Romeo and JulietLesson- Eulogies: Saying Farewell to Juliet
Using the character analysis graphic organizer from the previous lesson and the text, studentswill work in groups to complete a brainstorming organizer about the relationship between
Juliet and the assigned character with at least two ideas from the text about tone,relationship, reaction, and details to complete a eulogy for Juliet.
Reflection/ Pre-writing: What do you want people to say about you when you are gone?
Now, we are going to look at Juliet’s family’s responses to herfake death by creating eulogies.
A eulogy is a speech delivered at a funeral ceremony.
Who do you think usually give eulogies?
Ex.Closefamily and friends, religious officials, etc.
What kind of content do you think are usually in eulogies?
Ex. Stories about the deceases person, good qualities about theperson, the speech giver’s feelings about the person, etc.
What kind of tone do you think would be appropriate for a funeral?
Ex. a sad tone, a respectful tone, a serious tone, acelebratory/respectful tone (celebrating the person’s life, not death), etc.
Number students 1-4.
1=Nurse; 2=Lady Capulet; 3=Lord Capulet; 4=Friar Laurence
In Act IV, Juliet’s family is led to believe that she has died. To explore their reactionsand connections to Juliet, each group will be given ten minutes to brainstorm ideas aboutan assigned character’s reactions, relationship, and response to Juliet’s death usingexamples from the play and your character trait worksheets. Use the graphic organizer toorganize your thoughts. Some questions to consider: Were the characters close? Doesthe character seem cold and distant or stricken with grief? Would the character write agushy and moving speech or would it be more formal and impersonal? What details aboutJuliet would the character include in the speech? What would the tone be? Would thecharacter talk more about his/herself than Juliet? Would the speech contain a moral or alesson? Would it contain an apology? After the brainstorming session is over, you willreturn to your seats and individually write a eulogy for Juliet as your assigned character.
It needs to be at least a page in length (typed or written in ink) with correct spelling andgrammar. The eulogy must include facts about Juliet’s life and personality, but the focusshould really be on the connection your assigned character has to Juliet and how thecharacter reacts to news of her death. Remember, eulogies are speeches, so the tone ofyour eulogy should be appropriate for a speech given to a group of mourners. See therubric for more specific requirements.
This assignment is due in the beginning of class on Monday, March 23, so be prepared to share with the class! I will need at least one volunteer foreach character to read his or her speech! Turn in the graphic organizer with your eulogy.
Characters:
• Nurse
• Lady Capulet
• Lord Capulet
• Friar Laurence
How to Write a Eulogy:
A eulogy is a well-crafted speech, which a person is designated to prepare and deliverduring a funeral ceremony. It is usually read to commemorate a dearly departed – tocelebrate the life spent here on earth and the memories that go with him. It is notnecessary that a eulogy be a detailed summary of how the deceased person spent his life,but rather it can concentrate on particular positive situations or circumstances. Generally,people who are requested to deliver eulogies are those people who are considered toknow best the deceased person. Therefore, personal experiences are expected to be retoldand reminisced, and to be shared with other people who will be listening. The persondelivering the eulogy must show the reasons why the deceased is well-loved and will bemissed by the people around him.
To be given the task of delivering a eulogy is really an honor hence the responsibility of
providing a clear and positive picture of the person you will be talking about is in order.
Eulogies may be written in various ways. Some people come up with serious speecheshonoring the deceased person while others would rather show the humorous side of thedeceased person. The most recommended eulogy is a combination of both since deathshould not be a reason to be sad but a celebration of a life well-lived. Appropriatehumorous anecdotes may be interjected to lighten up the feeling of the audience.
It is wise to develop a theme to give focus on your speech. You may choose toconcentrate on a particular aspect of life of the deceased. An example would be, if youand the deceased were co-workers, then talk about how great he performed his job, hisdedication to doing his work and his ambition to do well in his chosen career. If you werebest friends since high school or college, then talk about the good times you had and howhe helped you during those years. Do not try to embellish your story with half-truths orlies. Speak from the heart so that your sincerity will be reflected in your eulogy. Yourlove for the deceased person must be felt by the people who are listening to your speech.
Types of Eulogies:
Chronological or Life History – this type of eulogy presentation talks about theperson’s life, awards and achievements. You talk about their experiences, share anecdotesfrom their journal that remind you of the person. This could be factual and may allow youto distance yourself from the grieving emotion you are feeling at the moment.
Shared Memories – these are your personal recollections. This could be easier to writebut the hardest type of eulogy to present because this is based on your personalmemories. You are not only talking about the deceased, but you may also be exposingyourself to the pain of losing a loved one.
Tribute – this form is usually used in obituaries in the newspaper. This type of eulogyfocuses on the achievements and accomplishments of the person you lost.
Legacy – this type of eulogy allows you to focus on the achievements or projects thatperson is leaving behind; it could be his family, his profession or a project that he hasundertaken.Using Main Points – this is the most common way of making not just a eulogy, but anykind of speeches. You choose major points about the person’s life and use this tohighlight your thoughts. Summarize the points you used in the entirety of your speechupon the conclusion of your eulogy.
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