"Two households, both alike in dignity
(In fair Verona, where we lay our scene),
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life,
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Doth with their death bury their parents' strife.
The fearful passage of their death-marked love
And the continuance of their parents' rage,
Which, but their children’s end, naught could remove,
Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage—
The which, if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend". - A Citation is Provided Below!

This excerpt is from the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, a famous play that has inspired love stories over hundreds of years. The story of two young lovers whose families are fighting a bloody feud that strikes at the heartstrings of people of all generations. In this course, we will take the opportunity to read the play together (both in class as a read-aloud and outside of class as independent reading). I firmly believe that Shakespeare should be read together in a class format because it gives us a chance to practice language; dive into the story, characters, relationships; learn about the cultural and historical significance of the play; and more! Join us for this class and see Shakespeare in a way that you have never seen before!

Below is a weekly schedule that our class will be following. It is flexible as student conversation, interests, and needs will often dictate our conversations and Socratic discussions. Let me know if you have questions about them!

Week One: Introduction
     - Introduction to the Play and Author
     - Capulets vs. Montagues
     - Read Aloud of the Prologue
     - Shakespearean Language
     - History and Cultural Significance
Week Two: Act One
     - Read Aloud from Act One
     - Discussion of the Story and Language
     - Understanding the Feud
     - Capulets vs. Montagues Continued
     - Tips and Tricks for Reading
Week Three: Act One Continued
     - Read Aloud from Act One
     - Discussion of the Story and Language
     - Understanding the Feud
     - Capulets vs. Montagues Continued
     - Tips and Tricks for Reading
Week Four: Act Two
     - The Famous Balcony Scene
     - Solilqueys vs. Monologues
     - True Love or Simple Lust?
     - The Role of Friar Lawrence
     - Roles of Mentors and Mentees
     - Friendship and Advice
Week Five: Act Three
     - Tybalt, Mercutio, Benevolio
     - Marriage and Fighting
     - Comedy Amidst Tragedy
Week Six: Act Three
     - The Words of a Prince
     - Still True Love or Simple Lust?
     - Friar Lawrence Continued
     - Enter Paris, Stage Left
     - The Story Gets More Complicated...
Week Seven: Act Four and Act Five
     - Desperate Times, Desperate Measures?
     - Misunderstandings
     - Friar Lawrence's Plans
     - Whose Choice is it Really?
Week Eight: Act Five
     - Finishing the Play
     - The Aftermath of Decisions
     - Is the Feud Over?
     - Who is to Blame?

After the course is over, students will have the opportunity to do a follow-up essay using multiple prompts of the student's choice. Prompts will be provided to students upon request!

Citation:
     - Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. New York, Modern Library, 2009.