1. Romeo & Juliet – Act II, Scene II
The Balcony Scene
Romeo & Juliet – Act II, Scene II

2. Learning Objectives You will learn about the following:
The background events that led up to, “The Balcony Scene”
Know what a ‘Cliché’ is
Story of the scene
Overall significance to the play
Romeo’s reasons for meeting Juliet secretly
Significant lines from the Scene
You will also have to complete the following tasks:
Final journal response on the scene
Test on its significance

3. Starter
What do you know about the Balcony scene? Why do you think was happening during this scene?
What sort of effect do you think this scene would have on the audience?

4. The Balcony Scene
JULIET O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I'll no longer be a Capulet. ROMEO [Aside] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this? 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet; So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, And for that name which is no part of thee Take all myself. I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo. What man art thou that thus bescreen'd in night So stumblest on my counsel?
ROMEO By a name I know not how to tell thee who I am: My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself, Because it is an enemy to thee; Had I it written, I would tear the word. JULIET My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words Of that tongue's utterance, yet I know the sound: Art thou not Romeo and a Montague? Neither, fair saint, if either thee dislike. How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore? The orchard walls are high and hard to climb, And the place death, considering who thou art, If any of my kinsmen find thee here. With love's light wings did I o'er-perch these walls; For stony limits cannot hold love out, And what love can do that dares love attempt; Therefore thy kinsmen are no let to me. If they do see thee, they will murder thee. Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye Than twenty of their swords: look thou but sweet, And I am proof against their enmity.

5. Background Information
Mini-Task One:
The balcony scene is one of the best known in the whole history of the theatre
It has become a cliché, a setting for comedy sketches and for advertisements
Cliché: It is a phrase or opinion that is overused and lacks any original thought
It is commonly misunderstood because:
Juliet is NOT inquiring where Romeo might be
This scene carries on from the previous one, without a break in time or place
Romeo secretly visits the Capulet grounds and overhears Juliet on the balcony declare her love for him

6. Overall Significance to the play
Story of the Scene
Juliet appears on the balcony and thinking she's alone, reveals her love for Romeo
She despairs over the feud between the two families (Capulet and Montague) and the problems the feud presents
Romeo listens and when Juliet calls on him to "doff" his name, he steps from the darkness and declares his love for Juliet
Overall Significance to the play
This is the moment that Romeo & Juliet declare their love for each other
This scene is which the tragedy of the rest of the play is built on
When Romeo reveals his presence, their conversation is passionate, frank and hurried
They later end up with practical arrangements for marriage

7. Reasons why Romeo Decides to Meet Juliet
It is because of the feud between the Capulets and the Montagues
It is also because Romeo is impetuous and does not think things through enough
Significant Lines from the Scene
Juliet: “Tis but thy name that is my enemy”
Significance: It is only his name that prevents her being able to love him openly
Juliet: “Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye
Than twenty of their swords:”
Significance: Other than ironic foreshadowing, Juliet can wound his ‘heart’ and very being but mere weapons can only wound his body

8. Assignment
Task: After having read the “Balcony Scene”, explain what do you think of each character? What kind of people are they? Do you think they know what they are getting themselves into?
- Format: Write this in the form of a journal response
Length: words
Due Date: February_______.

9. Academic Assignments – Broad Marking Rubric
Work awarded marks in the bands below will display most of the accompanying criteria
17-20
The assignment is at the upper end of the word limit.
It is a comprehensive, astute and accurate answer to the question.
Excellent knowledge and understanding of the text is displayed.
There are frequent supportive references to the text.
There is a very good use of English with very few errors in SPG.
It conforms to MLA format.
12-16
The assignment is within the word limit.
It is a good answer to the question.
A good working knowledge and understanding of the text is displayed.
There are some supportive references to the text.
There is a good use of English with a few errors in SPG.
7-12
The assignment is below the word limit.
It is a weak or inaccurate answer to the question.
Limited knowledge and understanding of the text is displayed.
There are no supportive references to the text.
There is a poor use of English with frequent errors in SPG.
It does not completely conform to MLA format.
1-6
It does not really answer the question.
Very limited knowledge and understanding of the text is displayed.
There is a very poor use of English with extensive errors in SPG.
It does not conform to MLA format.
Comments: _________________________________________________________
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