Study Guide Questions for Romeo and Juliet

 

ACT ONE

Scene 1

  1. What is the purpose of the prologue?
  2. Why does Shakespeare begin the play with a quarrel?
  3. What threat does the prince make?
  4. What is Romeo’s mood in scene one and why?
  5. What is Benvolio’s suggestion and Romeo’s reaction?

Scene 2

  1. Of what importance is the conversation between Paris and Capulet?
  2. What incident confirms Romeo and Juliet are star-crossed?
  3. What arguments does Benvolio use to convince Romeo to go to the party?
  4. Why does Romeo say he will go?

Scene 3

  1. What does Lady Capulet discuss with Juliet?
  2. Why does the servant speak in prose?
  3. What purposes do the nurse’s speeches serve?
  4. What is Juliet’s attitude about marriage with Paris?

Scene 4

  1. How do Romeo and Mercutio contrast toward life?
  2. Why is it important that the men wear masks?
  3. Explain Mercutio’s speech?
  4. Why does Romeo ask for a torch?
  5. Does Mercutio believe that men rule their own destiny?

Scene 5

  1. What form of poetry does Shakespeare use in the dialogue between Romeo and Juliet in their first conversation?
  2. What forces are brought into conflict in this scene?
  3. What is the atmosphere at the end of this scene?
  4. What do Romeo and Juliet discover after they kiss?

Do text questions on p. 791 and do questions #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 on p. 792.

Literary terms:

  1. round character
  2. flat character
  3. dramatic foil

ACT TWO

Scene 1

  1. Why does Romeo hide from Mercutio and Benvolio?
  2. Do you think they realize Romeo found a new love?  Why or why not?

Scene 2

  1. How does Romeo’s attitude toward life changed since he met Juliet?
  2. How does Romeo approach love?
  3. What influence does true love exert on Romeo?

Scene 3

  1. Give three adjectives describing Friar Laurence.  Explain why you chose each one.
  2. What proposal does Romeo make to the Friar?
  3. What doubts does Friar Laurence have?
  4. Why does Friar Laurence finally accept?
  5. How does Friar Laurence’s soliloquy represent the theme of the play?

Scene 4

  1. What examples of humor are in this scene?
  2. What threat seems to interrupt everything?
  3. What steps is the nurse to take?
  4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the nurse as a medium?

Scene 5

  1. Show how Juliet desperately tries to get the news from the nurse?

Scene 6

  1. What warning does the friar give about passionate love?
  2. What fear does he express for the future?

Do text questions on p. 815 and questions #1, 2, 3, 4 on p. 816.

Literary terms:

  1. blank verse
  2. iambic pentameter
  3. couplet

ACT THREE

Scene 1

  1. Who renews the quarrel between the families?
  2. Which character tries to be a peacemaker?
  3. Why does Romeo refuse Tybalt’s first challenge?
  4. Why does Romeo finally assume personal responsibility for avenging Mercutio’s death?

Scenes 2 & 3

  1. What are Juliet’s reactions to the tragic news?
  2. How do we know Juliet will remain true to Romeo?
  3. What dramatic effect does Juliet’s soliloquy have?
  4. What does the Friar say to ease Romeo’s desperation?
  5. Of what faults does the Friar accuse Romeo?
  6. According to the Friar, what steps must be taken to safeguard Romeo?
  7. What are Romeo’s reactions?

Scenes 4 & 5

  1. Compare Capulet’s present attitude to that of his first interview with Paris?
  2. What is Capulet’s reaction to Juliet’s stand?
  3. What is Lady Capulet’s attitude toward Juliet’s defiance?
  4. What does the nurse advise Juliet?  How does Juliet react?
  5. What does Juliet plan to do now?

Do text questions on p. 841 and questions #1-7 on p. 842.

Literary terms:

    1. soliloquy
    2. aside
    3. monologue
    4. allusions

ACT FOUR

Scene 1

  1. Why does Paris go to see Friar Laurence?
  2. Why does Juliet go to see Friar Laurence?
  3. What reason does Paris give Friar Laurence for Capulet’s having set the wedding for Thursday?
  4. What things does Juliet say she would do rather than marry Paris?
  5. Outline Friar Laurence’s plan to prevent Juliet’s marriage to Paris?
  6. What is Juliet’s reaction to Friar Laurence’s plan?

Scene 2

  1. What change is made about the wedding of Paris and Juliet?  Why is this significant?

Scene 3

  1. Why doesn’t Juliet tell the Nurse about her plans to drink the potion?
  2. What excuse does Juliet give the Nurse when she asks the Nurse to let her sleep alone that night?
  3. What questions and doubts come to Juliet’s mind before she drinks the potion?

Scene 4

  1. Why are the preparations for the wedding ironic?  What kind of irony is this?

Scene 5

  1. How does this scene indicate that an important step in Friar Laurence’s plan has worked out as he had hoped?
  2. What purpose does the musician scene serve?
  3. What comfort does Friar Laurence offer the Capulets?  Why is it so easy for him to react calmly to Juliet’s “death”?

Do the text questions on p. 857 and questions #1-6 on p. 858.

Literary Terms:

    1. dramatic irony
    2. suspense

ACT FIVE

Scene 1

  1. What is Romeo’s mood at the beginning of this scene?
  2. What causes this mood?
  3. Why must Romeo persuade the apothecary to sell him a dram of poison?
  4. What arguments does Romeo use?

Scene 2

  1. Why has Friar John been unable to deliver Friar Laurence’s letter to Romeo?
  2. At what time does the scene take place?

Scene 3

  1. Why has Paris come to the Capulet tomb?
  2. Why has Romeo come to the tomb?
  3. What examples of personification exist in Romeo’s description of the tomb?
  4. Why does Paris feel justified in his determination to slay Romeo?
  5. What does Romeo say to try and persuade Paris to leave?
  6. What happens when Paris refuses to leave?
  7. What two tragic discoveries does Friar Laurence make when he enters the tomb?
  8. What does Friar Laurence urge Juliet to do when she awakens?
  9. Why does Friar Laurence leave the tomb?
  10. What does Juliet first try to do to end her life and join Romeo in death?
  11. How does she finally achieve her aim?
  12. What do you learn about Lady Montague in this scene?
  13. Explain the meaning of Prince Escalus’ statements in lines 294-295.
  14. How doe Capulet and Montague show the enmity is gone?

Do text questions on p. 874 and questions #2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7 on p. 875.

Literary terms:

1. tragedy