the play.

1. -Friar Lawrence
2. -The Nurse
3. -Lord Capulet
4. -Prosecutor
5. -Defense Lawyer
6. -Jury
7. -Guess

Everyone will receive a copy of the CRIMINAL PROHIBITIONS ON THE MARRIAGE OF MINORS so the prosecution and jury can construct their arguments, and the Jury tin estimate the effectiveness of those arguments.

References:

1. https://www.c-span.org/video/?419930-1/federal-judges-talk over-romeo-juliet
2. https://betterlesson.com/lesson/610780/mock-trial-preparation-friar-lawrence-stands-trial-for-the-tragedy-of-romeo-and-juliet

CRIMINAL PROHIBITIONS ON THE Union OF MINORS Human action

Purpose

1. The purpose of this act is to protect the integrity of the family and the independent rights of minor children.

Prohibitions:

2. No officiant shall perform the marriage of a pocket-size child without the consent of the child's parent, unless such minor child has first been determined to be emancipated and such determination was in the minor's best involvement.

Definitions:

3. Officiant means a person authorized to perform weddings, including only not limited to a priest, minister, friar or pastor.
4. Minor child means a person fourteen years just nether the age of 18 years.
5. The parent of a minor kid shall mean the biological father of said kid.
6. The factors used in the determination of emancipation shall include the post-obit;

1. The demonstrated ability and capacity to manage his/her own affairs,
2. The demonstrated ability and capacity to alive independently,
3. The wishes of the pocket-sized child,
4. The wishes of the parent,
5. Whatsoever other factors including compensation which could influence the officiant.

      vii) The factors used in the decision of the best interest of the pocket-sized child shall include the following:

1. The historic period of the minor child,
2. The habitation environment of the modest child, especially  if there is a run a risk of violence or damage to the minor child,
3. Whether the marriage of the child promotes a spousal relationship that is beneficial to guild,
4. Whether the small-scale child can manage his/her own finances.
5. Whether the modest child has demonstrated other characteristics of maturity

     8) An emancipated child shall be entitled to enter into contracts, ally and bask the legal rights of an developed without the permission of his/her parent.

    9)  Whoever violates this constabulary shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, which is punishable by up to 6 months in jail and/or a $i,000 fine.

Jury instructions (to exist handed out ot the jury)

The jury need not be given a passive role- they tin write downward reactions on how effective the lawyers wer in presenting their arguments, which witness gave the best testimony, etc. In most jury trials, judges instruct the jury on how to put aside their personal biases when listening to the bear witness, which I've written into some instructions below, based on instructions that Judge Taylor gave me.

So, that is my version of the Romeo and Juliet mock trial that yous tin can freely use in your classroom. If you desire to apply it, please but give me credit. If yous want to interact with me on your version, send me an email. I hope this project tin can exist a widespread activity that will help students hone their persuasion, analysis, research, and of course, their interpretation of literature in a realistic context.

You can download the unabridged project for costless on my TeachersPayTeachers page:

https://world wide web.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Paul-Hricik

Thanks for reading, and see you in court!

I'thou working this summer with the proficient people at Outschool, an online learning platform for kids ages 3-18. I'm designing a series of Shakespeare classes that you tin sign upwards for. We'll be doing acting exercises, reading Shakespeare's text, and making Shakespeare props Price is $iii per child.

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The class is ala carte, that is, you can sign up for every bit many courses as yous similar. Each course builds on the final one, simply you don't accept to have taken the previous ones to enjoy whatsoever one item course Permit me know in the comments which class(es) you are interested in, and/or what suggestions you might have. I can't wait to hear what you think most these summer Shakespeare courses, and I promise to see you online soon!

1. Introduction to Shakespeare- (enrollment here: https://outschool.com/classes/introduction-to-shakespeare-or-how-i-learned-to-love-the-bard-UoHH5fes?sectionUid=973060db-f857-461a-a23a-f1476203a544&showDetails=true) We'll talk about why Shakespeare is and then famous and learn near his life and career. Then we'll exercise some fun quizzes that y'all can earn prizes based on how well you pay attending!
2. How to write ✍ like Shakespeare (Enrollment here: https://outschool.com/classes/how-to-write-like-shakespeare-0HuPq1Cg?sectionUid=4243af25-ba41-4724-82a2-61bd7c7d862e&showDetails=true) – Have you ever wanted to woo your sweetheart or write the next bestselling play? Well, this course volition encompass the secrets of Shakespeare'south writing. We'll cover how to write romantic poems, the structure of Shakespeare'southward plays, and y'all'll become to write your own Shakespearean speeches!
three. Intro to Shakespearean interim Practical tips and tricks for your adjacent Shakespeare audition.
4. Shakespeare'southward villains We'll await at the darkest and creepiest Shakespearean characters and come across why they still fascinate united states of america today!
five. The Violent Rhetoric Of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (Registration Here: https://outschool.com/classes/the-violent-rhetoric-of-julius-caesar-fkMLbAtA?sectionUid=1f9220cd-8c28-438d-9799-8479494353a4&showDetails=true#usMaRDyJ13) In this one-fourth dimension course, students volition clarify the rhetoric and persuasive power in 2 speeches from Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar"
6. Intro to Romeo and Juliet – Get a leg upwards on your next English grade with this fun, frenetic look through the characters, themes, and story of Shakespeare's nearly popular, and most-taught play.
7. Basics Of Phase Combat (Registration hither: https://outschool.com/classes/1120ada2-047d-4b0f-84f6-5eb4b0f7dc66/schedule#usMaRDyJ13– I'll teach the kids about Elizabethan street fighting, and the nuts of phase gainsay.
8. The Balcony Scene of Romeo and Juliet– Information technology'southward been called the greatest dearest scene of all fourth dimension, but why? I'll explain the imagery, the poetic language, and give y'all a take chances to make your own love poetry!
9. Insults and Shakespeare You'll arts and crafts your ain Shakespeare insults and engage in a (respectful), beat out down with your classmates! Along the way, nosotros'll talk virtually how insults escalate to violence in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
10. The Iconic imagery of Romeo and Juliet Nosotros'll wait at some beautiful paintings, songs, and other works of art that build on Shakespeare's poetic imagery.
11. Romeo and Juliet and instruction Shakespeare is uniquely challenging to get kids to engage with. I'll give y'all some of my resource, games, and activities to help you delve into the play in your next class.

If you lot like these courses, let me know by leaving a comment beneath. If y'all're interested in signing up, visit my instructor profile page: https://outschool.com/teachers/The-Shakespearean-Pupil. New classes will exist added every week, and I'll piece of work around your schedule when planning the dates and times. Hopefully this will be a peachy chance for me to share my expertise with a young group of future Shakespearean students!

Romeo And Juliet Mock Trial,

Source: https://shakespeareanstudent.com/category/romeo-and-juliet/page/2/

Posted by: vernondaventure.blogspot.com

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