RJ Webquest

Romeo & Juliet Webquest

This page adapted from Dawn Hogue's CyberEnglish9

Directions:

1. Create a new Google doc called RJ Webquest, make it public , and link it onto your Romeo and Juliet blog page. (Go ahead, do that now.)
2. Your task is to answer all the questions using the links provided. Insert your answers after the questions; make your answers a different color than the question (dark green would be good.) Be sure you answer all parts of the question. You do not have to write complete sentences unless to answer well it is obvious you should.

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:
   1. Where did the timbers to build the Globe come from?
   2. Who was the carpenter who built the Globe?
   3. 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 Elizabethan England and answer these questions.
   1. What does betrothal mean?
   2. Name three marriage and betrothal customs found on this page.
2. Click on the link for "more wedding customs."
   1. What color should the bride's dress be?
   2. How is the intention to marry announced? What happens if it is not announced previous to the event?
   3. Describe the wedding procession.
   4. What is a dowry?
3. Explain how important is a wedding ring to the Elizabethans?

About Food

Click on this link and continue (11-13).

1. How many meals do people generally eat each day?
2. Click here. Why would people in Shakespeare's day not know what a chocolate chip cookie is?
3. Lord Capulet throws a huge party, feast and all. Imagine you are in charge of that menu. Luckily for you, today you only have to plan a menu for a small dinner party. Be sure to use only food available in Europe during this time. Choose at least two vegetables, two meats, and two fruits or nuts.

About Language

Click on this link and continue (14-16).

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. So, in other words, you rewrite the entire phrase but replace as many words as you can using Elizabethan English.

About Theatre in Shakespeare's Time

"Actors, Acting, & Audience" is the link for the next questions (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."