Romeo and Juliet - William Shakespeare

in which town is the play set?

Verona, Italy

in the prologue Shakespeare tells us that our two title characters are going to kill themselves. His 1600s audience would've already known the story of Romeo and Juliet from an famous poem of the time, so this information would not have ruined the experience. In fact, many scholars say that knowing the deaths are coming actually improves the play. How can this be?

it builds suspense, helps realize the tragedy of the play, keeps the play interesting

when Sampson says he will not "carry coals" what does he mean? what literary technique is being used in this silly exchange between Sampson and Gregory?

he won't take garbage from the Montagues, he will not endure insults; it was a pun

in Shakespeare's times, biting your thumb was...

an insult

is Benvolio a Montague or a Capulet?

Montague, he is Romeos cousin

why doesn't Lady Capulet want her husband to get involved in the fight?

he is too old (she said he need's a crutch not a sword)

how many times have the Capulets and the Montagues had street fights recently?

3 times

how has Romeo been spending his days recently?

locked in his room being moody

list 3 oxymorons Romeo uses to describe the conflict between his family and the Capulets. Then, explain how the family feud is oxymoronic in its nature

heavy lightness, serious vanity, feather of lead; they want the same things, but hate each other, there is love and hate

Romeo is heartsick over a girl (Rosaline, not Juliet) who is not at all interested in Romeo. Name 3 of the ineffective romantic strategies Romeo has used in his attempt to woo this girl.

sweet talk, lingering eye contact, and gave her gifts

why doesn't this girl like Romeo?

She made a vow to become a Catholic nun

What does Benvolio tell Romeo to do in order to forget the girl who doesn't want him?

there are many other beautiful girls, go find a new one

What "suit" does Paris bring to Capulet in Scene 2?

Marriage

how old is Juliet? What are her father's thoughts about allowing her to marry?

13; Pushing for Paris, will allow her to decide, too young to marry but will allow her to marry young if she wants to

Lord Capulet's willingness to allow Juliet to have a say in whom she marries is pretty progressive, since most marriages for this social class at the time would've been arranged by parents. Why, do you suppose, Capulet is willing to take Juliet's feelings into consideration?

she is an only child, a little spoiled because she is his hope

why is the Capulet servant upset about having been given a list of party guests to find?

he doesn't know how to read

why does Benvolio want to crash the party? Why does Romeo agree?

to show Romeo there are other beautiful women; Romeo wants to see Rosaline

What does Romeo want to happen to his eyes if they find someone other than Rosaline desirable at the party? What does this show us about Romeo?

his tears should burn his eyes; he is dramatic and very emotional

in your own words, explain the Nurse's 2 stories about Juliet as a toddler

She raised Juliet; her falling as a child was a metaphor of the way a woman would fall in love

does Lady Capulet want Juliet to love Paris?

yes. she says Paris is a gorgeous book and Joliet will be the cover

what is Juliet's reaction to her mother's request? what does this show us about Juliet?

according to Mercutio, who or what is Queen Mab, and what does she do?

She is a fairy midwife, she delivers their babies. She also delivers dreams to humans

what does Romeo say about the value of dreams?

he thought they told the secret of your fate/destiny; they tell you a lot about yourself

what does Mercutio say about the value of dreams?

he believes they are meaningless and silly; our brains whirling while sleep and we shouldn't give weight to silly nonsense

at the end of Scene 4, Romeo mentions the subject of his latest vivid dream. What did Romeo dream? Why isn't he changing his course of action? What does this show us about Romeo?

he dreamt he would die early because of something that would happen at the party. he goes because he doesn't think he can change his fate and no matter how hard he tries to change his fate, it would still happen. he has excepted it and if he is supposed to die young, so be it.

when Romeo first sees Juliet, what terms does he use to describe her?

there are many descriptions of light in dark things (a snowy dove among black crows, a torch in the dark)

how does Tybalt recognize Romeo?

by his voice

when Tybalt is ready to seize Romeo and throw him out of the party, what does Capulet say to Tybalt? Why? What is Tybalt's reaction to this?

He is already at the party and he is not causing any trouble, he has a good reputation, leave him be and don't ruin his (Capulet's) reputation

how does Romeo find out Juliet's last name?

the nurse tells him (she will act as a messenger between the 2)

how does Juliet find out Romeo's last name?

The nurse tells her

in the 1996 film version, the Capulet ball is a costume party, where Juliet is dressed as an angel, Romeo is a knight in shining armor, and Paris is an astronaut. Explain how these costumes are appropriate for each character, giving special attention to analyzing Paris' outfit.

Juliet - she is like/described as a light

Romeo - he is going to save the families from their feud

Paris - he has nothing to do their love; he has to give them space

when Romeo says "He jests at scars that never felt a wound," what does he mean?

Mercutio has never been in love, yet he is making fun of Romeo for being in love; he is making fun of things he has never felt

what does Romeo compare Juliet to in his first speech in Sc. 2 lines 2-3?

The light of the rising sun; so pretty/bright, she makes the moon jealous/envious

In your own words, rewrite Juliet's speech in Sc. 2, lines 33-36. Go line-by-line as you restate her meaning.

why do you have to be a Montague? Refuse your family and change you name, and if you cannot, tell me you love me and I will no longer be a Capulet

when Juliet says, "that which we call a rose/by any other word would smell as sweet," what does she mean?

No matter what the name is, the rose would still smell good

why does Juliet ask Romeo not to swear his love's allegiance by the moon?

the moos is constantly changing, she wants to make sure his love is steadfast

which one is the first to mention marriage? what does this show us about this character?

Juliet; she wants to get married

what does Juliet instruct Romeo to send her the next day?

where and when she is supposed to marry him, and he is to have it to her by 9 a.m.

look at lines 182-184 (about him being her bird). what do these lines literally mean? then explain how this bit of text is an example of foreshadowing?

he wants to be her bird so they can be together all the time; she will end up killing him by loving him too much

at the beginning of Scene 3, what is Friar Lawrence doing?

He is gathering herbs and flowers in a basket. His hobby is herbology

according to Friar, how are humans like plants?

Inside both humans and plants lies good and evil (medicine and poison); the tongue has the power of life or death

what did Friar mean when he said, "o, she knew well/Thy love did read and could not spell."

Rosaline didn't return Romeo's love because she knew it wasn't real. Its a thought; Romeo has memorized the rules of love, but hasn't read the book

Why did Friar begrudgingly agree to marry Romeo and Juliet?

He hopes it will end the feud between the Montagues and Capulets

at the beginning of Act 3, who says the following lines? What do these lines foreshadow?

"I pray thee, good Mercutio, let's retire. The day is hot, the Capulets abroad, And, if we meet, we shall not 'scape a brawl, For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring."

Benvolio; how concern is well-founded because in a few minutes Mercutio and Tybalt will be dead

what does Mercutio tell us about Benvolio? Is this true? explain what's happening

Benvolio is a hot head, always looking for a fight; this is not true, Mercutio is being sarcastic

Examine Mercutio's "grave man" line. What figure of speech is used? What is the meaning?

it is a pun; there are 2 meaning: the physical grave and grave as in sad

Explain the following lines:

"This gentleman, the Prince's near ally, My very friend, hath got is mortal hurt In my behalf - my reputation stained With Tybalt's slander - Tybalt, that an hour Hath been my cousin. O sweet Juliet, Thy beauty hath made me effeminate And in my temper soft'ned valor's steel!"

Mercutio is related to the Prince; Romeo's love for Juliet has softened him, so he feels guilty for his best friend's death

Explain the Prince's judgement and why he makes this ruling

Romeo is just being banished; he is showing Romeo mercy because he was avenging Mercutio because Tybalt killed Mercutio so Romeo killed Tybalt

In her speech at the beginning of Act 3 Scene 2, what is Juliet looking forward to that night?

She is looking forward to seeing Romeo that night

Write down 3 oxymorons Juliet uses to describe Romeo and explain why she uses this literary technique to describe her young husband

Dove-feathered raven, beautiful tyrant, wolfish-ravening lamb; she is trying to reconcile the image of her husband and the man killed Tybalt; he acted one way toward her, but another way to others and was different on the inside

The nurse says, "Shame come to Romeo!" How does Juliet react to the Nurse?

She is angry at her for criticizing Romeo. She is trying to decide who's side to take but ends up taking Romeo's side because she realized Tybalt would've killed Romeo

Where is Romeo hiding?

Friar Lawrence's cell

what is Friar Lawrence's opinion of Romeo's punishment?

It's a merciful sentence because he could've been sentenced to death or killed by Tybalt

In Act 3 Scene 3, why does Romeo say that he is less honored than carrion-flies?

He's upset the flies can buzz around Juliet's head and touch her lips but he cannot

What 3 reasons does Friar Lawrence give Romeo to show that he should be happy?

Tybalt didn't kill him, Juliet is still alive and loves him, and he was shown mercy by the prince by not being sentenced to death

In Act 3 Scene 3, the Nurse gives Romeo a gift from Juliet. What is the gift?

a ring that Juliet wanted him to have

Capulet explains to Paris that Juliet is upstairs crying about Tybalt. He says, "Look you, she loved her kinsman Tybalt dearly, And so did I. Well, we were born to die."

From this passage, explain how Capulet felt about his nephew. Why do you think he felt this way?

odd way to describe the death of a relative, he isn't that upset about Tybalt's death, don't think Tybalt was his favorite human, maybe because they are both strong willed

What decision does Capulet make, thinking that it will cheer up Juliet?

He decides she will marry Paris; Capulet thinks a wedding will cheer up the grieving household. He thinks Paris is a fine bachelor. Paris is a gentleman to the Capulets

What is Paris' reply when Capulet makes his announcement?

Paris is excited about the wedding. He wishes the wedding were tomorrow not Thursday

Why does Juliet want to believe the songbird she can hear is a nightingale, not a lark?

She wants night to last so she can spend time with Romeo. Morning lark is a source of music, and Romeo must leave because a lark is out in the morning and nightingale is out at night

What does Juliet mean by an "ill-divining soul" in Act 3 Scene 5?

her soul is predicting evil things; it is foreshadowing Romeo's death. This bothers her because it is the last thing in her mind as she says goodbye to Romeo

Why do Juliet's parents believe she is upset? What is their plan to help cheer her up?

they think she is still grieving Tybalt. They tell her she will marry Paris, and tell her she should thank them for finding such a good man for her

Earlier in the play, Capulet said Juliet will get to have a voice in whom she marries. Now, he's raging at his daughter for speaking up against his choice. Explain why Capulet has changed his mind about listening to his daughter's opinion about her future spouse.

He put a lot of thought into choosing a good man for her, and now she denied it and he thinks she is ungrateful

how does the Nurse describe Paris?

an eagle with green eyes; wealthy, handsome

What reason does Paris give for not having spent much time courting Juliet?

She is still grieving over Tybalt, so he hasn't had time to talk to her about marrying him

name 3 of the horrible things Juliet says she would find preferable to marrying Paris

be chained to a roaring bear, hide in a tomb with a bunch of skeletons, or lurk where snakes/serpents live

Describe the Friar's plan in your own words

he has a potion to make her appear to be dead. her family will take her to their tomb. Friar will send a letter to Romeo so he will know to come and free Juliet from the tomb. Romeo will have to sneak back into Verona in order to free her. The potion will last for 42 hours

how do you know if you're hiring a good cook?

if he kicks his fingers as he's cooking

Juliet was supposed to marry Paris on Thursday, but what has her father decided?

he moves up the wedding day a day. he moved it from Thursday to Wednesday

who will stay up all night to make sure the wedding party preparations are complete?

Capulet will oversee everything himself

in case the potion doesn't work, what item does Juliet keep with her in bed?

she puts a dagger next to her in bed

Describe 3 things Juliet think might go wrong if she takes the potion?

she wonders if the Friar gives her poison to punish her or cover up the fact he married them, she worries she will wake up in the tomb before Romeo arrives and suffocate, she worries she will awaken alone and go insane surrounded by dead and decaying bodies. She gets so worked up, she thinks she sees Tybalt's ghost right before she drinks the potion

write does the words from Juliet's speech in Act 4, Sc. 3 that show her feelings about death

hideous, mangled, shrieks, fest'ring, terror, horrible

In act 5 scene 2, what is Friar John's excuse for not having delivered the letter to Romeo

He tried, but guardsmen stopped him because they thought he was with people that had the plague, so the letter was never delivered

what is Friar Lawrence's plan of action once he realizes Romeo hasn't received his letter?

He sent another letter to Romeo of what has been happening with Juliet. He then decides to also go get Juliet so she isn't stuck in the tomb for too long

who is the first person to arrive at Juliet's tomb in Act 5 Scene 3? Why is he there?

Paris; he came alone to grieve and leave flowers and sweet water

Explain Paris' logic in thinking that Romeo is responsible for Juliet killing herself

He thinks Juliet died from grief over Tybalt, who Romeo killed

Did Paris love Juliet? Give evidence to support your answer

no, i think he liked the idea of her, but he didn't know her so he couldn't have been in love with her

OR

yes, Paris was willing to risk his life in order to allow Juliet to rest peacefully

Romeo comments that Juliet looks just as beautiful in death as she did in life, with roses in her cheeks and lips. he doesn't realize that the "death" is just a potion that's wearing off. instead, why does he figure Juliet is still so beautiful

he says Death (personification) must want Juliet as a wife, so he kept her beauty intact

does Juliet wake up just before Romeo dies or just after?

she wakes up just after he dies

Who is present when Juliet awakens? Why doesn't this person stay?

The Friar; he doesn't want to get in trouble, so he runs away when he hears someone coming

why does Juliet kiss Romeo's lips even after he already died?

she sees the vial of poison and hopes there is enough on his lips to kill her as well

Juliet says, "thy lips are warm!" This is, quite arguably, one of the saddest lines in the entire play. Why are these 4 little words so meaningful?

they missed each other by mere minutes; the plan was so close to working out, but tragedy resulted instead

how does Juliet die?

She stabs herself in the chest with Romeo's knife

Which 2 characters are detained by the watchmen after Juliet's death?

Balthasar and Friar; both were brought back to the tomb to explain themselves

who else died tonight? How did we find out?

Lady Montague; she died earlier in the evening because she was grieving the banishment of Romeo

How many people died in this play? List their names in order of their deaths

6 - Mercutio, Tybalt, Paris, Romeo, Juliet, Lady Montague (no specific time as to when she died)

rewrite the final 6 lines of the play in your own words

The Montagues and Capulets have been punished enough, and the Prince himself had lost kinsmen too. lets just get on with our lives from here