Name: Mod:
Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare
Study Guide Questions
Directions: Complete each set of questions as we read the scene in class. We will usually read more than one scene in a day. The numbers in the parentheses are line numbers that will help you find the answer. These will be checked periodically.
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Act I
Prologue p. 603
1. What will the “two hours traffic” of this stage be about?
2. What will happen to the lovers?
Scene I p. 604-613
1. What are Sampson and Gregory talking about? (1-31)
2. What happens when the two households meet? (40-71)
3. Describe Benvolio. (63-70)
4. Describe Tybalt. (63-70)
5. What is a FOIL? (in class)
6. What has been happening in Verona? What is the Prince’s warning? (102)
7. What do we learn about Romeo in the exchange between his parents and Benvolio? (141)
8. What is the cause of Romeo’s strange behavior? (167)
9. What does Romeo think of the rivalry between the two families? (174)
10. What vow has the girl made? (223)
11. What is Benvolio’s advice? (227)
Scene 2 p. 613-615
1. What does Paris want? (12)
2. Why doesn’t Capulet want his daughter to marry right away? (11)
3. What does he advise Paris to do? (15)
4. How is the servant’s speech different from the lines that we have seen? (38)
5. What is the name of the girl that Romeo is in love with? (70)
6. What does Benvolio say to lure Romeo to the party? (89 + 101)
7. What mood is Romeo in at the end of the scene? (103)
Scene 3 p. 616-618
1. What are the Nurse and Lady Capulet discussing in the beginning of the scene?
2. How old is Juliet? When is her birthday? (17)
3. How do Juliet’s lines 97 - 99 show that she is a dutiful daughter?
4. How much do we learn about Juliet in this scene?
5. Describe the Nurse and Lady Capulet. How are they different from each other?
Scene 4 p. 619-622
1. What is Romeo’ s mood? What lines tell you this?
2. Describe Mercutio.
3. Describe Queen Mab. (53-95)
4. What does Queen Mab do? (53-95)
5. Romeo expresses ominous feelings in his last lines of the scene (106-113). What does he fear? What do his lines do to the plot of the play?
Scene 5 p. 622-627
1. What two different things are happening at the beginning of this scene? (17-41)
2. What has happened to Romeo? What does this say about him? (54)
3. What happens with Tybalt in this scene?
4. What words in line 101 suggest what Romeo and Juliet are doing?
5. What do we know about Capulet’s plans for Juliet that Romeo doesn’t know? What literary term is this? (112)
6. What does Juliet find out at the end of this scene? How does she go about finding this information out?
Act II
Prologue p. 629
1. What has happened to Romeo’s old love? (2)
2. What is his new problem? (9)
3. What line suggests why they fell in love?
Scene 1 p. 629-630
1. Why would Romeo be angry at Mercutio’s remarks? (22)
2. Why is Romeo hiding from them?
Scene 2 p. 630-637
1. Whom is Romeo referring to and what kind of wound? (1)
2. What does Romeo see? What is Juliet doing? (25)
3. What kind of images and metaphors does Romeo use to express his love? (25)
4. Juliet does not know that Romeo is there. What has Romeo learned about her feelings? (37)
5. What does Juliet say in answer to the question about the significance of a name? (42)
6. Why is it dangerous for Romeo to be there? (65)
7. How did Romeo get into the orchard? (69)
8. Romeo and Juliet constantly remind us that they prefer death to separation. Is Romeo serious about death here or is he being impulsive? (78)
9. Why is Juliet worried that Romeo will think poorly of her? (85)
10. Why is Juliet afraid of Romeo swearing by the moon? (109)
11. Romeo is quick with vows and promises. Why has Juliet become cautious and fearful? (118)
12. What does Romeo say he is afraid of in lines 139-141?
13. What is Juliet making clear to Romeo here? (148) What plans do they make?
14. What is the simile in line 157? What does it mean?
15. What terrible event does line 184 foreshadow?
16. Why is parting “sweet” to Juliet? (186)
17. Where is Romeo going at the end of the scene? (190)
Scene 3 p. 637-639
1. What is Friar Laurence’s first speech about? What is he doing? (30)
2. Why does Shakespeare include a speech about this topic?
3. Friar Laurence thinks Romeo has been doing what and with whom? Does he approve? (44)
4. What is the rhyme scheme of the section of dialogue from line 45 to line 56? The pattern continues until what line?
5. What is the reason Friar Laurence gives for Rosaline not loving Romeo? (88)
6. Why does Friar Laurence decide to marry Romeo and Juliet? (92)
Scene 4 p. 639-644
1. What has Tybalt done and why is he looking for Romeo? (7)
2. What is Tybalt called? What does it mean? (19)
3. Mercutio is mocking Tybalt but what do we learn of Tybalt’s fighting style? (26)
4. What does Mercutio think he has accomplished by engaging Romeo in a game of wits? (91)
5. What does Romeo’s comment about the Nurse suggest about her size? (100)
6. What does Mercutio think that the Nurse is there to arrange with Romeo? Would the Nurse be offended? (129)
7. Whom is the Nurse talking to in line 153?
8. What warning does the Nurse give Romeo? (158)
9. When are they going to be married? (179)
10. What is Romeo going to send to the Nurse? What is its purpose? (189)
11. What action has been set in motion? (212)
Scene 5 p. 644-646
1. What is Juliet’s mood as she waits for the Nurse? (17)
2. How long has the Nurse been gone? (17)
3. How does the Nurse always respond when asked for information? (38)
4. How does Juliet react to the Nurse’s delaying giving her the information?
Scene 6 p. 646-647
1. What warning does Friar Laurence give about passionate love? What fear does he express for the future? (15)
2. What is Romeo asking Juliet to do in lines 24-29?
3. What is Juliet’s response? (34)
4. What is Friar Laurence's tone in his last speech? (37)
Act III
Scene 1 p. 650-656
1. What is the weather like? (4)
2. What does Mercutio say about Benvolio? Is this true? (33)
3. What happens when Mercutio and Tybalt meet? (34-54) This scene is similar to what other scene?
4. Why does Romeo refuse to duel with Tybalt? (71)
5. What happens during the fight? How is Mercutio hurt?
6. What joke does Mercutio make in lines 96-97? What is this type of joke called?
7. What curse has Mercutio pronounced four times? (107)
8. How does Romeo react to Mercutio’s death? (128)
9. From Benvolio’s speech, what does Romeo do after he kills Tybalt? (134)
10. What does Romeo mean when he says he is “fortune’s fool” ? (135)
11. Is Benvolio’s testimony about the events accurate? (174)
12. How does Lady Capulet think Tybalt was killed? Why does she think Benvolio is lying? (178)
13. What is Romeo’s punishment? Why won’t the Prince show him any mercy? (196)
Scene 2 p. 656-660
1. What do we know that Juliet doesn’t? What is this called? (1)
2. What is the “mansion of love” that Juliet has bought? (28)
3. What does Juliet think has happened at first? (60)
4. What does she say that foreshadows her own death? (60)
5. Why does the Nurse wait so long to give Juliet the correct news? (70)
6. What contradictions does Juliet give? What are these called? (75-77)
7. What does the Nurse say about men?(86)
8. Why does Juliet turn against her Nurse? (97)
9. Why does Juliet fix on that word “banished” ? (124)
10. What does Juliet decide to do?
Scene 3 p. 660-665
1. Why is Friar Laurence angry with Romeo? (28)
2. Romeo asks for what instead of banishment? (51)
3. What action is Friar Laurence doing during the knocks and what is Romeo doing? (71)
4. What action is the Nurse doing in lines 84-90?
5. What does Romeo want to do? He refers to himself as a what? (106)
6. What are the reasons Friar gives that Romeo should be happy? (135)
7. What plans have been made to resolve their difficulties? (149)
8. What are the Friar’s instructions to the Nurse? (155)
Scene 4 p. 665-666
1. What do we know that Capulet and Paris do not? What is this an example of? (7)
2. Why does Capulet want Juliet to marry so soon? (19)
3. Why would Lady Capulet be uneasy about Capulet’s instructions? (32)
4. How does this scene increase our tensions for the next scene, the wedding night?
Scene 5 p. 666-674
1. Why does Juliet insist she hears the nightingale? (5)
2. What has Romeo said that makes Juliet aware of the danger? (26)
3. Where does Juliet foresee Romeo’s doom? (57)
4. All Juliet’s lines have double meanings. Who is she really grieving for? (78)
5. What does Lady Capulet want to do to Romeo? (93)
6. In lines 94-6, what is really “dead” in Juliet’s lines?
7. Why does Juliet keep speaking in double meanings? (94)
8. Has Juliet convinced her mother that she wants Romeo dead? (105)
9. What argument does Juliet use to protest to her mother? (120)
10. What kind of irony do we feel in the scene? What is it? (139)
11. What is Capulet’s reaction to Juliet’s refusal? What insulting names does he call her? (158)
12. What is Juliet doing in line 159?
13. Why does Capulet think she won’t marry Paris? (188)
14. What will he do if she refuses to go through with the marriage? (197)
15. What does Juliet say will happen if she has to marry Paris? (203)
16. What is the Nurse’s “comfort” and advice? (227)
17. What has Juliet decided about the Nurse? (244)
18. Where is Juliet going at the end of the scene?
Act IV
Scene 1 p. 676-679
1. According to Paris, why is Capulet pushing Juliet to marry quickly? (15)
2. What do you suppose Friar Laurence’s reaction to this news is?
3. What does Paris try to get Juliet to say? Does she? (18-37)
4. What is Juliet holding in her hand and what is she threatening to do? (54)
5. What is Friar Laurence’s reaction to Juliet’s threats of suicide (and Romeo’s earlier threats)?
6. What would Juliet rather do than marry Paris? What would her mood be? (77-88)
7. What is Friar Laurence’s plan? (89-120)
8. What day is Juliet supposed to take the potion? How long will she be asleep? (105)
9. Where have we seen the Friar attending his herbs before? (106)
10. What will happen when Juliet takes the potion? (106)
11. How is Romeo to be told of the plan and when is he to watch Juliet wake and take her to Mantua? (117)
Scene 2 p. 679-681
1. Why do you think Capulet pushes the marriage up to Wednesday? (24)
2. How will this affect Friar Laurence’ s plans?
3. What is Lord Capulet’s mood at the end of the scene? How is this different from the last time we saw him?
Scene 3 p. 681-683
1. This is a good example of a Shakespearean soliloquy. What are the fears and doubts Juliet must face before taking the potion?
2. Why hasn’t the Friar just told the Capulets and Montagues that Romeo and Juliet are married? What does she say to explain this? (29)
3. What “vision” finally makes her seize the potion and drink it? (58)
Scene 4 p. 683-4
1. How does this peaceful domestic scene contrast with what has just happened? What is everyone preparing for? (1)
2. How does Lord Capulet treat the Nurse differently in this scene then in Act III Scene 5? (5)
3. The music playing at the end of the scene is bridal music. What irony would the audience sense on hearing this music and knowing what happened to Juliet? (23)
Scene 5 p. 685-688
1. In what line does the Nurse touch Juliet and discover she is cold? (1)
2. What happens after Juliet is discovered? Do you feel sorry for the Capulets?
3. Who plays dumb through it all?(49)
4. Do the Capulets regret their treatment of Juliet?
5. How does the end of the scene contrast with the first part? What is its purpose?
At the end of Act IV, write a brief summary of what each scene is about and the mood of the scene; then look for a pattern.