Hello, everyone, lovely to see you here today.

My name's Dr.

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

Today's lesson is called "Romeo and Juliet," Juliet's Agency in Act 1, Scene 5, and Act 2, Scene 2.

We're going to be thinking about the concept of agency, so the power to make independent decisions about your life, and thinking about whether or not we can see Juliet displaying agency in Act 1, Scene 5, so her first meeting with Romeo, and Act 2, Scene 2, more commonly known as the balcony scene.

Now these are pivotal moments in Juliet's relationship with Romeo.

So I think it's really important that we think about whether or not she's acting independently for herself in these scenes or not.

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

So by the end of the lesson, you'll be able to explain Juliet's agency in Act 1, Scene 5, and Act 2, Scene 2 of "Romeo and Juliet." So we have three words today we're going to be using as our keywords.

They'll be identified in bold throughout the learning material, and I'll try to point them out to as well, so can see them being used in context.

So our first keyword is agency, which means the capacity of an individual to act independently from others and to make their own free choices.

We're going to be thinking about whether or not Juliet is able to act as an individual and make her own free choices in Act 1, Scene 5 and Act 2, Scene 2.

Our second keyword is passive, which means not acting to influence or change a situation, allowing other people to be in control.

And our final keyword is dictating, which means to give orders or to tell someone exactly what they must do.

We're going to be thinking about when we can see Juliet displaying passive behaviour in Act 1, Scene 5, but also how we can see her dictating the terms in her relationship with Romeo in the scenes.

So, I'll just give you a moment to write down those keywords and their 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 look at Romeo and Juliet's first conversation in Act 1, Scene 5 at the Capulet ball, and think about where we can see Juliet display both active and passive behaviour.

For our second learning cycle, we're going to be thinking about Act 2, Scene 2, which more commonly known as the balcony scene, and think about how we might see Juliet as dictating the terms of their relationship in this scene.

For our third learning cycle, we're gonna specifically look at the stage directions in Act 2, Scene 2, and what they might tell us about how Shakespeare intended the audience to see Juliet's agency.

So we're going to start with Act 1, Scene 5.

In this scene, Romeo attends the Capulet ball and meets Juliet for the first time.

So we're going to start by reading through Romeo and Juliet's first conversation together.

So I'm gonna press play now.

So let's read through Romeo and Juliet's first conversation together.

"If I profane my unworthiest hand, this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: my lips, two blushing pilgrim's, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." So here Romeo is taking Juliet's hand, even though he says he's not worthy to do so.

He's ready to make up for his lack of worthiness by kissing her hand.

"Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrim's hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss." So here Juliet's saying that Romeo is being unfair in himself.

He's showing proper devotion by touching her hand.

She's suggests that holding hands is like a pilgrims kiss.

"Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?" So Romeo brings up the subject of lips and the option of a traditional kiss.

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer." So Juliet's acknowledging that lips can be used too, but their pilgrims use their lips to pray.

"O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do.

They pray: grant thou, lest faith turn to despair." So Romeo's asking Juliet for a kiss.

"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake." Now we're gonna look at this line in more detail in the lesson, but essentially, Juliet's granting his request for a kiss, but saying she will not move, he has to come to her.

"Then move not while my prayers affect I take.

Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged." So here Romeo's saying that her lips have cleansed the sin from him through her kiss.

"Then have my lips the sin that they have took." So Juliet responds, she now has Romeo's sin.

"Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again." So Romeo takes his encouragement to take the sin back by kissing her again.

"You kiss by th' book." So Juliet's suggesting that he kisses as if he studied it.

She's saying he's a good kisser.

So now we're going to spend the rest of the learning cycle zooming in on some of the language within the conversation, as well as the stage directions.

So let's think about the stage directions in Act 1, Scene 5.

Now stage directions are instructions in a play for technical aspects of the production such as lighting, sound, costume, scenery or props, and most importantly the movement of actors on stage.

So what I'd like to think about first is why do you think considering stage directions is important when analysing a play? Pause a video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone.

Some great ideas there.

And you might have thought the way a play is staged affects the audience's perception.

You can affect how we can see a character based on how they're acting, what their mannerisms are.

Stage directions also offers information about the relationships between characters because we can see their body language and how they're interacting with other characters without speaking to them.

So let's think about the stage directions in Act 1, Scene 5.

We start the conversation with a stage direction, Romeo taking Juliet's hand.

Then for their two kisses we have the same stage directions, Romeo kisses her.

So what I'd like you to think about is what do you think the significance of these stage directions might be? What does it tell us about the dynamic of their relationship? Pause the video.

Take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone, some great ideas there.

Now as Alex says, "I think it shows how Romeo's taking control of the situation and Juliet's occupying a more passive role." So Juliet's allowing Romeo to be in control.

He's the one doing the actions and she's the one accepting actions.

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? The stage directions in Act 1, Scene 5 show Juliet taking an active role.

Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

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 think about it.

Welcome back everyone.

They might have said the stage direction show that Romeo is the one doing the actions.

He's taking the active role.

So very well done if you got those right.

So now let's zoom in on Juliet's line.

"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake." So here Juliet's granting Romeo's request for a kiss, but saying she'll not move.

So what I'd like you to think about is do you think Julia is being active or passive here? Is she taking action or is she allowing others to take action? Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone, some great ideas there.

Now as Sam says, "I think she's being a bit of both, granting the kiss seems active, but not moving is passive.

So perhaps she's being as active as society will allow her to be?" Now I think this is a really important point.

Remember this is a patriarchal society.

Women we're supposed to be submissive so she would be expected to act in a passive manner.

We have to remember to always view Juliet's agency through that lens and consider it accordingly.

So now for a quick check for understanding.

So which of the following actions does Juliet take after Romeo asks for a kiss? is it A, she consents to a kiss and moves towards him.

B, she declines the kiss and moves away from him.

Or C, she consents to the kiss but does not move.

Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone.

Now the correct answer is C.

She consents to the kiss but does not move.

So very well done if you got that right.

Amazing work, everyone.

Now for the first task of the lesson.

So what I'd like you to do is think about the following ideas about Act 1, Scene 5.

So the stage directions show Romeo taking an active role.

Juliet agrees to be kissed but does not move for the kiss.

And then discuss whether you think Juliet's showing agency in a first conversation with Romeo, why or why not? Remember that having agency means the capacity of an individual to act independently from others and to make their own free choices.

So pause the video, take a few minutes to discuss.

Welcome back everyone, some great discussions there.

Now what I'd like you to think about is Laura and Sofia's ideas, how well they align with your ideas.

So Laura says, "I think she's showing agency because she's the one making the decision to be kissed and telling Romeo how she's going to act." And Sofia says, "I think this reveals the realities of women's agency, in reality, men are in control of situations and take the active role." So pause the video, think about how well their ideas align with your ideas.

Welcome back everyone.

Now I think Juliet's agency in this scene is so important.

Remember, it's her first conversation with Romeo and actually her first conversation with a man in the play.

So it reveals so much about women's interactions with men and how women were supposed to behave.

Fantastic work everyone.

We're now in the second learning cycle, we're going to think about Juliet's agency in Act 2, Scene 2, Now Act 2, Scene 2 is commonly known as the balcony scene.

In this scene, Romeo hears Juliet talking about her love for him, and when he reveals himself they discuss their love and agree to get married.

Now when she's unaware that Romeo can hear her, Juliet declares, "I'll no longer be a Capulet" to be with Romeo.

So what I'd like to think about is why might this line be significant in terms of Juliet's agency? She's talking about giving up her family and changing who she is.

Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone, some great ideas there.

Now you might have said that we might see Juliet as showing agency because she's speaking independently.

She's unaware that Romeo is listening.

So she's not being influenced by him.

To say she won't be a Capulet anymore also implies it's within her power to alter her identity.

She can make independent decisions about who she is.

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 line, "I'll no longer be a Capulet" implies sense of agency over her identity? Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

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 think about it.

Welcome back everyone, you might have said, firstly, she's unaware that Romeo can hear her so she's not being influenced by him.

Secondly, it implies she can decide whether or not to be a Capulet.

She has control over it.

So very well done if you got those right.

So now I'd like to think about the following two lines.

"O, swear not by the moon, th' inconstant moon," "I have no joy of this contract tonight.

It's too rash, too unadvised, too sudden." Now these are lines that Juliet says to Romeo about their relationship, and what I'd like you to think about is how is Juliet showing agency here? Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone, some great ideas there.

Now as Aisha says, "She's dictating the terms of relationship to Romeo.

She's telling him how to act and what he should say." So she's assuming a position of power in the relationship by telling Romeo what he needs to do.

Remember this would've been considered subversive in a patriarchal society when we're expected to be obedient.

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 declaration, "swear not by the moon," shows her taking a passive role? Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Correct answer is false.

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

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

Welcome back everyone.

They might have said, by telling Romeo not to swear on the moon, Juliet's taking an active role as she's telling Romeo what not to say.

So very well done if you got those right.

Now, a really important part of this scene is it's Juliet who mentions the subject of marriage first.

Remember that women would typically have their marriages arranged for them, Elizabethan England.

But Juliet says, "If that thy bent of love be honourable, thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow." So what I'd like you to think about is how is Juliet showing agency here? Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone, some great ideas there.

Now as Andeep says, "She's the one who's proposing the next step in their relationship.

She's telling Romeo what she wants and what he needs to do." So she's taking a very active role in the relationship.

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? The fact that Juliet brings up the subject of marriage first is unimportant.

Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

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 think about it.

Welcome back everyone.

They might have said, by bringing up the subject of marriage, Juliet's arguably dictating the terms of relationship and what she wants Romeo to do.

So very well done if you got those right.

Fantastic to work everyone.

Now the second task of the lesson.

So what I'd like you to do is think about the question, how is Juliet showing agency and control in her relationship with Romeo in Act 2, Scene 2 and write a short answer to explain your ideas.

They might consider Juliet's declaration that she'll no longer be a Capulet.

Juliet telling Romeo who's being too rash, and Juliet bringing up the subject of marriage.

So pause the video, write your answer now.

Welcome back everyone, some great work there.

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

Think about how well they align with your ideas.

So Izzy said, "I think there are two main ways that Juliet's demonstrating agency in Act 2, Scene 2.

Firstly by declaring she'll 'no longer be a Capulet,' Juliet implies she has control over her identity and can make her own decisions regarding it.

Secondly, we see Juliet dictating the terms of her relationship with Romeo, she's the one directing the emotional movement of the conversation as well as the one who brings up marriage.

She knows what she wants and she tells Romeo what to do." So pause the video, think about how well Izzy's ideas align with your ideas.

Welcome back everyone.

Now we're moving on to the third learning cycle.

We're going to think about the stage directions in Act 2, Scene 2, and how they contribute to ideas of Juliet's agency.

Fantastic work everyone.

And now the third learning cycle.

We're going to look at how Shakespeare positions Juliet in the scene through the stage directions and what it might reveal about how he wants the audience to see her.

So we said earlier in the lesson, the stage directions are instructions in the play that tell you how to stage it, but also how the character should be positioned on the stage.

Now in Act 2, Scene 2, Shakespeare includes the stage direction, "Enter Juliet above." So here we know that in the performance, Juliet's meant to appear above Romeo.

So what I'd like you to think about is what might the stage direction suggest about the power dynamics within the scene? Think about the idea that Romeo's supposed to be looking up towards Juliet.

Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone, some great ideas there.

Now we often associate having the higher ground with having more power because it implies that Juliet's physically and metaphorically above Romeo, which could suggest that we as the audience are meant to see her as somehow superior in the scene.

So what I'd like to think about is how might Juliet's higher position in the scene relate to ideas of agency? Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone, some great ideas there.

Now as Jacob says, "I think her being above Romeo might suggest we're supposed to see her as being in control in the scene.

We're supposed to see her as having agency." Now this is important because it's just that Shakespeare wants to see Juliet having agency and control in this moment.

He wants to see her as taking control in the relationship.

Now throughout the scene, Shakespeare also includes the following stage directions, "Reenter Juliet above." "Enter Juliet above again." So what I'd like you to think about is why might this be significant? Pause the video.

Take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone, some great ideas there.

Now as Aisha says, "I think can continually reasserts Juliet's agency and the power dynamics of the scene.

It may be Shakespeare's way reminding the audience of her control over the conversation." 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? The staging of Act 2, Scene 2 implies we should see Juliet as having agency in the scene.

Pause a video, take a few moments to think about it.

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 think about it.

Welcome back everyone.

They might have said, by placing Juliet as above Romeo in the scene, Shakespeare could be suggesting we should perceive Juliet as more powerful and in control within the scene.

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

Amazing work everyone.

We now in the final task of the lesson.

So what I'd like you to do is imagine Shakespeare continually used the stage direction "Enter Juliet below" throughout Act 2, Scene 2.

And what I'd like you to think about is do you think it would alter our perception of Juliet's agency in the scene? Now might consider that to be below implies subordinate position, that the language in the scene wouldn't change.

So pause the video, take a few minutes to discuss.

Welcome back everyone, some great discussions there.

Now what I'd like you to do is think about Aisha and Jacob's ideas.

Think about how well they align with your ideas.

So Aisha said, "I think it would alter our perception.

It would position Romeo as above her throughout the scene, which would undermine her agency." And Jacob said, "I don't think it would undermine her agency.

I think it actually might enhance it because she'd be dictating to someone above her." So pause the video, think about how well their ideas align with your ideas.

Welcome back everyone.

Now think considering how our reading or understanding of a text might change if a writer made different choices it's really powerful 'cause it helps to see the text the conscious construction.

Now everything works together to create the impression in our minds.

You all did amazingly well today, everyone.

Here's a summary of what we covered, arguably, the stage directions in Act 1, Scene 5 show Romeo taking control of the exchange with Juliet.

Potentially we might see Juliet taking both a passive and an active role in Act 1, Scene 5.

Juliet's language in Act 2, Scene 2 arguably shows her dictating the terms of her relationship with Romeo.

By bringing up the subject of marriage, Juliet's arguably showing agency in the relationship.

Stage directions can affect how we perceive power dynamics and relationships between characters.

I really hope you enjoyed the lesson, everyone.

I hope to see you for another lesson soon.

Goodbye.