Romeo & Juliet Questions

ACT I, SCENE I

1. What is the setting of the play?

Verona, Italy

2. Why is it a big deal when Gregory and Sampson bite their thumbs at
Abram?
Biting their thumbs is considered to be very rude

3. How do Benvolio and Tybalt react to the fighting?

Benvolio does not want to fight. Tybalt wants to fight.

4. What is the Prince’s reaction?

He warns both families that they face death if they fight again.

5. How is Romeo acting? Why?

Romeo is acting sad, depressed, and staying by himself. He is in love with a
girl who does not love him because she wants to become a nun.

6. What does Benvolio suggest Romeo do?

Benvolio suggests that Romeo look at other girls and forget about the one
that he thinks he loves.

ACT I, SCENE II

1. Does Capulet believe he and Montague will follow the Prince’s

orders? WHY?
He believes that they will because they are both too old to fight .

2. How old is Juliet?

13, will turn 14 in a few weeks.

3. How old does Capulet think Juliet should be when she marries?
15

4. Capulet agrees to let Paris marry Juliet on what condition?

That he wait for 2 years, and that Juliet wants to marry him.
5. How does Romeo hear about Capulet’s party?
Capulet’s servants ask him to read the names of the people who are invited
to the party, they tell Romeo about the party.

6. Why does Benvolio tell Romeo to go to the party?

So he can look at other girls, maybe find someone else that he will like.

7. Why does Romeo go?

He hopes that he will see Rosaline, the girl that he is in love with.

ACT I, SCENE III

1. Why does Lady Capulet want to talk with Juliet?

To tell her about Paris and his proposal to marry Juliet.

2. What request does she make of Juliet?

She asks Juliet to check out Paris, to see if she could love him and want to
marry him.

3. What is Juliet’s Response?

She will look and see if she is interested.

ACT I, SCENE IV

1. Name 2 reasons Romeo wears a mask to the party.

So the Capulet’s don’t recognize him, and because it is a party where they
are expected to wear a mask.

2. Why is Mercutio talking about Queen Mab?

Romeo mentioned that he had a dream and Mercutio is making fun of his
dream and the value of a dream.

3. What is Romeo’s mood at the end of the scene?

He has a bad feeling about what is going to happen that night and in
the future.
 Act I, Scene V

1. What attracts Romeo to Juliet?

Her beauty

2. Who recognizes Romeo at the party?

Tybalt

3. How does this person react?

He is very angry that Romeo is at the party, he wants to start a fight.

4. What is Capulet’s response when he is told Romeo is at this party?

He says to ignore Romeo, Romeo has a good reputation, he does not want a
fight at the party, does not want his guests to be disturbed.

5. How does Juliet respond to Romeo’s approach?

She is interested in Romeo, she flirts with him.
6. What is Juliet’s reaction when she realizes she is attracted to a
Montague?
She is upset, how can she love someone who is her enemy?

ACT II , SCENE I

1. Who is looking for Romeo and why is he hiding?

Romeo’s friends, he is hiding because he hopes to see Juliet again

2. Where is Romeo hiding?

In the bushes in the garden/Capulet’s orchard

ACT II, SCENE II

1. In this famous scene, where is Romeo? Where is Juliet?

Romeo is hiding in the bushes in the garden. Juliet is on the balcony outside
of her bedroom.
2. What do they discuss?
They discuss their love for one and another, how they don’t want to be
forbidden to love each other just because they are enemies.
3. Why will Juliet send a messenger at nine tomorrow?
So Romeo can let her know where to meet so they can marry.
 ACT II, SCENE III

1. How does Friar Lawrence react when Romeo tells him about Juliet?
He is concerned, he thinks Romeo is being silly. How could he be in love with
Juliet when just yesterday he was in love with Rosaline?

2. What does Romeo argue is different about his love for Juliet?
Juliet loves him as much as he loves her. They both want to be together.
3. Why does the Friar agree to marry the young couple?
He thinks it might end the feud between the two families.

ACT II, SCENE IV

1. Why has Tyblat sent a letter to Romeo?

He wants to fight Romeo. He is angry about Romeo attending the party.

2. What warning does the Nurse give Romeo?

She tells him that his intentions better be true and he should not be taking
advantage of Juliet.

3. What does Romeo tell the Nurse to have Juliet do that afternoon?
Ask to go to confession so that they can be married.

4. Why does Romeo want the Nurse to stay behind the abbey wall?
She is to wait so she can get a ladder for Romeo to use to climb up to Juliet’s
room.

ACT II, SCENE V

1. Why is Juliet worried?

Because the nurse has been gone for a long time, Juliet wants to know what
happened with Romeo.

2. Where does the Nurse tell Juliet to do?

Ask her parents for permission to go to Shrift/confession
 ACT II, SCENE VI

1. What happens in this scene?

Romeo and Juliet are married

ACT III, SCENE I

1. What kind of person does Mercutio accuse Benvolio of being?

A hot head, someone who is quick to pick a fight. In truth, Mercutio knows that
Benvolio only wants to keep the peace.

2. What does Tyblat want?

Tybalt is looking for Romeo so he can fight him.

3. Why does Romeo say he loves Tybalt?

Romeo has just married Juliet, he views Tybalt as a member of his family and
cannot hate him, he must love him.

4. What happens when Romeo tries to keep Mercutio and Tyblat from
fighting?
Romeo accidentally gets in between Tybalt and Mercutio. Tybalt accidentally killed
Mercutio.

5. What does Romeo do when he hears of his friend’s death?

Romeo goes after Tybalt to avenge Mercutio’s death. Romeo kills Tybalt.

6. Why does the Prince sentence Romeo to banishment rather than

death?
Tybalt killed Mercutio, and should by law, have been sentenced to death.
Romeo killed Tybalt, so Prince decided that the murderer had received just
punishment, but Romeo would be punished by being banished.

ACT III, SCENE II

1. Why does Juliet defend the man who has killed her favorite cousin,
Tybalt?
Romeo is her husband.

2. Where does Juliet send the Nurse?

 To find Romeo and bring him to Juliet.

ACT III, SCENE III

1. Why does Romeo prefer death to banishment?

Because he feels life without Juliet would be worse than death.

2. Who stops Romeo from stabbing himself?

Friar Lawrence stops Romeo

3. What does the Friar advise Romeo to do?

Go to Mantua and wait while Friar Lawrence makes a plan to reunite Romeo and
Juliet.

ACT III, SCENE IV

1. What decision is made by Capulet and Paris?

Juliet will marry Paris

ACT III, SCENE V

1. As Romeo is leaving, what premonition does Juliet have?

She has a vision of Romeo, dead at the bottom of a tomb.

2. Why does Lady Capulet believe Juliet is upset? Why is she really?
Lady Capulet thinks Juliet is mourning for her cousin, Tybalt. Juliet is really
upset about Romeo being banished.

3. What “joyful” news does Lady Capulet deliver to Juliet?

Her father has agreed that Juliet should marry Paris.

4. Why does Juliet not find this news so joyful?

She is already married to Romeo.

5. How does Capulet respond to his daughter’s refusal to follow his

wishes?
He will disown her if she does not agree to marry Paris.

6. What advice does the Nurse give to Juliet?

Marry Paris and forget about Romeo.
7. What is Juliet’s response to the Nurse’s advice?
Juliet feels betrayed by Nurse, their relationship has been damaged. She tells
Nurse to let her father know that she is going to see Friar Lawrence and confess
her sin of disobedience.

ACT IV, SCENE I

1. Why is Paris visiting the Friar?

To make plans for his wedding to Juliet

2. Outline the Friar’s (7-step) plan for Juliet to avoid marrying Paris.
1. Go home and agree to marry Paris, act happy
2. Make sure that you sleep alone. (don’t let Nurse stay with you)
3. Drink the vial of potion. Juliet will fall into a deep sleep that mirrors death
4. Juliet will appear dead and stay that way for 42 hours, she will be buried in
her family’s tomb.
5. Friar Lawrence will send a messenger to tell Romeo the plan
6. When Juliet awakens, Romeo will be there
7. Romeo and Juliet will sneak out of Verona and go to Mantua.

ACT IV, SCENE II

1. What is Capulet’s reaction when Juliet agrees to marry Paris?

He is happy and moves the wedding to Wednesday.

ACT IV, SCENE III

1. Why does Juliet place a dagger at her bedside?

She will kill herself if the potion does not work.

2. What three situations is Juliet fearful of?

1. The potion might be poison
2. She might wake up before Romeo arrives and not be able to breathe,
strangled/suffocates
3. She goes crazy
 ACT IV, SCENE IV

1. What happens in this short scene?

The Capulets are planning Juliet’s marriage to Paris.

ACT IV, SCENE V

1. What happens when the Nurse goes to awaken Juliet?

She finds Juliet, dead in her bed.

What does Capulet say to do with the wedding feast?

It is now a funeral.

ACT V, SCENE I

1. What news does Balthasar bring?

Balthasar tells Romeo that Juliet is dead.

2. Why does Romeo go to the apothecary?

To buy poison so he can kill himself.

3. What convinces the apothecary to break the law?

The apothecary is poor, nearly starving, he needs the money.

ACT V, SCENE II

1. Why was the Friar John unable to deliver Friar Lawrence’s message
to Romeo?
He was not allowed to leave the town because the town officials thought he may
have been exposed to the plague.

2. Why does Friar Lawrence hurry to the tomb?

He wants to be there when Juliet awakens.

ACT V, SCENE III

1. What happens when Paris and Romeo meet at the tomb?

Romeo and Paris fight, Romeo kills Paris.
 2. What is odd about Juliet’s appearance in death?
She looks like she is living. Death has not taken over

3. How does Romeo die?

Romeo drinks the poison he bought from the apothecary.

4. What slows the Friar’s passage to the tomb?

He is old, cannot run fast, and trips over the graves.

5. When Juliet awakens, what does the Friar suggest to her?

He wants her to leave the tomb with him. He will hide her in a convent (a place
where nuns live).
6. How does Juliet die?
She stabs herself with Romeo’s sword/dagger.

7. Besides Romeo’s death, what other sad event has befallen

Montague?
Lady Montague, Romeo’s mother, died that evening. She was overtaken with grieve
after Romeo was banished.

8. How does the play end?

The Capulets and the Montagues make peace. They realize that their feud has cost
them the lives of their children. They agree to build a golden statue of Romeo and
Juliet in order to honor them.