| Who wrote the book? | William Shakespeare |
| What year was the book published? | 1597 |
| What was the primary source for Romeo and Juliet? | The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet By Arthur Brooke |
| What is the difference between the two books? | Brooke’s story happens over 90 days while Shakespeare’s happens in less than a week. Brooke’s Juliet is 16 while Shakespeare’s Juliet is 13. |
| What type of language is used in the book? | Cursing, banishment, vowing oaths, relying on action verbs |
| Who are the major characters in Romeo and Juliet? | Romeo Montague, Lord Montague, Lady Montague, Juliet Capulet, Lord Capulet, Lady Capulet, Paris, Nurse, and Friar Lawrence |
| The speech spoken by the chorus in the Prologue is? | A sonnet |
| Do the Capulet and Montague families get along? | No |
| What does the nurse foreshadow about Juliet’s future? | Juliet will have a rise and fall fortune. She will rise to the balcony and fall to her grave. |
| What is the importance of Light and Dark in Act I? | The fighting happens during the day while Romeo and Juliet’s love happens at night. |
| What does the nurse foreshadow about Juliet’s wedding? | The nurse doesn’t think she will be alive to see Juliet marry. Irony is that the nurse is present when Juliet marries Romeo. |
| What is the importance of Romeo’s sonnet about Pilgrims and Saints? | Juliet is the Saint to be kissed. Romeo is the Pilgrim trying to reach the Saint. |
| What does Juliet foreshadow in her speech? | Her marriage and death. |
| How is Juliet transformed throughout the play? | At first she is a young, innocent 13 year old. She becomes a mature, sexy 13 year old. |
| How is Romeo transformed throughout the play? | At first he is a loner who is sad and depressed. He becomes a quite sociable person who is outgoing. |
| What is the importance of Light and Dark in Act II? | Benvolio describes Romeo’s passion and love at night. Romeo uses light to focus Juliet’s beauty. |
| What is Juliet compared to? | Juliet is the sun who gives love, care, and affection to Romeo. |
| What is Rosaline compared to? | Rosaline is the moon who keeps all her love, beauty, and affection to herself. |
| What does the balcony scene symbolize in Act II? | It represents the lovers meeting place. Reference to Romeo taking Juliet’s virginity. Private and safe place to meet. |
| How does Juliet show her independence? | She disobey’s her parents by going to Friar Lawrence’s cell to get married to Romeo. |
| Compare and Contrast gold and silver? | Gold signifies greed, wealth, and desire (Rosaline). Silver signifies beauty and love (Juliet). |
| What is the importance of Juliet’s soliloquy? | She is calling the darkness and love to combat the day’s chaos. |
| When does the play become a tragedy? | When the nurse tells Juliet that Romeo has killed Tybalt. |
| What is a typical Shakespearean woman? | Torn between a passionate lover and a demanding father |
| When does Juliet’s future start to fall fall? | After Romeo kills Tybalt and is banished. |
| What does Lady Capulet’s speech foreshadow? | It foreshadows Juliet’s demise. |
| Friar Lawrence is what kind of character? | He is a character of misgiving. |
| How does Juliet look for forgiveness in Act IV? | She pretends to ask for forgiveness and claims that the Friar taught her right from wrong. |
| What does Lord Capulet’s change in music symbolize? | The music changes from the Joy of the wedding to the Pain of Juliet’s funeral. |
| What does Romeo’s dream represent? | It expresses Romeo’s fate and that Juliet will find him dead. |
| What does the apothecary symbolize? | Death. Romeo is buying his death. |
| What does Silver and Gold represent in Act V? | Lord Capulet and Lord Montague’s speeches. Families still compete to see who can build the better statue of their fallen children. |
| What is Friar Lawrence seen as at the end of the play? | He is a god-like character who thought he could solve everything. Condemned to suffer. |
Romeo and Juliet Notes
November 12, 2019