Lesson 2.

10

Unit 2

Role-Huddle Sheets HANDOUT

2.10.A

Directions: (1) Read your character description and your affiliation. (2) Read the scene and the
notes on the next handout. (3) Answer the questions below.

Romeo

Who are you and what are you all about?

Well, Romeo Montague, you can assume that you are a big deal. After all, this play is called
Romeo and Juliet. And in the future, in our culture, your name—“Romeo”— will forever be
connected with being a lady’s man. Bottom line: You are a romantic and rash guy. You love
easily, and you anger easily, but even the head of the Capulet family considers you honest
and well-behaved.

Sometimes we judge people not just by who they are and the way they behave but by their
friends. You have two buddies: Benvolio and Mercutio. Benvolio is gentle and loyal, and
Mercutio is a lot of fun, but he is also a little wacky and unstable.

Where do you stand on Verona’s war between the households?

It is complicated! As a Montague, your family is one of the two powerful, warring
“households” mentioned in the prologue, BUT you secretly ran off and got married to a
(gulp) Capulet.

Long story short: Benvolio dragged you to a party and you fell hard for Juliet. You even left
the party to sneak into her family’s garden. Luckily, she did not think you were a stalker;
instead, she asked you to marry her. Now that you are secretly married to a Capulet, you
just wish the households would make up.

Questions to answer in the huddle:

Question 1: Tybalt calls you a villain. How do you try to convince him that you are not?

Question 2: Obviously, you cannot be direct with Tybalt and tell him about your marriage to
Juliet, so what words do you use to hint at it?

Question 3: When you tell Mercutio “put thy rapier up,” what do you mean? Did he follow
your advice? How do you know?

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 Lesson 2.10

Unit 2

HANDOUT Directions: (1) Read your character description and your affiliation. (2) Read the scene and the
2.10.A notes on the next handout. (3) Answer the questions below.

Mercutio

Who are you and what are you all about?

Your name, Mercutio, is a big clue to your character and style. Like Mercury (a very
unstable element that can explode or burst into flames very easily), you are easily
provoked and hot-headed.

But you are also very funny, and you are quick to laugh, and quick to joke. You love playing
with words, and when you talk with people, you use your language like you use your
sword—to attack, to defend, and to be playful. In other words, you are fun, but you can be
a danger to others, and yourself, and sometimes things get out of hand.

Where do you stand on Verona’s war between the households?

Your two best friends are Romeo and Benvolio. Although you are not a member of the
Montague family, you consider yourself a close ally and friend of the family.

Questions to answer in the huddle:

Question 1: When Tybalt asks to have “a word” with you, how did you respond and why?

Question 2: What are you calling your “fiddlestick”? How do you plan on using it to make
Tybalt “dance”? What did Tybalt say that prompted you to start making all the musical
references?

Question 3: Why do you say “a plague a’both houses”? What houses? Why both?

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 Lesson 2.10

Unit 2

Directions: (1) Read your character description and your affiliation. (2) Read the scene and the HANDOUT
notes on the next handout. (3) Answer the questions below. 2.10.A

Tybalt

Who are you and what are you all about?

You, Tybalt, are proud, tough, aggressive, and have a reputation about town as one of the
best sword fighters around.

Like Mercutio, you get angry very quickly, but you have none of the fun-loving mischief
that he has. You cannot seem to forgive and forget. Once you have made an enemy, they
stay your enemy; you never stop trying to get even.

Where do you stand on Verona’s war between the households?

Since you are a nephew to the head of the Capulet family, you are very protective of
your clan. For example, at a party that Romeo and his friends crashed, you immediately
suspected that Romeo and his friends were trying to make fun of your family and you.
Touchy, touchy!

Questions to answer in the huddle:

Question 1: When Mercutio challenges you to “a word and a blow,” how do you respond?
How are you using the word “occasion”?

Question 2: What words do you use to show your feelings toward Romeo?

Question 3: What do you mean when you tell Romeo to “turn and draw”?

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 Lesson 2.10

Unit 2

HANDOUT Directions: (1) Read your character description and your affiliation. (2) Read the scene. and the
2.10.A notes on the next handout (3) Answer the questions below.

Benvolio

Who are you and what are you all about?

Your name, Benvolio, sounds like the word benevolent, and that is no accident. Like all
things “bene,” you are considered good and kind. When your buddy Romeo was pouting,
you took him to the party where he flirted with Juliet (well, maybe that was not such a good
idea).

You are also friends with Mercutio, which is a good thing. When Mercutio gets all wound up,
you try hard to calm him down. In fact, just a few minutes ago, you had to work your magic.
Let’s see how long that lasts ...

Where do you stand on Verona’s war between the households?

You are one of Romeo’s two best friends. And, even though you are not a fighter by nature,
you consider yourself on “Team Montague.” Somehow, even though you are a peacemaker
by nature, you get sucked in to at least two fights, each time trying to stop the fight before
it gets out of hand.

Questions to answer in the huddle:

Question 1: Do you tell Mercutio and Tybalt not to fight? If not, what choice are you
offering them?

Question 2: What do you mean by “all eyes gaze on us”? Why do you care?

Question 3: In this entire scene, you only speak once. What could that tell us about your
character?

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 Lesson 2.10

Unit 2

Romeo and Juliet: Script HANDOUT

2.10.B

Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 34–87

Notes Script Director’s Notes

This is the first BENVOLIO

quatrain of the Two households, both alike in dignity,
prologue. This is an In fair Verona, where we lay our
adaptation of the scene,
original play to give From ancient grudge break to new
Benvolio another mutiny,
opportunity to speak Where civil blood makes civil hands
and set the stage for unclean.
the tension between
the characters.

for: because, since TYBALT

good e’en: good Follow me close, for I will speak to
evening (or here, good them.
day) Gentlemen, good e’en, a word with
one of you.

but one: only one MERCUTIO

couple it: put it And but one word with one of us?
together Couple it
blow: hit with something, make it a word and
a blow.

apt: willing TYBALT

an: if You shall find me apt enough to that,
give me occasion: sir,
give me a reason and you will give me occasion.

MERCUTIO
Could you not take some occasion
without giving?

consort: spend time TYBALT

with, or play music Mercutio, thou consortest with
with Romeo—

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 Lesson 2.10

Unit 2

HANDOUT Notes Script Director’s Notes

2.10.B
minstrel: a musician MERCUTIO
(a low grade person.) Consort! What, dost thou make us
make minstrels of us: minstrels? An thou make minstrels
if you call us minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but
look to: expect to discords: Here’s my fiddlestick,
here’s that shall make you dance.
nothing but: only
’Zounds, consort!
discords: out of tune
music, or the sound of
an argument
fiddlestick: violin bow,
or sword
‘Zounds: an old
exclamation
meaning “God’s
wounds”

haunt: place where BENVOLIO

people gather We talk here in the public haunt of
withdraw: move to men.
another place Either withdraw unto some private
cold: calmly place,
And reason coldly of your
grievances:
grievances,
disagreements
Or else depart; here all eyes gaze
on us.

budge: move MERCUTIO

for no man’s Men’s eyes were made to look, and
pleasure: to please let them gaze;
some other man I will not budge for no man’s
pleasure, I.

Enter Romeo.

my man: the man I am TYBALT

looking for Well, peace be with you, sir, here
comes my man.

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 Lesson 2.10

Unit 2

Notes Script Director’s Notes HANDOUT

2.10.B
I’ll be hanged: I’d be MERCUTIO
amazed But I’ll be hang’d, sir, if he wear your
livery: uniform of a livery.
servant indicating Marry, go before to field, he’ll be your
what family he serves follower;
go before to field: Your worship in that sense may call
a place where they him man.
might have a duel,
away from people’s
view
worship: a title
used for important
people, here used
sarcastically by
Mercutio

bear: to have TYBALT

afford: give Romeo, the love I bear thee can
villain: low born, bad afford
person, No better term than this: thou art a
criminal villain.

appertaining: ROMEO
accompanying Tybalt, the reason that I have to love
such a greeting: the thee
things that Tybalt just Doth much excuse the appertaining
said to Romeo rage
To such a greeting. Villain am I none;
Therefore farewell, I see thou
knowest me not.

Boy: a very TYBALT

disrespectful way to Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries
address an adult That thou hast done me, therefore
turn and draw.

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 Lesson 2.10

Unit 2

HANDOUT Notes Script Director’s Notes

2.10.B
devise: imagine ROMEO
tender: hold I do protest I never injured thee,
But love thee better than thou canst
devise,
Till thou shalt know the reason of my
love,
And so, good Capulet—which name
I tender
As dearly as mine own—be satisfied.

vile: disgusting MERCUTIO

submission: O calm, dishonorable, vile
surrender submission!
Alla stoccata: name Alla stoccata carries it away.
for a specific sword Draws.
thrust, but can also Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?
suggest a cutting
remark.
carries it away: wins
the argument
Draws: pulls out his
sword
walk: fight with me

have with me: want TYBALT

from me What wouldst thou have with me?

King of Cats: A cat MERCUTIO

has nine lives, and Good King of Cats, nothing but one
Mercutio wants to take of your nine lives; that I mean to
one of them make bold withal, and as you shall
make bold withal: use me hereafter, dry-beat the rest
have my way with of the eight. Will you pluck your
dry-beat: very heavily sword out of his pilcher by the ears?
hit Make haste, lest mine be about your
ears ere it be out.
pilcher: scabbard
ears: pommel
make haste: be quick
lest: in case

I am for you: I will fight TYBALT

you I am for you.

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 Lesson 2.10

Unit 2

Notes Script Director’s Notes HANDOUT

2.10.B
Put thy rapier up: put ROMEO
away your Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.
sword

passado: a style of MERCUTIO

sword lunge Come, sir, your passado.

They fight.

draw: pull out your ROMEO

sword (in this case not Draw, Benvolio, beat down their
to fight, but to stop weapons.
the fight) Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this
forbear: stop outrage!
expressly: clearly Tybalt, Mercutio, the Prince
expressly hath
bandying: sword
Forbid this bandying in Verona
fighting
streets.
Hold: stop
Romeo steps between them.
Hold, Tybalt! Good Mercutio!

Tybalt under Romeo’s arm thrusts

Mercutio in.
Away Tybalt with his followers.

A plague: let a plague MERCUTIO

infect both your I am hurt.
families. That is, I A plague a’ both houses!
curse all of you.
sped: finished

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