Romeo and Juliet Act 1 Questions Scene I 1 Although Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy, much of the play is quite comic. Outline briefly the comic elements in this scene. To what extent is Romeo’s infatuation with Rosaline comic?
· Initial conversation between Gregory and Sampson: Lewd / crude humour designed to make the audience laugh.
· Puns and plays on words: “Colliers” / “Choler” / “Collar” (Line 5).
· Infatuation with Rosaline: Romeo comes across as self obsessed and pathetic / overdramatic: Shutting the world out and hiding; moping.
· “Bite my thumb”: Rude gesture seen in confrontation between servants à Reminiscent of an “old married couple”, bickering back and forth. 2 Is Romeo in love with Rosaline or is it infatuation? What is the difference? If you had a friend who was in a similar situation to Romeo’s, what advice would you give that person?
· Romeo is not in love with Rosaline: He doesn’t know her all that well, focussing on her appearance.
· Romeo’s feelings are based solely on obsession over Rosaline’s physical beauty, indicating infatuation versus being in love. * Reminiscent of Orsino’s infatuation with Olivia in Twelfth Night.
· Advice for Romeo: o Get to know her better before you judge. o “Get over yourself”. o Look around / open your eyes to other people. Scene II 3 Romeo and Juliet has been called a tragedy of fate because its ending depends so much on chance and coincidence. What evidence in this scene can be used to support this view?
· Coincidence: Capulet’s masque happens to be taking place on the night that Romeo’s friends seek an opportunity to open his eyes.
· Had Romeo and his friends not run into Capulet’s illiterate servant, they never would have known about the party. This happens just as Benvolio is trying to convince Romeo to look around him.
· Lines 100/101: “I’ll go along no such sight to be shown, but to rejoice in splendour of mine own.” (Romeo) à Romeo’s friends were barely able to convince him to go along.
· Prologue: “Star cross’d lovers”.
· Additional Support: o Romeo & Mercutio discuss dreams. o Romeo’s feeling of apprehension about the party. o Romeo wanders into the orchard and happens to find Juliet on her balcony.
Scene III 4 Although Juliet does not speak very many lines in this scene, we learn a great deal about her character. What are your first impressions of Juliet?
· Juliet comes across as level­headed / mature beyond her years; she gives a respectful, honest answer to her mother: “Tis an honour I dream not of”.
· Juliet seems reserved and measured in her responses, versus the nurse’s extravagant rambling.
· Juliet wants to please her family, and be a “dutiful daughter”. Scene IV 5 We can assume that Mercutio, like Romeo, is a teenager. What are your first impressions of Mercutio? How would a friend describe Mercutio? How would a teacher describe him?
· Mercutio comes across as a joker / “Class Clown” type character, trying to make his friends laugh.
· He rambles, loving the sound of his own voice.
· “Queen Mab” Speech: Mercutio gets caught up in his own speaking. Scene V 6 Despite the events in the first scene of the play, it can be argued that the animosity between the feuding families is not as intense as Tybalt would like to believe. What evidence occurs in this scene that supports this view?
· Tybalt is furious about Romeo’s intrusion, but when he goes to his uncle, Capulet is relatively unconcerned, and attempts to talk Tybalt down.
· Extended family / household seem to carry on the feud while Capulet and Montague themselves are less concerned with it.