Romeo & Juliet Reference Sheet Howard/Benzel Focus English
SHAKESPEAREAN INSULT SHEET
Directions:
- Combineth one word or phrase from each of the columns below
- (Adjective + Adjective + Noun = Insult)
- Addeth "Thou" to the beginning. (“Thou” means “you”.)
- Useth thy dictionary! Make certain thouknowest the meaning of thy strong words.
- Mix and match to find that FOUR perfect barbs from the Bard! Writeth them below!
- Fling thy perfect insult at wretched fools, when necessary.
Column A- Adjectives / Column B- Adjectives / Column C- Nouns
bawdy
brazen
churlish
distempered
fitful
gnarling
greasy
grizzled
haughty
hideous
jaded
knavish
lewd
peevish
pernicious
prating
purpled
queasy
rank
reeky
roynish
saucy
sottish
unmuzzled
vacant
waggish
wanton
wenching
whoreson
yeasty / bunch-backed
clay-brained
dog-hearted
empty-hearted
evil-eyed
eye-offending
fat-kidneyed
heavy-headed
hopping-mad
ill-bred
ill-courted
ill-nurtured
iron-witted
lean-witted
lily-livered
mad-bred
motIey-headed
muddy-eyed
onion-eyed
pale-hearted
paper-faced
pinch-spotted
raw-boned
rug-headed
rump-fed
shag-eared
shrill-gorged
sour-faced
weak -hinged
white-livered / canker-blossom
clot
crutch
cutpurse
dogfish
egg-sucker
gull-chaser
hedge-pig
hump
jack
malkin
malignancy
malt-worm
manikin
minimus
miscreant
moldwarp
nut-bird
pantaloon
rabbit-sucker
rampallion
remnant
rudesby
ruffian
scantling
scab
snipe
waterfly
wisp
yowler
Insult form:
“Thou (Adjective from Column A), (Adjective from Column B, (Noun from Column C)!!!!
- Thou ______, ______, ______!!!
- Thou ______, ______, ______!!!
- Thou ______, ______, ______!!!
Other important Shakespearean vocabulary:
Prologue:
Romeo & Juliet Reference Sheet Howard/Benzel Focus English
DIGNITY = SOCIAL RANK
FAIR = BEAUTIFUL
ANCIENT GRUDGE = OLD ARGUMENT
NEW MUTINY = NEW VIOLENCE / REBELLIOUSNESS
CIVIL BLOOD = CITIZENS’ (NEIGHBORS’) HANDS ARE BLOODIED
LOINS = BIRTHED FROM
FOES = ENEMIES
STAR-CROSSED = ILL-FATED / DOOMED
MISADVENTURED = UNFORTUNATE
PITEOUS = PITEABLE / SAD
OVERTHROWS = END / DESTRUCTION
DOTH = DOS
BUT = EXCEPT FOR
NAUGHT = NOTHING
ATTEND = LISTEN TO
TOIL = WORK
MEND = REPAIR
Romeo & Juliet Reference Sheet Howard/Benzel Focus English
Important Prologue Comprehension Questions:
- What is the setting (time/place) of the play?
- What is the relationship between the two households?
- What does Shakespeare mean by “star-crossed lovers”?
- How does the Chorus say the lovers will die?
- Based on the information provided in the Prologue, what do you predict the theme of this play will be?
- What does the Chorus ask the audience to so in the last two lines?
- What does the Chorus promise to do for the audience?
Romeo & Juliet Vocabulary:(+=word in prologue, bold are used most often)
YOU MAY ADD TO THIS LIST AS YOU WISH!
Romeo & Juliet Reference Sheet Howard/Benzel Focus English
+Ancient Grudge= Old argument
Against = for / in preparation for
Alack = alas
An (and) = if
Anon = soon
Art = are
+Attend = listen
Aye / yea = yes
Banished = exiled
Beautious = beautiful
Belike = maybe
+But = only / except / except for
+Civil Blood=citizens’/neighbors’ hands are bloodied
Comely = beautiful
+Dignity = social rank
Dost = does
+Doth = does
E’en = even
E’er = ever
Enow = enough
+Fair = beautiful
Fare-thee-well = goodbye
Fie – a curse
+Foe = enemy
Haply = perhaps
Happy = fortunate
Hence = away / from here
Hie = hurry
Hither = here
I’faith = in faith / truly
+Loins= Birthed from
Marry = indeed
Mayhaps / perchance = maybe
+Mend = repair
+Misadventured=unfortunate
+Mutiny = violence / rebellion (New Mutiny= new violence)
+Naught = nothing
Nay = no
N’er = never
Oft = often
+Overthrows=end/destruction
+Piteous – pitiable / sad
Prithee/ pray = please
Shrift = confession
+Star-crossed=Ill fated/doomed
Thee/thou = you / your
Thine = your
Thither = there
+Toil = work
Verily = truly
Whence = where
Wherefore = why
Wilt = will
Wit = intelligence
Withal = in addition / notwithstanding