English Romeo and Juliet Questions

Romeo and Juliet Prologue

Households

Romeo’s family and Juliet’s family

Verona

Setting, city in Italy

Star Crossed Lovers

Lovers who are doomed to face problems or tragedy because of fate or circumstances. It comes from the idea that the stars control people’s destinies. 

Prince 

The ruler of the city; institutes the ban on fighting 

Romeo

Tragic hero of the play

Capulet

Juliet’s father

Juliet

Female main character

How old is Juliet?

nearly 14 years old

Tybalt

Juliet’s cousin; the antagonist of the play

Benvolio

Romeo’s best friend; on good terms with both families

Paris

Nobleman (like the middleman) who is interested in marrying Juliet

Montague

Romeo’s father

Nurse

Raised Juliet; (like a nanny) she has a closer relationship with her than her mother

Mercutio

Romeo’s best friend; quick tempered

How does the scene begin?

With a fight between the Capulet and Montague servants, showing the long-standing feud

How does the fight start?

The fight starts when Sampson and Gregory (Capulet servants) provoke Abram (Montague servant) with insults

How are Benvolio and Tybalt different?

Benbolio tries to keep the peace; Tybaalt enjoys fighting and escalating conflict

Who breaks up the fight? What warning does he give, and what can we infer based on this?

Prince Escalus breaks up the fight. He warns that anyone who fights again will be punished with death, showing the feud has caused serious problems in Verona

Why are Romeo’s parents worried about him?

He has been acting sad and withdrawn, and they don’t understand why

Why is Romeo sad?

He is in love with Rosaline, but she does not return his feelings

What advice does Benvolio give Romeo?

Benvolio tells Romeo to forget Rosaline and look at other women

soliloquy

reveals the character's private thoughts and feelings to the audience.

monologue

allows a character to express their thoughts aloud.

Act 3

The story reaches its climax in this act of a play.

aside

a comment directed to the audience and is usually brief

act

divides the play into major sections

scene

smaller division within an act, often changing with the setting or characters

characters and setting

developed through stage directions, dialogue, and actions.

Act 5

The story ends with either death or marriage in this act of a play

Plot

series of related events in an organized way.

tragedy

serious work of drama in which the hero suffers catastrophe or serious misfortune

dialogue

develops characters, advance the plot, and convey emotions and themes.

stage directions

provide the actors with instructions on when to deliver their lines

Meter

rhythm of lines of poetry

hamartia

a tragic flaw that leads to the downfall of a tragic hero

5

The amount of acts in a Shakespearean Play

Peripeteia

reversal of fortune and fate at the start of the tragic hero's downfall

Hubris

Excessive pride

Act 1

the setting, characters, and situation are introduced in this act.

Drama

is different from a short story because it has acts and stage directions

Act 2

This act develops the conflicts and complications that build tension toward the climax

sonnet

A poem with 14 lines and an alternating rhyme scheme

Rhyme scheme

pattern of rhymes at the end of lines in a poem

Elizabethan Era

a time when poetry and literature were highly valued

Benvolio

Romeo's loyal friend who tries to keep peace between the families

Capulet

Juliet's father and the head of her household

Juliet

the female main character of the play, nearly fourteen years old

Montague

Romeo's father and head of his family

Nurse

raised Juliet and has a close relationship with her

Paris

the nobleman that hopes to marry Juliet

Prince

rules Verona and forbids fighting between the families

Romeo

the tragic hero of the play, known for his impulsive nature

Tybalt

Juliet's hot-tempered cousin who despises the Montagues

fighting

In Act 1, what have the Montegues and Capulets been doing that causes the prince to become angry?

Heartbroken

Romeo's feelings at the beginning of the play

Rosaline

Romeo's initial love interest

Wait

When Paris asks to marry Juliet, what does Lord Capulet tell him to do?

concern

Benvolio shows _________for Romeo and tries to calm the fighting families

foreshadowing

"star-crossed lovers" is an example of this literary device.

chorus

The purpose of the _________ in the prologue is to introduce the story line

Aggressive

This word describes Tybalt's personality as revealed in Act 1 of Romeo and Juliet

According to the prologue of Act 2, Romeo’s love for whom is described as “dead and barried”

Rosaline

The statement about Rome’s love being “dead and buried” serves as what literary device in relation to Romeo and Juliet’s fate?

foreshadowing

In Act 2 scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet, who does Mercutio think Romeo is in love with?

Rosaline

Why is Mercutio’s belief an example of dramatic irony?

The audience knows Romeo loves Juliet, but Mercutio doesn’t

Which word best describes Meructio’s feelings about love?

skeptical

What does Mercutio mean when he says “if love be blind, love cannot hit in the mark”?

love makes it hard to see someones flaws

What does the quote “He jests at scars that never felt a wound” most likely mean?

someone who has never been in love finds it easy to love and doesn’t know the pain

In the statement, “Juliet is the sun,” what literary device is being used?

metaphor 

What does this phrase ( “Juliet is the sun,” ) suggest about Juliet?

She is the center of Romeos universe and brings him warmth and light

In the quote “Deny thy father and refuse thy name,” what is Juliet asking Romeo to do?

Give up his family to be with her 

In the quote “That which we call a rose / By any other word would smell as sweet,” what is Juliet trying to explain?

Names are meaningless and don’t change who a person is

What does Romeo mean when he says “with love’s light wings did o’erperch these walls”?

That his love is powerful enough to overcome obstacles

Why does Juliet tell Romeo not to swear by the moon>

She doesn’t want Romeo’s love to change like the moon does in solar cycles

At the end of Act 2 Scene 2, what does Juliet instruct Romeo to do?

Send a message about when and where they will marry

What are Capulat and Paris talking about at the beginning of Scene 2?

Paris wants to marry Juliet. Lord Capulat says she is too young

How old is Juliet, and when does Capulat say Juliet will be ready for marriage?

Juliet is 13 years sold; Capulet says in two years

What are Capulat’s wishes for Parish and Juliets relationship

He wants her to have a choice and fall in love with Paris before they marry

Why does Capulat’s servant talk to Romeo and Benvolio?

He cant read the guest list and asks them for help, not knowing they are the montagues

Why does Benvolio want Romeo to go to Capulets party?

Describe the Nurses relationship with Juliet.

The nurse is very close to Juliet almost like a second mother

How is the relationship with the Nurse and Juliet different from her relationship with her mother

Juliet can confide in the nurse more easily than in her mother

How does Juliet react to the discussion about her getting married?

Juliet is polite but hesitant

To which interest of Juliet’s does Lady Capulet compare getting to know Paris?

She says that Juliet should study Parish like a book to see if he is unworthy of her 

What is Benvolio’s attitude about going to the party?

He thinks going to the Capulet party might help Romeo get over Rosaline by meeting other women

What is Mercutio like?

Meructio is funny, whitty, and energetic

he is also related to the Prince of Verona 

In Mercutios dream, what does Queen Mab do?

She controls peoples dreams, giving people visions based on their desires or their fears

(she is a made up character like the tooth fairy)

What is Romeo worried about at the end of the scene?

Romeo is anxious and uneasy about attending the Capulet party

How does Capulet treat his guest?

He wants everyone to enjoy the party and does not want to get in trouble with the Prince by starting a fight

Who is Romeo talking about at the party and what does this say about his character?

Juliet and he is immediately in love with Juliet 

Who spots Romeo at the party and how does he recognize him? Who does he tell?

Tybalt spots Romeo and tells Capulet 

Why does Capulet let Romeo stay at the party?

Capulet doesn’t want to cause a scene

What is the comparison that Romeo makes about their hands and lips while talking to Juliet?

Romeo compares their hands to pilgrims and their lips to saints, saying that their touch and kiss are like a prayer

Who interrupts them?

The Nurse

How does Juliet react when she finds out who Romeo is?

She is shocked and disappointed 

What has Friar Laurence been out gathering in his basket?

Herbs and flowers with medical and poisonous qualities

Explain “Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied, /And vice sometimes by action dignified”?

Good things turn bad if sued the wrong way, but bad things can turn good with the right choises

According to Friar, how are humans like plants?

Both plants and people have good and bad inside them

When Friar Laurence sees Romeo, what comment does Friar Laurence make about seeing Romeo so early in the morning?

He thinks Romeo either woke up worried or hasn’t slept, and guesses its because of Rosaline

What is Friar Laurence reaction to Romeo’s declaration of love for Juliet?

Hes surprised because Romeo was recently in love with Rosaline