Literature | High school » Romeo and Juliet, Act I Study Guide

Romeo & Juliet ACT I STUDY GUIDE Name The Prologue 1. The Prologue basically gives away what will happen in the play In two or more sentences, write a summary of this sonnet. Act I, Scene i 1. The scene opens with two of Lord Capulet’s servants walking through town and talking about being insulted by Lord Montague’s servants. A How do Sampson and Gregory respond to these insults? B. What obscene gesture does Sampson make? A. B. 2. Who starts the actual fight? 3. Our first introduction to Benvolio comes in lines 64-65 and 67-68 From these lines what impression do you get of Benvolio? 4. Our first introduction to Tybalt occurs in lines 66-67 and 70-72 What impression do you get of Tybalt? 5. Lord and Lady Capulet enter at line 76 What is Lord Capulet’s first reaction upon seeing the fight? 6. Some of the prince’s speech is reprinted below In the margins, paraphrase (summarize in your own words) these seven lines. Use at least two sentences to do so

“Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, Profaners of this neighbor-stained steel.” On pain of torture , from those bloody hands Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground, And hear the sentence of your moved prince. If ever you disturb our streets again Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. 7. At line 105, Lord and Lady Montague and their nephew, Benvolio, are left on stage Benvolio reports what happened in the fight. He also says he saw their son Romeo walking early that morning but that when Romeo saw Benvolio was about to speak to him, Romeo “stole into the covert of the wood” (126). What is wrong with Romeo? 8. Lord Montague is concerned about Romeo What does he say Romeo has been doing in lines 132-147? 9. We learn that Romeo is in love with someone who does not love him back Benvolio, feeling sorry for him, says, “Alas that love so gentle in his view, / Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof!” (170-171). Paraphrase these two lines 10. Shakespeare

uses oxymorons (pairs of contradictory words right next to each other like jumbo shrimp) in Romeo’s next lines. List 3 oxymorons in lines 177-182 A. B. C. 11. Why might Romeo be speaking in oxymoronscontradictions and paradoxes? List two reasons. A. B. 12. Romeo asks Benvolio for advice about how to forget this girl What does Benvolio advise in lines 228-229? 13. Quote one line from Romeo’s reply in lines 233-238 that show that Romeo can’t accept Benvolio’s advice. Act I, Scene ii 1. This scene opens with Lord Capulet talking to Paris, the prince’s relative What does Capulet say about keeping the peace? 2. In lines 7-11 what are Capulet’s two thoughts about Paris’s request to marry Juliet? A. B. 3. What does he advise Paris to do in lines 16-19? 4. What is Lord Capulet planning that night which he invites Paris to? 5. What is the humor and irony of Capulet giving the servant a list of names to deliver party invitations to? 6. When Benvolio and Romeo appear in

this scene, Benvolio gives Romeo advice about getting over his girlfriend. What is it (lines 50-51)? 7. How does Romeo find out about the Capulet party? 8. Why does he want to go? 9. The servant says he might as well come to the party too, as long as he’s not 10. Benvolio suggests they go to the party Why? (lines 85-90 and 97-102) Act I, Scene iii 1. How is Juliet’s behavior toward her mother in lines 5 and 6? 2. The nurse is a long-winded talker, often throwing in some slightly inappropriate comments. In lines 16-48, she is recalling exactly how old Juliet is (almost 14) and some of the things she remembers from Juliet’s childhood. List three subjects she talks about A. B. C. 3. A Quote Juliet’s response (line 66) to her mother’s question about being married B. In today’s English, what does Juliet mean? 4. What is Lady Capulet’s attitude about marriage and age (69-74)? 5. What does the nurse’s crude pun “Women grow by men” mean in line 95 (a pun has to have

two meanings)? A. B. 6. What is Juliet’s reply to her mother’s request to fall in love with Paris? Act I, Scene iv 1. The scene opens with Romeo and a bunch of his friends, who are planning to go uninvited to the Capulet’s masquerade party. What are Romeo and Benvolio discussing in lines 1-10? (See side notes.) 2. Romeo is still depressed Quote one line that shows he is not in the mood for a party 3. What does Romeo’s friend Mercutio urge him to do in lines 13 and 17-18? 4. What is Romeo’s attitude about going to the party (line 49)? 5. Romeo says he “dreamt a dream tonight” (line 49) A Does he seem happy or disturbed by the dream? B. Why? 6. In an effort to cheer up Romeo, what is Mercutio’s comment about the dream (line 51)? 7. What is the pun in Romeo’s reply (line 52)? 8. When Romeo tells Mercutio that Mercutio is talking nonsense, Mercutio agrees, saying dreams are (line 97). Act I, Scene v 1.

Romeo is struck by love at first sight when he sees Juliet What exaggeration does he make in line 46? 2. In lines 47-49, what does he compare Juliet to? 3. What does he compare her and all the other ladies to in lines 50-51? 4. What claim does he make in lines 54-55? 5. When Tybalt recognizes Romeo’s voice (remember, they’re in masks), what does Tybalt want to do? 6. A What is Capulet’s (Tybalt’s uncle) reaction? B What does he say about Romeo? 7. By the end of Capulet’s conversation with Tybalt (85-90), what is his attitude toward Tybalt? 8. In contrast to Tybalt’s raging (91-94), the scene shifts to Romeo, who has taken Juliet’s hand. What does he compare Juliet’s hand to? 9. If a pilgrim approaches a shrine of a saint, who is the pilgrim in this speech? Who is the shrine? 10. What does Romeo mean “Give me my sin again” (line 112) What is he asking for? 11. Who interrupts Romeo and Juliet? 12. What two pieces of information does Romeo find out about Juliet from

the nurse in lines 115-119? 13. What does Romeo mean in line 120, “My life is my foe’s debt”? 14. What does Juliet mean in lines 136-137? 15. Put in your own words Juliet’s famous lines, 140-143: A. My only love, sprung from my only hate! B. Too early seen unknown, and known too late! C. Prodigious birth of love it is to me D. That I must love a loathed enemy. Romeo & Juliet ACT II STUDY GUIDE Name Prologue 1. As in Act I, the prologue is a 14-line sonnet The first quatrain (first 4 lines) tells us what happened to Romeo’s love for Rosaline. Where is Romeo’s love for Rosaline? 2. Quote the line and line number in the second quatrain (lines 5-8) that suggests Romeo and Juliet were attracted to each other by their looks. 3. What is the problem the two may encounter, according to the third quatrain (lines 912)? Act II, Scene i 1. This is a short scene in which Benvolio and Mercutio unsuccessfully attempt to 2. Where is Romeo hiding? 3. In

Mercutio’s speech beginning on line 6, he pretends Romeo has died from his love of Rosaline (he doesn’t know about Juliet yet). How is he going to conjure Romeo up from the dead? Act II, Scene ii 1. A In line 1, what two people is Romeo referring to? B. What kind of wound is he referring to? 2. In lines 2-32, Juliet is on the balcony outside her bedroom but cannot hear the words that Romeo says to himself as he looks at her from his hiding place below. A. Why does Romeo compare Juliet to the sun? B. Why is the moon pale and sick with grief? C. What are Juliet’s eyes compared to? Why? D. In lines 24-25, Romeo wishes he were a on ’s E. What does Romeo compare Juliet to in lines 26-32 3. Still unaware that Romeo is nearby, Juliet speaks from the balcony in lines 33-48 Copy Juliet’s famous line (33), and what does she mean by it? 4. What does she suggest one of them do in lines 34-36? 5. Who or what does she decide is her enemy (38-42)? 6.

Copy Juliet’s famous lines (43-44) and paraphrase them 7. What does Romeo claim he will do in lines 49-51? 8. Paraphrase lines 52-53 (counsel = secret) 9. In lines 76-77 Romeo states he’d rather die at the hands of the Capulets than 10. Why doesn’t she want Romeo to swear his love by the moon (109-111)? 11. What does she want him to swear by? 12. Why is Juliet suddenly worried about their love in lines 116-124? 13. The only reason Juliet would take back her vow of love is to 14. Juliet wants Romeo to send her word about 15. What time tomorrow will Juliet send her messenger to meet Romeo? 16. Juliet says it would be harmful if Romeo were Juliet’s pet bird A. Why? B. What could this foreshadow? 17. A. What is the oxymoron in line 185, which is very famous? B. Why is the parting “sweet”? 18. What does Romeo promise to do in the final couplet? Act II, Scene iii 1. Where does the Friar think Romeo has been all

night when Romeo says he hasn’t slept? 2. What lines spoken by the Friar tell us the Friar has no idea what Romeo is saying? 3. What and when does Romeo ask the Friar to do? 4. What does Friar Laurence chide Romeo about in lines 69-79? 5. Why does Friar Laurence agree to marry Romeo and Juliet (90-92)? 6. As Romeo dashes out, Friar Laurence warns, “Wisely and slow They stumble that run fast.” What might this be foreshadowing? Act II, Scene iv 1. What do we discover in lines 1-3? 2. Who do Mercutio and Benvolio think is tormenting Romeo? 3. Why would Tybalt have sent a letter challenging Romeo to a fight? 4. According to Mercutio, how has Romeo already died (13-17) 5. What does Mercutio accuse Romeo of in lines 46-50? 6. A What does Romeo’s comment, “A sail, a sail!” suggest about the nurse’s size? B. What is the pun? 7. What is Mercutio’s humorous comment about the nurse wanting a fan? 8. Mercutio, who is making fun of the nurse, thinks she has come to do what? 9.

What does the nurse warn Romeo of in lines 168-173? 10. What is Romeo’s plan (182-185)? 11. After he gives her money for a tip, he continues on with his plans in lines 189-193 What are they? 12. What news does the nurse give Romeo about Paris? Act II, Scene v 1. Juliet is impatient to hear the nurse’s news How many hours has the nurse been gone? 2. Why is the nurse putting off telling Juliet the news? 3. Why is Juliet irritated in lines 31-37? 4. How does the nurse, who is a comic character, always respond when she is asked for information (think back to Lady Capulet, to Romeo, and now to Juliet)? 5. What does the nurse threaten in line 64? 6. What news does the nurse finally give Juliet? Act II, Scene vi 1. Remember why Friar Laurence agreed to marry them What do his first two lines mean? 2. Paraphrase Romeo’s lines 6-8 and what do they foreshadow? 3. In line 9, what is the oxymoron, and what fear does the Friar express for the future? Oxymoron: Friar’s fear: 4. When

Romeo asks Juliet to tell him how she feels in lines 24-29, how does Juliet answer (34)? 5. What is the Friar saying in line 35? 6. What is he saying in line 36-37? Romeo & Juliet ACT III STUDY GUIDE Name Act III, Scene i 1. Mercutio seems to be in the mood for a fight In addition to the battle of wits he enjoys, quote a line that shows he’s ready for a fight with the Capulets. 2. What does Tybalt mean when he says, “Here comes my man” (57) about Romeo? 3. How does Mercutio interpret Tybalt’s phrase, “Here comes my man?” 4. Why does Romeo have “reason to love” Tybalt (63)? 5. What action is going on in lines 74-84? 6. Why does Romeo decide to draw his sword? 7. What is Romeo telling Benvolio to do in line 87? 8. What does Romeo mean in lines 121-122: “This day’s black fate on more days doth depend;/ This but begins the woe others must end?” 9. After Romeo kills Tybalt, he says, “O, I am fortune’s fool!” (138) What does he mean? 10.

A Who reports the action to the Prince? B Who had been related to the Prince? 11. After Benvolio’s lengthy and accurate description, why does Lady Capulet say he is lying? 12. What punishment does the furious Prince give Romeo? Act III, Scene ii 1. When the nurse comes in with the rope ladder (cords) very distraught, she refers to killing and Romeo. What does Juliet assume has happened? 2. By lines 64 to 68, what does Juliet think has happened? 3. When Juliet hears that Romeo has killed her cousin, Tybalt, she is overwhelmed and speaks in oxymorons, which allow us to see her confusion. List four oxymorons in 73-79 A. B. C. D. 4. What does Juliet state is harsher news than Tybalt’s death in 108-112? 5. Juliet is addressing the rope ladder in 132-137 What is she suggesting she might do with the cords? 6. When the nurse declares she will get Romeo, A what does Juliet give the nurse to give to Romeo? B. Why does Juliet do this? A. B. Act III, Scene iii

1. Romeo has not heard what his punishment is, and when the friar tells him he is banished, not sentenced to death, what is his response in lines 17-23? 2. Why is the friar angry with Romeo in lines 24-28? 3. What three lines in Romeo’s speech (29-51) show he’s thinking of suicide just as Juliet was in the last scene? 4. Why doesn’t Romeo think the friar can understand how upset he is (62 & 64-70)? 5. The Friar, in his long speech, gradually settles Romeo down through several ways A. What two things does he accuse Romeo of being in lines 109-113? B. If Romeo kills himself, he’ll also kill whom (116-117) (note the foreshadowing)? C. Why should Romeo be thankful (135-137)? D. What’s another reason he should be thankful (139-140)? E. What does the Friar accuse Romeo of in lines 143-144? F. Where must Romeo go before morning (148-149)? G. What is the friar’s plan for Romeo’s reconciliation with the Prince (150-154)? Act III, Scene iv 1. What’s the dramatic irony in

Scene iv with Lord and Lady Capulet and Paris? 2. It is Monday evening What day does Lord Capulet set for Juliet’s marriage to Paris? 3. Why is Lord Capulet planning only a small wedding for his daughter? Act III, Scene v 1. Scene v opens right before dawn Why does Juliet try to convince Romeo the bird she hears is a nightingale? 2. Romeo is more realistic and states the sound is from a , which sings in the morning. 3. Juliet, who won’t admit the sun is rising, states the light they see is from what? 4. Why does Juliet suddenly change her mind and say it is, indeed, dawn? 5. What does the following line mean? “More light and lightmore dark and dark our woes.” (36) 6. Romeo believes that they will not only meet again, but they’ll do what (52-53)? 7. What does Juliet imagine in lines 54-57? 8. Why does Lady Capulet think her daughter is crying (70-74)? 9. Then, Lady Capulet thinks she’s weeping over Romeo Why? 10. What does Lady Capulet say she plans to do

in lines 89-92? 11. What is the irony in Lady Capulet’s line 141? 12. How has Juliet changed her behavior towards her parents compared to Act I? 13. What threat does Lord Capulet make in lines 162-163? 14. Who tries to speak up for Juliet? Why? 15. What threat does Lord Capulet make in lines 190-197? 16. The nurse decides Juliet should do what in lines 215-227? 17. Why do you think Juliet agrees with the nurse and states she will confess her sin of disobeying her father to Friar Laurence (232-235)? 18. Juliet is alone in her last speech (a soliloquy) How does she now feel about her nurse? 19. What is Juliet’s plan in the last two lines of Act III? Romeo & Juliet ACT IV STUDY GUIDE Name Act IV, Scene i 1. What has Paris come to Friar Laurence for in the first few lines? 2. We now discover even more about Lord Capulet According to Paris, why is Capulet forcing Juliet into this marriage so quickly (9-12)? 3. What does Friar Laurence mean in line 16? 4.

There is an interchange between Juliet and Paris (18-36) When she says her face wasn’t pretty even before she’d been crying (30-31), Paris says she is slandering (speaking lies about) her face. What do you think she means in line 37: “It may be so, for it is not mine own.” 5. How does Juliet get Paris to leave Friar Laurence’s room? 6. A In Juliet’s speech beginning with line 50, what is she holding? B. If the friar cannot help her, what does she threaten to do? 7. What are the Friar’s two instructions in lines 91-94? 8. What will happen to Juliet’s (a) heartbeat, (b) breathing, (c) color, and (d) agility when she drinks the potion (95-104)? A. C. B. D. 9. How long will Juliet sleep? 10. When Paris comes to wake Juliet the morning of the wedding and finds her “dead,” where does the family take her? 11. The Friar says he and Romeo will be there when she wakes How will Romeo learn about this plan? 12. Where will Romeo take Juliet? Act IV,

Scene ii 1. What lie does Juliet tell her father in lines 17-22 and what does she do (20)? 2. What change in plans does Capulet make in lines 24-37? 3. How will this affect the timing of the friar’s plans? Act IV, Scene iii 1. In Juliet’s soliloquy, she is thinking about the pros and cons of the action she is about to take. A. What will she do if the mixture doesn’t work (what’s she talking to in lines 2123)? B. What is she worried about in lines 24-29? C. What is she worried about in lines 30-35? D. What does she do in line 58? Act IV, Scene iv 1. What is everyone, including Lord Capulet, very busy doing in this scene? 2. What is the irony of this bustling domestic scene? Act IV, Scene v 1. The nurse is busy arranging clothes, etc, in the first 11 lines while she is urging Juliet to get out of bed. Why hasn’t she seen that Juliet is “dead” until line 12? 2. Lady Capulet, the nurse, Paris, and Capulet each express love and anguish What might they be feeling

about their own actions up to this time? 3. The Friar, who knows the truth, of course, admonished them for carrying on Why does he say it is good she has “died” (66-78)? 4. What might Friar Laurence be suggesting to the family in lines 94-95? Romeo & Juliet ACT V STUDY GUIDE Name Act V, Scene i 1. Where does this scene open? 2. Romeo has had a dream What was it (6-9)? 3. Why is Romeo excited to see his servant, Balthasar (12-16)? 4. What news does Balthasar give Romeo? 5. What does Romeo tell Balthasar to do in lines 25-26? 6. What letter is Romeo waiting for in line 31? 7. What does Romeo impulsively decide to do in lines 34-57? 8. Why does the apothecary refuse to sell the poison (66-67)? 9. What does Romeo refer to in order to finally convince the apothecary to sell him the poison? Act V, Scene ii 1. What had Friar Laurence sent Friar John to do? 2. Why wasn’t Friar John able to ride to Mantua (12)? 3. Why wasn’t Friar John able to get

another messenger to take the letter to Mantua? 4. What does Friar Laurence ask Friar John to get and why (20-21)? 5. What three plans does Friar Laurence have in lines 23-29? A. B. C. Act V, Scene iii 1. Where does Scene iii open? 2. What has Paris heard and what is he angry over (18-20)? 3. What two orders does Romeo give his servant? A. B. 4. What reason does Romeo give Balthasar for Romeo going into the tomb? 5. Despite Romeo’s threats, what does Balthasar decide to do (43-44)? 6. Why is Paris blaming Romeo for Juliet’s “death” 49-51? That is, why does Paris think Juliet is “dead”? 7. Believing Romeo to be a terrible person, what does Paris think Romeo is in the tomb to do (52-53)? 8. What does Paris order Romeo to do in lines 54-57? 9. What does Romeo tell Paris to do? Why? 10. What happens next? 11. What news now does Romeo vaguely remember hearing from Balthasar on his frantic ride back to Verona? 12. What does Romeo say about death and Juliet’s beauty

(92-96)? 13. Romeo turns to see Tybalt’s body What does he ask Tybalt to do? 14. With the speech beginning “Eyes, look your last!” what does Romeo do? 15. When the friar arrives, he discovers Balthasar What news does Balthasar give the friar? 16. This is a dreadful moment for the Friar Why is he panicking when he hears noise outside the tomb? 17. What plans does he have for Juliet? 18. Why does the friar leave the tomb? 19. Why is Juliet upset with Romeo in lines 162-164? 20. Why does she kiss him (aside from loving him)? 21. When Juliet hears noise, what does she grab? What will be its sheath (a sheath is a case for a dagger)? 22. What shocking scene do the watchmen find? 23. What has happened to the friar (184)? 24. Montague reports that his wife has died earlier that evening Why had she died? 25. The friar tells the entire story in lines 229-264 What does he say about himself in lines 264-269? 26. What does Balthasar say to add to the story they are piecing together? 27.

What news does Paris’s page add? 28. What does the prince say about the letter Romeo had written to Romeo’s father? 29. Whom does the prince blame for this tragedy (291-294)? 30. What are the families planning to do as a symbol for their loss and reconciliation?