Romeo and Juliet Guided Reading Questions

Where is this play set? Verona, Italy
What problem exists in this city? The feud with Capulet and Montague
What does the term “star-crossed lovers” mean? Lovers meant to die
What are Sampson and Gregory’s motivations for fighting with Montague’s men? To get revenge on the Montagues
Benvolio and Tybalt come upon the servants fighting. Contrast their reactions to the fight? Benvolio and Tybalt both think that they are childish
What ended the skirmish? Why is the prince so angry? What does he threaten to do to Capulet and Montague? When the Prince entered the room, the servants stopped fighting.
What worries Lord and Lady Montague about Romeo? Lord and Lady Montague worry about Romeo because he rarely left his room.
Who is Benvolio in relation to Romeo? Benvolio is Romeo’s cousin.
Why is Romeo so sad? Romeo is, as he says, “out of love”.
What advice does Benvolio give Romeo? Benvolio told Romeo to stop worrying about Rosaline.
In Act 1 Scene 2, Paris asks Capulet for Juliet’s hand in marriage. What is Capulet’s reply? Capulet thinks that it is too early for marriage.
Why is Capulet giving a feast? Capulet wants Juliet and Paris to meet.
How does Romeo find out about the feast and why does he intend to go? Benvolio tells him about it and he said that since he is “out of love” he knows another wonderful girl for him.
Describe Juliet’s relationship with her family in Act 1, Scene 3. Juliet has a better relationship with her nurse than her mother.
What does Juliet’s mother tell her? Juliet’s mother tells Juliet to start thinking about marriage.
What is her response? Juliet responds to her mother’s statement respectfully.
At the end of Act 1 Sc. 4, what does Romeo tell Benvolio, foreshadowing future action in the play? Death will soon happen that he fears.
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.
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?”
What does Romeo mean when he says, “Oh dear account! My life is my foe’s debt?” Romeo is indebted to his foe, the Capulets, for unknowingly introducing him to Romeo.
What is Tybalt’s reaction when he hears Romeo’s voice? Tybalt is angry.
What does Lord Capulet say to Tybalt? Lord Capulet tells Tybalt Romeo seems like a gentlemen,
Tybalt obeys him, but what does he say? Tybalt swears to get revenge on Romeo.
How does Juliet react to the news of Romeo’s identity? Juliet is a little sad, because she knows she has to keep Romeo a secret from everybody.
Where does Mercutio think Romeo is? Mercutio thinks Romeo is moping over Rosaline.
What does this say about their friendship? This shows that Romeo tells Mercutio most of his feelings and it also shows they are good friends.
In Act 2 Scene 2, Romeo and Juliet profess their love for one another. Discuss this scene in detail giving specific examples of the things they say and the decisions they make. Juliet wonders why Romeo was to be a Montague, because she wants to formally marry Romeo.
Name a metaphor that Romeo uses for Juliet. “How silver-sweet sound lover’s tongue by night”
As Juliet points out, Romeo is risking his death being there. What is his response? Romeo is too in love to care about dying after falling in love with Juliet. He plans to go to Friar Lawrence in order to marry Juliet.
When Romeo swears by the moon, what does Juliet tell him? Juliet tells Romeo not to swear by the moon, because it is inconsistent. She tells Romeo to swear on himself, and then tells him not to swear at all.
After an exchange of vows, the Nurse calls and Juliet must leave. What are Romeo’s feelings as he stands there? Romeo is really happy and love struck after Juliet and him get engaged.
What are the lovers plans as they end the scene? The lovers plan on getting married.
What is Friar Lawrence’s reaction when Romeo says it is not Rosaline he is marrying? Friar Lawrence is glad when Romeo says he isn’t marrying Rosaline, but he is apprehensive about Romeo marrying Juliet since she is a “foe”.
Why does Friar Lawrence agree to marry Romeo and Juliet? Friar Lawrence wants Romeo and Juliet’s marriage to eventually stop the feud between the Capulets and the Montagues.
What change in Romeo does Mercutio comment upon? Mercutio comments on how Romeo has been falling in love.
What worries does the Nurse have about Romeo? The Nurse doesn’t want Romeo to be mean and he was to truly love Juliet.
What message does Romeo tell the Nurse to give Juliet? Romeo tells the Nurse to tell Juliet to meet him at Friar Lawrence’s cell.
As Juliet waits for the Nurse to return, what is her mood? Juliet is anticipating the Nurse to return because she wants to hear the news from Romeo.
How does the Nurse tease Juliet? The Nurse teases Juliet by complaining that her head and her back hurt. By doing this, she is purposely stalling the news that Romeo wanted to deliver to her.
What does the Nurse tell Juliet to tell her parents? The Nurse tells Juliet to tell her parents that she went to Friar Lawrence.
What does this say about her relationship with Juliet? Juliet and the Nurse are a lot closer than Juliet and her parents.
What warning does Friar Lawrence give Romeo that foreshadows future events of the play? Friar Lawrence tells Romeo not to love too rashly and wholly because of his personality. Friar Lawrence tells Romeo “Therefore love moderately:long love doth so; Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow”.
How does Benvolio show himself to be a reasonable man? Benvolio reasons with everybody, and tries to keep peace between people.
How does Mercutio show himself to be the more irrational of the two? Mercutio is the more irrational because he didn’t try to reason with Tybalt, and instead rashly challenged them to a fight.
What is Romeo’s response to Tybalt’s challenge? Romeo wants Tybalt to accept him, due to the fact that he is going to marry Juliet. He doesn’t want to fight, and tries to stop Mercutio and Tybalt.
In what way is Romeo responsible for Mercutio being stabbed? It is kind of Romeo’s fault for Mercutio getting stabbed because he refused Tybalt’s challenge.
What is foreshadowing about the last line that Mercutio says? Mercutio’s last line foreshadows something bad happening to both of the houses.
What is Romeo’s reaction to Mercutio’s death? Romeo feels a deep loss because he was really close to Mercutio. Mercutio was almost the only person he really confessed his feelings to, so when Mercutio left, Romeo felt lonely and he wanted to get revenge on Mercutio’s killer (Tybalt).
What does Lady Capulet request of the Prince? Lady Capulet wants Romeo to be killed because he killed Tybalt.
What is the Prince’s decision? The Prince bans Romeo from Verona.
July 3, 2019