Romeo and Juliet Study Guide: Act 1
Act I-Scene 1
1.What two families are feuding? Which family does Romeo belong to? Which family does Juliet belong to?
2.What is Tybalt’s opinion of peace? Lines 59-65. How does this contrast with Benvolio’s position? What is a
literary term that we have learned that describes this? (Hint: look at your Tragedy Chart)
3. What does the Prince say caused the three public brawls? (Line 82). What did the prince say would happen
if the two families fight in public again?
4. What does Romeo mean when he says in line 168, “Here’s much to do with hate, but more to do with
love?” How does Romeo describe love in lines 169-175? What does he mean by this?
Act 1-Scene 2
5. How old is Juliet?
6. What is Paris asking Old Capulet? What is Capulet’s answer? Is this surprising to you?
7.Who is Romeo in love with now? What have Benvolio and Romeo decided to do to see her? What are the
motives of each?
Act 1-Scene 3
8. How does Juliet feel about getting married?
9. What is Lammastide and on what date does it come? (Hint: Make sure you are reading the footnotes!)
Act 1-Scene 4
10. Who is Queen Mab? What does Mercutio think she has done to Romeo?
11. In his speech starting on line 106-113, Romeo foreshadows that something terrible will happen at the
party. Why does he continue to go? What role is fate playing here?
Act 1-Scene 5
12. What happens to Romeo in line 50? What does this say about Romeo’s character?
13. What does Tybalt want to do when he discovers Romeo at the party? What does his Uncle Capulet have
him do instead? Why is this an example of Foil? (Hint: Look at your Shakespearean Tragedy Chart)
14. What does Capulet’s reaction say about the feud?
15. Romeo says, “Is she a Capulet? O dear account, my life is my foe’s debt” (1.5.117). What is Romeo’s
reaction to what just happened with Juliet?
16. What is Juliet’s reaction when she discovers that Romeo is a Montague? Cite a specific line from the play
and write below.