Romeo and Juliet
Act 5 Discussion
Scenes One - Two
Scenes One & Two
Q: Romeo spots an old apothecary shop that sells
odd things, like stuffed alligators and weirdlooking fish. What does Romeo buy from this
man?
A: Poison
Scenes One & Two
Q: It’s illegal for the apothecary to sell poison to
Romeo. Why does the old man agree to make the
transaction?
A: He’s starving to death and needs the money.
Scenes One & Two
Q: Friar John was supposed to deliver Friar
Lawrence’s letter to Romeo in Mantua, but wasn’t
able to do so. Why?
A: Mantua officials were afraid Friar John has
been tending to people dying of the plague and
they wouldn’t let him into their town.
Scenes One & Two
Q: Describe the dream that Romeo has just had at the
beginning of Scene 1?
A: He says he dreamed that he was dead (and that was weird
because a dead man shouldn’t be able to be aware of what’s
happening) when Juliet found his body. She kissed him and
breathed life into him. He arose and became an emperor. This
dream foreshadows the actual events later in the act, when
Juliet will kiss Romeo’s just-deceased lips.
Scenes One & Two
Q: Who brings news from Verona? What is the
news?
A: Romeo’s servant/friend Balthasar brings the
mistaken news of Juliet’s death to Romeo.
Scenes One & Two
Q: Write down three odd things Romeo noticed in the
apothecary shop.
A: The man himself was frail and miserable looking. His
shop sold many odd things, including a stuffed alligator,
weird-shaped fish, dusty seeds, and rose petals that
might once have been used to make perfume.
Scenes One & Two
Q: Why is it difficult to get poison in Mantua? Why
does Romeo believe this apothecary will sell him some
despite this?
A: It is illegal to sell poison, but Romeo believe the
apothecary will sell some to him because the man looks
like he’s starving to death.
Scenes One & Two
Q: In Scene 2, what is Friar John’s excuse for not having
delivered the letter to Romeo?
A: He tried to enter Mantua to deliver the letter, but the
guardsmen of the city wouldn’t let him in because they
believed he had been ministering to sick people dying of the
plague. For health and safety reasons, he was refused
entrance into the city, so he returned to Verona. Friar
Laurence’s letter was never delivered.
Scenes One & Two
Q: What is Friar Laurence’s plan of action once he
realizes Romeo hasn’t received his letter?
A: He’ll send another letter to inform Romeo of what’s
been happening with Juliet. In the meantime, the Friar
will go gather Juliet from the tomb; she’s set to wake
up soon and he doesn’t want her in that creepy place
alone and scared.
Scene Three
Scene Three
Q: How many total people die or are reported dead in
this final scene?
A: Four – Paris, Romeo, Juliet, Lady Montague
Scene Three
Q: After Romeo has died, Juliet awakens and realizes
that her beloved has poisoned himself. She kisses him
goodbye and weeps because of what specific
realization?
A: His lips are warm. They missed each other my mere
minutes.
Scene Three
Q: What piece of physical evidence does the Prince
receive that confirms the Friar’s story?
A: A letter written by Romeo. He had given it to
Balthasar to deliver to his father.
Scene Three
Q: Who is the first person to arrive at Juliet’s tomb in
Scene 3? Why is he there?
A: Paris is the first person at the tomb. He’s come to
privately grieve over his dead fiancee and leave flowers
over her corpse.
Scene Three
Q: Explain Paris’ logic in thinking that Romeo is
responsible for Juliet killing herself.
A: He believes that Juliet died from the grief she felt
over Tybalt’s slaying.
Scene Three
Q: Did Paris love Juliet? Give evidence to support your answer.
A: Paris could not have loved Juliet because he never really got
to talk to her or know her. The same, however, could be said
of Romeo. Most students say that Paris did love Juliet, in a
way. He’s upset about her death and has come at night to
grieve alone. He also dies defending Juliet and the Capulet
family honor. Even if you don’t like Paris, you have to respect
that he tries to do the right thing.
Scene Three
Q: Romeo comments that Juliet looks just as beautiful
in death as she did in life, with roses in her cheeks and
lips. He doesn’t realize that the “death” is just a potion
that’s wearing off. Instead, why does he figure Juliet is
still so beautiful?
A: He says that Death must want Juliet to be his lover,
so he’s keeping her beauty intact.
Scene Three
Q: Does Juliet wake up just before Romeo dies or just
after?
A: She wakes up just after he dies.
Scene Three
Q: Who is present when Juliet awakens? Why doesn’t
this person stay?
A: The Friar is there when Juliet awakens. He doesn’t
want to stay because he hears people approaching and
he knows he’ll be in trouble for his role in the
misadventure. He runs away and leaves Juliet by herself
in the tomb.
Scene Three
Q: Why does Juliet kiss Romeo’s lips even after he
already died?
A: She spots the vial of poison and hopes there’s
enough poison left on his lips to allow her to die, as
well.
Scene Three
Q: Juliet says, “Thy lips are warm!” This is, quite
arguably, one of the saddest lines in the entire play.
Why are these four little words so meaningful?
A: They missed each other by mere minutes. The plan
was so close to working out, but tragedy resulted
instead.
Scene Three
Q: How does Juliet kill herself?
A: She stabs herself in the chest with Romeo’s knife.
Scene Three
Q: Which two characters are detained by the watchmen
after Juliet’s death?
A: The watchmen catch both Balthasar and Friar
Laurence. Both are brought back to the tomb to explain
themselves.
Scene Three
Q: Who else died tonight? How do we find out?
A: Lady Montague also died earlier this evening. Lord
Montague tells everyone at the Capulet tomb that grief
over Romeo’s banishment led to his wife’s heart
stopping.
Scene Three
Q: How many people died in this play? List their names
in order of their deaths.
A: Six people died. 1. Mercutio 2. Tybalt 3. Lady
Montague 4. Paris 5. Romeo 6. Juliet
Scene Three
Q: Rewrite the final six lines of the play in your own words.
A: As the day begins, the sky is gloomy and so is the peace
pact that’s just been struck. The sun is too sad to show itself.
Everyone should go forward into the day, talking about all of
the sad things we’ve just learned about. Some people will be
excused for the role they played in the scheme/deaths;
others will be punished. There was never a sadder story
than the one of Romeo and Juliet.