ENGLISH I
Period _______
Name ____________________________
Jasek
Packet 3
Act III
Scene 1
1. What is the tone of Benvolio’s opening speech?
Cautionary, worried. He is concerned because the
day is hot, which might cause tempers to flare, and
the Capulets are out on the streets too.
2. Why is Mercutio’s speech (15-29) ironic?
He is teasing Benvolio of being aggressive, stirring
up fights, and enjoying violence. Benvolio is just
the opposite. He tries to make peace and avoids
fights.
3. What is Benvolio trying to do in lines 45-48?
He wants Mercutio and Tybalt to move their
argument off the public street. He’s afraid others
are watching them, and if they fight, the Prince
will put them to death.
4. What “injury” has Romeo supposedly done to Tybalt?
He insulted Tybalt and the Capulets by crashing Lord
Capulet’s party.
5. What is the meaning of Romeo’s speech in lines 63-67?
He tries to tell Tybalt that he “loves” him and doesn’t
want to fight him. He explains that he can’t explain
why he “loves” him, but he hints that eventually Tybalt
will understand.
6. With whom is Mercutio angry in line 68?
Romeo because he refuses to fight Tybalt.
7. Which two men get into a physical fight first?
8. What is Romeo’s position?
Tybalt and Mercutio
He wants to stop the fight
9. What happens in the fight?
Benvolio and Romeo try to break up the fight.
Romeo holds Mercutio back, and while he’s
holding him, Tybalt stabs him with his sword and
mortally wounds him.
10. How does Mercutio use understatement?
He says it’s just a “scratch.”
11. Whom does he blame and why?
He blames Romeo for coming between them while they
were fighting.
12. What pun does Mercutio deliver?
“Ask for me tomorrow, and you
shall find me a grave man.”
13. Whom does Mercutio curse?
Both houses—the Capulets and Montagues—for their
feud that has cost him his life. He says, “A plague o’
both your houses!” and repeats this curse several
times.
14. What is foreshadowed in Romeo’s lines 112-113?
“This black day’s fate” will lead to more problems for
everyone.
15. When Tybalt returns, what is Romeo’s position?
He is ready to avenge Mercutio’s death. He
feels guilty about the death of his good friend
Mercutio and vows to fight Tybalt to the
death.
16. What does Romeo realize in line 129?
“O, I am fortune’s fool!”
17. Summarize Lady Capulet’s speech (169-174)
Lady Capulet wants the Prince to put Romeo to death
for killing Tybalt.
18. How does Lord Montague try to defend Romeo (177-179)
He says that Romeo killed Tybalt because he
killed the Mercutio, who is the Prince’s kinsman,
so Romeo just did what the Prince would have
done.
19. What punishment does the Prince pronounce at the conclusion of this scene?
Romeo is banished from Verona, and if he turns up
in town again, he will be put to death.
20. Why does the Prince decide not to sentence Romeo to death?
Romeo did what “the law “would have done, so he will
not give him a death sentence. He will banish him
from his home and family, which is a severe
punishment but not as harsh as death.
He may be lenient with Romeo because
1. Mercutio was the Prince’s relative
2. Mercutio was Romeo’s friend, and Romeo
avenged his death.
Act III
Scene 2
21. What do we in the audience know that Juliet at this point still does not know?
Romeo has killed Tybalt and has been banished from
Verona.
22. What is that type of irony called?
Dramatic irony
23. How does Juliet’s speech continue with the light imagery?
She makes allusions to Phoebus Apollo (Greek
god associated with the sun) and Phaethon, who
drove his chariot too close to the sun and burned
up, by saying that it’s time for the sun (Phoebus)
to return to his lodging. She is anxious for
nighttime to come so she can be with Romeo.
24. How does her opening speech foreshadow events to come?
She speaks to the “gentle night” (APOSTROPHE) and
says that when Romeo dies, night can cut him into little
stars so he will make the “face of heaven” even more
beautiful
25. Why does it take the Nurse so long to tell Juliet the news?
The nurse is so upset over the killing of Tybalt.
26. What does Juliet think has happened?
She thinks Romeo has been killed.
27. What puns does Juliet’s speech contain?
I” for “aye” or yes. But it also sounds like “eye,” which
has to do with the mythological story of the cockatrice,
which could kill with just a glance from its eye.
28. In what lines does the Nurse finally get the truth out? Lines 69-70.
Notice how she now speaks clearly and directly after all
her babbling and confusing information.
“
29. At first, how does Juliet react (73-85)?
Her words are hateful, and she speaks in oxymorons
that show her confusion and hysteria.
She lashes out about Romeo and suggests that he is not
the honorable person she thought he was.
30. How does Juliet react in her next speech (91-95)?
The Nurse begins saying there is no honesty in men,
so Juliet begins to think about Romeo’s honesty and
good character. She tells the Nurse to speak no more.
She realizes that Romeo is not an evil person at all—
he was defending himself from Tybalt. She
rationalizes that if Romeo had not killed Tybalt,
Tybalt would have killed Romeo.
31. Why does Juliet turn on the Nurse (97-99)?
The Nurse asks her if she speaks ill of her cousin
Tybalt, and Juliet answers, “Shall I speak ill of him
that is my husband?” The point is that as his wife, she
should support him.
32. How does Juliet react to the idea of Romeo’s being banished (122-127)?
It is as awful as the word “dead.” Her sorrow has no
measure—she has lost everything.
33. What has Juliet decided to do with the ropes Romeo has sent to her?
She will use them to kill herself.
34. What does Juliet give to the Nurse to pass on to Romeo?
A ring
Act III
Scene 3
35. How does the Friar’s speech remind us that Romeo seems fated for ill fortune?
He tells him “thou art wedded to calamity” (line 3).
In other words, he can’t seem to escape danger and
misfortune.
36. What news does the Friar give Romeo (10-11)?
The Prince has decided to banish Romeo from
Verona, rather than put him to death.
37. How would Friar Laurence probably expect Romeo to react to this news?
He would expect him to be relieved his isn’t going to
die, but also to be upset about leaving Juliet.
38. How does Romeo react to it (12-14)?
He is beyond despair. He says that banishment is
worse than death and falls on the floor in complete
hysteria.
39. How does the Friar try to console him?
He tells him he should be grateful to the Prince for
sparing his life.
40. How does Romeo view the prospect of banishment (17-23)?
He says it will be torture to live without Juliet.
What would he prefer?
Death
41. How does Friar Laurence scold Romeo (24-28)?
He scolds him for his “rude unthankfulness” and tells
him the “kind Prince” showed mercy by going against
the “law” and only banishing him.
42. Summarize Romeo’s speech (64-70)
The Friar can’t understand Romeo’s feelings because
he’s never been in love or married. Romeo feels
cheated because he just married Juliet but can’t be
with her now.
43. According to the Nurse, what state is Juliet in (85-87)?
Just like Romeo, she is inconsolable. She is sobbing so
much that she can’t even speak.
44. What points does Friar Laurence make (109-113) and (137-140)?
 Romeo is acting more like a woman than a man.
He needs to get himself together, quit crying, and
“be a man.”
 He tells him to count his blessings: Juliet and he
are alive; Tybalt would have killed him, but
Romeo killed Tybalt; the Prince could have put
him to death, but he spared his life.
45. What plan does Friar Laurence set up (146-154)?
 Romeo will go to Juliet that night for their
“honeymoon.”
 Romeo will leave for Mantua early the next
morning before the watchman is stationed at the
town’s gate.
 After a short time and when everything settles
down in Verona, the Friar will announce their
marriage
 Romeo will return; the Prince will reconcile with
Romeo because he’ll be glad the fighting has
stopped between the families due to the marriage;
everyone will celebrate their marriage with many
times more joy than Romeo can imagine.
Act III
Scene 4
46. What provides the dramatic irony in the opening of this scene?
Lord Capulet is meeting with Paris to arrange Juliet’s
marriage to Paris within a few days.
Meanwhile, Juliet is in her room upstairs with her
Romeo, her husband.
47. What does Capulet assume he will be able to do?
He thinks Juliet is broken-hearted over the death of
Tybalt and that marrying Paris will end her grief and
give her happiness.
48. Why would the audience feel tension as Capulet sends Lady Capulet to Juliet’s Chamber?
If Lady Capulet goes to her room, she will discover
Romeo there with Juliet.
Act III
Scene 5
49. Why are Romeo and Juliet debating whether they are hearing a lark or a nightingale?
50. What is supposed to happen before daybreak?
51. How does the light imagery continue?
52. What news does the Nurse bring Juliet?
53. What does Romeo say (52-53) when Juliet asks if they will ever meet again?
54. What does Juliet’s speech foreshadow (54-57)?
55. Why does Lady Capulet think Juliet is crying?
56. What does Lady Capulet wish for Romeo?
57. What “joyful tidings” does Lady Capulet bring Juliet?
58. Summarize Juliet’s speech (116-123).
59. How does Capulet react to Juliet’s refusal?
60. Who tries to intervene on behalf of Juliet?
61. What ultimatum does Capulet issue to Juliet?
62. How does Lady Capulet react to the ultimatum?
63. What is the Nurse’s advice to Juliet (214-226)?
64. What two lies does Juliet tell (231-234)?
65. Give examples of times in the play when Romeo and Juliet have appeared to be willing to die if they can’t
be together.
66. How have Juliet’s feelings toward the Nurse been affected?
67. What does “mercurial” mean?
68. What characteristics of this word match Mercutio’s character?
69. What does “benevolent” mean?
70. How does that word relate to Benvolio?
71. How is Tybalt like the cat he is named for?