Romeo and Juliet
Act II Study Questions
Prologue and Scene 1
1. Why may Romeo not have access “to breathe such vows as lovers use to swear”?
2. What does it mean that Juliet’s “means [are] much less”?
3. Where do Romeo and Juliet get the power and the means to meet?
Act II, Scene 1
1. Where and when does Scene 1 take place?
2. Whom does Mercutio praise in an attempt to attract Romeo’s attention?
3. What do you as a reader know in this scene that Mercutio and Benvolio do not know?
4. When Romeo does not appear, what does Benvolio conclude?

Romeo and Juliet
Act II, Scene 2
1. To what does Romeo compare Juliet? How bright does he say Juliet’s eyes are?
2. What does Romeo wish he was?
3. What does Juliet say Romeo should do about his name?
4. Why is Juliet surprised at Romeo’s presence?
5. Why doesn’t Juliet want Romeo to swear by the moon?
6. Why isn’t Juliet happy about the promises of love just made?
7. Why does Juliet wish she hadn’t yet vowed her love to Romeo?
8. Why is Romeo afraid that his meeting with Juliet is a dream?
9. What choice does Juliet set before Romeo?

Romeo and Juliet
Act II, Scene 3
1. What is the Friar collecting?
2. What three reasons does Friar Laurence think could have caused Romeo to come soearly?
3. How does Friar Laurence react when Romeo says he has forgotten
Rosaline? Why doyou think he reacts in this way?
4. What is the difference between Rosaline and Juliet:
According to Romeo
According to Friar Laurence
5. What persuades Friar Laurence to assist Romeo?

Romeo and Juliet
Act II, Scene 4
1. What are Benvolio and Mercutio doing as the scene opens?
2. To what do they attribute Romeo’s strange behavior?
3. What new occurrence in the Montague/Capulet feud do Mercutio and
Benvolio know about that Romeo has not yet learned of?
4. What conclusions does Mercutio come to about Romeo from the changes in Romeo’s mood?
5. Whose message does the Nurse deliver to Romeo? What does she say?
6. What scheme has Romeo devised?
7. What is Romeo’s servant going to give the Nurse?

Romeo and Juliet
Act II, Scenes 5and 6
1. a. In what length of time did the Nurse promise to return?
b. How long has the Nurse been away?
c. In what way, according to Juliet, could the Nurse be a better messenger?
2. The Nurse puts off answering Juliet’s questions about the marriage plans with four excuses. What are they?
3. Why do you think the Nurse makes so many excuses?
4. a. What praise does the Nurse give Romeo?
b. What one complaint does she make?
5. At the end of the scene, where is the Nurse going? Where is Juliet going?
6. Are Friar Laurence’s first two lines a statement or a prayer? How do you know?
7. What does Romeo say about death in lines 6-7?
8. In your own words, tell what warning Friar Laurence gives in lines 9-11.
9. a. What does Romeo ask Juliet to do upon her arrival?
b. How does Juliet respond?

Romeo and Juliet
Act Two Vocabulary
Match the appropriate word with the corresponding defintion:
1.
Kinsmen a. Get; obtain
2.
Cunning b. Relatives c. Of a sickly, pale-yellowish complexion 3.
Variable
4.
Procure
5.
Vile
6.
Sallow
7.
Waverer
8.
Lamentable
9.
Unwieldly d. Awkward; clumsy e. Distressing; sad f. Worthless; cheap; low g. Changeable; inconstant h. Cleverness; slyness i. One who changes or is unsteady

Romeo and Juliet- Act II Quotes
B)
C)
For each quote, tell three things: A) Who said it? B) To whom?
C)Significance/meaning of quote.
1.But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
A)
B)
C)
2 . A s d a yl i g ht d o t h a l am p ; h e r e ye s i n h e a ve n Would through the airy region stream so bright That birds would sing and think it were not
B)
C) night.
A)
3 . O Ro me o , Ro me o ! W h e r e f o r e ar t t ho u Ro me o ?
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.
A)

4 . W h at ’ s i n a n am e ? Th at wh i c h we c a l l a r o s e By any other name would smell as sweet.
A)
B)
C)
5.O, swear not by the moon, th’ inconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circle orb, Lest thy love prove likewise variable.
C)
A)
B)
B)
6.Love goes toward love as schoolboys from their books; But love from love, toward school with heavy looks.
A)
B)
C)
A)
C)
7.Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow That I shall say good night till it be morrow.

8 . F o r n a ug ht s o vi l e t h at o n t h e e art h d ot h l i ve But to the earth some special good doth give;
A)
B)
C)
9.So soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.
C)
A)
B)
B)
C)
10.More than Prince of Cats. O, he’s the courageous captain of compliments.
A)
A)
B)
11.Therefore love moderately: long love doth so:
C)