Last Name 1

Assignment For the Romeo and Juliet Essay

For this assignment, you are to write an essay on Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.
This essay, which must be at least two pages long, double spaced, and with proper MLA
formatting, should address a theme that you saw in the playsuch as romantic love.
Your piece should be focused solely on one theme. You must quote from Shakespeares text and
make sure that your quotations are relevant, well-developed, and well explained.
As for the paper itself, it all must be in 12-point font Times New Roman, and it must have oneinch margins all around. Your paper should follow proper MLA citation style. Make sure to
include a works cited when using other materials than the Romeo and Juliet text. If you
use any web resources, then you must cite them.
The assignment will be evaluated using the attached rubric.

Last Name 1

Romeo and Juliet Essay Rubric

WEIGHT CATEGORY

Introductio
/10 n &
Conclusion

Level 4

Level 3

Level 2

Level 1

- The thesis statement is

very well-written and
insightful, clearly naming
the topic, the author's
opinion and main points to
be discussed

- The thesis statement is well

written, clearly naming the
topic, the author's opinion and
main points to be discussed.

- The thesis statement

names some or all of the
main points to be
discussed.

- The thesis statement does

not name the topic and/or
does not preview what will
be discussed.

-Thesis has a good level of

insightfulness

-Thesis shows an adequate - Thesis is not insightful

level of insightfulness
- Intro and conclusion do not
- Intro and conclusion are sum up or link with the body
not linked well with the
paragraphs
body paragraphs

- Thesis has a high level of

insightfulness
- Intro and conclusion sum up
the essay well
- Intro and conclusion
succinctly sum up the
essay
- Multiple paragraphs with
clear points and proofs

/20

Support for
Thesis

/10 Formatting

Style /
/10 Grammar &
Spelling

- Paragraphs have good points - Paragraphs attempt

and proofs
points and proofs, with a
low level of success
- Each provides strong
- Each paragraph identifies
evidence of analysis
evidence of analysis (quotes, - Each paragraph suggests
(quotes, examples) that
examples) that supports the
a reason but may not
supports the thesis.
thesis.
provide clear evidence of
analysis to support the
- The writer anticipates
- Writer has trouble
thesis.
and acknowledges the
acknowledging the readers
reader's concerns, biases concerns, biases or arguments - Very little concern for the
or arguments.
readers biases or
- Literary/poetic devices are
arguments
- A variety of literary/poetic used to enhance and support
devices are used to clearly main points, but with little
- Literary/poetic devices
enhance and support main variety chosen
are included in the essay,
points
but not used effectively

- Points and proofs are not

present

- All quoted passages are

- Quoted passages are
woven seamlessly into the mechanically correct
text
- Punctuation is mostly correct
- Punctuation is uniformly
correct.
- Good use of MLA format
(double space,
- MLA format is used
expository/comparison essay
perfectly (double space,
structure)
expository/comparison
essay structure)

- Some quoted passages

may be punctuated
incorrectly or lacking the
identifying speaker

- Quoted passages are often

missing, inappropriate to the
situation, or incorrectly
punctuated.

- All sentences are well

constructed with varied
structure.

- Most sentences complete

and adequately
punctuated but may be
simplistic and repetitive in
style.

- Author makes minor

errors in grammar,
spelling, or capitalization,
but not distracting the
reader from the content.
- Essay is formal and
persuasive

Total:
50

COMMENTS:

- Most sentences are well

constructed and include some
variation throughout the
essay.

-Paragraphs fail to
adequately support the
thesis.
- No concern for readers
biases or arguments
- Lack of literary/poetic
devices mentioned to
support ideas

- Punctuation is adequately - Punctuation is incorrect

correct
- MLA format was not
- MLA format is attempted attempted (double space,
but unsuccessful (double
expository/comparison essay
space,
structure)
expository/comparison
essay structure)

- Author makes 1 or 2 serious

errors in grammar, spelling, or - Author makes several
capitalization that distract the errors in grammar,
reader from the content.
spelling, or capitalization
that often distract the
- Essay is mostly formal and
reader from the content.
persuasive
- Essay is often informal or
non-persuasive

- Many sentence errors, i.e.:

run-on, comma fault, or
incomplete.
- Author makes regular or
repeated errors in grammar,
spelling, or capitalization
that severely distract the
reader from the content.
- Essay is informal and nonpersuasive

Last Name 1

SAMPLE ESSAY
Student Mr. Dean
English 4A
2 March 2003
Romeo and Juliet and Human Experience
One of the recurring themes throughout most of playwright William Shakespeare's plays
are people in unusual circumstances. These plays show the true nature of human beings and their
behavior. An example of this is the story Romeo & Juliet. Here, two typical teenagers of that
time are dealing with themes of behavior emotions many people deal with today, such as
desperation, conflicts with loved ones, and rebellion.
Romeo Montague, a well to do young man from an esteemed house in Verona, Italy, is
infatuated with a young woman named Rosaline. This is the scenario at the beginning of the play.
In the first act, Scene 5, Romeo attends a party at the House of Capulet (his ancestral and sworn
enemy) and spies a lovely girl. The girl, Juliet Capulet, and Romeo swoon for each other.
Rosaline is soon forgotten. Such is the case with many adolescents. The whole dating culture of
modern day teenagers is based on the concept that the heart is fickle and affections may be
directed toward a new and better prospect every week, month, day, etc. William Shakespeare no
doubt knew this, and perhaps had experienced such feelings, when he wrote Romeo's character.

Last Name 1
Often times, parents of teenagers experience their children rebelling against them. Most
children are obedient to their parents wishes until they reach an age when they start to form a
sense of self and begin to want to make their own choices. A prime example of this classic
conflict is seen in Act III, Scene 5 when Juliet Capulet's mother informs her that Juliet will be
married to County Paris (a suitor). Juliet, after having spent the night with her new husband
Romeo, is very unsettled and says she will not marry Paris. Juliet had been a reasonably obedient
daughter until this scene, but in a moment of frustration and anger her father tells her marry Paris
or "...never look me in the face." This piece of the play is an example of the age old parents'
ultimatum, "Live by my rules or get out of my house."
A prominent emotion throughout Romeo & Juliet is desperation. Desperation makes
people do irrational things in order to get themselves out of a circumstance. Prince Escalus, after
the third brawl in the streets of Verona, orders the death of anyone caught street fighting in an act
of desperation to keep the peace. This is just one instance of desperation from a sorrowful story.
At the end of the play, Romeo commits suicide because he believes Juliet to be dead. This
happens all too often in modern society when a person can not see any hope.
Sadly, few things have changed since Shakespeare's time. Human behavior is very much
the same, such as the conflicts between teenagers and their parents and reactions to hopelessness.
Perhaps if everybody read and understood the deeper meaning of Romeo & Juliet, people would
make sure not to make the same mistakes as those characters in the play because it is likely to
end in dire results.

Student 1

Adapted by: deanc1@southernct.edu