NAME Romeo & Juliet 1 PER DATE Romeo and Juliet Reading Response Questions DIRECTIONS: After reading each scene from Shakespeare s play, record responses to the following questions in the space provided. Responses should be well developed and thoroughly supported. Refer to specific passages or details to substantiate your claims and cite from the Folgers Library edition of Romeo and Juliet when necessary. Here is a sample of how to cite the act, scene, and line numbers of a Shakespeare play: From his first appearance in the play, Tybalt is aligned with the bodily humor of choler (anger), as he threateningly declares to Benvolio, whose name means well-wishing, that he hates peace as much as [he hates] hell, Montagues, and [Benvolio] (I.i.71-73). ACT I QUESTIONS 1. What is the purpose of the Prologue? 2. How does Shakespeare manage to get the audience s attention at the beginning of Act I? 3. Describe Romeo s mood when he first enters. Provide evidence to support your claim. 4. Why is Capulet reluctant to accept Paris offer to marry Juliet? 5. What do you learn about Capulet s feelings for his daughter?
ENG 9 CP Mr. Wheeler Romeo & Juliet 2 6. Why does Benvolio urge Romeo to attend the Capulet s party? 7. Describe the relationship between Juliet and her mother. 8. Describe the relationship between Juliet and the Nurse. 9. Describe Mercutio s personality. 10. What are Romeo s feelings when he first meets Juliet? Discuss how this may indicate more about his personality and character. ACT I. Interpretation of lines: 11. Lady Capulet (I.i.77-78): A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword? 12. Escalus (I.i.98-99): If ever you disturb our streets again, / Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.
ENG 9 CP Mr. Wheeler Romeo & Juliet 3 13. Romeo: (I.i.231-232): She hath sworn to love, and in that vow / Do I live dead, that live to tell it now. 14. Benvolio (I.i.235-236): By giving liberty unto thine eyes / Examine other beauties. 15. Capulet (I.ii.14-15): Earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she, / She is the hopeful lady of my earth. 16. Nurse (I.iii.82): Why, he s a man of wax. 17. Tybalt (I.v.69-71): Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe, / A villain that is hither come in spite, / To scorn at our solemnity this night. 18. Nurse (I.v.129-130): I tell you he that can lay hold of her shall have the chinks. 19. Juliet (I.v.152): My only love sprung from my only hate. ACT II QUESTIONS 20. Where does Scene 2 take place? Why is it important that this action takes place at night?
ENG 9 CP Mr. Wheeler Romeo & Juliet 4 21. In Scene 2, the iconic balcony scene, we get further insight into the characterization of Romeo and Juliet. In your opinion, who has better common sense? Discuss the reason for your answer. 22. Why is the Friar surprised at what Romeo has to tell him in Scene 3? 23. Why does the Friar agree to marry Romeo and Juliet? ACT II. Interpretation of lines: 24. Romeo (II.ii.2-3): But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? / It is the East, and Juliet is the sun! 25. Juliet (II.ii.36-37): O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? / Deny thy father and refuse thy name 26. Juliet (II.ii.46-47): What s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet. 27. Friar Lawrence (II.iii.21-22): Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied, / And vice sometime by action dignified.
ENG 9 CP Mr. Wheeler Romeo & Juliet 5 ACT III QUESTIONS 28. Why does Romeo refuse to accept Tybalt s challenge? Who instead takes up Tybalt s challenge? 29. How does Juliet react when the Nurse brings her news of Tybalt s death and Romeo s banishment? 30. How does Romeo act in the Friar s cell? 31. In Act I, Lord Capulet was not very excited about Juliet getting married. Why has he suddenly decided to accept Paris offer? 32. How do Juliet s parents react to her disobedience?
ENG 9 CP Mr. Wheeler Romeo & Juliet 6 33. By the end of Act III, Juliet has only one person to turn to for help. Who is it? What do you think this person will advise her to do? Act III. Interpretation of lines: 34. Romeo (III.i.72-73): And so, good Capulet, which name I tender / As dearly as mine own, be satisfied. 35. Mercutio (III.i.103-104): A plague o both your houses! / I am sped. 36. Romeo (III.i.134): Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him. 37. Lady Capulet (189-190): I beg for justice, which thou, Prince, must give. / Romeo slew Tybalt; Romeo must not live. 38. Juliet (III.ii.90-91): Oh that deceit should dwell / In such a gorgeous palace. 39. Romeo (III.iii.67): Thou canst not speak of that thou does not feel. 40. Romeo (III.iii.115-116): Tell me that I may sack / The hateful mansion.
ENG 9 CP Mr. Wheeler Romeo & Juliet 7 41. Juliet (III.v.2-3): It was the nightingale, and not the lark, / That pierced the fearful hollow of mine ear. ACT IV QUESTIONS 42. What is Friar s scheme for reuniting Romeo and Juliet? 43. How will Romeo know of the plan? 44. Before she goes ahead with the plan, Juliet s soliloquy shows her fears and suspicions. Briefly describe the various thoughts that go through her mind. 45. What finally convinces Juliet she should go ahead with her plan? 46. Who is the first person to find her the following day? Why do you think this character is first on the scene?
ENG 9 CP Mr. Wheeler Romeo & Juliet 8 47. From her parents point of view, what do they think is the cause of Juliet s death? ACT V QUESTIONS 48. Who brings Romeo word of Juliet s death? What is Romeo s reaction? 49. Why does Romeo think he will be able to convince the Apothecary to sell him poison? Why would the Apothecary be opposed to this sale? 50. What circumstances kept Friar John from delivering the letter to Romeo as planned? 51. Why does Paris come to Juliet s tomb? 52. When he sees Romeo there too, what does Paris think Romeo s intentions are?
ENG 9 CP Mr. Wheeler Romeo & Juliet 9 53. There are a number of deaths in Act V. List the names of the characters who die and how. 54. There is a long speech toward the end of Act V where Friar Lawrence tells the whole truth. What are your feelings toward Friar Lawrence and his part in the drama? Is he to blame? Why? 55. Do you think the play should have a happy ending? Would the meaning have been the same? Act V. Interpretation of lines: 56. Romeo (V.i.53-55): An if a man did need a poison now, / Whose sale is present death in Mantua, / Here lives a caitiff wretch would sell it him. 57. Romeo (V.i.84): There is thy gold, worse poison to men s souls 58. Romeo (V.iii.45-49): Thou detestable maw, thou womb of death, / Gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth, / Thus I enforce thy rotten jaws to open, / And in despite, I ll cram thee with more food.
ENG 9 CP Mr. Wheeler Romeo & Juliet 10 59. Juliet (V.iii.174-175): O happy dagger! / This is thy sheath. There rust and let me die. 60. Friar Lawrence (V.iii.275-278): And if aught in this / Miscarried be my fault, let my old life, / Be sacrificed some hour before his time / Unto the rigor of severest law. 61. Escalus (V.iii.301-303): Capulet! Montague! / See what a scourge is laid upon your hate / That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love