Perfect Mate:
An Assignment on Romeo & Juliet
Rationale: I use this lesson in preparation for teaching Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. It immediately makes students aware of their connection to the theme of this ageless story.
Objectives: The objective of this lesson is to make students aware of the differences between their ideal mate and their parents' idea of a perfect mate for them. By articulating these differences, students will be more likely to accept the themes represented in Romeo & Juliet when we read the play shortly after completing the lesson.
Procedure:
Students are given a two-sided survey. One side is for them to fill out; the other side is for their parents to fill out. The student side asks two questions. The first is What are specific qualitiesthat describe the perfect life-long mate for you? The second question asks What are specific qualities that you think your parents want for you to find in a life-long mate? The other side of the survey--the one for parents--also asks two questions. The first is What specific qualities to hope your child finds in a life-long mate? The second is What qualities do you think your child values most in a life-long mate? I write a note to parents explaining that we are preparing to read Romeo & Juliet, and I ask them not to look at their child's answers before answering their own questions.
When students return to class with completed surveys, I ask for volunteers to report to the class answers to both sides of the survey. Inevitably there are big differences not only in what students want in a life-long mate and what their parents want for them, but also in what students think their parents want for them versus what they really want for their children and in what parents think their children want for themselves.
It may sound confusing, but the form I have developed makes it pretty easy to get good information from both students and parents.
I have used this lesson for five years and it is always VERY successful. The kid’s love it, and I almost always get notes from parents telling me how much fun it was and how valuable they think it is in connecting Shakespeare's play to their own lives. I've even had parents go back and re-read the play, which they haven't seen since 9th grade. Students begin reading Shakespeare immediately prepared to see themselves and their parents in the play.
Perfect Mate: Student Form
In Act I Scene 2 of Romeo & Juliet, Lord Capulet, Juliet's father, and Paris, cousin to Prince Escalus who wants to marry Juliet, discuss the marriage. In many cultures marriages are arranged by parents with little or no input from the bride and groom. In this scene Capulet tells Paris:
"My will to her consent is but a part.
And she agreed, within her scope of choice
Lies my consent and fair according voice."
So, Lord Capulet at least is telling Juliet's suitor that she must also consent to the marriage. Of course, we found out that Juliet didn't want to marry Paris. She has fallen in love with the son of her family's arch-enemy, Lord Montegue.
Have you ever dated or even expressed an interest in a guy or girl that your parents disapproved of? If so, you should have some empathy for what Romeo and Juliet are going through in this play.
If you had to list the traits (physical, personality, etc.) of your perfect mate, what would they be? Try to be as specific as you can be.
Now, get behind the Eight Ball and try to figure out what traits your parents would list if they were choosing the perfect mate for you. Again, try to be specific.
REMEMBER! Don't let your parents see your list until they have done theirs on the other side.
Perfect Mate: Parent Form
Dear Parent(s):
We are reading Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" in English class and I would appreciate your taking the time to complete this survey.
As you may remember from your own high school English class, the play centers on two young people who fall in love. Their parents, however, are enemies and make the relationship impossible for Romeo and Juliet. On the other side of this sheet I have asked the students to list traits THEY would want in a "perfect mate." Now, I'm going to ask you to do the same, without having looked at their lists first. Naturally, you're welcome to read what they said after you've answered the questions. Confused? I hope not. If you are, do what I do when I make an assignment that I don't understand: Ask your child what I meant.
Thanks for your help in completing this project.
What traits (physical, personality, etc.) would you think your son or daughter would look for if searching for the perfect mate for himself or herself?
Now, what traits would you consider most important if you were choosing the perfect mate for your son or daughter?
Parent Signature: ______