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Year 10
AQA

Writing analytically about Shakespeare's presentation of Romeo and love

I can create a thesis statement and topic sentences to explain how Shakespeare presents Romeo’s feelings about love in ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

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New
New
Year 10
AQA

Writing analytically about Shakespeare's presentation of Romeo and love

I can create a thesis statement and topic sentences to explain how Shakespeare presents Romeo’s feelings about love in ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A thesis statement is an overarching argument and should refer to the writer’s intent.
  2. The thesis statement is also an opportunity to show how your argument relates to the ‘bigger picture’.
  3. A topic sentence explains the main focus of your paragraph.
  4. An effective analytical essay includes topic sentences, supporting detail, and concluding sentences.

Keywords

  • Transformative - causing a major change to something or someone, especially in a way that makes it or them better

  • Melancholy - sadness that lasts for a long period of time

  • Liberating - making you feel free and able to behave as you like

  • Life-giving - giving or having power to create or support life; essential to life

  • All-consuming - completely filling one's mind and attention; obsessive

Common misconception

An effective essay includes all of your thoughts on the subject.

An effective essay is structured cohesively rather than including every thought.


To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: Writing analytically about Shakespeare's presentation of Romeo and love, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

You might like to ask pupils to write up the analytical paragraph that they create a single paragraph outline for in Task C either in the lesson if you have time or as homework.
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Equipment

You may wish to have a copy of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' for this lesson.

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
At the beginning of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', Romeo loves ...
Juliet
Correct answer: Rosaline
no-one
Q2.
Which of the following is the definition of a topic sentence?
A sentence that shows the overarching argument of your essay.
Correct answer: A sentence that explains the main focus of your paragraph.
A sentence that summarises and concludes your paragraph.
Q3.
Which of the following is the definition of a thesis statement?
Correct answer: It shows the overarching argument of your essay.
It summarises and concludes your paragraph.
It analyses a quotation in depth.
Q4.
Which of the following is the definition of 'liberating'?
making you feel trapped
making you feel nothing
Correct answer: making you feel free
Q5.
Which of the following is the definition of 'unstereotypical'?
similar to the ordinary in every way
Correct answer: in some way different than the ordinary
something subversive and rebellious
Q6.
'Sadness that lasts for a long period of time' is the definition of which word beginning with 'm'?
Correct Answer: melancholy, melancholia

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the elements of a single paragraph outline with their definitions.
Correct Answer:topic sentence,explains main focus of the paragraph
tick

explains main focus of the paragraph

Correct Answer:supporting detail,analysis of methods
tick

analysis of methods

Correct Answer:concluding sentence,summarises main focus of the paragraph
tick

summarises main focus of the paragraph

Q2.
'Causing a major change to something or someone, especially in a way that makes it or them better' is the definition of which word beginning with 't'?
Correct Answer: transformative, transformation
Q3.
Which of the following quotations did Romeo say about his love for Rosaline in Act 1, Scene 1 of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet'?
Correct answer: “O brawling love, O loving hate”
“Juliet is the sun”
“Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptized.”
Q4.
Which of the following quotations did Romeo say about his love for Juliet in Act 2, Scene 2 of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet'?
“This is not Romeo. He’s some other where.”
Correct answer: “With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls”
“sad hours seem long”
Q5.
'Giving or having power to create or support life; essential to life' is the definition of which word beginning with 'l'?
Correct Answer: life-giving, life giving
Q6.
'Completely filling one's mind and attention; obsessive' is the definition of which word beginning with 'a'?
Correct Answer: all-consuming, all consuming