Exploring the conventions of Shakespearean tragedy in 'Romeo and Juliet'
I can consider the conventions of Shakespearean tragedies and how ‘Romeo and Juliet’ meets these conventions.
Exploring the conventions of Shakespearean tragedy in 'Romeo and Juliet'
I can consider the conventions of Shakespearean tragedies and how ‘Romeo and Juliet’ meets these conventions.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- A tragedy is a play dealing with tragic events and often ends with a death.
- Shakespearean tragedies conventionally involve a tragic hero with a hamartia.
- Conventionally, Shakespearean tragedies involve supernatural elements and fate which can add discomfort.
- Shakespearean tragedies also involve internal and external conflict as well as a battle of good vs. evil.
- At the end of a tragedy the audience experiences a release of pent up emotions called catharsis.
Keywords
Tragedy - a play dealing with tragic events and often ends with a death
Conventions - a way in which something is usually done
Catharsis - the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions
Tragic hero - the central character of a play, film, etc., depicted as a noble figure who experiences a tragic downfall
Hamartia - a fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero or heroine
Common misconception
That good vs. evil is easy to recognise in characters when reading stories or watching plays.
In tragedies, sometimes a character can embody both good and evil or there could be different perceptions of a character's nature.
To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: Exploring the conventions of Shakespearean tragedy in 'Romeo and Juliet', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: Exploring the conventions of Shakespearean tragedy in 'Romeo and Juliet', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 english lessons from the Romeo and Juliet: exploring the role of love and fate unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
You may wish to have a copy of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' for this lesson.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
- Depiction or discussion of mental health issues
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
having an excessively high opinion of oneself or one's own importance
desire and determination to achieve success
unhappiness and anger because someone has something you want