Hello, everyone.

It's lovely to see you here today.

My name's Dr.

Clayton, and I'm here to guide you through learning journey today.

Now today's lesson's called Exploring Symbolism in Romeo and Juliet's last meeting in Act 3, Scene 5.

Now, for me, I think it's one of the most poignant moments in the play.

It's the last time that Romeo and Juliet are alive together.

I think Shakespeare creates such beautiful, meaningful images throughout it.

We're going to be thinking about what it might suggest about their relationship and society.

So if you're ready, grab your pen, laptop, whatever you need for this lesson, and let's get started.

So by the end of the lesson, you'll be able to explain the significance of the symbolism in Romeo and Juliet's last meeting in Act 3, Scene 5.

We have five words today we're going to be using as our keywords.

They'll be identified in bold throughout the learning material.

And I tried to pull that as well so can see them being in context.

So first keyword is fate, which means the development of events outside of a person's control, regarded as predetermined by supernatural power.

We're going to be thinking about the role of fate in Romeo and Juliet's last meeting.

Our second keyword is stereotypical, which means something with the qualities that people usually expect of a particular type of person or thing.

Our third keyword is transgressive, which means involving a violation of moral or social boundaries.

We're going to be thinking about how Romeo and Juliet's relationship subverts stereotypes, so it challenges stereotypes, and therefore becomes transgressive.

Our fourth keyword is ominous, which means giving the worrying impression something bad is going to happen.

And our fifth keyword is prophetic, which means accurately predicting what will happen in the future.

We're going to be thinking about how Shakespeare uses ominous and prophetic symbols and images throughout the scene to foreshadow the tragic ending of Romeo and Juliet.

So I'll just give you a moment to write down those keywords and the definitions.

So pause the video, write them down now.

Fantastic.

Let's get started with the lesson.

So we have three learning cycles in our lesson today.

For our first learning cycle, we're going to be thinking about how Shakespeare presents the symbolism of night and day.

Now, this is recurring symbolism throughout the play, but here specifically, we'll see how the symbolism might relate to Romeo and Juliet's relationship.

For our second learning cycle, we're going to look at the symbolism of the nightingale and the lark.

We're going to think about what those specific birds might mean symbolically and what that might reveal about Romeo and Juliet's relationship.

For our third living cycle, we're going to be thinking about Juliet's prophetic dream.

Now it might create an ominous foreshadowing of Romeo and Juliet's tragic deaths.

Now, as I said, Shakespeare considers symbolism of day and night and lightened darkness throughout Romeo and Juliet.

So what I'd like you to start off by doing is thinking about what we typically associate with light and day and dark and night.

So pause video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back, everyone.

Some great ideas there.

Let's talk through some of the things you might have said.

Now, typically we associate the day and the light with hope, positivity, truth, and optimism, 'cause light reveals the truth to us.

It acts as a beacon to show us the way during the dark.

In terms of night and darkness, we typically associate that with secrets, pessimism, mystery, and fear.

There's something very primal about our fear of the dark.

It leaves us vulnerable because we dunno what's happening or what could be there waiting for us.

So now for a quick check for understanding, what I'd like you to do is time where the following statement is true or false.

So is it true or false that darkness and night-time typically have negative connotations in literature? Pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Now the correct answer is true.

Now I'd like to me why it's true.

So pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Welcome back, everyone.

You might have said that stereotypically, we associate darkness and night-time with fear, mystery, and secrets.

So very well done if you've got those right.

Now, in Act 3, Scene 5, Romeo and Juliet meet for the last time.

At the beginning of the scene, Juliet tries to persuade Romeo it's not daylight that you can see, which means he need'st not be gone.

At this point in the play, Romeo's been banished.

If it's daylight, he must leave Verona or risk being caught and executed.

So what I'd like you to think about is what does this suggest about one night provides for Romeo and Juliet? Pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Welcome back, everyone.

Some great ideas there.

Let's talk through some things you might have said.

You might have thought, "The darkness provides Romeo and Juliet with safety, protection, and comfort.

It offers 'em an opportunity to be together." Now, as we said earlier, stereotypically, we see day and light as providing hope and comfort.

However, Juliet describes the new day and light as creating straining harsh discords and unpleasing sharps.

Some say the lark makes sweet division.

This doth not so, for she divided with us.

Now light here is creating harsh and unpleasant sounds and dividing them.

So what I'd like you to think about is what does this suggest about what day means for Romeo and Juliet? Pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Welcome back, everyone.

Some great ideas there.

Let's talk through some of the things you might have said.

You might have thought that for Romeo and Juliet, day represents ideas of separation, loss, and fear because they can't be together in the day, their families are at war with each other, and Romeo will be executed if he's caught.

So now for a quick check for understanding.

What I'd like you to do is tell me whether the following statement is true or false.

So is it true or false that Romeo and Juliet present night and day in stereotypical ways in Act 3, Scene 5? So do they present night and day in a way we'd usually expect? Pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Now the correct answer is false.

Now I'd like to tell me why it's false.

So pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Welcome back, everyone.

You might have said that Romeo and Juliet associate night with safety and protection whereas the day, to them, represents loss and separation, which is the opposite to the stereotypical symbolism of night and day.

So very well done if you've got those right.

Fantastic work, everyone.

And now the first task of the lesson.

Now throughout Romeo and Juliet, Romeo and Juliet's relationship largely exists at night-time.

So what I'd like you to do is think about what do you think Shakespeare might have been suggesting about their relationship through this.

I'd like you to write a short answer.

And you might consider that stereotypically, we associate transgressive behaviour.

So transgressive means going against the moral or social norms with night-time.

What might be considered transgressive about Romeo and Juliet's relationship? Pause the video, write your answer now.

Welcome back, everyone.

Fantastic work there.

Now what I'd like you to do is think about Aisha's answer.

Think about how well it aligns with your ideas.

So Aisha said, "By associating Romeo and Juliet's relationship with the night-time, I think Shakespeare's inviting the audience to see their relationship as transgressive.

Their relationship doesn't follow moral or social norms because they've mad each other without their parents' knowledge or permission, which would've been very transgressive at the time.

It disrupts the social order and the established social expectations." So pause video, think about how well Aisha's ideas align with your ideas.

Welcome back, everyone.

Now I think Shakespeare presenting the transgressive nature of their relationship is really important.

We as the audience need to connect emotionally with Romeo and Juliet.

So why Shakespeare highlighting that their relationship doesn't follow moral or social norms? Is he criticising society somehow? That's something you might like to take away and think about.

Amazing and work, everyone.

We're now moving on to our second learning cycle.

We're going to look at the symbols of the nightingale and the lark and think about what they might reveal about Romeo and Juliet's relationship.

Now, when speaking of night and day, Juliet continually references the nightingale and the lark.

At the beginning, Juliet tries to convince Romeo he can hear the nightingale rather than the lark.

Now nightingale's are birds that are known for their powerful and beautiful song that typically occurs during the night-time.

Stereotypically nightingales in literature are associated with love and the renewal of life in spring.

However, it's not the nightingale that Romeo and Juliet can hear.

They can't hear the symbol of love and renewal.

So what I'd like you to think about is why might that be significant? Why would Shakespeare introduce the symbol of love and then reveal it's not actually there? Pause video, take a few moments to consider.

Welcome back, everyone.

Some great ideas there.

Alice Andeep says, "I think it's significant because the lack of a nightingale represents how Romeo and Juliet's love is coming to an end.

There's no hope of a new beginning for them because we know their love ends in tragedy." So now for a quick check for understanding.

Which of the following might the lack of a nightingale represent in Romeo and Juliet? Is it A, the renewal of Romeo and Juliet's love, B, the Romeo and Juliet's love is going to be cut short, or C, an optimistic image of hope? Pauses video, take a few moments to consider.

Welcome back, everyone.

Now the nightingale symbolise the ideas of love, but it's not the nightingale they can hear, and therefore that might represent that Romeo and Juliet's love is going to be cut short.

So very well done if you got that right.

So instead of the nightingale, it's actually the lark they can hear instead.

Now larks are songbirds.

They typically symbolise mourning and dawn.

In Elizabethan times, larks were hunted and roasted food, or kept at home as caged pets.

So what I'd like you to think about is how might the concept being caged apply to Romeo and Juliet and what the dawn means for them? Think about whether Romeo and Juliet are allowed to be together or not.

Pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Welcome back, everyone.

Fantastic ideas there.

Now as Laura says, "Maybe it represents how they're caged by their circumstances.

They're both trapped by the realities of their situation, so we have Romeo's banishment and their parents' feud, as well as being doomed to a tragic end by fate." So now for a quick check for understanding.

What I'd like you to tell me is whether or not the following statement is true or false.

So is it true or false that the lark of the symbol of optimism for Romeo and Juliet? Pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Now the correct answer is false.

Now I'd like to tell me why it's false.

So pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Welcome back, everyone.

You might have said that arguably, the lark might represent how Romeo and Juliet are trapped by their circumstances and by fate.

So very well done if you've got those right.

Fantastic work, everyone.

Were now at the second task of the lesson.

So what I'd like you to do is complete the sentence starters to summarise the significance of the nightingale and the lark in Act 3, Scene 5.

So stereotypically, the nightingale represents ideas of love and renewal in literature.

However, in Act 3, Scene 5, the lack of a nightingale might represent.

Rather than nightingale, Romeo and Juliet can instead hear a lark.

Now, larks were caged and kept as pets in Elizabethan times.

This might reflect.

So pause the video, complete the sentences now.

Welcome back, everyone.

Some great work there.

What I'd like you to do is think about Alex's ideas.

Think about how well they align with your ideas.

So sentence one, stereotypically, the nightingale represents ideas of love and renewal in literature.

However, in Act 3, Scene 5, the lack of a nightingale might represent that this is the last time Romeo and Juliet will meet.

There's no future for their love because they're doomed to a tragic end.

Sentence two, rather than nightingale, Romeo and Juliet can instead hear a lark.

Now, larks were caged and kept as pets in Elizabethan times.

This might reflect how Romeo and Juliet are caged by their circumstances.

Societal expectations mean their relationship would've been considered transgressive and they're also trapped by fate.

So pause the video, think about how well Alex's ideas align with your ideas.

Welcome back, everyone.

Now I think looking at the symbolism of Shakespeare's choice of birds really shows how much care and attention he took as a writer.

Every image is purposely chosen to reveal something about a character or about society as a whole.

Fantastic work, everyone.

We're now to the third learning cycle.

We're going to look at Juliet's prophetic dream and how foreshadows their tragic end.

So at the end of Romeo and Juliet's time together, Juliet says, "O God, I have an ill-defining soul.

Methinks I see thee, now though out so low, as one dead in the bottom of a tomb.

Either my eyesight fails or thou lookest pale." So here, Juliet saying she has an ominous feeling and sees the vision of Romeo dead.

Now ominous is one of our keywords.

He's given the worrying impression something bad is going to happen.

So Juliet has a feeling something bad is going to happen.

So what I'd like you to think about is how is Juliet's vision prophetic? How does Juliet's vision accurately predict what's gonna happen in the future? Pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Welcome back, everyone.

Some great ideas there.

As Jacob says, "This is the last time that Romeo and Juliet see each other alive.

The next time Juliet sees Romeo, he's dead in her tomb." Now, in response to Juliet's dream, Romeo says, "And trust me, love, in my eyes so do you.

Dry sorrow drinks a blood.

Adieu, adieu." So here, Romeo suggesting they both look pale because of their sorrow.

So what I'd like you to think about is why might the image of sorrow drinking their blood be significant? Pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Welcome back, everyone.

Some great ideas there.

You might have said that Romeo's words prophetic.

It's Romeo and Juliet sorrow that leads their mutual deaths.

Romeo believes that Juliet is dead, and it's that sorrow that leads him to killing himself.

Juliet, so her waking up finding Romeo dead leads her to then kill herself.

So now for a quick check for understanding.

What I'd like you to do is tell me whether the following statement is true or false.

So is it true or false that Juliet's dream accurately predicts the future? Pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Now the correct answer is true.

Now I'd like to tell me why it's true.

So pause the video, take a few moments to consider.

Welcome back, everyone.

You might have said that Juliet's vision is prophetic 'cause the next time she sees Romeo, he's dead in her tomb, as she sees in her vision.

So very well done if you got this right.

Fantastic work, everyone.

Now, the final task of the lesson.

Now, Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," both Romeo and Juliet have prophetic dreams and visions of their fate.

In Act 1, Scene 4, Romeo dreams Attending the Capulet's ball will lead to his death.

In Act 3, Scene 5, Juliet has a vision of Romeo dead in a tomb.

So what I'd like you to do is answer the following questions.

So question one, earlier in the play, Mercutio said that dreams were merely idle fantasies.

What do you think Shakespeare's saying about the nature of dreams and visions through Romeo and Juliet's prophecies? And question two, what might their dreams and visions suggest about fate? So pause the video, answer the questions now.

Welcome back, everyone.

Some great work there.

Now what I'd like you to do is think about Lucas's ideas.

Think about how well they align with your ideas.

So question one, earlier in the play, Mercutio suggested that dreams were merely idle fantasies.

What do you think Shakespeare is saying about the nature of dreams and visions through Romeo and Juliet's prophecies? And Lucas said, "I think Shakespeare's highlighting the importance of dreams and visions.

They aren't just fantasies.

They could tell us the truth about the future." Question two, what might dreams and visions suggest about fate? And Lucas said, "I think it highlights the inescapable nature of fate.

We're told Romeo and Juliet's fate in the prologue and we are reminded of it throughout the play." So pause the video, think about how well Luke's ideas align with your ideas.

Welcome back, everyone.

Now I think the theme of fate is so important in Romeo and Juliet 'cause it really cuts the heart of how we see our lives and ourselves.

Are we in control? Or, are we actually just following a path that's been laid out for us? I think using it so predominantly in a tragedy is so interesting.

Do we still something to be tragic if it was always meant to happen? Why or why not? These are just some of the questions that Shakespeare leaves us with.

You all did amazingly well today, everyone.

Here's a summary of what we covered.

Stereotypically, night and darkness represent fear and mystery, while day and light represent hope and truth.

However, for Romeo and Juliet, night and Darkness represents protection and safety.

Because of this, Shakespeare may be highlighting the transgressive nature of their relationship.

The image of the lark may symbolise that Romeo and Juliet are trapped by circumstances and fate.

Juliet's prophetic vision may reveal the inescapable nature of their fate.

I really hope you enjoy the lesson, everyone.

I hope to see you for another lesson soon.

Goodbye.