Now that you have finished reading Romeo and Juliet, which is Shakespeare's retelling of the legend of Pyramus and Thisbe, you can better appreciate the similarities and differences in the two stories. While Shakespeare used many plot elements from the original myth, he also made some significant changes.
Begin this project here to review the structure and organization of a comparison essay, then complete a graphic organizer of your ideas. This organizer will be submitted with your final essay.
After completing the comparison organizer, which is your pre-writing activity for this essay, you will write a short (2 to 3 page) essay evaluating the decisions Shakespeare made when writing his play.
Some questions to address in your essay are:
- What plot devices, characters, or settings did Shakespeare keep from the original myth?
- What changes did he make in plot, character, or setting and why?
- What did Shakespeare add to the story?
- Is the theme of Romeo and Juliet the same as Pyramus and Thisbe?
Your essay should follow MLA formatting guidelines, should incorporate quotations from both sources to support your claims, and should have both a clear introduction as well as a distinct conclusion.