Romeo and Juliet Study Questions
Name______________________
Date_________ Class_________
Act I
Prologue
1. What does the prologue do for the play?
2. What in the prologue indicates the Elizabethans’’ love of the supernatural?
3. In what poetic form is the prologue written?
4. What are the last two lines called?
Scene I
1. In what city does the play begin?
2. What pun is made in the beginning of the play?
3. What scene of conflict opens the action?
4. In the beginning of this scene, which character attempts to stop the fighting?
5. Which character is eager to continue the fight?
6. What does Prince Escalus say will happen to the Capulets or Montagues if they ever start
a fight in the streets again?
7. In what state of mind is Romeo when he first appears and what has caused that state of
mind?
8. Benvolio suggests that Romeo do what? How does Romeo react to this suggestion?
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Scene II
1. At her next birthday, Juliet will be how old?
2. What young man does her father favor as a husband for Juliet?
3. How does Romeo learn of the Capulet ball?
4. What do you think is Shakespeare’s purpose in having the Capulets plan the party?
5. How does Benvolio persuade Romeo to go to the ball?
6. What reason does Romeo give for deciding to go?
Scene III
1. What subject does Lady Capulet want to discuss with Juliet?
2. What purpose does the nurse serve?
3. Why would we say that the nurse is garrulous?
4. How does Juliet react to the idea of marrying Paris?
Scene IV
1. How do Mercutio’s and Romeo’s attitudes differ?
2. What does Mercutio say that again indicated the Elizabethan love of the supernatural?
3. What does this speech indicate about his personality?
4. What foreboding does Romeo tell about at the end of the scene?
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Scene V
1. Romeo first sees Juliet at a __________ given by _______________________________.
2. Who becomes furious when he recognizes Romeo?
3. Why does he not do anything about Romeo’s presence?
4. What does Tybalt say that may foreshadow an event in the future?
5. How do Romeo and Juliet immediately react to each other?
6. How does the mood of the scene change?
7. How do Romeo and Juliet discover the other’s identity?
8. How does the discovery affect them?
9. Do they change their minds about their feelings?
General Questions about Character Development
1. What is your impression of Romeo’s feelings for Rosaline?
2. What is your general impression of Romeo?
3. Compare Romeo’s love for Rosaline with his love for Juliet.
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4. What kind of man is Lord Capulet?
5. What kind of father is he?
6. In the beginning, how mature is Juliet?
7. What rules Juliet, her emotions or her reason?
8. How does Juliet begin to change at the end of the act?
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Act II
Scenes I and II
1. ____________________________ is the term for the dramatic device by which the
audience and some of the characters on stage are aware of a situation of which other
characters on stage are ignorant.
Example: __________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________.
2. Romeo alludes to _______________________ when he says, “He jests at scars that never
felt a wound. Explain his remark.
3. When Juliet steps out onto the balcony, what description of her does Romeo give?
4. A _____________________ is where a character talks to himself or reveals his thoughts
in the form of a monologue without addressing a listener; the act of speaking to one self.
5. The scene is interrupted by _____________________. What does she represent?
6. After the lovers’ exchange at “Love faithful vows,” what arrangements do they make for
future meetings?
7. The lovers find it difficult to part. How does Juliet express this?
8. After Juliet leaves a second time, Romeo decides to visit ________________ in order to
__________________________________________.
9. What is the purpose of this announcement?
Scene III
1. Characterize Friar Lawrence as he appears in this scene.
2. What is the friar’s motive in agreeing to marry Romeo and Juliet?
3. What is the theme of the friar’s soliloquy? Relate it to the play.
4. In what respect is this scene a contrast to the preceding one?
5. What warning does the friar give Romeo when Romeo urges haste? Use direct quotation
from the test.
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Scene IV
1. What information does Benvolio give which is foreshadowing?
2. Mercutio describes _______________________ as “Prince of Cats.”
3. The nurse is a go-between in the lovers’ affairs. What are the advantages and
disadvantages of using her as such?
Advantages
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
Disadvantages
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
Scene V
1. Compare this scene to that of Romeo’s interview with Friar Lawrence.
Scene VI
1. At the beginning of this scene, what words of Friar Lawrence foreshadow what is soon to
come to the young lovers?
2. What warning does Friar Lawrence give?
Act Summary
Act II quickly moves the lover toward ________________________________________.
It is the calm before the ____________________________________________________.
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Act III
Scene I
1. In drama, the _________ is that particular moment after a series of rising actions when
the antagonist and protagonist clash in the greatest conflict and which provides a turning
point for the resulting actions of the story.
2. What actions or events comprise the CLIMAX that occurs in Act III?
3. Is the climactic scene a result of fate, choice, or an accident? Explain.
4. When Tybalt and Mercution start quarreling, what does Benvolio suggest they do?
5. Who comes and tries to bring peace between Mercution and Tybalt?
6. Mercutio calls Tybalt “___________________.” Why does Mercutio make this
statement?
7. How is Romeo responsible for the death of Mercutio?
8. Explain the line, “A plague on both your houses.”
9. Give an example of a pun in this scene.
10. What does Romeo say that illustrates how people of that day viewed fate?
11. Who informs the Prince of details of this tragic scene? With whom do his sympathies
seem to lie?
12. The Prince renders justice by ______________ Romeo.
Scene II
1. Where does the falling action begin?
2. When told of the tragedy, Juliet thinks death has come to ______________________.
3. What is her immediate reaction to the truth?
4. What makes her change her reaction?
5. What does Juliet sent to Romeo as a love token and a sign to come to her?
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6. Juliet says if she had Tybalt, Romeo would be ___________________________.
Scene III
1. Where does Romeo go for refuge after the killing?
2. Why is he upset when he learns of the Prince’s judgement?
3. What causes him to suddenly change to a better mood?
4. Why does Friar Laurence rebuke Romeo?
5. Where does Friar Laurence tell Romeo to hide out?
6. What are Friar Laurence’s “good intentions?”
Scene IV
1. On what day does Scene 4 begin? On what day does Lord Capulet decide Juliet is to
marry Count Paris?
Scene V
1. What signals to Romeo and Juliet that it is Tuesday morning?
2. Contrast Romeo’s impetuousness to Juliet’s rationality.
3. What do Juliet and Romeo see as hints of what is to come? (foreshadowing)
4. What “act” does Juliet put on for her mother?
5. What does her mother say that makes Juliet openly defiant?
6. Why is Capulet so upset with Juliet’s disobedience? With what does he threaten her?
7. What views of marriage does Juliet have that increases her anxiety over having to marry
Paris?
8. To whom does Juliet turn as her only hope for help at the end of Act III?
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Act IV
Scene I
1. How does Friar Laurence learn of the impending marriage? How does he react?
2. Why does Juliet decide to visit Friar Laurence? What excuse does she give while Paris is
there?
3. What is Juliet’s attitude toward Paris?
4. What does Juliet threaten to do to keep from having to marry Paris?
5. What is Friar Laurence’s plan to prevent the marriage?
The potion will keep Juliet asleep _______ hours. Friar Laurence promises her that when
she awakens, Romeo will be there to take her to the city of ________________________.
Friar Laurence will send word to Romeo by a __________________________.
Friar Laurence thinks he has _____ days to warn Romeo of this plan.
This plan is upset when ________________________________________________
______________________________________________.
Scene II
1. When Juliet returns home, how does she act deceitfully?
2. How does Capulet react to her “new” attitude?
Scene III
1. Why doesn’t Juliet confide in the Nurse about the plan she and Friar Laurence have
decided upon?
2. What indicates that Juliet is unsure about her course of action? Why is she unsure?
3. How does Shakespeare build sympathy for Juliet during the potion scene?
Scene IV
1. What is ironic about the preparation for the wedding?
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2. What indicates that Capulet does not intend to have a small, quiet celebration as he earlier
stated to Paris?
Scene V
1. How do we know that an important part of Friar Lawrence’s plan has worked?
2. How do the Capulets react to their daughter’s death?
3. How does Friar Lawrence play his role and how does he attempt to comfort the Capulets?
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Act V
Scene I
1. What mood is Romeo in while he is waiting in Mantua for news?
2. What made him feel this way?
3. What does Romeo convince the apothecary to do? How?
Scene II
1. Why was Friar John unable to get Friar Lawrence’s message to Rome?
2. In what city was the message delayed?
3. Friar Lawrence himself goes to Juliet’s tomb because he knows she will awake in
____________ hours.
4. What is he planning to do when he gets there?
Scene III
1. Why has Paris come to Juliet’s tomb? Do you think that Paris really loved Juliet?
2. Romeo tells his servant that he is entering Juliet’s tomb for what two reasons?
3. How does Romeo threaten Balthasar?
4. Paris fights Romeo. Why?
5. What does Paris ask of Romeo?
6. What is Romeo’s first impression when he sees Juliet in the tomb?
7. How does Romeo eternally pledge his love to her?
8. What is Juliet’s first question to Friar Lawrence?
9. According to the Friar, what has made the plans go wrong?
10. Where does the Friar want to take Juliet?
11. Why is Juliet in such a hurry to take her life?
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12. What is the first method of suicide she tries? How does she finally die?
13. Why is everyone surprised to find Juliet dead?
14. Who summarizes the events for the Prince?
15. How does the friar feel now?
16. Which death could he most likely have prevented?
17. What does the Prince tell the two families is really responsible for the tragedy of their
children?
18. How do Capulet and Montague plan to honor their children’s love? Why is this ironic?
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