Romeo and Juliet - Intro

Every exam board that sets Romeo and Juliet prints a piece of the play in front of you. What they want you to do with that piece is where the boards stop agreeing. This is the Romeo and Juliet chapter, for GCSE English Literature. It gets you ready for that extract, whichever board you sit.

Here's the whole chapter on your screen, in the order it runs, plus a couple of things worth knowing before you press play.

It opens with the overview. Then come the people. Juliet, the one who decides. Romeo, in love before the play starts. Mercutio, the funniest man and the first to die. Lord Capulet is next, the good father who changes his mind. Then the Nurse and Friar Lawrence, the two adults who help. After the people, the scenes. The ball, where two things start at once. The balcony, read properly. Then the Prologue, and how much it gives away. Verona comes next, the world the lovers live in. Then the conflict, the feud and what hate costs. Then love, and whether any of it is real. Then parents and children, each sure they are protecting her. Fate is next. Then suffering, despair and hope. Last comes the paper itself: your exam, and how to get from the printed extract to a finished argument.

One practical thing first: every video here has its own short code beside its title, which is a simple way to find the right one. Take E L oh five, oh four. Search ScholaFly E L oh five, oh four, and that exact video comes straight up.

The other trick is the thumbs-up beside each video. Once one has properly landed for you, tap it, and it marks itself done. Anything without a thumbs-up becomes your revision list. And if something hasn't clicked yet, save it to a playlist and come back to it. And my commitment to you is this: if I've not done a great job teaching something and it's confusing, leave a comment, and I'll have a crack at making a better video.

First up in Romeo and Juliet is the Overview. Hopefully that's next in your feed, but if not, search for ScholaFly E L oh five, oh one.

For more, visit scholafly.com, or watch the next video.