"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet was not my favorite text to read in high schools and it was not my favorite play to read in college. In high school, I did not struggle with the language but with the choices of the main characters. This text can be challenging for secondary students because 1. language 2. poetry and play writing 3. number of characters. With that said, there are several aspects of this books that are helpful to teach students new skills.

1. Translate into modern speak. Shakespeare invented a lot of new words. This play was written in modern English that is fairly unfamiliar to students. In order to get meaning out of the text, the teacher will need to do a bit of scaffolding on new vocabulary and how puns are used.Students work on interpreting and analyzing unfamiliar language to build on their own use of language and to understand complex language in their modern world. Students could translate a scene and then film it in the modern context.

2. Poetry. Shakespeare often employs soliloquies, sonnets and poetic elements in this play. Lines are in iambic pentameter. When students study Shakespeare's use of sonnets and write their own, they can organize their thoughts on a subject in a new way. Furthermore, students can use Shakespeare's use of metaphors to create metaphors that help them understand other subjects. Using metaphorical thinking and language can help students gain deeper understanding of their world. Additionally, a study of imagery in "Romeo and Juliet" can teach students how to be descriptive in their own writing.

3. "Romeo and Juliet" is a good play to study a time period. Written during the Elizabethan era, the play is set in Verona, Italy. Although the descriptions are not totally accurate to the area, students can compare the customs and concerns of the people with their own culture to learn more about the past. Moreover, students can study the tradition of theater in the culture. This is a tragic play though it was a romance. Students can examine what makes a tragedy, how the lovers acted and how those compare to their world.

4. Students can study "Romeo and Juliet" for theme. Overall the theme, or moral of the story, is that families should not feud, or people should not fight over nothing because the innocent pay for it. In addition, students can study the play to analyze how characters act and react to each other. How do the character's actions build on each other to continue the feud? Students can study the choices of the characters and decide whether they think the choices were wise and valid or not.

Overall, I would choose a Shakespearean comedy to teach. However, students can learn a lot (ethically) from tragedy and connect it to their own lives.