“For never was a story of more woe;
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”

Overview

William Shakespeare. The Bard. Arguably the most influential figure in English literature, but also one of the most controversial and mysterious.
Want to start an argument?
Just make a claim about good old Bill in any English department faculty meeting at nearly any high school or college in the United States or Europe. Mamma mia. But we’re not going to get into that kind of drama. No, we’ll just stick to his sonnets and plays.

Sonnets

Here’s a concise and decent overview of the sonnets and why they’re important.
Some of you have asked whether the sonnets are autobiographical. Well, here’s one view.
Finally, you want sonnets? Oh, we got sonnets – all 154 of them. You betcha.

Shakespeare

Here are some general sources on the Internet that will help you get more familiar with Shakespeare.
Shakespeare @ MIT
Seattle Shakespeare
Shakespeare Study Resources
Serious Sonnet Studies
“Words” the WNYC Radiolab Podcast (listen to the excerpt that starts at 24:30 and goes to 26:00)

Romeo & Juliet

Truly one of the most significant works of literature ever written in any language, “Romeo and Juliet” is one of Shakespeare’s most influential and enduring plays. So, we’ll be diving into it full force. Shakespeare's command of the English language is part prose, part poetry, part music and part word-play. So, have fun with it. You'll be better for the experience. I promise.

Assignments

Everything you'll need for our “Romeo & Juliet” unit is on Canvas or has been handed out in class. If you have any questions, make sure you talk to Mr. DeMiero in class, PASS or at lunch.

Resources

Here are some great resources to help you dig deep into this wonderful play. By the way, if you find any that you think are helpful please post the link in the comments section below. Several of these links have come from student suggestions.

Some AMAZING Resources from PBS

Check out these VERY helpful short video clips:

Audio: “Romeo & Juliet”

In order to help you better engage with the play, here are some audio files you may want to listen to here or on your iPod or similar device. They’re broken down into small files for you, too.