Austin’s Romeo and Juliet Guided Reading Questions

Act 1, PrologueIn what city does this play take place? Verona, Italy
Act 1, PrologueWhat does the term “star-crossed lovers” mean? Lovers meant to die
Act 1, Scene 1Who is fighting at the beginning of the first scene? Capulet servants and Montague servants fight against each other.
Act 1, Scene 1Who tries to break up the fighting? Benvolio
Act 1, Scene 1What threat does the Prince make to Lord Montague and Lord Capulet? The prince says they will pay with their lives if he catches them fighting again. (They will die)
Act 1, Scene 1Benvolio and Montague describe the way Romeo has been acting. What do they have to say about him? Troubled – walking alone among the sycamores
Act 1, Scene 1Why is Romeo so sad? Romeo sad because he loves Rosaline as, he says, “out of love”.
Act 1, Scene 1What advice does Benvolio give Romeo? Benvolio told Romeo to stop worrying and being sad about Rosaline.
Act 1, Scene 2:Why does Capulet think it will be easy for Montague and him to keep the peace? Obligated to keep peace.
Act 1, Scene 2:What does Paris ask about Capulet? He wants to marry Juliet
Act 1, Scene 2:What is Capulet’s first answer? He is overjoyed but she is too young to get married
Act 1, Scene 2:A bit later Capulet appears to change his mind about Paris’ question. What does he then tell Paris? Capulet tells Paris that he favors him as a suitor and to wait 2 years before marrying Juliet
Act 1, Scene 2:What problem does the servant have? Peter, the servant, does not know how to read
Act 1, Scene 2:What is the name of the woman Romeo loves? Rosaline
Act 1, Scene 2:What do Romeo and Benvolio decide to do? Go to the masquerade feast that Capulet is having
Act 1, Scene 3:How old is Juliet? Not yet 14
Act 1, Scene 3:When Lady Capulet asks Juliet how she feels about marriage, what is Juliet’s answer? She hasn’t given any thought to it
Act 1, Scene 3: Following Juliet’s answer, what does Lady Capulet then tell Juliet? She was about her age when she had Juliet and that she should start thinking about it because “Paris” has expressed in her
At the end of Act 1 Sc. 4, what does Romeo tell Benvolio, foreshadowing future action in the play? Romeo fears that some terrible event, caused by the stars, will begin at the party. He foreshadows his own death.
How do the Montagues expect to enter the Capulet’s house? They were going to wear masks so they were hidden and could blend in .
Why does Romeo say he won’t be able to dance? Romeo was holding a torch, so he couldn’t dance with it in his hands.
Act 1, Scene 5:What is Romeo’s reaction to his first fight of Juliet? Romeo is very lovestruck the first time he sees Juliet. He says “What lady is that, which doth enrich the hand, Of yonder knight?”
Act 1, Scene 5:How does Tybalt recognize Romeo? His voice
Act 1, Scene 5:When Tybalt is ready to seize Romeo and throw him out of the party, what does Capulet say to Tybalt? He says Romeo is well regarded in Verona and that he will not have the youth harmed at his feast.
Act 1, Scene 5:Explain what the conversation is between Romeo and Juliet? A dialog laced with religious metaphors that figure Juliet as a saint and Romeo as a pilgrim who wishes to erase his sin.
Act 1, Scene 5:How does Romeo find out Juliet’s last name? The nurse answers Romeo when he asks who Juliet’s mother is – nurse says, “Lady Capulet”
Act 1, Scene 5:How does Juliet find out Romeo’s last name? Her nurse returns with the news that he is a Montague
Act II, Scene 1:What does Mercurio say about “blind love?” If love be blind it cannot hit the mark. If love is blind then love can never make a lover truly happy.
Act II, Scene 2:When Juliet appears on her balcony, what does Romeo compare her to? Compares her to the morning sun, far more beautiful than the moon it banishes
Act II, Scene 2:How does Juliet “speak, yet….(say) nothing? She is talking to herself and unaware Romeo is in the garden. Asks to herself, “why is he a Montague – therefore an enemy of my family?”
Act II, Scene 2:When Juliet leans her cheek on her hand, what does Romeo say? He wishes he were the glove on her hand
Act II, Scene 2:Unaware of his presence, what does Juliet ask Romeo to say? Deny your father and refuse your name.
Act II, Scene 2:In a sentence or two, explain what Juliet says about names. She says if he refused the Montague name, she’d give herself to him or if he would simply swear that he loved her, she would refuse the Capulet name
Act II, Scene 2:Juliet asks how Romeo got into her place. The orchard walls are high, and Romeo’s life would be in danger if her relatives were to find him there. What is Romeo’s response to these questions? With love’s light wings did I over perch these walls; For stony limits cannot hold love out, And what love can do, that dares love attempt. Therefore, thy kinsmen are no let to me.
Act II, Scene 2:Why is Juliet embarrassed? …
Act II, Scene 2:Juliet is going to send someone to Romeo on the following day for what purpose? She tells Romeo that she will send someone to him the next day to see if his love is honorable and if he intends to wed her.
Act II, Scene 3:What has friar Laurence been out gathering in his basket? Various weeds, herbs and flowers
Act II, Scene 3:Explain lines 21-22: “Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied/and vice sometime by action dignified?” What starts out good and dignified can become evil over time. In the same way, what seems evil can also become good.
Act II, Scene 3:When Friar Laurence sees Romeo, what comment does Friar Laurence make about seeing Romeo so early in the morning? The friar fears that Romeo may have slept in sin with Rosaline.
Act II, Scene 3:What does Friar Laurence mean when he says to Romeo, “Young men’s love then lies not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes?” Friar Laurence means that Romeo’s quick switch from loving Rosaline to loving Juliet is because he is physically attracted to Juliet, not that he really cares about her (more lustful)
Act II, Scene 3:Friar Laurence agrees to perform the marriage ceremony for Romeo and Juliet for what reason? He thinks it will stop the feud between the 2 families
Act II, Scene 4:According to Mercurio, what kind of man is Tybalt? Tybalt is also a vain, affected “fashionmonger” (2.3.29). Mercutio disdains all that Tybalt stands for.
Act II, Scene 4:What is the nurse saying to Romeo in lines 157-163? She warns Romeo not to “double deal” with Juliet and Rosaline. Treat her well.
Act II, Scene 4:How is Juliet to arrange to meet Romeo? Juliet sends her nurse to go and see if Romeo wants to marry her. The nurse finds Romeo and Romeo tells her he wants to marry Juliet and that he has a plan for Juliet to marry him. Juliet is supposed to meet him at Friar Laurence’s cell for “confession” and Romeo will meet her there and they will be married by Friar Laurence.
Act II, Scene 5:The nurse is supposed to be gone only a half hour, but she is actually gone for how long? The nurse is gone more than 3 hours on her search for Romeo.
Act II, Scene 5:How is the nurse behaving that is frustrating to Juliet? The nurse will not get to the point and tell Juliet whether or not Romeo wants to marry her. The nurse keeps babbling, says she is too tired to talk, and tells Juliet things she already knows about Romeo.
Act II, Scene 6:What does Friar Laurence mean when he says, “Therefore, love moderately, long love doth so?” Therefore, love each other in moderation. That is the key to long-lasting love. Too fast is as bad as too slow.
Act III, Scene 1:At the beginning of the scene, why does Benvolio think that there will be a fight? Benvolio thinks that the heat makes people angry. Since Benvolio and Mercutio are Montagues, there is even more danger of a fight with the Capulets around.
Act III, Scene 1:What does Mercutio accuse Benvolio of in lines 15-30? Mercutio calls Benvolio a man who gets angry and fights easily. In reality, Benvolio is the peace-loving one and Mercutio is the fighter.
Act III, Scene 1:When Tybalt and Mercutio first begin arguing, what does Benvolio try to make them do? Benvolio tries to break up the fight that is about to break out into a full on brawl.
Act III, Scene 1:What does Tybalt call Romeo? Tybalt calls Romeo a villain.
Act III, Scene 1:Why won’t Romeo fight Tybalt? Romeo won’t fight Tybalt because Romeo has become part of Tybalt’s family after he married Juliet only hours earlier.
Act III, Scene 1:What does Mercurio think is the reason Romeo refuses to fight? Mercutio thinks Romeo is afraid to fight; a coward.
Act III, Scene 1:Why does Mecutio keep repeating, “A plague o’ both your houses”? He was hurt by Tybalt and was dying. He was destroyed. Mercutio curses Capulets and Montagues because if it wasn’t for them, he wouldn’t be dying.
Act III, Scene 1:What does Romeo say that Juliet’s love has done to him? Romeo says his love for Juliet has made him less manly and brave. His love caused his friend to die.
Act III, Scene 1:Why does Romeo call himself “fortune’s fool?” Fate has made a fool of him. Romeo’s best friend is dead and Romeo is now a murderer.
Act III, Scene 1:When Benvolio relates to the Prince what happened, what does he say Romeo tried to do before Mercurio was killed? Benvolio says that Romeo was trying to keep the peace. He said Romeo spoke calmly to Tybalt and tried to calm him down.
Act III, Scene 1:What does Lady Capulet accuse Benvolio of? Why? Lady Capulet accuses Benvolio of lying to protect the Montagues
Act III, Scene 1:What is Romeo’s punishment for killing Tybalt? Romeo’s punishment is banishment form Verona.
Act III, Scene 2:Why is Juliet so impatient for the nurse to return? Juliet is impatient for the nurse to return because she is waiting for Romeo to come back to her
Act III, Scene 2:Describe Juliet’s rapidly changing attitudes toward Romeo in this scene. She blames Romeo and then regrets blaming him
Act III, Scene 2:What piece of news has upset Juliet the most? The news of Romeo’s banishment worries Juliet the most
Act III, Scene 2:What does the nurse promise to do? The nurse promises to find Romeo and when she does Juliet and Romeo will be married
Act III, Scene 3:Explain Romeo’s reaction to the news of his banishment? Romeo claims that banishment is a penalty far worse than death, since he will have to live, but without Juliet.
Act III, Scene 3:Romeo tells Friar Laurence that the priest cannot know or understand how Romeo feels. Why? Romeo tells the Friar that he can’t know or understand what he feels because the Friar has never gone through what Romeo has gone through.
Act III, Scene 3:What argument does Friar Laurence use to prevent Romeo from killing himself? He’s going to make a plan to get Juliet back to him.
Act III, Scene 3:What does the nurse give to Romeo? The Nurse hands Romeo the ring from Juliet, and this physical symbol of their love revives his spirits.
Act III, Scene 4:What does Capulet tell his wife to say to Juliet? Capulet says to his wife to tell Juliet that she will be married to Paris come Thursday
Act III, Scene 5:As Romeo is preparing to leave Juliet, what argument does she use to convince him to stay? Juliet tries to convince Romeo that the birdcalls they hear are from the nightingale, a night bird, rather than from the lark, a morning bird.
Act III, Scene 5:Later, why does Juliet think Romeo should leave? Juliet declares that the bird they heard was the lark; that it is dawn and he must flee.
Act III, Scene 5:Just as Romeo is about to descend the rope ladder and leave Juliet, what does Juliet say about the way Romeo looks? He appears pale, as one dead in the bottom of a tomb
Act III, Scene 5:Why does Lady Capulet think Juliet is crying? Over the loss of her cousin, Tybalt
Act III, Scene 5:When Lady Capulet threatens to send someone to Mantua to poison Romeo, what does Juliet say? Juliet says that she will not be satisfied until Romeo is dead, and she wants to mix the poison that her mother will send him.
Act III, Scene 5:After Lady Capulet breaks the news about Paris, what is Juliet’s response? “I will not marry yet; and when I do, I swear / It shall be Romeo—whom you know I hate— / Rather than Paris” She then agrees with her mother so she will leave.
Act III, Scene 5:If Juliet’s mother does not arrange to delay the marriage, what will Juliet do? To take her own life
Act III, Scene 5:What is Capulet’s reaction to Juliet’s threats? he threatens to disown her if she doesn’t marry Paris
Act III, Scene 5:What is the nurses’s advice to Juliet? To marry Paris because he is a better match
Act III, Scene 5:How does Juliet’s attitude toward the nurse change? Vowing that she will never again trust the Nurse’s counsel
Act III, Scene 5:What “scheme” does Juliet devise to get rid of the nurse and to get out of the house? Juliet’s scheme is to go to confession at Friar Laurence’s
Act IV, Scene 1:Why is Friar Laurence reluctant to marry Paris to Juliet? Juliet is already married to Romeo and he is reluctant to marry her two times.
Act IV, Scene 1How does Paris explain the sudden haste of the marriage plans? Capulet wants Juliet not to think of tybalt.caputlet also wants to be tied to royalty
Act IV, Scene 1What is ironic about the conversation between Juliet and Paris? Juliet pretends that Paris is Romeo while Paris has no clue
Act IV, Scene 1If Friar Laurence cannot do anything, what does Juliet threaten to do to herself? Juliet threatens to kill herself because her life is not worth living with Romeo banished.
Act IV, Scene 1Why does Friar Laurence think that Juliet will accept his plan? Because she is desperate to see Romeo
Act IV, Scene 1:Describe the Friar’s plan for Juliet. The Friar will give Juliet a potion that will make her fall asleep for 42 hours. Her family will think she died and have a funeral for her and put her in the Capulet family tomb. Romeo will be alerted by letter by Friar John. Romeo will come see her and take her away from Verona. They will live happily together.
Act IV, Scene 2:What does Juliet tell to her father that makes him happy? She lies and says she will marry Paris happily.
Act IV, Scene 2: How does Capulet change the wedding plans? What implication does this have? Capulet makes the wedding a day earlier. This implies that Friar John was depended on even greater because Romeo needed to get the message of the “fakeness” of Juliet’s death.
Act IV, Scene 3:How does Juliet show her maturity and independence in this scene? By sending the nurse off so she can take te poison
Act IV, Scene 3If the potion does not work, what will Juliet do? Kill herself with a dagger
Act IV, Scene 3What are some of the fears Juliet has about the potion? That it won’t work and Romeo won’t be there in time
Act IV, Scene 4What is happening in this brief scene? The planning of the wedding
Act IV, Scene 5Describe imagery Shakespeare use in describing Juliet’s death? Her cheeks were red
Act IV, Scene 5What does Friar Laurence say to comfort the Capulet family? That she will be in heaven along with all the angels
Act IV, Scene 5What even are the Capulets preparing for? Julie’s funeral
Act V, Scene 1:What news does Balthasar bring Romeo? Juliet’s supposedly dead
Act V, Scene 1:What does Romeo mean when he says, “Then I defy you, stars!”? The stars manage life and death. He’s going to take it in own hands and that’ll show the stars don’t control him.
Act V, Scene 1:What actions does Balthasar’s news prompt Romeo to do? Purchase poison and travel to Juliet’s tomb to see her for the last time and then kill himself
Act V, Scene 2:What does Friar John tell Friar Laurence? He couldn’t deliver the note to Romeo
Act V, Scene 2:After hearing this news from Friar John, what does Friar Laurence intend to do? He intends to go to the tomb and get her out of the tomb and bring her back to his place.
Act V, Scene 3:Why is Paris at Juliet’s tomb? To pay his respects to his future wife.
Act V, Scene 3:Romeo gives Balthasar two reasons for entering the Capulet’s tomb. What are they? To take ring off and see her one more time.
Act V, Scene 3:Why does Paris think that Romeo has come to the tomb? He thought Romeo wanted revenge on the Capulets for kicking him out of Verona.
Act V, Scene 3:What is it about Juliet that should have told Romeo that she was not dead? She still had a redness in her lips
Act V, Scene 3:Why doesn’t Friar Laurence stay in the top with Juliet after she awakens? He thought he heard something outside.
Act V, Scene 3:Why does Juliet kiss Romeo after he is dead? To try and get the poison on her own lips so she can die too.
Act V, Scene 3:When Montague first arrives on the scene, what does he tell those gathered? His wife died of the pain caused by her son being banished.
Act V, Scene 3:Relate the events that lead to Romeo and Juliet’s death as they are told by Friar Laurence near the play’s end. Juliet drank the potion made by Friar Laurence that put her into a coma. He then sent a letter to Romeo but it didn’t get there in time. Romeo got word of Juliet’s “death” and went to the tomb where she lay. He was confronted by Paris and killed him. Once Paris was dead, he drank poison and died. When Friar Laurence arrived to the tomb to see Juliet wake up, she saw Romeo and wanted to die. Meanwhile, the Capulet army came to the tomb forcing the Friar to flee and leave Juliet to kill herself with Romeo’s dagger.
Act V, Scene 3:What information does Romeo’s letter give? They were married and they loved each other and couldn’t live without each other.
Act V, Scene 3:How do Montague and Capulet plan to honor the memories of their children. Build golden statues in the city.
July 21, 2019