Romeo and Juliet s8

Romeo and Juliet Study Questions Complete the following questions using reference from the text to support your answers.

Act 1 Scene 1

1. What (or who!) starts the brawl? 2. How does Benvolio get involved? What is Tybalt’s response? 3. What background information does the Prince provide about the feuding families? 4. Describe Tybalt’s personality. 5. What do Montague and Benvolio plan to do regarding Romeo? 6. a) What is wrong with Romeo? b) What is Benvolio’s solution?

Act 1 Scene 2

1. What are Capulet and Paris talking about? 2. How old is Juliet? 3. What is Capulet’s position on the subject of their conversation? What is his proposal to Paris? 4. How does Romeo get “invited” to the party? 5. Why does Benvolio want Romeo to go to the party? Act 1 Scene 3

1. What does Lady Capulet want? 2. What does line 61 tell the reader about the relationship between Juliet and her nurse? 3. What is decided by the end of the scene? Act 1 Scene 4

1. How does Romeo’s mood contrast with his friends? 2. What is Mercutio trying to do with his Queen Mab speech? 3. What evidence of foreshadowing is there in this scene?

Act 1 Scene 5

1. Why does Tybalt wish to quarrel with Romeo? 2. What characteristics of Tybalt and his uncle are revealed by their discussion? 3. Why won’t Capulet let Tybalt fight Romeo? 4. a) Summarize the imagery of Romeo’s speech when he first describes Juliet? 5. The Nurse has already established with her use of bawdy humour that she has a rather superficial view of love. What tells you more about the Nurse’s superficial views on love and marriage in lines 112-116? Act 2 Scene 1

1. How does Mercutio view love? Act 2 Scene 2

1. What is a soliloquy and how is it used in Scene 2? 2. How does Romeo learn of Juliet's love for him? 3. What does Romeo say helped him climb over the high walls of the Cauplet orchard and find Juliet's window? 4. What do Romeo and Juliet plan to do the next day? 5. Why does Juliet ask Romeo not to swear by the moon? Act 2 Scene 3

1. Why did the Friar object to Romeo’s love for Rosaline? 2. Why does he object to Romeo’s love for Juliet? 3. Why, despite these misgivings, does he agree to marry Romeo and Juliet? Act 2 Scene 4

1. What is happening with Tybalt? How is he described by Mercutio? 2. How is a new Romeo introduced to the audience in this scene? 3. What evidence is there that the Nurse is protective of Juliet? 4. What is the rope ladder for? Act 2 Scene 5

1. To what does Juliet attribute her Nurse’s tardiness? 2. What evidence is there to show that Nurse views love as only a physical thing? Act 2 Scene 6

1. What is the Friar’s prayer at the beginning of the scene? 2. How many people know of the marriage? Who are they? 3. Where does the marriage take place? Act 3 Scene 1

1. In what way is Mercutio responsible for his own death? 2. Why does Romeo refuse Tybalt’s challenge? What logical explanation do the others believe? 3. What role does Romeo play in Mercutio’s death? 4. Who does Romeo blame indirectly for Mercutio’s death? Explain his reasoning. What is Romeo’s punishment for the murder? Act 3 Scene 2 1. Why does Juliet wish darkness to come? 2. The Nurse’s inability to deliver a clear message gives Juliet some agonizing moments. What incorrect assumptions does Juliet make? 3. Why is Juliet so upset with the Prince’s judgement? 4. How is the Nurse able to comfort her?

Act 3 Scene 3

1. Why is Romeo so upset with the Prince’s judgement? 2. Describe how the Friar feels about Romeo at this point. What advice does he give him? Act 3 Scene 4

1. Why would Capulet be so confident that Juliet will obey him and marry Paris? 2. Why would Capulet want to move the wedding to Thursday?

Act 3 Scene 5

1. Why does it matter which bird is chirping outside the window? 2. When Juliet and Romeo finally say good-bye, what other scene does this parallel? 3. In lines 88-107, Juliet and her mother converse. What is interesting about their conversation? 4. Why is Capulet so upset by his daughter’s refusal to marry? What reprisal (punishment) does he threaten?

Act 4 Scene 1

1. What is the Dramatic Irony of this scene’s opening? 2. According to Paris, why has Capulet decided to move up the wedding? 3. How does Juliet show great self-control in this scene? 4. Summarize Friar Lawrence’s plan.

Act 4 Scene 2

1. What decision does Capulet make in this scene that has tragic consequences? Why does he make it? Act 4 Scene 3

1. In the space below, paraphrase Juliet’s soliloquy. What are her concerns? What emotions is she experiencing? (Point form is OK.) 2. Suggest the dramatic purposes of the soliloquy. (What does it contribute to the play?) Act 4 Scene 4 1. Suggest the dramatic purposes of this scene. Act 4 Scene 5

1. Compare the reactions of the Nurse, Lady Capulet, Lord Capulet, and Paris when they discover Juliet’s death. Draw conclusions based on your observations. 2. What is Friar Lawrence’s part in this scene regarding his and Juliet’s plan? Act 5 Scene 1

1. a) Comment on the significance of Romeo’s line “Is it e’en so? Then I defy you stars!” b) How is this statement ironic? 2. How is Romeo’s frustration with the “world” evident later in the scene when he talks to the apothecary? Act 5 Scene 2

1. What is the dramatic purpose of this scene? (What important information do we receive?)

Act 5 Scene 3

1. Why is Paris at Juliet’s grave? 2. What is ironic about Romeo’s lines (101-105) “Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty”? 3. Why causes Lady Montague’s death 4.How have the two lovers fulfilled the destiny spoken of in The Prologue?