Hello everyone.

It's lovely to see you here today.

My name's Dr.

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

Now today's lesson's called, "Romeo and Juliet": violence, masculinity and society, in Act I: Scene 1.

So we're going to look at how Shakespeare introduced these ideas of violence and masculinity in society, from the very start of the play, and what it might suggest about how men were expected to behave in Elizabethan England.

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

So by the end of the lesson, you'll be able to explain how Shakespeare links the concepts of violence and masculinity in Act I: Scene 1 of "Romeo and Juliet." So we have four words today we're going to be using as our key words, they've identified in bold throughout the learning material, and I'll try to point out to you as well so you can see them being used in context.

So, first keyword is masculinity, which means qualities or attributes regarded as being characteristic of men or boys.

We're going to be thinking about what Act I: Scene 1, reveals about the stereotypes of masculinity, and how men were expected to behave.

Our second key word is authority, which means power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behaviour.

Our third keyword is dominant, which means to be in control, to be powerful.

Our final keyword is animalistic, which means characteristic of animals, particularly in being physical and instinctive.

We're going to be thinking about how ideas of showing authority, being dominant, and being animalistic, are all arguably stereotypes of masculinity in Elizabethan England.

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 the language used in Act I: Scene 1, as well as the actions of the characters, and how it demonstrates that violence was seen as an integral part of masculinity in Elizabethan England.

For our second learning cycle, we're going to think about the connection between sex and violence in Act I: Scene 1, and what that might reveal about how men are expected to behave.

For our third learning cycle, we're going to look at Prince's speech in Act I: Scene 1, and what it might reveal about violence in society in Elizabethan England.

Now, Act I: Scene 1 is the opening act of the play.

Let's just read through a quick summary before we start looking at the language in detail.

So, a street fight breaks out between the servants of the Montagues and the Capulets.

So we already can see the ideas of violence are integral to the play, because we open with violence, which shows it's important.

Benvolio, a Montague, tries to break up the fight.

Tybalt, a Capulet, arrives and escalates the fight.

Prince Escalus arrives and puts a stop to the fight.

Now Prince Escalus is the Prince of Verona, so he has authority over everyone in Verona.

Prince Escalus threatens the Montagues and Capulets with death if they fight again.

Now, I would always encourage you to look at the stage directions whenever you're studying a play.

They reveal how the playwright wanted the characters to be behaving on stage, so it can reveal a lot about the characters and how we are meant to perceive them.

So, Act I: Scene 1 begins with the following stage direction.

"Enter Sampson and Gregory, with swords and bucklers, of the house of Capulet." Now, a buckler is a small shield.

So, what I'd like you to think about is what does opening with this stage direction suggest about how Shakespeare might want us to see men in the play? Remember, this is our first impression of them.

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

Welcome back everyone, some great ideas there.

Now the fact that Shakespeare specifically wants them to have swords and shields visible on their person might suggest he wants us to see men associated with violence, they're ready for action.

So we already have this strong connection to men and violence from the opening stage direction.

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? Our first impression of men in "Romeo and Juliet" associates them with violence.

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

Now the correct answer is true.

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

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

Welcome back everyone.

You might have said, the first stage direction of Sampson and Gregory entering with swords and a shield, which immediately associates men with violence.

So very well done if you got those right.

Now, just before the fight between the Montagues and the Capulets starts, Sampson says, "Draw if you be men." So he is telling them to draw their swords if they're men.

So, what I'd like you to think about is what does this suggest about violence and masculinity? Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone, some great ideas there.

As Sophia says, "I think it suggests your masculinity was conditioned on your willingness to fight.

It's suggests that violence was an integral part of proving you're a man.

If you want to be seen as a man, you have to be ready and willing to draw your weapon and fight." So now for a quick check for understanding, which of the following does "Draw if you be men." suggest about violence and masculinity? Is it A, it's suggests that violence was an optional part of masculinity.

B, it suggests that violence was an integral part of masculinity.

Or C, it suggests that violence was not a part of masculinity.

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

Welcome back everyone.

The correct answer is that it suggests that violence was an integral part of masculinity, because it suggests you have to be ready to fight if you want to be seen as a man.

So very well done if you got that right.

Now, typically Benvolio is seen as a peacekeeper in the scene, as he enters by saying, "Part, fools! Put up your swords." So it's telling 'em to put their swords away.

However, as he says this, Shakespeare includes a stage direction, "Drawing his sword." Again, this is why the stage directions are so important to look at.

He's telling them then to put their swords away while he is taking his own sword out.

So, what I'd like you to think about, is what does this suggest about violence and masculinity? Think specifically about what it might suggest about Benvolio's authority.

Now, authority is one of our key words.

It means the power to influence or command, thought, opinion or behaviour.

So, what does the stage direction suggest about Benvolio's power to influence others? Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone, some great ideas there.

Now, because Benvolio is drawing his sword as he's giving a command, you might think it suggests that a man's authority comes to his willingness to fight.

He's only able to influence other people if he too shows he's ready to commit violence.

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 our introduction to Benvolio implies that male authority comes from being a peacekeeper.

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

Now the correct answer is false.

Now I'd like you to tell me, why it's false? So pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone.

You might have said that, as Benvolio calls for peace, he draws his sword.

This could suggest he needed the appearance of violence for authority.

So very well done if you got those right.

Fantastic work everyone.

We're now at the first task of the lesson.

So, what I'd like you to do is think about these two exchanges between Lord and Lady Capulet, and Lord and Lady Montague.

So Capulet says, "What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho!" And Lady Capulet says, "A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword?" So here Lord Capulet is asking for a sword as soon as he sees the fight, and Lady Capulet's questioning why he's asking for a sword.

And Lord Montague says, "Thou villain Capulet! Hold me not, let me go." And Lady Montague replies, "Thou shall not stir one foot to seek a foe." So here Lady Montague is telling Lord Montague, he shall not fight.

So, what I'd like you to discuss is the following question.

What do you think Shakespeare might be suggesting about violence and masculinity with these exchanges? Pause the video, take a few minutes to discuss.

Welcome back everyone, some amazing discussions there.

What I'd like you to do now is think about Aisha's ideas, and think about how well they align with your ideas.

So, Aisha said, "I think Shakespeare uses these exchanges to suggest that violence was specifically a masculine trait.

We see both women trying to hold their husbands back while both men are eager to fight.

It suggests men see violence as a solution while women do not." So, pause the video, take a few moments to think about how well Aisha's ideas align with your ideas.

Welcome back everyone.

Now I think it's so important to remember this is the very start of the play.

We typically think of "Romeo and Juliet" as a great love story, but it opens with violence.

So perhaps Shakespeare wants to understand how integral violence was to ideas of masculinity in order for us to understand the play.

Fantastic work everyone.

We're now at the second learning cycle.

We're going to be thinking about the language of Act I: Scene 1, and how it creates a link between violence and sex.

So, let's take a look at Sampson's language in Act I: Scene 1.

When talking of the Montague Sampson says, "True, therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall.

Therefore, I will push Montague's men from the wall, and thrust his maids to wall." So this is violent imagery here, there's immediately sexual undertones, because thrust is associated with sex.

And Sampson specifically using thrust to talk about the women in the scene.

"When I fought with the men, I'll be civil with the maids, I will cut off their heads." So here, Sampson's saying he'll kill Montague's men and then implies he'll take the maid's virginity because he is making a play on head and maiden head.

And I think that's particularly interesting, because he frames it civil behaviour.

He's not going to kill the maids, but take their virginity instead, and that somehow makes it civil.

So, what I'd like you to think about is what might Sampson's boast about potentially taking the maid's virginity suggest? Think about ideas of masculinity, violence, and sex.

What might it suggest? Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone, some great ideas there.

Now you might have said, it creates a link between violence and sex.

Sampson's talking about having sex with the maids in a very violent fashion.

We might then say, this suggests that men saw sex as an act of domination.

Remember that Sampson is saying this in public, no one's contradicting him.

And that suggests that men thought they were supposed to be powerful and in control within their relationships.

Now, when the Montagues arrive, Gregory says, "Draw thy tool.

Here comes the house of Montague." And Sampson responds, "My naked weapon is out." So here, "tool" and "weapon" can be read as having sexual meanings.

What I'd like you to think about is what does this suggest about Elizabethan ideas of masculinity? Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone, some great ideas there.

Now the link between sex and weapons might suggest the stereotypical ideal masculinity is one where men are strong and sexually dominant.

It adds the idea that men were supposed to be powerful and in control during sex.

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 Sampson and Gregory's exchange suggests that men were supposed to be sexually dominant.

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

Now the correct answer is true.

Now I'd like you 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, that by playing with the potential sexual meanings of "tool" and "weapon," Sampson and Gregory's exchange suggests that men were supposed to be sexually dominant.

So very well done if you got those right.

Amazing work, everyone.

We're now at the second task of the lesson.

What I'd like you to do is take our discussions and ideas from this learning cycle and use them to complete the following sentences to summarise how sex and violence are portrayed in Act I: Scene 1.

So, "The public display of sex and violence in act one, scene one, suggests that Shakespeare's acknowledging that men saw sex, the potential sexual and violent meanings of 'tool' and 'weapon' suggests that part of the ideal masculinity was for meant to be, arguably, through intertwining sex and violence Shakespeare's trying to suggest." So pause the video, complete the sentence now.

Welcome back everyone, fantastic work there.

Let's talk through what you might have said.

So, the public display of sex and violence in Act I: Scene 1 suggests that Shakespeare's acknowledging that men saw sex an act of domination.

The potential sexual and violent meanings of "tool" and "weapon" suggests that part of ideal masculinity was for men to be strong and sexually dominant.

Arguably, through intertwining sex and violence, Shakespeare's trying to suggest that violence was an integral part to being a man.

It was expected in all of their interactions with other people.

So, now we're going to follow the third learning cycle, and think about how Act I: Scene 1 portrays violence in society.

Amazing work, everyone.

We're now the third learning cycle, and we're going to read through Prince Escalus' speech, to the Montagues and Capulets, and consider what it tells us about violence and society.

Now during the fight, Prince Escalus, the Prince of Verona, arrives.

He holds power over the Montagues and the Capulets.

So to begin with, we're going to read through the Prince's speech in Act I: Scene 1 together.

Now there's a copy of the speech and additional materials if you'd rather read it through by yourself, or you can press play and read it through with me.

So, let's press play now.

So let's read through the Prince's speech.

The Prince begins by saying, "Rebellious subjects." So here the Prince is immediately establishing his authority over the Montagues and the Capulets, by calling them his subjects, he is their ruler.

"Enemies to peace.

Profaners of this neighbor-stained steel." Now we're gonna look at this line in more detail during the learning cycle, but essentially, the Prince is saying they're committing a sin through their violence.

"Will they not hear? What ho! You, men, you beasts, that quench the fire of your pernicious rage.

With purple fountains issuing from your veins." Now, pernicious means destructive.

So he is saying they're paying for their destructive rage with their own blood.

"On pain of torture, from those bloody hands.

Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground." Now temper something can be to use it.

So he might be saying they're misusing their weapons by using them in a street war.

When you're making a sword, you temper it by putting in cold water, so he could also be saying they've been tempered, so the weapons have been made in blood rather than water.

"And hear the sentence of your moved Prince.

Three civil brawls bred of an airy word." So he's saying the brawl has been started of an insignificant word.

"By thee, old Capulet and Montague.

Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets and made Verona's ancient citizens cast by their grave-beseeming ornaments to wield all partisans in hands as old." So he's saying the brawls are causing people to lose their dignity and pick up weapons.

"Cankered with peace, to part your cankered hate." Now again, we're gonna look at this line in more detail during the learning cycle, but essentially, he's saying the hate is negatively affecting society.

"If ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall be the forfeit of the peace." So they'll be executed if they start another fight.

"For this time, all the rest depart away.

You, Capulet, shall go along with me.

And Montague, come you this afternoon, to know our further pleasure in this case.

To old Free-town, our common judgment-place.

Once more, on pain of death, all men depart." Welcome back everyone.

Now we're going to spend the rest of the learning cycle thinking about what the significance of the speech might be in relation to violence, masculinity, and society.

So, now for a quick check for understanding, which of the following is a quotation from the Prince's speech? Is it A, "Draw if you be men." B, "Part, fools! Put up your swords." Or C, "Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground." Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Well, welcome back everyone.

Now Sampson says, "Draw if you be men." Benvolio says, "Part, fools! Put up your swords." So, "Throw your distempered weapons to the ground." is from the Prince's speech.

So very well done if you got that right.

Now, at the beginning of his speech, the Prince refers the Montagues and the Capulets as "Profaners of this neighbor-stained steel." To profane is treat something sacred with abuse or contempt.

So what I'd like you to think about, is what does this suggest about the family's violent actions? Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone, some great ideas there.

Now if they're profaning something, so treating something sacred with contempt, through their sword, we might suggest that perhaps they're going against civic and religious duty to "love thy neighbour." So they're treating their civic and religious duty with contempt through their actions.

Within his speech the Prince also refers to the Montagues and the Capulets as "beasts." So what I'd like to think about is what does this suggest about the effect violence has had on the Montagues and the Capulets? Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone.

Some great ideas there.

As Sam says, "I think it suggests their violence is taking away their humanity.

They're going against social values and therefore perhaps becoming more animalistic.

So their violence is making them act more like animals.

They're being driven by their base instincts and emotions." Now, the Prince also describes society as "Cankered with peace, depart your cankered hate." Now cankered derives in the Latin word cancer, which has come to mean a malignant tumour or ulcerous disease that eats away the surrounding healthy tissue.

So, what I'd like you to think about is what do you think the Prince is suggesting about the impact of violence on society here? Pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back everyone, some great ideas there.

You might have said, by comparing the feud to creating a cancer in society, might suggest the family feud is corrupting the people and society in general around them.

It's corrupting the healthy tissue in society, turning into something malignant and evil.

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 Prince's speech suggest the Montague and Capulet feud is affecting society.

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

Now the correct answer is true.

Now I'd like you to tell me, why it's true? So pause the video, take a few moments to think about it.

Welcome back, everyone.

Now, you might have said, by calling the anger a "canker," the Prince likens their feud to a cancer, destroying the surrounding healthy tissue.

It's destroying the people around them.

So very well done if you got those right.

Fantastic work everyone.

We're now at the final task of the lesson.

Now arguably, the Prince's speech conveys the negative effects that violence has on society and humankind.

However, the Prince threatens the Montagues and the Capulets by saying, "If ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall be the forfeit of the peace." So here, the Prince is saying, they'll be executed if violence breaks out again.

So what I'd like you to think about is what do you think this threat of violence reveals about violence in society? I'd like you to write a short answer to explain your ideas.

So, pause the video, write your answer now.

Welcome back everyone, fantastic work there.

What I'd like you to do now is think about Alex's answer, think about how well it aligns with your ideas.

So Alex said, "I think that Prince's threat of violence is perhaps Shakespeare's way of acknowledging that violent punishment was a necessary part of keeping society in order.

In order to have authority, you need to show you are willing to resort to violence, which maybe implies that violence was a way of gaining respect.

It suggests that violence can be seen as a way of solving problems in society." So, pause the video, think about how well Alex's ideas align with your ideas.

Welcome back everyone.

It was great to see people noticing there's links to ideas about Benvolio at the start of the scene.

For Benvolio to get the other men to listen to him, he needs to brandish his sword, which I think add to this idea that the threat of violence was needed to gain respect, and keep order in society in their Elizabethan period.

You all did amazingly well today, everyone.

Here's a summary of what we covered.

By opening with men bearing swords, Shakespeare implies we should connect men with violence.

Violence is presented as part of masculinity.

The links between violence and sex could suggest that men were supposed to be sexually dominant.

The Prince implies the Montagues and Capulets are corrupting themselves and society through violence.

However, the Prince's threats could be acknowledging that violence is necessary to keep society together.

I really hope you enjoyed the lesson everyone.

I hope to see you for another lesson soon.

Goodbye.