The Romeo and Juliet of Grade 9: A Dramatic Monologue

English Month Celebration

February 16, 2022

Dramatic Monologue means self-conversation; refers to a person, who

is speaking to himself or someone else speaks to reveal specific intentions of
his actions. However, in literature, it is a poetic form or a poem that presents the
speech or conversation of a person in a dramatic manner.

CRITERIA:

Mastery (30%)
- Fully memorized text.

Delivery (40%)
- Well-convinced character portrayal including appropriate costume.

Stage Presence (30%)

-Projected voice and tempo variations, and clear diction; Created mood and
emotions of character; Used appropriate gestures, emotions and expressions.

Title: Romeo and Juliet

Author: William Shakespeare

JULIET: O Romeo, Romeo! Why are you named Romeo? Disown your family and refuse
your name. Or, if you will not, then swear that you love me and I’ll stop being a Capulet.
It’s only your name which is my enemy. You are who you are, even if you weren’t a
Montague. What is a Montague? It’s not a hand, nor a foot, nor an arm, nor a face, nor any
other concrete part of the body. Oh, be some other name! What’s in a name? A rose would
smell just as sweet if we called it by any other name. Romeo, if he had a different name
besides “Romeo,” would be just as perfect as he is with that name now. Romeo, take off your
name, and in exchange for that superficial part of you, take all of me.

Title: Romeo and Juliet

Author: William Shakespeare

ROMEO: It’s my lady! Oh, it’s my love. Oh, if only she knew I love her. She’s talking but I
can’t hear anything. What does it matter? Her expression means something and I can
answer that. No, I’m being too forward. She’s not talking to me. Oh, if two of the most
beautiful stars had to leave heaven on important business, they’d ask her eyes to do the
twinkling for them while they were gone! What if her eyes took their places in the sky and
those stars became her eyes? Her beautiful face would outshine those stars in her head like
daylight outshines lamps, while her eyes in the sky would be so bright at nighttime that birds
would be convinced it was day. Look at how she leans her cheek on her hand. I wish I were
a glove on her hand so I could touch her cheek!
Mechanics:
1. A set of criteria and an e-copy of an excerpt from the play “Romeo and
Juliet” will be sent to each class GC.

2. Each contestant will record a 5-minute video presentation of his/her

dramatic monologue performance using the given piece (Romeo's
dialogues for male students; Juliet's dialogues for female students). The
video will be sent to his/her English teacher via messenger until
February 19, 2022 only.

3. After judging the performances, the students (1 male and 1 female) who
will gain the highest scores will be declared as the winners, the Romeo
and Juliet of Grade 9.
 CRITERIA

Mastery
(35%)
- Fully
memorized text.
Delivered easily
and without
assistance.

Delivery
(40%)
- Fully developed
and convincing
character
portrayal
including the
appropriate
costume.

Presentation
(25%)
-Projected voice
and tempo
variations, and
clear diction;
Created mood and
emotions of
character

Title: Romeo and Juliet

Author: William Shakespeare

JULIET: O Romeo, Romeo! Why are you named Romeo? Disown your family and refuse
your name. Or, if you will not, then swear that you love me and I’ll stop being a Capulet.
It’s only your name which is my enemy. You are who you are, even if you weren’t a
Montague. What is a Montague? It’s not a hand, nor a foot, nor an arm, nor a face, nor any
other concrete part of the body. Oh, be some other name! What’s in a name? A rose would
smell just as sweet if we called it by any other name. Romeo, if he had a different name
besides “Romeo,” would be just as perfect as he is with that name now. Romeo, take off your
name, and in exchange for that superficial part of you, take all of me.
Title: Romeo and Juliet
Author: William Shakespeare

ROMEO: It’s my lady! Oh, it’s my love. Oh, if only she knew I love her. She’s talking but I
can’t hear anything. What does it matter? Her expression means something and I can
answer that. No, I’m being too forward. She’s not talking to me. Oh, if two of the most
beautiful stars had to leave heaven on important business, they’d ask her eyes to do the
twinkling for them while they were gone! What if her eyes took their places in the sky and
those stars became her eyes? Her beautiful face would outshine those stars in her head like
daylight outshines lamps, while her eyes in the sky would be so bright at nighttime that birds
would be convinced it was day. Look at how she leans her cheek on her hand. I wish I were
a glove on her hand so I could touch her cheek!