Romeo and Juliet Character Map

For many literary works, especially novels, character development is quintessential. Literary characters drive the action and conflict; they create a reason for a story to exist. Mapping characters can be as simple as asking students to fill in charts that track important aspects of characters, or as complex as noting traits that categorize them as an archetype.

This play is about two star­-crossed lovers from feuding families, who take their own lives. Through a series of unfortunate events, fate and chance turn against the lovers. Romeo, a Montague, and Juliet, a Capulet, marry in secret, but are soon separated. The two die tragically in one of the most famous examples of dramatic irony.

Foils are used in all types of literature. A character that exhibits opposite or conflicting traits to another character is called a foil. Foil characters can be antagonists, but not always. Sometimes, foils will even be other characters alongside the protagonist. Learn more about teaching foil characters with Storyboard That.

Often, struggling students just need a push in the right direction. One way to help students is to create the assigned storyboard - whether that be a plot diagram, vocabulary chart, or timeline - and pass it along to students’ Storyboard That accounts as a template.