Romeo and Juliet Act One – Study Guide

How is the play introduced? Chorus gives Prologue
What purpose does The Prologue serve? introduces the setting and background information for the play
In what format is The Prologue written? sonnet
What is the rhyme scheme of a Shakespearean Sonnet?How many lines make up a sonnet?What meter and foot are used and how many syllables are there per line? rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GGforms three quatrains (four lines in a group) and a closing couplet (two rhymed lines).14 lines, 10 syllables per linewritten in iambic pentameter (iambic foot – unstressed syllable, then stressed syllable, pentameter – 5 ‘feet’ in the line)
What characters (that we’ve met so far) do we associate with the Montagues? With the Capulets? Others? Montagues – Romeo, Lord and Lady Montague, Benvolio, MercutioCapulets – Juliet, Lord and Lady Capulet, Tybalt
What emphasizes the exteme hatred between the Montagues and the Capulets in Act One Scene One? fight between servants of families
What does it mean to “bite your thumb” at someone? Why is this insulting? thumb biting, which involves biting and then flicking one’s thumb from behind the upper teeth, is a Shakespearean version of flipping someone the bird
Who is Tybalt? Who is Benvolio? How are they opposite characters? Tybalt is Juliet’s cousin, quick to fight.Benvolio is Romeo’s cousin, calm and rational. In Act I, Tybalt wants to continue the fight begun by the servants of the Capulet and Montague households, and Benvolio is trying his best to keep the peace. Because of this rational behavior, people, even the Prince, tend to trust Benvolio’s word.
What is a foil? Which characters are foils for one another? In fiction, a foil is a character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight particular qualities of the other character.Tybalt is a foil to Benvolio – Tybalt’s aggressive manner highlights Benvolio’s peaceful mannerMercutio is a foil to Romeo – Mercutio’s easygoing manner highlights Romeo’s serious manner
What is a dynamic character? What is a static character? What is a round character? What is a flat character? dynamic – changes, grows a lotstatic – stays same throughout storyround – well-developed character, complexflat – uncomplicated, unchanging
Which characters are dynamic? Static? Round? Flat? dynamic – nurse, Romeo, Lord Capulet, Lord Montaguestatic – Tybalt, Lady Capulet, Mercutio
In Act One, Scene One, there is a funny line. Who says is and why is it funny? colliers, collar, coal workers – servants make jokes about words that
How is Lady Montague different from Lady Capulet? Lady Montague is more caring, unusual for mothers of that time
Who is the Prince? Why is he angry with the Montagues and the Capulets? What warning does he give them? leader of Verona, doesn’t want fighting in streets, tells them he’ll kill them if they keep fighting
In what ways is Romeo a ‘typical’ teenager? moody, lovesick
What does shrift mean? Why does Lord Montague want Benvolio to talk to Romeo? shrift is confessionLord Montague wants Benvolio to find out why Romeo is sad
In lines 171-182 what literary device does Shakespeare use? Why does he do this? oxymoron / contradictionsto demonstrate Romeo’s feeling about love as a contradiction
How does Benvolio try to make Romeo feel better? Why is Romeo sad? Romeo is sad because Rosaline doesn’t love him, Benvolio tells him to check out other girls
How is Lord Capulet different from other fathers of his time? Who is Paris? What are his intentions? Lord Capulet does not want Juliet to be married too early just for moneyParis wants to marry Juliet
What is the complication (the first domino!) in the play? Why is it essential? First complication – illeterate servants unknowingly invites Romeo to the party. This is essential because this is how Romeo and Juliet will meet each other.
How is the nurse different from Lady Capulet? How do we know that Lady Capulet is irritated with the nurse? What is Juliet’s response to the idea of marriage? nurse is more caringJuliet does not want to be married
In Act One, Scene Two, what does the audience know that the Capulet servant does not? Why is this important? What is this an example of? The audience knows that Romeo is a Montague. This is important because Romeo now knows about the party. This is an example of dramatic irony.
Who is Mercutio? What role does he have in the play? Mercuito is Romeo’s friend, a kinsman of the PrinceHe is witty and high-spritedMercutio’s death marks the play’s turn into tragedy
Who is Queen Mab? What is the purpose of this speech? How does Mercutio’s mood change? Why does it change? Who is the hag? According to Mercutio’s vivid description, Queen Mab is a tiny fairy that rides around in a coach made out of an “empty hazelnut” with spider’s “legs” for wheel spokes.Mercutio is tired of Romeo’s lovesick moping and first teases him, but then in speech talks about Mab as a hag who punishes women
What role does Fate play? Who feels that his life is “fated”? It takes someone’s life. Romeo feels his life is fated.
How does Tybalt react to Romeo’s attendance at the party? What does Lord Capulet say to Tybalt? He thinks Romeo is there to make fun of the Capulets and wants to kill him. Lord Capulet insists that Tybalt leaves Romeo be because he is a “good kid”.
What are palmers? How is the initial dialogue between Romeo and Juliet written? Why is it important? palmers are religious pilgrims (palms from Holy Land)
What are some religious words that they use in their conversation? Shrine, sin, saints, palmers
What is ironic about the end of Act One? Juliet asks the Nurse to find out about who Romeo is, and finding that he is a Montague, says ‘my only love is sprung from my only hate’!
At the end of Act One, how does Juliet feel about marriage? How is this different? feels differently because she loves Romeo, says “if he be married/ My grave is like to be my wedding bed”
What are some other quotes that you feel would be “test worthy” and why? What purpose do these quotes serve? …
September 5, 2019