Romeo and Juliet
Questions!
Act 1 Scene 1
1) How does Sampson insult the Montague servants?
2) What does Benvolio attempt to do as the servants draw
their swords and begin to fight in the street?
3) Why is Benvolio forced to fight?
4) What comment does Lady Capulet make that reveals she
thinks her husband is too old to be fighting?
5) What sentence does Prince Escalus give the enemies?
6) Where has Benvolio seen Romeo that morning?
7) Romeo’s father believes his son is depressed. How does
Romeo spend his mornings?
8) What is wrong with Romeo?
9) What advice does Benvolio give to Romeo?
Act 1 Scene 2
1) Paris visits Capulet. What does he want? How
does Capulet respond?
2) What will occur at the Capulet household that
evening?
Act 1 Scene 3
1) Juliet’s birthday is Lamma’s Eve, July 31st,
according to the nurse. How old will Juliet be on
her birthday?
2) What question does Lady Capulet ask Juliet?
What is her response?
3) When Lady Capulet talks about Paris, she
describes him in an extended metaphor. To what
does she compare Paris?
4) What do you learn about Lady Capulet in this
scene? What kind of wife and mother is she?
Act 1 Scene 4
• What do you learn about Mercutio’s
character?
• Summarize what Romeo says at the end of
this scene
Act 1 Scene 5
• What is the exchange between Capulet and Tybalt
about at the beginning of this scene?
• What threat does Tybalt utter at the end of the
argument?
• What is ironic about Romeo’s comment, “Did my heart
love till now? Forswear it, sight/ For it neer saw true
beauty till this night?”
• What does Juliet worry about (133-134). What does
she mean?
• Is it realistic for Romeo and Juliet to fall in love
instantly? Do you think love at first sight is possible?
Act 2 Scene 2
• Romeo uses a metaphor to describe Juliet. Fill
in the missing words from the quotation:
“But soft! what _______ through yonder
window breaks? It is the ______ and Juliet is
the _______. Arise, fair ______ and kill the
envious ______, Who is already ____ and
_____ with grief that thou, her ______, art far
more fair than she”.
To what is Juliet compared to in this metaphor?
Act 2 Scene 2 Con’t
• When Juliet says, “That which we call a rose/
By any other name would smell as sweet,”
what does she mean?
• Why is Juliet at first cautious about making
promises to Romeo (116-120)?
• What does Juliet instruct Romeo to do the
next day?
Act 2 Scenes 3-4
• At the beginning of scene 3, what does Friar
Lawrence have in his basket?
• With whom does Friar Lawrence assume
Romeo has spent the night?
• Explain what Friar Lawrence means when he
says, “O, she knew well/Thy love did read by
rote and could not spell,” (87-88).
• What positive effect does Friar Lawrence hope
Romeo and Juliet’s marriage will have?
Act 2 Scenes 3-4 Con’t
• How does Mercutio treat the nurse?
• What instructions does Romeo tell the nurse
to pass on to Juliet?
• Who does Nurse say also wants to marry
Juliet? What does she say Juliet’s feelings are
for this other suitor?
Act 2 Scene 5
• What time of day is it?
• How long has the Nurse been gone on her
errand to Romeo?
• Summarize Juliet’s complaints about the
Nurse.
Act 2 Scene 6
• Is Romeo fearful of the future? Explain the following
lines: “Then love-devouring death do what he dare/ It
is enough I may but call her mine” (7-8).
• What is the Friar’s warning in the lines: “These violent
delights have violent ends/ And in their triumph die
like fire and powder,/ Which, as they kiss, consume” (911)?
• What is the Friar’s advice to Romeo in the following
lines?: “Therefore love moderately: long love doth so:/
Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow” (14-15).
• What happens at the very end of scene 6?
Act 3 Scene 1
• At the beginning of Act 3, what do the following
lines foreshadow?
– “I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire./ The day is
hot, the Capulets abroad,/ And, if we meet, we shall
no ‘scape a brawl,/ For now, these hot days, is the
mad blood stirring”
• What does Mercutio tell us about Benvolio (1529). Explain.
• What does Mercutio mean when he says, “ Ask
for me/ to-morrow and you shall find me a grave
man” (96-97).
Act 3 Scene 1 Con’t
• Mercutio yells, “A plague on both your houses!”.
What is he wishing and for whom?
• Romeo says, “... Juliet,/ thy beauty hath made me
effeminate/ And in my temper softened valour’s
steel” (112-115). Explain.
• Romeo says, “This day’s black fate on more days
doth depend; This but begins the woe others
must end” (117-118). He also screams, “O, I am
fortune’s fool” (135). What theme does this relate
to and why?
• What happens at the end of this scene?
Act 3 Scenes 2-4
• In her speech at the beginning of scene 2,
what is Juliet looking forward to that night?
• The Nurse says, “Shame come to Romeo!”
(89). How does Juliet react to her?
• Where is Romeo hiding?
• What is Friar Lawrence’s reaction to Romeo’s
punishment in (3.3.24-28)?
• What 3 reasons does Friar Lawrence give
Romeo to show that he should be happy?
Act 3 Scenes 2-4 Con’t
• What does Friar Lawrence tell Romeo to do?
• The Nurse gives Romeo a gift from Juliet.
What is it?
• In scene 4, what plans do Capulet and Paris
make?
Act 3 scene 5
• Why does Juliet want to believe the birdsong
she hears is a nightingale, not a lark?
• What does Juliet mean by an “ill-divining soul”
(54)?
• Why do Juliet’s parents believe she is upset?
How do they try and cheer her up?
• Why is Capulet angry? What threat does he
utter to Juliet? How does Lady Capulet
respond?
Act 4 Scene 1-3
• Describe Friar Lawrence’s plan in your own
words.
• How does Juliet “appease” her father in scene
2?
• In scene 3, describe 3 things Juliet thinks
might go wrong if she takes the potion.
• What does Juliet lay beside her? Why do you
think she does this?
Act 4 scene 5
• Who is the first to Juliet’s body?
• In what 3 ways can Capulet tell that Juliet is
“dead”?
• What does Friar Lawrence say to her parents?
What does he tell them to do with her body?
Act 5 Scene 1
• Describe Romeo’s dream at the beginning of
the scene.
• What news does Balthasar bring to Romeo?
What does Balthasar say about the way in
which Romeo receives this news?
• What does Romeo mean by, “Well, Juliet, I will
lie with thee to-night” (34)?
Act 5 Scenes 2-3
• In scene 2, what is Friar John’s excuse for not delivering
the letter to Romeo? What is Friar Lawrence’s plan of
action as a result?
• What is Paris’ logic in thinking that Romeo is
responsible for Juliet killing herself?
• Who is present when Juliet awakens? Why don’t they
stay?
• How does Juliet kill herself?
• What is the main point of Capulet's speech (296-298)?
What do they erect in Romeo and Juliet’s honour?
• Re-write the final six lines of the play (305-310) in your
own words