Romeo
&
Juliet
By William Shakespeare
Reading Guide
"O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name.
Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love
And I'll no longer be a Capulet."
- William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 2.2
=
Oh, Romeo, Romeo, why do you have to be “Romeo?”
Forget about your father and change your name.
Or if you won’t change your name, just swear you love me
and I’ll stop being a Capulet.
-Adapted from “No Fear Shakespeare:
http://nfs.sparknotes.com/romeojuliet
Name:_______________
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Romeo and Juliet Pre-Reading
Consider the following offenses. Rank each one in order of seriousness. There are 4 ratings:
1- Reprehensible, absolutely awful (worst)
2- Really bad, derogatory (2nd worst)
3- Pretty bad, troublesome, offensive (3rd worst)
4- Bad, probably shouldn’t do, naughty (4th worst)
1-
______ Planning to trick someone.
10- ______ Suicide
2- ______ Lying to parents
11- ______ Crashing a party
3- ______ Killing someone for revenge
12- ______ Marrying against your parents’ wishes
4- ______ Telling someone to marry for money
13- ______ Picking a fight
5- ______ Two families having a feud, long fight
14- ______ Talking bad behind someone’s back
6- ______ Selling poison
15- ______ Prejudging someone before knowing them
7- ______ Killing someone by mistake while fighting
16- ______ Making someone lie for you
8- ______ Cursing
17- ______ Hiding a criminal
9- ______ Killing someone in self-defense
Instructions: For the following statements, please circle whether you strongly disagree, disagree, agree, or strongly
agree. Be ready to explain why you chose this.
18- Boyfriends or girlfriends are more important than family.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
19- You should keep secrets from your parents.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
20- You should know someone for at least one year before you marry them.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
21- It is important to really know someone before you’re married.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
22- A boyfriend or girlfriend is worth killing yourself over.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
23- Teenagers don’t know what real love feels like.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
24- Arranged marriages make life easier.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
25- You can trust your parents to choose the right mate for you.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
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Romeo & Juliet Character List
Juliet
Capulet
Romeo
Montague
Benvolio
Montague
Tybalt
Capulet
Lord Montague
Montague
Lord Capulet
Capulet
Nurse
Capulet’s servant
Romeo’s cousin and friend
Paris
Mercutio
Lady Capulet
Friend of Romeo, relative of the Prince
Capulet
Prince Escalus
Lady Montague
Montague
Abram
Sampson
Gregory
Rosaline
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Neither
Juliet’s mom
1.
What does “bite my thumb” (pg. 1) mean?
When you bite your thumb at someone, you are
2.
What is something that someone might do today that is like “biting your thumb” at someone?
Biting your thumb at someone is like _____________________________________ today.
3.
Capulet says on page three, “Give me any long sword,” and his wife answers, “A crutch you mean.”
What can we infer about Capulet based on the Lady’s quote?
We can infer that Capulet is ________________.
4.
Romeo says “I’m out of favor of the one I love.” (pg. 5) What does that mean?
5.
Where is Romeo? How is he feeling? (page 5-6)
6.
Use this quote to answer the next two questions. “She has sworn to live without love, and I die from
that vow.” (pg. 6)
 What has Romeo’s love (Rosaline) sworn to do?

How does Romeo feel about it?
7.
What does Paris, a relative of the Prince, think about the feud?
8.
What does Paris want?
9.
We find out on page #6 that the servant cannot read or write. Romeo does him a favor; what was it?
10. The servant thanks Romeo by saying what?
11. What does Benvolio suggest to Romeo?
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12. How old is Juliet?
She is ________. She will be ________ in a couple of weeks.
13. Describe the Nurse.
14. What does Lady Capulet ask Juliet to consider?
15. Where does this scene being?
16. Romeo is complaining about his sadness due to his woman troubles. Mercutio says on page 13, “If
love is rough with you, be rough with love. Cut the thorn that cuts you, and beat love down.”
Explain what he is saying.
17. Romeo says that “something bad is hanging in the stars.” What does that mean, and what does he
see hanging in the stars? (pg. 14)
18. Capulet tells everyone at the party, “The ladies without corns on their feet will dance with you.”
(p.15) Corns are hard, painful calluses on the feet. He doesn’t actually mean that the ladies have
corns on their feet. Why does he say this?
19. What is Tybalt like? Explain how you know this.
20. Tybalt is very angry when he realizes that Romeo is there, so he tell Lord Capulet. How does
Capulet respond? (pg. 16)
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21. Romeo says, “O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do. They pray; grant thou, lest faith turn to
despair.” (pg. 17)
 What are their hands doing?___________________

What does Romeo want to do next? _____________________

Then he ___________________________________.
22. Romeo finds out that Juliet, his new crush, is a Capulet. Then, Juliet finds out that Romeo is a
Montague. Translate these lines:
“My only love comes from
my only hate!”
“If I’d known earlier! But
it’s too late.”
Paris
Tybalt
Lady Capulet
1-
Lord Capulet
Rosaline
Prince Escalus
Queen Mab
Abraham
Nurse
Benvolio
Sampson and Gregory started a fight with ____________________.
2- ____________________ tried to stop the fight between the servants.
3- ____________________ is Juliet’s cousin who always wants to fight.
4- Romeo walks alone in the forest because he is sad about his love for ____________________.
5- ____________________ tells the Montagues and Capulets to stop fighting or they will be punished by death.
6- Lord Capulet consents to ____________________ marrying Juliet if she wants to.
7- ____________________ has a party that Romeo and his friends go to.
8- Mercutio talks about ____________________ when he talks about dreams.
9- The ____________________ is like a mother to Juliet.
10- ____________________ is very cold and unfriendly towards her family.
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23. 1. What does Mercutio say about “blind love”?
24. Where does this scene start?
 This scene starts in the _______________.
25. When Juliet appears on her balcony, what does Romeo compare her to?


Romeo says that Juliet is ___________________________________________________________.
This phrase is a simile. A simile compares two things using “like” or “as.” Think about someone
that you think is good looking or pretty. What could you compare him or her to?
26. When Juliet leans her cheek on her hand, what does Romeo say?
Romeo says________________________________________________________________________________.
27. Read this:
Oh, Romeo, Romeo, why do you have to be “Romeo?”
Forget about your father and change your name.
Or if you won’t change your name, just swear you love me
and I’ll stop being a Capulet.
-Adapted from “No Fear Shakespeare:
28. In a sentence or two, explain what Juliet says about names.
29. Juliet asks how Romeo got into her place. The orchard walls are high, and Romeo’s life would be in danger
if her relatives were to find him there. What is Romeo’s response to these questions?
Romeo responds ______________________________________________________________________________.
30. Juliet is going to send someone to Romeo on the following day for what purpose?
Juliet will send _______________________ to _____________________________________________________.
31. Why are their plans a secret?
32. What has friar Lawrence been out gathering in his basket? (pg. 28)
33. When Friar Lawrence sees Romeo, what comment does Friar Lawrence make about seeing Romeo so
early in the morning? (pg.29)
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34. What does Friar Lawrence mean when he says to Romeo, “Young men’s love then lies not truly in
their hearts, but in their eyes?

Friar Lawrence means that men ______________________, instead of loving _______________
________________________________________________.
35. Friar Lawrence agrees to perform the marriage ceremony for Romeo and Juliet for what reason?
36. According to Mercutio, what kind of man is Tybalt?
37. Describe the nurse, giving one example from the book. (pg. 33)
38. How is Juliet to arrange to meet Romeo? (pg. 34)
39. The nurse is supposed to be gone only a half hour, but she is actually gone for how long? (pg. 35)

She is gone for ____________.
40. How is the nurse behaving that is frustrating to Juliet?
41.
Book Text:
You Translate:
“These violent delights
have violent ends. Like
when fire and gunpowder
meet and kiss. Honey that
is too sweet can be
sickening. Therefore love
moderately.
“These sudden _________ have sudden ends. Like when
fire and gunpowder meet, they ______________.
Honey/Sugar that is too sweet can give you a
______________ ____________. Therefore, love
_________________.”
42. The Friar tells the two to come quickly to do their work. He adds on pg. 38, “You two cannot be
alone.” What can you infer about dating during Shakespeare’s times?
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43. What does Mercutio mean when he says, “ You are as hot blooded as anybody” about Tybalt? (pg.
39)
44. Tybalt and Mercutio start quarreling, what is Benvolio’s suggestion?
45. Why does Romeo refuse to fight Tybalt? (pg. 41)
Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt because ______________________________________________________.
46. How does Romeo’s attitude change when he realizes that Mercutio is dead? (pg. 42)
47. Who’s Tybalt’s murderer? (pg. 42-43)
Tybalt’s murderer is ______________________________________________________________________.
48. What sentence is given to Tybalt’s murderer?
49. Do you think that’s a fair punishment?
50. What punishment does Lady Capulet think Romeo deserves? (pg. 45)
51. How will the events of this act mess up Romeo and Juliet’s plans?
52. Who reports Juliet’s death to Juliet?
_________________________ reports Juliet’s death.
53. What do you think of Juliet’s reaction to her cousin’s death. Give two reasons to support your
opinion.
54. Where does Romeo go to hide? He hides _______________________________.
55. What does Juliet send to Romeo as a pledge of her love?
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56. Why does Romeo wish the Prince’s decree had been death rather than banishment?
57. Friar Lawrence says about Romeo, “He’s there on the ground, swimming in his own tears.” (pg. 50)
What does that mean?
58. What does Friar Lawrence suggest Romeo do before he leaves for Mantua?
59. Paris wants to marry Juliet on Monday, but Capulet and he settle on what day?
Juliet and Paris are to be married on _______________________.
60. Where does this scene begin?
61. Find one line on page #55 that mentions astrology or fate.
62. What does “courted” mean? What part of speech is it?

Courted means _______________________________________. It is a _____________.
63. Juliet tries to get out of marrying Paris. How does her mother react?
64. Juliet, still trying to fight her mother, says, “Make my bridal bed in the tomb where Tybalt lay.” (pg.
58) What does that mean?
65. Juliet tells the nurse that she is going to Friar Lawrence’s cell for what?
66. What is the real reason that Juliet is going to see Friar Lawrence?
67. Juliet says, “If all else fails, I will seek death myself.” (pg. 59) What does that mean?
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68. Where does this scene begin?
69. Why is Paris visiting Friar Lawrence?
Paris visits Friar Lawrence to _____________________________________________________________.
70. What does Juliet threaten to do if she is forced to marry Paris?
71. If you were a parent, and your kid said that she was going to do that, how would you react?
72. What plan does Friar Lawrence create?
Friar Lawrence’s plan is to ________________________________________________________________.
73. What message would the Friar have sent to Romeo in Mantua?
74. What do you think will happen?
75. When Juliet returns from church what does she tell her father?
76. Juliet imagines four things that might happen to her if she drinks the potion. What are they?

First, she imagines that the Friar might be ___________________________________.

Then, she worries that she might _______________________________________.

Then, she worries that she might ___________________________________ because of the
ghosts in the tomb.

Lastly, she imagines that she sees ___________________________________________________.
77. Juliet decides to _____________ the potion. LABEL THIS SENTENCE!
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78. What is the mood of this scene?
79. Who discovers that Juliet is “dead”?
80. What does Friar Lawrence say to try to console the Capulet’s?
Friar Lawrence tells Capulet that ___________________________________________________________.
81. What is the mood of this scene and why?
82. What news does Balthasar bring to Romeo?
Balthasar tells Romeo that ___________________________________________________________.
83. The plan has taken a turn for the worse, what do you think will happen next?
84. What does Romeo do?
85. Why didn’t Friar John deliver the letter?
Friar John couldn’t deliver the letter because ________________________________________________________.
86. What is Paris doing in Juliet’s tomb?
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Paris went to Juliet’s tomb to ___________________________________________________________.
87. Romeo is mourning Juliet’s death, but what does Paris think that he is doing?
88. In a compound sentence, tell me what Romeo does to Paris, and then tell me what he does to himself.
89. Juliet wakes up and realizes that Paris and Romeo are dead. She sends the Friar away, and then what
does she do?
When Juliet wakes up and realizes that Paris and Romeo are dead, she ________________________________.
90. What will Capulet do now that both Romeo and Juliet are dead?
Now that both Romeo and Juliet are dead, Capulet is going to _________________________________.
Reaction Section
91. What will Montague do now that both Romeo and Juliet are dead?
92. What do you think of Romeo and Juliet’s decision?
93. What could Friar Lawrence have done differently?
94. What could Romeo have done differently?
95. What could Juliet have done differently?
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Vocabulary
Apothecary – druggist, one who sells the ingredients for medicine
Banishment – exile
Battlement – wall around a city
Bawd – a madam in a “house of ill repute”
Beshrew – put a curse on
Cell – small living quarters of a monk, friar or nun
Churl – brute
Coil – fuss
Conceit – thought
Conjure – raise ghostly spirits as a magician or medium
Consort – (verb) interact with, (noun) small band of renaissance musicians
Dian – chaste Roman hunting goddess Diana (called Artemis in Greek mythology)
Dish-clout – dish cloth
Endart – pierce like a dart
Engrossing – owning everything
Forfeit – exchange
Hie – go quickly
Inauspicious – unlucky, connected with bad omens
Jaunce, Jaunt – exhausting, bumpy journey
Jove – The Roman king of the gods, Jupiter (called Zeus in Greek mythology)
Lammas Eve – ancient festival on August 1, in Christian tradition called “Lady Mass”
Maidenhead – virginity, girlhood
Nurse – nanny, servant who helps raise the children
Mandrake – plants that were believed to grow beneath gallows and to shriek when they were pulled up.
Palmer – pilgrim to the tomb of a saint
Paramour – beloved
Poultice – comforting treatment for an ailment
Procure – get, provide
Rapier – long, slender two-edged sword
Respective Lenity – respectful mildness
Scurvy Knave – person who acts like a jerk
Shrift – confession of sins to a priest in hopes of absolution
Shroud – burial cloth for a dead body
Vestal Liveries – robes of the Vestal Virgins, ancient priestesses
Wherefore – why
Woo – seek someone’s love or hand in marriage, to court
‘Zounds – oath swearing by the wounds of Christ, literally a “God’s Wounds”
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Romeo & Juliet Anticipation Guide
A: Agree
D: Disagree
N: No opinion
Statement
Before
Reading
After
Reading
People join gangs because they are not strong willed and do not
know the value of human life.
If a family member is in danger, I would do anything to protect
them, even if that means I could die.
I would expect a family member to do anything to protect me;
including die for me.
Love at first sight is real and powerful.
Suicide is stupid.
Parents should never control who their children spend time with or
love.
We cannot control our fates.
Most murders are premeditated.
If I found the right girl/guy I’d marry her/him in a heartbeat.
With a partner, discuss the topics above. Write down your partner’s answers in the margin. Talk about why you agree, disagree or don’t know about
the statements above. Answer the questions below once you have discussed every statement.
1. What did you and your partner have differing opinions about? Did you feel the need to change your partner’s mind? Why or why not?
2. What was the most interesting topic you discussed? Why?
3. Did your partner’s comments make you feel differently about a specific topic? How did they make you feel differently?
4. Explain which statement you feel the strongest about. Why do you feel this way?
5. Ask your partner which statement he/she feels strongest about. Why does he/she feel this way?
Choose two of these questions to answer. Write the number and the answers.
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