Sample Questions for Romeo and Juliet Exam
_________________________
Try the questions on your own first, then look at the answers at the end.
Part I- Identify the literary technique
____1. I must upfill this osier cage
a. simile
b. personification
c. antithesis
d. reversed construction
____2. Poison hath residence and medicine power
a. simile
b. personification
c. antithesis
d. reversed construction
____3. The gray-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night
a. simile
b. personification
c. allusion
d. rhyme
____4. Here comes Romeo like a dried herring
a. simile
b. personification
c. allusion
d. rhyme
____5. The sun moves on Titan’s fiery wheels
a. simile
b. personification
c. allusion
d. rhyme
Name
____6. Virtue itself turns to vice being misapplied
And vice sometime by action dignified
a. simile
b. personification
c. allusion
d. rhyme
____7. It is the east and Juliet is the sun
a. indirect metaphor
b. direct metaphor
c. simile
d. irony
____8. Call me but love and I’ll be new baptized
a. indirect metaphor
b. direct metaphor
c. simile
d. irony
____9. Indeed, I never shall be satisfied
With Romeo—till I behold him—dead
a. indirect metaphor
b. direct metaphor
c. simile
d. irony
____10. And fleckled darkness like a drunkard reels
a. indirect metaphor
b. direct metaphor
c. simile
d. irony
Part II- Short Passage Analysis- Write a short paragraph. In your analysis, you must a) paraphrase the passage, b) explain the
literary techniques used in it, c) analyze how the passage contributes to the plot, character, and themes of the play.
1.
Within the infant rind of this weak flower
Poison hath residence and medicine power:
For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part;
Being tasted, slays all senses with the heart.
Two such opposed kings encamp them still
In man as well as herbs, grace and rude will;
And where the worser is predominant,
Full soon the canker death eats up that plant.
2.
Nurse: I think it best you married with the County.
O, he’s a lovely gentleman!
Romeo’s a dishclout to him...
Juliet: Speakst thou from thy heart?
Nurse: And from my soul too, else beshrew them both
Juliet: Well, thou has comforted me marvelous much
Sample Questions for Romeo and Juliet Exam
_________________________
Try the questions on your own first, then look at the answers.
Part I- Identify the literary technique
____11. I must upfill this osier cage
a. simile
b. personification
c. antithesis
d. reversed construction
____12. Poison hath residence and medicine power
a. simile
b. personification
c. antithesis
d. reversed construction
____13. The gray-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night
a. simile
b. personification
c. allusion
d. rhyme
____14. Here comes Romeo like a dried herring
a. simile
b. personification
c. allusion
d. rhyme
____15. The sun moves on Titan’s fiery wheels
a. simile
b. personification
c. allusion
d. rhyme
Name
____16. Virtue itself turns to vice being misapplied
And vice sometime by action dignified
a. simile
b. personification
c. allusion
d. rhyme
____17. It is the east and Juliet is the sun
a. indirect metaphor
b. direct metaphor
c. simile
d. irony
____18. Call me but love and I’ll be new baptized
a. indirect metaphor
b. direct metaphor
c. simile
d. irony
____19. Indeed, I never shall be satisfied
With Romeo—till I behold him—dead
a. indirect metaphor
b. direct metaphor
c. simile
d. irony
____20. And fleckled darkness like a drunkard reels
a. indirect metaphor
b. direct metaphor
c. simile
d. irony
Part II- Short Passage Analysis- Write a short paragraph. In your analysis, you must a) paraphrase the passage, b) explain the
literary techniques used in it, c) analyze how the passage contributes to the plot, character, and themes of the play.
My examples are longer than I expect yours to be. I’m trying to include all the possibilities to show you!
3. Within the infant rind of this weak flower
Poison hath residence and medicine power:
For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part;
Being tasted, slays all senses with the heart.
Two such opposed kings encamp them still
In man as well as herbs, grace and rude will;
And where the worser is predominant,
Full soon the canker death eats up that plant.
The friar is gathering plants for medicine. He says that one plant has healing and harming power. If you smell it, it makes
you feel good, but if you eat it, it stops your heart. Both powers are in the same plant. Man also has good and bad in him,
and if the bad is stronger it will kill him. There is a lot of antithesis that shows how evil and good exists side by side. This
demonstrates that one theme is that life is full of good and evil, but when there is more evil, like there is in the “opposed
kings” of Capulet and Montague, it will result in death of others. There is a strong use of metaphor and a suggestion of
personification showing that the plants use power like people. The rhyming in this passage makes the speech seem planned
and formal, and makes the friar’s statement seem very important. Finally, the passage shows that the friar has the power to
make potions, which is important in the plot when he makes Juliet appear to be dead to try to escape her marriage to Paris.
This might also connect to how this all goes wrong. The friar has good intentions, but it leads to the death of Romeo and
Juliet.
4.
Nurse: I think it best you married with the County.
O, he’s a lovely gentleman!
Romeo’s a dishclout to him...
Juliet: Speakst thou from thy heart?
Nurse: And from my soul too, else beshrew them both
Juliet: Well, thou has comforted me marvelous much
The nurse tells Juliet that she should marry with Paris since he is also good looking. This shows how she thinks
outward appearances are most important. She uses the metaphor that Romeo is a dishclout, comparing him to a
dishrag. In this way, she shows how she thinks Paris is superior, now that Romeo is banished. Juliet then asks if the
Nurse really means this, and when she says she does, Juliet thanks her for making her feel better. Juliet is using verbal
irony because she is not comforted but angry with the Nurse for turning against her love of Romeo. All of this
confirms the theme that true love is powerful. Since Juliet is loyal to her husband, Romeo, over Paris, and even to risk
death to stay loyal to him, Shakespeare’s message is that their love is deep, and that people will risk much for true
love.