The Prologue 1. Why is the Prologue important? 2. What is the form of poetry in the Prologue? ACT 1, Scene 1 1. Who are Sampson and Gregory? Abraham and Balthasar? 2. How do the citizens feel about the feud? 3. What ultimatum does the Prince pronounce? 4. Explain Lady Capulet’s remark, “A crutch, and crutch!” 5. What final orders does the Prince give to Capulet and Montague? 6. Who is Benvolio? 7. What lines characterize him? 8. Who is the real culprit in the play? 9. What adjectives does Benvolio use to characterize Tybalt? 10. What information doe we get about Romeo? 11. What does Montague say about Romeo? 12. What are the characteristics of his speech? 13. What is Romeo’s definition of love? 14. Who is Rosaline?
Transcript
The Prologue
1. Why is the Prologue important?
2. What is the form of poetry in the Prologue?
ACT 1, Scene 1
1. Who are Sampson and Gregory? Abraham and Balthasar?
2. How do the citizens feel about the feud?
3. What ultimatum does the Prince pronounce?
4. Explain Lady Capulet’s remark, “A crutch, and crutch!”
5. What final orders does the Prince give to Capulet and Montague?
6. Who is Benvolio?
7. What lines characterize him?
8. Who is the real culprit in the play?
9. What adjectives does Benvolio use to characterize Tybalt?
10. What information doe we get about Romeo?
11. What does Montague say about Romeo?
12. What are the characteristics of his speech?
13. What is Romeo’s definition of love?
14. Who is Rosaline?
15. How does he describe her?
16. Explain “…only poor, that when she dies with beauty dies her store.”
17. What advice does Benvolio give Romeo?
18. What is Romeo’s answer?
ACT 1, Scene 2
1. Who now enter?
2. What information do we get here?
3. What does Paris ask Capulet
4. How does Capulet describe Juliet to Paris?
5. What decision does Capulet announce regarding Paris suit?
6. Explain “My child is yet a stranger to the world.”
7. How old is Juliet?
8. What does Capulet urge?
9. Explain “The earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she.”
10. Note the numerous rhymes in Capulet’s speech.
11. What order does Capulet give a servant?
12. Is the comedy in relation to the servant realistic?
13. Whose names are among those on the list?
14. Note Shakespeare makes servants appear in comedy at times.
15. What advice does Benvolio give Romeo when the servant includes Romeo among the invited?
16. What does Romeo answer?
17. What purpose does Romeo have in agreeing to go to the party?
ACT 1, Scene 3
1. What new characters appear in Scene3?
2. No more information is given about Juliet. The serious part of the plot is advanced. Juliet knows she is to be married.
3. What does the nurse say about Juliet’s age?
4. What are the chief characteristics of the nurse as seen up to this time?
5. Of what does Lady Capulet inform Juliet?
6. How does the nurse describe Paris?
7. What figure of speech does Lady Capulet use in describing Paris?
8. What idea do you get of Lady Capulet’s character?
9. What guarded reply does Juliet make to Lady Capulet’s urging Paris’ suit?
10. What message does a servant bring?
11. Who is the County?
12. What do we learn indirectly in Scene 3
13. What is the dramatic purpose of this?
ACT 1, Scene 4
1. Who is introduced in this scene?
2. Why are guests masked?
3. Note Romeo’s pun on “soles” and “soul”; on “soar” and “sore”; on “bound” and “bound”.4. Explain “candle-holder”.
5. What is Mercutio’s character as revealed in his speech?
6. How does Romeo feel about attending the party?
7. Note Mercutio’s long speech about Queen Mab. One of its most striking characteristics is its lyrical quality.
8. What does Mercutio say about dreams?
9. What is the purpose of Romeo’s speech at the last of the scene?
10. What is the purpose of Benvolio’s speech, “Strike, drum.”?
ACT 1, Scene 5
1. Where does this scene take place?
2. What are the serving-men talking about?
3. What is the purpose of this disagreement and confusion?
4. What kind of host is Capulet?
5. What does he say to the Second Capulet?
6. What question does Romeo ask a serving-man?
7. What impression has Juliet made on Romeo?
8. How does he characterize Juliet?
9. Who now objects to Romeo’s presence, and what does he say?
10. What rebuke does Capulet give Tybalt?
11. What description does he give of Romeo?
12. What is the dramatic purpose of this quarrel between Capulet and Tybalt?
13. How doe Romeo and Juliet speak to each other?
14. How does the action proceed here?
15. What description does the nurse give of Juliet’s mother?
16. What is the effect upon Romeo of this information?
17. After all except Juliet and the nurse have made their exit, what does Juliet ask the nurse?
18. What is Juliet’s reaction when she learns who Romeo is?
19. What is the situation?
20. Note that from the soliloquy of Juliet we later get the climax of the play.
21. What has been accomplished in Act 1
ACT 2, Scene 1
1. What information does the chorus give?
2. What is the purpose of the chorus?
3. What description of Romeo’s love does Mercutio give?
ACT 2, Scene 2
1. To whom does Romeo allude when he says, “He jests at scars….”?
2. In his soliloquy, how does Romeo greet Juliet?
3. What description of Juliet does he give?
4. In Juliet’s soliloquy what apostrophe does she address to Romeo?
5. What device does Shakespeare use here?
6. Who interrupts the scene?
7. Was it dangerous for Romeo to come onto the property of the Capulet’s?
8. After Juliet returns, what does she ask Romeo?
9. Do they exchange “love’s faithful vows”?
10. What arrangements do they make for future meetings?
11. What line expresses their difficulty in parting?
12. After Juliet leaves the second time, what does Romeo decide to do?
13. What is the dramatic purpose of this announcement?
ACT 2, Scene 3
1. Why does Friar Laurence appear now?
2. How does the friar describe the daybreak?
3. What does the friar say about herbs, plants, and stones?
4. What practical lesson does he express?
5. Why is the friar seen in theses surroundings and occupation?
6. Who now enters?
7. What does the friar say to him in greeting?
8. What reference does he make to Rosaline?
9. What is Romeo’s reply?
10. What does Romeo say about his love for “the fair daughter of rich Capulet”? What request does he make?
11. Does the friar understand Romeo’s words?
12. What does the friar say when he understands it is Juliet that Romeo is speaking of?
13. Did the friar and Rosaline as well, know that Romeo was not in love with Rosaline, but that he was love-sick, in love with love?
14. What is the friar’s motive in agreeing to marry Romeo and Juliet?
15. What warning does the friar give Romeo when the latter urges haste?
ACT 2, Scene 4
1. What opinion does Mercutio express as to what is the cause of Romeo’s melancholy?
2. What information does Benvolio give?
3. What is the dramatic purpose of this information?
4. How does Mercutio describe Tybalt?
5. Explain “prince of cats”.
6. Why does Shakespeare introduce so many fencing terms?
7. When Romeo enters, what bantering conversation takes place between him and Mercutio?
8. What is the effect on Romeo?
9. Who now enter?
10. What effect on the nurse do the comments of Mercutio have?
11. What message does Romeo send to Juliet?
12. What does the nurse tell Romeo about Paris?
13. What is the effect on Juliet of the nurse’s comments, does the nurse say?
14. Explain the nurse’s statement about both rosemary and Romeo beginning with the letter R.
ACT 2, Scene 5
1. What is the effect upon Juliet of the long delay in the nurse’s return?
2. What is the nurse’s character as revealed in her parrying Juliet’s questions and delaying giving Romeo’s message?
ACT 2, Scene 6
1. What words of Friar Laurence at the beginning of Scene 6 foreshadow what is soon to come to the young lovers?
2. In what extravagant terms does Romeo express his love?
3. What warning does Friar Laurence give?
4. Who now enters?
5. How does the friar describe Juliet?
6. With what expression of their love do Romeo and Juliet greet each other?
7. What action does the friar take?
ACT 3, Scene 1
1. What does Benvolio say about the weather?
2. How does Mercutio reply to Benvolio?
3. How does Benvolio answer?
4. Who now enters?
5. Is Benvolio’s fear realized?
6. What does Tybalt and Mercutio say to each other?
7. What suggestion does Benvolio make?
8. Is Benvolio consistent in character?
9. How does Mercutio take Benvolio’s suggestion?
10. Who now enters?
11. Does Tybalt deliberately insult Romeo?
12. Why is he so incensed against Romeo?
13. How does Romeo react?
14. Why does he react as he does?
15. What does Mercutio say to Romeo?
16. Explain “rat-catcher.”
17. What does Romeo try to do when the two men fight?
18. What results from this attempt?
19. How doe Mercutio take the fatal wound?
20. Why does Shakespeare make Romeo’s well-intentioned interference result in Mercutio’s death?
21. In his soliloquy what opinion does Romeo express of these events and his own deep feelings?
22. What fact is announced by Benvolio?
23. What does Romeo answer?
24. Why has Shakespeare ended Mercutio’s life so early in the play?
25. Why Tybalt returns, what happens?
26. What warning does Benvolio give Romeo?
27. What does Romeo say of himself?
28. Is this true?
29. Who now enters?
30. What description of the duels does Benvolio give?
31. Who begs for revenge?
32. What does Montague say?
33. What sentence does the Prince pronounce upon Romeo?
ACT 3, Scene 2
1. What revelation of her feelings does Juliet make at the beginning of this scene?
2. Who enters?
3. What does the nurse bring?
4. Is the nurse’s account clear?
5. Why does Juliet reiterate the word “banished”?
6. On what mission does the nurse go?
7. What does Juliet send to Romeo?
ACT 3, Scene 3
1. What is the effect on Romeo of the announcement by the friar of the Prince’s doom?
2. What comfort does the friar offer?
3. Is Romeo comforted?
4. What does Romeo think of philosophy?
5. Why does Romeo think the friar is unable to sympathize with him?
6. What does Romeo do?
7. Who now enters?
8. What rebuke does the nurse give Romeo?
9. Explain “so deep an O”.
10. What effect does the nurse’s information about Juliet’s reaction have on Romeo?
11. What sharp rebuke does the friar give Romeo?
12. What does the nurse say of the friar’s good counsel?
13. What is the effect on Romeo of receiving Juliet’s ring?
14. What plan has the friar outlined for Romeo’s future?
15. What expression of his affection for the friar does Romeo make in parting?
ACT 3, Scene 4
1. What arrangements for Juliet’s marriage to Paris does Capulet make?
2. What day is it now?
3. What command regarding the marriage does Capulet give Lady Capulet?
4. What is the dramatic effect of the well-intentioned, but ill-advised, action of Capulet?
ACT 3, Scene 5
1. Note the words at the parting of Romeo and Juliet. They are the most exquisite, most highly imaginative poetry “O fortune….”
2. Why does Juliet speak of Romeo to her mother as she does?
3. What “joyful news” does Lady Capulet bring to Juliet?
4. How did Lady Capulet propose tor revenge Tybalt’s death?
5. How does Juliet refuse to marry Paris?
6. What is the effect on Capulet of her refusal?
7. Note how Juliet spars for time and its effect on Capulet.
8. What do we learn from the line beginning “… That God had lent us…”?
9. How does the nurse come to Juliet’s defense?
10. How does Capulet sum up his disgust and anger toward Juliet’s determination not to marry Paris?
11. How does Lady Capulet reply to Juliet’s plea to delay the marriage?
12. Note the difference between the Montague’s and Capulet’s
13. How does Juliet appeal to the nurse?
14. What does the nurse advise her?
15. Does Juliet accept the advice?
16. What is the nurse’s character?
17. What does Juliet decide to do?
ACT 4, Scene 1
1. Where does this scene take place?
2. Has the coincidence of the meeting of Juliet and Paris been provided for?
3. Explain Friar Laurence’s objection, “Uneven is the course, I like it not.”
4. What traits of character does Juliet reveal in her conversation with Paris?
5. After Paris leaves what different revelation does she make of her thoughts and feelings?
6. If the friar cannot help her, what does she intend to do?
7. What does the friar say about the remedy he has to offer?
8. Does Juliet agree?
9. Why is “charnel-house” repeated?
10. What is Friar Laurence’s plan to meet the emergency?
11. How does Juliet receive the plan?
12. What immediate action does the friar take?
ACT 4, Scene 2
1. What directions for the wedding feast does Capulet give the serving-men?
2. Has he forgotten that he had said not to revel too much at the wedding?
3. What is the nature of this conversation and following conversation?
4. When Juliet appears, how does she conduct herself?
5. Why does she promise obedience to her father?
6. What does she say of the date of her marriage?
7. Does Capulet agree to Wednesday for the wedding?
8. Does he feel equal to getting preparations made at such short notice?
ACT 4, Scene 3
1. What request does Juliet make of the nurse?
2. In her soliloquy, what does Juliet reveal of her thoughts and feelings?
3. What description of death does Juliet recall?
4. What is her reason for drinking the potion?
ACT 4, Scene 4
1. What is the nature of Scene 4?
ACT 4, Scene 5
1. What is Juliet’s condition when the nurse attempts to awaken her?
2. What two things are in conflict in this scene?
3. Who now enter?
4. Note comments of Paris. The speeches of the Capulets and Paris are all very formal in expression.
5. How can the friar speak as he does?
6. What final advice does the friar give?
7. What is the dramatic purpose of the conversation of the musicians?
8. Shakespeare does not make the grief of the Capulet family pathetic. Why?
ACT 5, Scene 1
1. Where does this scene take place?
2. What has been accomplished? What doe we learn?
3. What superstition did Romeo have about this dream?
4. What is the dramatic purpose of Romeo’s dream?
5. What news does Balthasar bring from Verona?
6. What is the immediate effect upon Romeo of this news?
7. What does he command Balthasar to do?
8. What does Romeo say after Balthasar leave?
9. What does Romeo say about gold?
10. What apostrophe does he address to the poison?
ACT 5, Scene 2
1. What character makes his first entrance here?
2. Upon what mission had Friar John been sent?
3. What report of the mission does Friar John give?
4. What comment does Friar Laurence make on Friar John’s report?
5. What does he instruct Friar John to do?
6. For whose safety is he most concerned?
7. What information in a soliloquy does he give regarding his purpose?
8. Where does the future action take place?
ACT 5, Scene 31. What orders does Paris give his page?
2. Note the soliloquy of Paris to Juliet.
3. Who now arrive at Juliet’s tomb?
4. What does Romeo send to his father?
5. Has this letter been foreshadowed?
6. What command does Romeo give Balthasar?
7. What does Romeo say about his “intents”?
8. Does Balthasar obey him?
9. What does Paris say to Romeo?
10. What is Romeo’s answer?
11. What is the dramatic purpose of the duel between Romeo and Paris?
12. What is a “lantern” as used in this context?
13. Note Romeo’s apostrophe to Juliet. What emotions are expressed in it?
14. Does Romeo still think he is the victim of fate?
15. Who now enters the churchyard?
16. What dream did Balthasar have while sleeping under the yew tree?
17. Whom does the friar find in the tomb?
18. What does Juliet say on awaking?
19. What urgent request does he make of her?
20. Does Juliet agree?
21. Note what she says to her dead husband. What does she do?
22. Who now enter?
23. Whom do the watch arrest?
24. Who now finally enter?
25. What fact does Montague announce?
26. How does Shakespeare reveal the whole plot and untangle its threads to complete the untying of the knot?
27. Explain the Prince’s comment about Friar Laurence’s account: “We still have known thee for a holy man.”
28. What proof does the letter of Romeo in Balthasar’s possession give as to the truth of the friar’s account?
29. What final words does the Prince address to Capulet and Montague?
30. Does the Prince take any of the blame for what has happened?
31. What do Montague and Capulet decide to do?
32. What does the Prince say about “this morning”?
Additional Points
1. Why are the last two acts so short?
2. What events are due to chance rather than to the orderly operation of cause and effect?
3. What are the elements of romantic and poetic charm?
4. How does the setting contribute to the atmosphere?
5. What is the time covered by the play?
6. Point out fine contrasts of character between Romeo and Juliet, between Mercutio and Benvolio, Mercutio and Romeo.
7. What Biblical truth can be applied to the play?
