Romeo & Juliet Newspaper Article Activity

There are many issues arising from the Shakespeare’s play, ‘Romeo & Juliet’. For example, teenagers rebelling against their parents, domestic violence, gang warfare or violence in the streets, drug use, underage sex, self-harm and teenage suicide. Such issues can be found in newspapers on a regular basis and are classed as ‘current event issues’. Choose 1 of these issues from the play, locate a relevant Act, Scene, Lines, create a headline and write a newspaper article for the Verona Times complete with quotes from characters/ eye witnesses. You can write a feature article (see below for an example) or an opinion article. For example, did Friar Lawrence contravene his role of responsibility? Opinion on this issue would be divided.

Preliminary planning based on key words and ideas from the scene:

Verona, Capulet vs. Montague, civil unrest, ongoing family feud, witnesses said that Gregory and Sampson of the house of Capulet started the fight, which soon engulfed the entire town. It is believed that a provocative gesture in the form of Sampson biting his thumb may have triggered the brawl.

Act 1, Scene 1

Feature article:

FAMILY TURMOIL ENGULFS FAIR VERONA…AGAIN!

Yesterday another ugly fight erupted in the town square of a not so fair Verona. Several teenagers from both the Capulet and Montague clans once more compromised the peace of the city. What begun as a minor altercation soon transformed into a violent mêlée that involved the whole town, young and old. Many later lay injured in the streets.

What actually occurred has been a matter of great conjecture with different interpretations being provided by both the Capulet and Montague families. However, once the dust settled impartial witnesses maintain that the fight began when Sampson, a juvenile Capulet, provocatively “bit his thumb” at a small group of passers by made up of Montague’s.

Eyewitnesses could not mistake the agitator Tybalt: A notorious Capulet known as the infamous Prince of Cats, who loves nothing more than a fight. He was overheard challenging Benvolio, a Montague who was attempting to diffuse the fight, “…[you] talk of peace! I hate the word, / As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee…”

The ongoing family feud that is Capulet versus Montague continues to make headlines and frustrate Verona’s chief statesman, Prince Escalus, who can no longer maintain any semblance of civil order. Whilst there were no deaths it is only a matter of time before a real tragedy occurs. The current heat wave that has been engulfing Verona has only fuelled tension amongst hot headed youths who have been roaming the streets looking for trouble.

Both patriarchal heads of the two feuding families could not be reached for comment, but it is understood that Capulet himself is too busy to comment as he prepares for his exclusive invitation only annual family masquerade ball.