ENG2D Romeo & Juliet: Act 2 Information
Scene 1 Key quotes and ideas (II:I:8-24) – Mercutio is mocking Romeo again. Benvolio and Mercutio are trying to find Romeo after the party.
1. Why do Benvolio and Mercutio want to find Romeo?
Other Information
Scene 2 Key quotes and ideas II:II:33-36 – Juliet wants to be with Romeo. She says that he should just stop being a Montague. If he won’t, then she will stop being a Capulet. Obviously, she is madly in love with Romeo. II:II:40 – Juliet mocks the label of a name “What’s a Monatague? It is nor hand, nor foot…” II:II:70 – “Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me” – Romeo claims he would stop at nothing to have Juliet’s love. II:II:95 – Juliet tells Romeo that the only reason she is telling the truth is because he caught her in the middle of her thoughts. She tells him that her heart is not easily won, but that she is more than faithful. -II:II:118 – “It is too rash, to unadvised, to sudden…” – Juliet is worried that what their promises are rushed and that they haven’t thought it through yet.
1. Find 3 metaphors in this scene.
2. Describe the setting of this scene? How does Shakespeare create a good love scene?
3. Are Romeo and Juliet being rational? Why or why not. How is the issue of immaturity and a lack of adult reason evident here?
4. What time will Juliet send the messenger? Is this in the morning or at night?
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Scene 3 Key quotes and ideas II:III:13-14 – “Many for may virtues excellent, none but for some and yet all different.” Friar Laurence is telling us the everything has a purpose; Everything from the medicinal plants to the poisonous weeds plays an important role in the world. II:III:21-22 – “Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied, and vice sometime by action dignified” – Sometimes, virtue, if used inappropriately, can become a vice and a vice can be a blessing in disguise. II:III:28 – “In man as well as herbs, grace and rude will” Essentially, good and evil exist within man. II:III:58-64 - Romeo details his plans to Friar Laurence. Friar Laurence is shocked at how fast Romeo has changed his mind and that is wasn’t long ago that he was crying over Rosaline. -II:III:93 – “To turn your households’ rancour to pure love.” Friar Laurence has good intentions in his agreement to marry Romeo and Juliet. He hope that it will cure the hate between the two families: Capulets and Montagues. However, this may be a virtue used inappropriately. -II:III:94 – “Wisely and slow: they stumble that run fast” Not so fast. If you rush things, then you may stumble and make mistakes.
1. How is the idea of immaturity made clear in this scene?
2. What conflict is evident? Give details. How does this story relate to Lord of the Flies?
3. How could Friar Laurence’s intentions be misguided? Could he be going against his own advice?
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Scene 4 Key quotes and ideas II:IV:6-25 - Tybalt had sent a challenge to the Montague family. Benvolio has confidence in Romeo, but Mercutio does not. Mercutio thinks that if Romeo cannot even handle his own heart, then he could never beat Tybalt. Mercutio describes Tybalt as an excellent fencer because he attended the best fencing school. II:IV:170 – The nurse accepts Romeo’s proposal to Juliet The last part of the scene explains how the plan is to work. Notice a lack of detail in their planning. -The nurse details that Paris is interested in Juliet. The nurse reassures Romeo that Juliet’s sole interest is in him, not Paris.
1. What role does Mercutio play in the play?
2. How might the challenge from Tybalt prove problematic? What could happen?
3. How does this nurse describe Romeo? Does this match what we know so far?
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Scene 5 Key quotes and ideas This scene is all about the nurse giving Juliet the news of Romeo’s proposal. However, she takes her time telling Juliet the news, which frustrates Juliet. Juliet’s behavior is abnormal. She seems to be losing control of the situation. 1. What could be the consequences of the marriage?
2. How does this scene develop the character of the nurse? Juliet?
3. Find 2 similes and explain each.
Scene 6 Key quotes and ideas II:VI:14 – “Therefore, love moderately; long love doth so; Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow” It is important to love moderately. Love that moves to quickly or slowly will not last. All three of them are quick to get the marriage over with.
1. How might this “quick” marriage affect the plot?
2. How does the idea of the quick marriage contradict what Friar Laurence states in scene 3?
3. How do Romeo and Juliet feel about each other? Find one line of evidence that suggests their feelings for each other. (You should have one line per character)