89 pages 2 hours read

William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1595

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Thought & Response Prompts

These prompts can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before or after reading the play.

Pre-Reading “Icebreaker”

Imagine a person of authority (like a parent or teacher) expects you to complete an errand or chore because they think it is in your best interest to do so, but you have what feels to you like a valid and important reason for refusing the task. How do you convince the authority figure that you should be excused? Now imagine you must keep your reason a secret—but your need to refuse remains strong. How might your behavior and consequently the reaction of the authority figure change?

Teaching Suggestion: Use this prompt to guide students to think about authority and control, especially with regard to conflict that might result from dichotomies and misunderstandings between young and old. After students write or discuss, connect to the play by alerting students to the fact that marrying for love and not simply by parental arrangement was a novel, somewhat shocking idea in Romeo’s and Juliet’s time.

Post-Reading Analysis

Despite their attempts to control, counsel, or help young Romeo and Juliet, what adult characters sometimes behave or react in an immature, unhelpful way? What motivates their childish behavior—jealousy, fear, anger, or some other emotion? When are Romeo’s and Juliet’s lives impacted by these adults’ stubbornness, pride, or inability to empathize?

Related Titles

By William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

All's Well That Ends Well

William Shakespeare

All's Well That Ends Well

William Shakespeare

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE
logo

A Midsummer Night's Dream

William Shakespeare

A Midsummer Night's Dream

William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

Antony and Cleopatra

William Shakespeare

Antony and Cleopatra

William Shakespeare

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE
logo

As You Like It

William Shakespeare

As You Like It

William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

Coriolanus

William Shakespeare

Coriolanus

William Shakespeare

Plot Summary
logo

Cymbeline

William Shakespeare

Cymbeline

William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

Hamlet

William Shakespeare

Hamlet

William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

Henry IV, Part 1

William Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part 1

William Shakespeare

Plot Summary
logo

Henry IV, Part 2

William Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part 2

William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

Henry V

William Shakespeare

Henry V

William Shakespeare

Plot Summary
logo

Henry VIII

William Shakespeare

Henry VIII

William Shakespeare

Plot Summary
logo

Henry VI, Part 1

William Shakespeare

Henry VI, Part 1

William Shakespeare

Plot Summary
logo

Henry VI, Part 3

William Shakespeare

Henry VI, Part 3

William Shakespeare

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE
logo

Julius Caesar

William Shakespeare

Julius Caesar

William Shakespeare

Plot Summary
logo

King John

William Shakespeare

King John

William Shakespeare

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE
logo

King Lear

William Shakespeare

King Lear

William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

Love's Labour's Lost

William Shakespeare

Love's Labour's Lost

William Shakespeare

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE
logo

Macbeth

William Shakespeare

Macbeth

William Shakespeare

Study Guide
logo

Measure For Measure

William Shakespeare

Measure For Measure

William Shakespeare

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE
logo

Much Ado About Nothing

William Shakespeare

Much Ado About Nothing

William Shakespeare