Romeo and Juliet

is Juliet a Montague or a Capulet?

Capulet

is Romeo a Montague or a Capulet?

Montague

who is Romeo in love with at the beginning of the play?

Rosaline

how old is Romeo?

Shakespeare does not specify, but he is most likely between 16-18 years old.

why does Benvolio want Romeo to go to Capulet's dinner party?

Benvolio is worried about Romeo because he is in love with Rosaline who doesn't love Romeo, so Benvolio wants Romeo to go because he wants Romeo to meet new girls.

How old is Juliet at the beginning of the play? at the end? when is her birthday?

13 years old. 14 years old. Lammastide, which is August 1st.

how does Mercutio die?

Mercutio is defending Romeo against Tybalt. Romeo tries to break up the fight, but Tybalt manages to stab Mercutio underneath Romeo's arm, wounding him so badly he dies from it soon after.

how does Tybalt die?

after Tybalt kills Mercutio, Romeo avenges his friend by sword fighting Tybalt and killing him.

why is Romeo banished, and where does he go?

Romeo is banished from Verona for killing Tybalt, so he hides out in Friar Lawrence's office before finally fleeing to Mantua

how does Paris die?

Romeo kills him because Paris challenges him after caching him in Verona after he was exiled.

how does Lady Monague die? (Romeo's mom)

"from grief" as her husband says, because her son Romeo was exiled from Verona.

how does Romeo die?

because of the potion Friar Lawrence gave her, she appears to be dead. Romeo thinks she actually IS dead since he did not know what was going on, having been exiled. rather than live without his love, he drinks a poison he bought from a poor Apothecary in Mantua. The poison kills him instantly

how does Juliet die?

after 42 hours, the potion finally wears off. she wakes to find Romeo dead, so she stabs herself with his sword. Romeo and Juliet both commit suicide.

who are Sampson and Gregory?

two foolish Capulet servants who are responsible for the opening fight.

who is "the Nurse"?

Juliet's wet nurse; the Nurse breastfed her and is practically Juliet's mother because her real mother doesn't pay much attention to her.

who is Mercutio?

the Prince's relative and one of Romeo's best friends. one of the most extraordinary characters in all of Shakespeare, he overflows with imagination, wit, and a love for a sexually twisting wordplay. he doesn't believe in love, and wants to convince Romeo to view love as a simple matter of sexual appetite.

who is Peter?

another Capulet servant; he cannot read and is a horrible singer. he mocks the musicians after Juliet dies.

who is Balthasar?

Romeo's faithful servant in Mantua. he is the one who unknowingly brings Romeo the news of Juliet's feigned death.

who is Friar Lawrence?

close friend of both Romeo and Juliet, he agrees to marry them in secret. an expert in the use of seemingly mystical potions and herbs, he gives Juliet a potion that will make her appear dead for 42 hours so that she can escape her life to be with Romeo.

who is Abraham?

a Montague servant, who fights with Sampson and Gregory in the 1st fight in the play

who is Tybalt?

a Capulet. he is vain, aggressive, and hot tempered. he lives to fight the Montagues, and dies fighting Romeo.

who is Paris?

Prince Escalus's noble relative. he is promised Juliet's hand in marriage. after he is promised Juliet, he acts very presumptuous toward her, as if they are already married

who is Prince Escalus?

the prince of Verona. he exiles Romeo, and is the seat of political power in Verona. he repeatedly warns the Capulets and Montagues that if they keep fighting, they will be severely punished

who says, "my only love sprung from my only hate! too early seen unknown, and known too late! prodigious birth of love it is to me, that i must love a loathed enemy." ?

Juliet
**very famous quote

who says, "O blessed, blessed night! i am afeared, being in night, all this is but a dream, too flattering sweet to be substantial." ?

Romeo

who says, "younger than she are happy mothers made" AND "Do not deny to him that you love me...Juliet, on Thursday early i will rouse ye. Till then, adieu, and keep this holy kiss." ?

Paris

who says, "peace? i hate the word, as i hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. have at thee, coward!" ?

Tybalt

who said, "and too soon marred are those so early made...my will to her consent is but a part. and she agreed within her scope of choice, lies my consent and fair according voice." ?

Capulet (Juliet's dad)

who said, "but i'll amerce you with so strong a fine, that you shall all repent this loss of mine. i will be deaf to pleading and excuses. nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses" ?

Prince Escalus

who said, "no less? nay, bigger. women grow by men." ?

the Nurse
(when she says "women grow by men" she means they grow because men get them pregnant)

who said, "did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! for i ne'er saw true beauty till this night." ?

Romeo
**very famous quote

who said, "now, by the stock and honor of my kin, to strike him dead i hold not a sin." ?

Tybalt

who said, "O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and i'll no longer be a Capulet." ?

Juliet
**very famous quote

who said, "wisely and slow. they stumble that run fast." ?

Friar Lawrence
**very famous quote

who said, "nay, i am the very pink of courtesy...come between us, good Benvolio. my wit faints." ?

Mercutio
("the pink" = pink flower, suggesting female sexual organs aka vagina...remember Mercutio likes sexual wordplay)

who said, "nay, if our wits run the wild-goose chase, i am done, for thou hast more of the wild-goose in one of thy wits than, i am sure, i have in my whole five. was i with you there for the goose?" ?

Mercutio

who said, "thou wast never with me for anything when thou wast not there for the goose...nay, good goose, bite not." ?

Romeo