Mrs. Luciano - English 1B Romeo and Juliet questions:
Act 1, scenes 1-5 Scene 1 (p. 992 – 1000) 1) At the beginning of the scene, what are the Capulet servants, Sampson and Gregory, discussing? (lines 1 – 26)
2) How did Sampson and Gregory provoke Abram (Abraham), the Montague servant? (lines 44 – 46)
3) Benvolio (Romeo’s cousin) says, “Part, fools. I do but keep the peace” (line 70). What does this say about his character?
4) Tybalt (Juliet’s cousin) says, “What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word / As I hate Hell, all Montagues, and thee” (lines 72-73). What does this say about his character?
______
5) The Prince breaks up the fight beginning on line 89 and explains his frustrations with the Capulets and Montagues.
A) According to the Prince, how many fights have the Capulets and Montagues started recently?
B) How were these fights started?
Mrs. Luciano - English 1B C) The Prince says, “If ever you disturb our streets again, Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace” (lines 104-105). What punishment did the Prince say what happen to the person who started the next fight?
______
6) Benvolio has a conversation with his aunt and uncle (Lady and Lord Montague) (lines 112 - 167).
A) What does he tell this aunt and uncle about the fight that broke out? (lines 114 – 123).
B) How has Romeo been acting lately (as described by Benvolio and the Montagues)? (lines 126 – 163).
______
7) Benvolio tells Lord and Lady Montague to “step aside” and he will speak to Romeo and “know his grievance” (lines 164 – 165).
A) What do we learn of Romeo from his first several lines? (lines 169 – 220).
B) Romeo says the following of Rosaline, the girl he likes: “She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste; For beauty, starved with her severity, Cuts beauty off from all posterity” (lines 233-235). Why won’t Rosaline love Romeo back?
Mrs. Luciano - English 1B C) Benvolio gives advice to Romeo by saying the following: By giving liberty unto thine eyes. Examine other beauties” (lines 242-243). What is Benvolio’s advice to Romeo regarding love/girls?
D) How does Romeo react to this advice?
Scene 2 (p. 1001 – 1004) 1) Count Paris is having a conversation with Lord Capulet regarding a possible marriage between he and Juliet. However, Lord Capulet is not in a hurry to have Juliet married. What do the following quotes mean?
A) “My child is yet a stranger in the world” (line 8).
B) “Let two more summers wither in their pride / Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride” (lines 10-11).
C) When Paris then says, “Younger than she are happy mothers made,” Capulet then says, “And too soon marred are those so early made” (lines 12 & 13).
D) “The earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she, She is the hopeful lady of my earth. But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart. My will to her consent is but a part” (lines 14- 17).
______
2) Why does the Capulet servant approach Benvolio and Romeo with the invitation to the feast? (line 62)
______Mrs. Luciano - English 1B 3) After learning about the Capulet feast from the servant, Romeo and Benvolio decide to sneak into it.
A) What is Romeo’s motivation?
B) What is Benvolio’s motivation?
Scene 3 (p. 1005 – 1008)
1) In this scene we meet the Nurse, Lady Capulet, and Juliet. The audience discovers that The Nurse is a rather comical story.
A) What is she talking about in her long monologues (lines 21 – 54 & 56 – 63)?
B) What do we learn about the Nurse?
______
2) Julie’s mother informs Juliet that “the valiant Paris seeks [Juliet] for his love” (line 81).
A) When Juliet’s mother asks her about the topic of marriage, Juliet says, “It is an honor that I dream not of” (line 72). What does she mean by this?
B) What is the nurse’s and Lady Capulet’s opinions of Count Paris?
Nurse –
Mrs. Luciano - English 1B Lady Capulet -
3) In lines 90 – 103, Lady Capulet uses an extended metaphor to compare Paris to a book. What is she trying to say here?
4) After Juliet’s mother asks her if she could marry Paris, what does it mean when Juliet says, “I look to like, if looking liking move / But no more deep will I endart mine eye / Than your consent gives strength to make it fly” (lines 106-108).
______
Scene 4 (p. 1009 – 1012) 1) We have seen that Romeo has been depressed with his “love” of Rosaline. Now, we are introduced to his friend Mercutio. How does their view of love seem to differ? (lines 23 – 28).
Romeo –
Mercutio -
______
2) Queen Mab is the fairy of dreams. What are some of the good dreams that she brings, and what are some of the bad dreams that she brings?
______
3) What does it mean when Mercutio says that dreams “are the children of an idle brain?” (line 104).
Mrs. Luciano - English 1B 4) Before Romeo goes to the Capulet party, he says “I fear, too early; for my mind misgives / Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars, / Shall bitterly begin his fearful date / With this nights’ revels” (lines 114-117). What is he saying here?
Scene 5 (p. 1012 – 1018) 1) When Romeo first sees Juliet, he compares her to all sorts of positive images. What are some of the things he compares her to? (lines 49 - 58).
______
2) When Tybalt hears Romeo’s voice, he says the following: “This, by his voice, should be a Montague. / Fetch me my rapier, boy. What dares the slave / Come hither, covered with an antic face, / To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?” (lines 59-62).
A) What does Tybalt mean by this?
B) How does Capulet respond to Tybalt telling him about Romeo being at the party?
C) How does Capulet respond when Tybalt says, “I’ll not endure him” in regards to Romeo? (line 83).
Mrs. Luciano - English 1B D) What does Tybalt say that shows he’s not letting this go? (lines 98 – 101).
______
3) When Juliet finds out that Romeo is a Montague, she says the following: “My only love sprung from my only hate! / Too early seen unknown, and known too late! / Prodigious birth of love it is to me, / That I must love a loathed enemy” (lines 154-157). What does Juliet mean by this?