Romeo and Juliet Activities: Language (KS4)

Add to My Resources Remove from My Resources





Divide a page in half and create a table with two headings: Romeo and Juliet.



Who is Juliet talking about here? At this point in the play, what two types of love that Julier feels are in conflict? Given the previous question, why is this significant? What do these oxymora suggest about the intensity of Juliet's feelings? Add this explanation underneath your list. Annotate the oxymora with all the connotations you can think of linked to each word.

Now that you have your lists, explanations and annotations, compare Romeo and Juliet's use of oxymora. Are there any patterns to each of them? (Hint: look at light and darkness, religious images, nature) Whose oxymora are more effective at conveying their conflicted emotions (i.e. which creates a stronger impression on you)? Why?

Return to Chris’ article, and consider: without the hate in the play, would Romeo and Juliet love each other as much? Make references to the structure of the play to support your ideas.

Finally, consider: what is the relationship between the intensity of the desire and not being able to fulfil it?




Look at:


For each, complete the following tasks:

  • What mood seems to best 'fit' the language? Try to pick out words or phrases to support your view.
  • Using Natasha's explanation of verse and prose, identify which is an example of verse and which is prose. Make sure you can explain or justify why you think this (for example, can you underline the stresses in the verse?).
  • Compare the mood you picked, and the form of language used. What do you notice?









- Without looking at the script, which key words from the speech can you identify in the freeze-frame? Why do these stand out?
- How does the image make you feel? Is it more positive or negative than the image before?





That presses them and learns them first to bear,
Making them women of good carriage.
This is she-’

Ask students to reflect individually for 30 seconds on their reaction to this final image. Provide prompts such as: What do you think Mercutio is saying about Queen Mab here? What atmosphere is created by this image? Don’t take feedback at this stage.

Have students read aloud the first two lines, hitting their script on any words that particularly stand out. Repeat this several times, then ask for feedback on which words they were ‘hitting’, and why this might be so. Use this as an opportunity to ask what certain words/phrases mean, e.g.: if they were hitting on ‘presses’, what does this word mean? What connotations does it have? What does it mean if you are ‘pressing someone into doing something’? What is Queen Mab ‘pressing’ maids into doing? Etcetera. Draw attention to the plosive nature of presses, backs and bear if they were hitting on these, making the link to the aggressive nature of what is being described. Now, return to the previous questions, asking students to think-pair-share: What do you think Mercutio is saying about Queen Mab here? What atmosphere is created by this image?

Next, ask students to look at how Romeo and Benvolio react. In pairs, how would they summarise each reaction in a sentence? Have students write these reactions on post-it notes and place them on the board; read out a selection of Benvolios, then a selection of Romeos.

Extend the Romeo reaction by asking: If Mab is responsible for filling people’s heads with unrealistic dreams - but dreams that contain their biggest desires - then what does this say about Romeo’s dream of ‘true love’? Why is it significant that the scene in which ‘Queen Mab hath been with [Romeo]’ is placed directly before the scene in which Romeo meets Juliet?





Log in or sign up to add your own notes.