In the exam, you will need to able to support your ideas with quotations from the exam extract and from the text as a whole.
You should try to build a bank of quotations for each character and theme and learn these so that you can use them readily in your exam response.
For a higher mark in the exam, you should try to analyse quotations closely.
Try to zoom in on individual words.
Think about:
- what language/structure/dramatic device has Shakespeare used? e.g. dramatic irony, imagery, etc.
- what are the connotations of this word? What does it suggest about the character/theme?
- what effect does this have on the audience?
- how does it help to reflect something about the context in which Shakespeare was writing?
Have a go at the following questions which will help you to closely analyse quotations and think about what they suggest about particular characters, themes or ideas in 'Romeo and Juliet'.
You should always refer to your own text when working through these examples. These quotations are for reference only.