Juliet’s Musings

Worksheet Description

The worksheet displayed is a learning tool designed to educate students about the use of aporia in literature, specifically in the context of rhetorical questioning to express doubt. Aporia is a device where a question is posed not for the sake of an answer, but to bring about a point of contemplation or to express uncertainty. Students are presented with a classic example from Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” where Juliet muses, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” This exercise directs students to identify the aporia within this famous line, encouraging them to think critically about the purpose and effect of such a rhetorical question.

The worksheet prompts further analysis by asking why Juliet poses this question, guiding students toward understanding the thematic and character implications in the play. This approach helps them to engage with the text on a deeper level, enabling them to grasp how characters express complex feelings and dilemmas through such rhetorical strategies. By analyzing this well-known quotation, students can explore how aporia serves to challenge existing ideas or societal norms, which is particularly relevant in the context of the star-crossed lovers’ story, where names and affiliations bear heavy consequences.