| In the prologue, Shakespeare tells his audience what they are to expect in the play. Why do you suppose Shakespeare chooses to use this technique? | Because back then sometimes people would miss the end but only see the beginning. It also tells the tragic of the play. |
| Where is the play set? | Verona, Italy |
| Put the following in lines in your own words.”From forth the fatal looms of these two foesA pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life;” | Romeo and Juliet, born into different feuding families, fall in love and decide to kill themselves. It ends the feud forever. |
| What does the term “star-cross’d lovers” suggest? | A perfect match. It was “written in the stars” |
| Put these lines into your own words:”Whose misadventur’d piteous overthrowsDoth, with their death, bury their parents’ strife.” | Once they commit suicide the family feud will be forever over. |
| Do you think this prologue is necessary or unnecessary? | I think the prologue was necessary because it helped the people who would miss the end of the play. It also builds curiosity. |
| What are Sampson and Gregory discussing in the first eleven lines of this scene? | Sampson and Gregory are discussing fighting Montagues. |
| Sampson and Gregory are bragging, vulgar-mouthed men who engage in word games. What bawdy comment does Sampson make? What kind of “love” is this an example of? | “Me they shall peel while I am able to stand, and ”tis know am a pretty piece of flesh.” This kind of love is forced. |
| Which two Montagues do Gregory and Sampson meet on their way? the Capulets draw their weapons, but what indicates that they are not as brave as they say they are? | Gregory and Sampson met Abram and Sultaz. They don’t really want to fight, so they try and run away unless the law is on their side. |
| Why do you suppose biting a thumb is offensive to the Capulets? | Biting a thumb is equivalent to the modern gesture of sticking up a middle finger. |
| Who is Benvolio and what does he attempt to do? | Benvolio is a Montague and a cousin to Romeo. He attempts to create peace. |
| How does Tybalt, a Capulets, misinterpret Benvolio’s action? What does Tybalt say to him? | Tybalt thinks Benvolio is a hypocrite. Tybalt says he hates peace, hell and Montagues. |
| Why is Tybalt considered hot-tempered? | Tybalt is considered hot-temper because he gets angry a lot and he wants to fight all the time. |
| What does Lady Capulet say about Lord Capulet’s age and condition? | Lady Capulet says that Lord Capulet is too old. |
| What do you suppose prompts Lady Montague to hold her husband back from the fight? | She says this to hold social class such as the Lord should not be fighting servants. |
| The Prince appears and he is angry. Why is he angry and what is the promise and threat he makes? | He is angry because of all the street fights. He says their lives will pay for it if the fighting doesn’t stop |
| Lady Montague, glad that Romeo has missed the fight, asks Benvolio if he has seen Romeo.What is Benvolio’s response? | Benvolio’s response is that Romeo is very sad and wants left alone. |
| Montague, when speaking of Romeo, states the following: …But all so soon as the all-cheering sun Should in the farthest East begin to draw The shady curtains from Aurora’s bed, Away from the light steals home my heavy son, And private in his chamber pens himself… Aurora is the goddess of dawn; what literary device is used here? What is Montague saying about his son? | Montague is saying that he does not have access to his own son, since his son stays in his chamber and goes out during the night. He is creating a dark world for himself. |
| Romeo enters and tells Benvolio the problem. What is his problem? | Romeo tells that Rosaline doesn’t want him as he wants her. He says he feels like this will kill him. |
| Romeo’s lines can be seen as presenting the paradox of love or simply as romantic nonsense. What indication is there that Romeo recognizes his sentiments could be viewed as romantic nonsense? | Romeo was using contradicting phrases because of love and lust. |
| What’s Benvolio’s response? | Benvolio’s response is to sympathizes with him. |
| What literary term is illustrated here?”Love is a smoke raised with the fine of sighs; Being purged, a fire sparkling in lover’s eyes;Being vex’d, a sea nourish’d with lover’s tears:…” | A metaphor is used because it’s most poetic |
| Although Benvolio and Romeo are saddened by unrequited love, what joke at you they able to make? | They make a joke about hoping Romeo only loves women |
| What is the nature of Romeo’s desire toward Rosaline? According to the tradition of courtly love, how is Romeo expected to to respond to her rejection? | He is lusting after her, but due to her rejection he refuses to chase her |
| What practical advice does Benvolio give Romeo | Benvolio tells Romeo to move on and forget about her. |
| What are these two lines an example of?”O, she is rich in beauty, only poorThat when she dies, with beauty does her store.” | These two lines are an example of a rhyming couplet. |
| After speaking briefly, Paris gets to the point of his visit to the Capulets. What does he ask of Lord Capulet? | Paris asks Lord Capulet if he can marry Juliet |
| What is Capulet’s response? | Capulet says Juliet isn’t old enough yet and he should wait. |
| Paris responds that girls younger than she have been married. What is Capulet’s response to this? | Capulet says he doesn’t want Juliet to be forced into marriage |
| What suggestion and invitation does Capulet make to Paris? | He says that if Paris can make Juliet say yes then he will give consent for her. |
| Compare Capulet’s speech at the beginning of this scene to Sampson and Gregory’s conversation at the beginning of Act I, Scene 1. How are the speeches different? Why do you think Shakespeare chose to write the speeches so differently? | Capulet’s speech is written in verse while Sampson and Gregory’s is written in pros. Shakespeare does this to show different levels in society |
| In his conversation with Romeo, Benvolio says: “Take thou some new infection to the eye,And the rank poison of the old will die.” | … |
| What does the “poison” Benvolio mention symbolize? | The poison is Romeo’s crush on Rosaline |
| Romeo, lamenting his unrequited love, is approached by illiterate servingman. In reading his list he finds that Rosaline, his love, is going to attend the Capulet party. What suggestion does Bonvolio make? | Benvolio says they should attend the party so Romeo can see other girls and forget about Rosaline. |
| When Romeo responds that Rosaline is the most beautiful women since time began, what Benvolio’s response? | Benvolio says that once he says another women most beautiful than Rosaline she will no longer exist to him. |
| Juliet will turn 14 on Lammas-eve. What is the Lammas-tide the women speak of? | Lammas-tide is a celebration for the summer harvest on August 1st. |
| The Nurse quotes the vulgar remark that her husband made to young Juliet and then, she likes it so much she repeats it. What do the Nurse’s indecent remakes in front of the family indicate about their relationship? | The Nurse’s indecent remarks in front of the family indicates that they have an informal relationship |
| What does Lady Capulet tell Juliet? What is Juliet’s response? | Lady Capulet tells Juliet about Paris and his interest to marry her. She also tells Juliet that she should go to the party and meet him. Juliet responds with she is not ready for marriage yet. |
| Why does Romeo say he is unable to dance? | He says his heart is heavy from sadness and it weighs him down from dancing. |
| How does the Montagues expect to be able to enter a Capulet house? | Montagues use the masquerade ball to enter the Capulet’ house. |
| Romeo is apprehensive about going to the masquerade because of the dream he had the night before. Romeo seems to believe (as did many in Shakespeare’s day) that dreams have something to do with life. Perhaps Romeo believes dreams act as omens. What is Mercutio’s opinion of dreams? What does Mercutio’s speech reveal about his character? | Mercutio believes dreams signify nothing and reflect a great deal of superstitious nonsense: “I talk of dreams;/Which are the children of an idle brain,/Begot of nothing but vain fantasy,…” His speech shows how he has the tendency to babble and ramble on. He seems very showy and prone to exaggerate. |
| How does Benvolio end the conversation? | He says walk on |
| What is Romeo’s misgiving and what does the line, “some consequence, yet hanging in the the stars” have to do with his feeling of dread? Discuss the theme this quote illustrates. | He doesn’t know what the consequences of going to the party is but he knows they will come. |
| Lord Capulet and a relative stand, unmasked, on one side of the room. Romeo, masked, standing on the other side, asks a servingman who Juliet is. How does Romeo describe the girl and what does he conclude? | Romeo describes her as the most beautiful person he has ever seen. She is immortal and holy. |
| What is Tybalt’s reaction when he hears Romeo’s voice? | … |
| What does Lord Capulet say to Tybalt in reference to Romeo’s attendance at the party? | Lord Capulet tells Tybalt to stay away from Romeo. |
| Tybalt obeys his uncle, but what does he foresee? | He think Romeo’s prank will end badly for him. |
| Romeo, approaching Juliet, begins a conversation, and ends up kissing her twice before the Nurse comes to tell Juliet that her mother requests her presence. Romeo and his friends leave. How does the audience know that Juliet feels as strongly about Romeo as he does for her. | Juliet says she would rather die than marry anyone else and she was upset he was a Montague |
| Tybalt obeys his uncle, but what does he foresee? | He think Romeo’s prank will end badly for him. |
| Romeo, approaching Juliet, begins a conversation, and ends up kissing her twice before the Nurse comes to tell Juliet that her mother requests her presence. Romeo and his friends leave. How does the audience know that Juliet feels as strongly about Romeo as he does for her. | Juliet says she would rather die than marry anyone else and she was upset he was a Montague |
Act 1. Romeo and Juliet.
September 10, 2019