CA100
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Romeo and Juliet
Study Guide – Act III
Act III – Rising Action
Scene I:
1. At the beginning of the scene, why does Benvolio think that there will be a fight?
Benvolio thinks there will be a fight because the weather is very hot. Hot weather will often
cause tempers to flare leading to fights.
2. What does Mercutio accuse Benvolio of in lines 15-30?
Mercutio accuses Benvolio of being a short tempered man that will often start fights for no
apparent reason.
3. When Tybalt and Mercutio first begin arguing, what does Benvolio try to get them to do?
Benvolio tells both Mercutio and Tybalt that they are arguing in public. He tells both of them to
go someplace private and argue peacefully or to just go away and leave eachother alone.
4. What does Tybalt call Romeo?
Tybalt calls Romeo a villain.
5. Why won’t Romeo fight Tybalt?
Romeo will not fight Tybalt because he just became married to Tybalt’s cousin, Juliet. Romeo
considers Tybalt to be part of his family (through marriage); therefore, he will not fight a
family member.
6. What does Mercutio think is the reason Romeo refuses to fight?
Mercutio thinks that Romeo is refusing to fight because he has been weakened by love.
Mercutio thinks that Romeo’s surrender is dishonorable.
7. Why does Mercutio keep repeating, “A plague o’ both your houses”?
Mercution keeps repeating this phrase because the family feud has cost him his life. As he lays
dying he is showing his anger and wishes for evil to happen to both families. This is a good
example of foreshadowing in the play.
8. What does Romeo say that Juliet’s love has done for him?
Romeo states, “Thy love has made me effeminate.” Romeo is saying that his love for Juliet has
turned him into a weak and helpless girl.
9. Why does Romeo call himself “fortune’s fool”?
Romeo is commenting on his bad luck and how fate has turned against him.
10. When Benvolio relates to the Prince what happened, what does he say Romeo tried to do
before Mercutio was killed?
Benvolio tells the Prince that Romeo tried to the stop the fight. He also tells the Prince that he
tried to use the penalty imposed by the Prince as a means to stop the fight.
11. What does Lady Capulet accuse Benvolio of doing? Why?
Lady Capulet accuses Benvolio of lying to the Prince. She accuses him of this because he is
part of the Montague family.
12. What is Romeo’s punishment for killing Tybalt?
The Prince decides that Romeo should banished to Mantua. The Prince also states that should
Romeo return to Verona that he will receive the penalty of death.
13. Summarize the scene.
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Opens with Mercutio and Benvolio, hot day, tempers easily flare
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Tybalt arrives with other Capulets, Mercutio taunts him they fight, he is stabbed
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Romeo retaliates
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Prince makes a decree, Romeo is banished, killed if he returns
Scene II:
1. Why does Juliet become so impatient waiting for the nurse to return?
It is the wedding night and she is waiting for nightfall when Romeo will climb the rope ladder
to her room. She is becoming more impatient as time passes slowly. The nurse is bringing
Juliet more news that she hopes will help her prepare for the night.
2. Describe Juliet’s rapidly changing attitudes toward Romeo in this scene.
At first Juliet thinks that Romeo has been killed because the nurse is talking about the death
of someone but does not tell her the person’s name. She is worried about him. When she finds
out that Tybalt has been killed by Romeo, she states, “O serpent heart hid within a flowering
face.” She thinks that Romeo was truly “fake” and was only a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Then
she forgets about what he did and immediately goes back to being in love with him because it
is her husband.
3. What piece of news has upset Juliet the most?
Juliet is most upset by the news that Romeo has been banished from Verona.
4. What does the nurse promise to do?
The nurse promises to go find Romeo because she knows where he is hiding
5. Summarize the scene.

Scene opens with Juliet waiting
- it is their wedding night
- Romeo is going to sneak into her room
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The nurse is crying
- tells Juliet of Tybalt’s death
- the nurse maligns Romeo

Juliet learns Romeo is banished to Mantua
Scene III:
1. Explain Romeo’s reaction to the news of his banishment.
Romeo is devastated at the news of his banishment. IN this scene he threw himself on the
floor and his crying loudly and equating his banishment to a life in hell. Romeo would rather
be dead than banished from Verona.
2. Romeo tells Friar Lawrence that the priest cannot know or understand how Romeo feels.
Why?
Romeo tells the priest he cannot understand his sorrow because the priest has not been in
love nor has he ever been married. Romeo tells the Friar if you were young, and in love with
Juliet, had just been married, and then killed a man, that he too would be in the same position
as him.
3. What argument does Friar Lawrence use to prevent Romeo from killing himself?
Friar Lawrence tells Romeo that he has a great deal to live for and that he should be thankful
first for being alive. He then tells Romeo that he has Juliet to be thankful for and should do his
best to live for her.
4. What does the nurse give to Romeo?
The nurse gives Romeo a ring from Juliet to show him that she still loves him.
5. Summarize the Scene.

Romeo is grief stricken, hiding with the Friar

Official wedding night, Friar/Nurse to guard

The rope ladder, last night together
Scene IV:
1. Why does Capulet think Juliet is so sad?
Capulet thinks that Juliet is saddened by the death of her cousin Tybalt.
2. Who is at the house? Why is he there?
Paris arrived at the house that night and is again asking Capulet to marry Juliet.
3. Capulet believes that Juliet will do whatever he tells her to. Is this true, why or Why not?
Capulet may believe this; however, it is up to you to decide how Juliet will react to the news of
the arranged marriage.
4. What does Capulet tell his wife to say to Juliet?
Capulet tells his wife to go to Juliet’s chambers and tell her of the joyful news of the marriage
on Thursday. Lady Capulet tells him that she will find out “what she thinks of marriage.”
5. Summarize the Scene.
•
The return of Paris
•
Capulet thinks about marriage
- changes opinions, plans a wedding for Thursday
•
A way to stop the sadness in the household after the death of Tybalt
Scene V:
1. As Romeo is preparing to leave Juliet, what argument does she use to convince him to
stay?
Juliet tells Romeo that it was Nightingale that he heard singing in the tree. She tells him it
only sings at night and therefore, he has plenty of time to stay with her until the morning.
2. Later, why does Juliet think Romeo should leave?
Juliet realizes that she is mistaken that it was in fact the Lark that was singing its “harsh” song
in the trees. She tells Romeo he must go to avoid being seen and captured.
3. Just as Romeo is about to descend the rope ladder and leave Juliet, what does Juliet say
about the way Romeo looks?
Juliet tells Romeo that he looks “dead at the bottom of a tomb,” and she mentions that he
looks “pale.” This is a good example foreshadowing.
4. Why does Lady Capulet think Juliet is crying?
Lady Capulet thinks that she is still crying over the death of her cousin Tybalt.
5. When Lady Capulet threatens to send someone to Mantua to poison Romeo, What does
Juliet say?
Juliet tells Lady Capulet that she would mix the poison herself.
6. After Lady Capulet breaks the news about Paris, what is Juliet’s response?
Juliet tells her mother that she will not marry Paris, that she would rather marry Romeo
instead before ever considering the wedding her father has planned.
7. If Juliet’s mother does not arrange to delay the marriage, what will Juliet do?
Juliet tells her mother that if she does not delay the marriage that she will kill herelf.
8. What is Capulet’s reaction to Juliet’s threats?
Both Capulet and Lady Capulet tell Juliet what they expect from her, if she chooses not to
obey, they will both disown her and throw her out of the house.
9. What is the Nurse’s advice to Juliet?
The nurse tells Juliet that Romeo is not allowed to return to Verona. Since he is
unable to return, the nurse tells her to forget about him and agree to marry Paris
because he is just as good as Romeo.
10. How does Juliet’s attitude to the nurse change?
Juliet has decided that she will no longer listen to the nurse and will no longer trust
her with any of her secrets. Juliet is turning her back on everything that she has
known for her short life.
11. What “scheme” does Juliet devise to get rid of the nurse and to get out of the
house?
Juliet told the nurse to go to her parents and tell them that she was off to see Friar
Lawrence to confess her sins and be forgiven.
12. Summarize the scene.
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Romeo spends the night
Risks life and safety
- last time before exile
Departure as expected
Capulet tells Juliet the news
Capulet and Juliet argue, family relationships are broken
Juliet goes to the Friar
Irony throughout the scene