Romeo and Juliet
Act I Questions
Please answer each of the following questions in complete sentences on a separate
sheet of paper. This will be due each time we finish an act, and will be used as a
quiz grade.
Prologue
1. What does it mean that Romeo and Juliet are “star-crossed” lovers?
Scene i
1. What are Sampson and Gregory talking about at the beginning of the play?
2. What does Benvolio do when he encounters the servants fighting?
3. Who makes the fight much worse after Benvolio arrives?
4. What does the Prince say he will do if more fighting occurs?
5. What does Montague notice about his son Romeo?
6. Why has Romeo been so moody lately?
Scene ii
1. What does Paris want from Capulet?
2. How does Capulet respond?
3. How do Romeo and Benvolio find out about the party at the Capulet house?
4. How does Benvolio convince Romeo to come along?
Scene iii
1. What do Lady Capulet and the nurse want Juliet to do?
2. How does Juliet respond?
Scene iv
1. Why does Romeo say that he can’t dance?
2. What prediction does Romeo make about this night?
Scene v
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Who recognizes Romeo’s voice?
How does Capulet respond to the noise?
What happens between Romeo and Juliet?
What news about Juliet saddens Romeo?
How does Juliet react when she learns that Romeo is a Montague?
Romeo and Juliet
Act II
Please answer each of the following questions in complete sentences on a separate
sheet of paper. This will be due when we finish the act, and will be a quiz grade.
Prologue
1. Why is the love between Romeo and Juliet a difficult thing?
Scene i
1. What is Mercutio’s attitude towards love?
2. What do Mercutio and Romeo decide to do?
Scene ii
1. How does Romeo feel as he watches Juliet?
2. About what is Juliet upset?
3. What does Juliet say about names?
4. What does Juliet tell Romeo not to hold against her?
5. What does Romeo want from Juliet?
6. When are Romeo and Juliet going to meet again?
Scene iii
1. How does the friar view the gifts of the earth?
2. What does Romeo want the friar to do?
3. How does the friar react initially?
4. Why does the friar then seem to agree?
Scene iv
1. What message has Tybalt sent to the Montagues?
2. About what does the nurse seem worried?
Scene v
1. What message does the nurse give Juliet?
Scene vi
1. How does the friar advise Rome to love?
2. What does the friar do for them at the end of the scene?
Romeo and Juliet
Act III Questions
Please answer each of the following in complete sentence and on a separate sheet
of paper.
Scene i
1. Why does Benvolio think that he and Mercutio should go somewhere else?
2. Why does Tybalt want to fight Romeo?
3. Why does Romeo say that he now loves Tybalt?
4. What happens to Mercutio?
5. What happens to Tybalt?
6. Why doesn’t Lady Capulet believe Benvolio’s story?
7. What declaration does Lady Capulet make about Romeo?
8. What does the Prince say must be done with Romeo now?
Scene ii
1. Why does Juliet want night to arrive so quickly?
2. Who does Juliet think was killed?
3. How does Juliet react initially when she hears of Tybalt’s death?
4. Why does she then change her mind?
5. Where is Romeo hiding?
6. What is the nurse going to do for Juliet?
Scene iii
1. Why does Romeo think that banishment is worse than death?
2. How does the friar respond to this reaction of Romeo’s?
3. What plan does the friar then make for Romeo?
Scene iv
1. What decision has Capulet made for Juliet?
Scene v
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Of what is Juliet trying to convince Romeo at the beginning of this scene?
What makes her change her mind?
Why does Lady Capulet think that Juliet is crying?
What plan does Lady Capulet have for Romeo?
How does Lord Capulet react to the news that Juliet will not marry Paris?
What advice does the nurse give?
Where is Juliet going at the end of the scene?
Romeo and Juliet
Act IV Questions
Please answer each of the following questions in complete sentences on a separate piece of
paper. This will be due each time we finish an act, and will be a quiz grade.
Scene i
1. What is Friar Laurence’s idea?
Scene ii
1. What lie does Juliet tell her father when he asks where she has been?
2. Does Juliet tell the nurse of her plan?
3. Why do you think the wedding day is pushed ahead from Thursday to Wednesday?
Scene iii
1. What does Juliet plan to do if the potion does not work?
2. What does Juliet worry briefly about before she drinks the potion?
Scene iv
Scene v
1. Who discovers Juliet’s body?
2. What does Friar Laurence encourage Capulet to do after discovering Juliet’s death?
3. Based on previous evidence and on previous decisions that you have reached, do you believe
that Capulet is sincere when he says, “And with my child my joys are buried?” Why did it
take him so long to realize how much his daughter meant to him?
4. How is Friar Laurence’s remark “The woman is best married who dies a young bride” a
misstatement?
Romeo and Juliet
Act V
Please answer each of the following questions in complete sentences on a separate
sheet of paper. This will be due when we finish the act, and will be a quiz grade.
Scene i
1. Why is Romeo in such a good mood?
2. What news does Balthasar bring Romeo?
3. What plan does Romeo make?
4. How does Romeo procure the substance he wants?
Scene ii
1. Why was Friar John unable to deliver Friar Lawrence’s letter to Romeo?
2. What does Friar Lawrence say that he is going to do?
Scene iii
1. Why is Paris at the Capulet vault?
2. What does Romeo tell Balthasar?
3. What does Balthasar say that he will do?
4. What does Paris try to do to Romeo?
5. How does Romeo react?
6. What happens to Paris?
7. What does Romeo say about Juliet’s appearance?
8. What does the Friar say Juliet should do when she awakens?
9. What does Juliet do?
10. What happened to Lady Montague?
11. What piece of evidence supports Friar Lawrence’s story?
12. What happens between the Capulets and the Montagues?
What do the families say they will do to honor their children?