_______________ - ___
____________________
Romeo and Juliet 1/13
Prologue:
1. What form of poetry is the prologue?_____________________________________
2. What is the definition of a sonnet? __________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the definition of iambic pentameter? __________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
4. What is the purpose of the prologue?______________________________________
5. What atmosphere does the prologue suggest will be most strongly stressed in the play?_________________
How do you know? Cite specific examples.___________________________________________________
6.
Why are Romeo and Juliet the character archetypes for star-crossed lovers? _________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Act I, scene 1:
1. The heads of the two households/families are Lord _______________ and Lord _________________.
2. The play takes place in ______________, __________________ in the _______________century (1300s).
3. Identify the following characters:
a. _________________: Lady Capulet’s nephew
b. _________________: friend and cousin of Romeo
c. _________________: Montague son
d. _________________: Prince of Verona
e. _________________: Capulet servants
f. _________________: Montague servants
g. _________________: loved by Romeo but doesn’t love Romeo
h. _________________: relative of the Prince and friend of Romeo
4. The Prince declares a _____________ sentence against the “enemies of peace” if they quarrel again.
5. Romeo’s mood in scene 1 is _____________________ because __________________________________.
6. Romeo constantly shuts himself up in his room to make an (line 135) “artificial ____________________.”
What motif is being illustrated here? __________________
7. In lines 174-175, Romeo presents several oxymorons to show that love, which should cause joy, often
produces its opposite. List them.____________, _______________, _____________, ______________,
________________.
_______________ - ___
____________________
Romeo and Juliet 2/13
8. In lines 185-187, Romeo compares love to __________, __________, __________, __________,
__________, __________.
9. According to Benvolio, Romeo might alter that mood by ________________________________________.
10. Romeo reacts to Benvolio’s suggestion with disbelief because he believes that _______________________
___________________________________.
Act I, scene 2
1. Paris request ________________’s hand in marriage, but Lord Capulet says that she is
too_______________. He says he will agree if Juliet __________________________________________.
What motif is being illustrated here? _________________________
2. An illiterate ____________________ asks ________________ to read a guest list in which ____________’s
name appears which encourages Romeo to go to the party to prove to _________________ that
_________________________________________.
Act I, scene 3
1. Lady Capulet discusses the prospect of _______________ to _____________ with Juliet; however, their
conversation is interrupted with the ____________’s remembrance of Juliet’s __________________. What
kind of character is the nurse? _____________________________________________________________.
2. The nurse describes Paris as a (line 76) “man of ________” which means he is _______________________.
3. Juliet is not interested in marrying Paris but agrees to ___________________________________.
4. Juliet says she will love Paris no more than her mothers “consent gives strength to make it fly.” What kind
of daughter is she? _____________________________________________________________________
Act I, scene 4
1. Mercutio’s Queen Mab speech reveals him to be what kind of character?__________________________.
What other character does he remind you of? ________________________________In your own words,
summarize this speech:______________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Romeo doesn’t want to attend the Capulet party because he is ___________________________ and has had
an ominous ____________ which foreshadows his _____________________________.
3. Mercutio is used as a foil (character or scene set up to contrast another) to Romeo. Cite specific examples
of how Mercutio is a foil to Romeo.____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
4. What does Queen Mab symbolize in the play? _____________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_______________ - ___
____________________
Romeo and Juliet 3/13
5. What motif is illustrated in Romeo’s last speech? _________________________ What does it symbolize?
____________________________________
Act I, scene 5
1. This scene opens at the _________________ and the general atmosphere is _________________________.
2. _____________ overhears Romeo talking and recognizes his voice; he thinks Romeo has come to
_____________________________ and wants Lord ______________ to throw him out. However, Lord
_________________ says he has heard that Romeo is a _______________ and ________________ youth
and for ______________ to disregard his presence.
3. When Lord Capulet tells Tybalt, “This trick may chance to scathe you,” Shakespeare is foreshadowing that
Tybalt’s habit of ____________ may cause his ____________ one day, which lets the reader know that
Tybalt will probably encounter a ______________ which will cause his ______________.
4. As the scene ends, the atmosphere changes to a feeling of dread because ________________ and
_______________, members of enemy families, have fallen in love.
5. In line 50, Romeo asks, “Did my heart love till now?” How would you answer his question? Explain.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
6. Romeo and Juliet kiss and part. Then each discovers that the other is a member of the ___________ house.
Both are saddened by their bad luck, but neither disclaim their __________ for one another.
_______________ - ___
____________________
Romeo and Juliet 4/13
Act II, chorus:
The chorus neatly sums up the dilemma of the young lovers: Romeo, cured of his longing for
______________, is now in love with someone who is likewise unattainable. Yet the couple's __________
ensures that they will find a way to meet.
Act II, scene 1:
1. Romeo hides from _________________ and _________________ because he wants to be near
________________.
2. ________________ and _________________ do not realize that Romeo has found a new love because they
are still teasing him about ___________________.
3. "Blind is his love and best befits the dark," or the popular saying "Love is blind," implies that when people
fall in love they are unable to see any ____________________ in the person they love. What motif does
Mercutio illustrate with his lines? _________________________
Act II, scene 2:
1. "He jests at scars that never felt a wound" implies that Mercutio has never felt the pain of ____________
and the wound Romeo refers to is of ______________'s arrow.
2. Two metaphors Romeo uses to describe Juliet are "________________________________" and
"______________________________________".
3. In lines 38-47, Juliet ponders the importance of a name. Does it really matter what name we call
something? What is Juliet referring to in this passage?__________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
4. How are the following lines an example of dramatic irony? "My life were better ended by their hate, than
death prorogued, wanting of thy love." (lines 77-78)_____________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
How do those same lines foreshadow what will happen later?_____________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
5. Romeo and Juliet plan to meet at _____________.
6. On page 664, line 183, Juliet says, "Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing." Juliet is referring to
Romeo as a little bird. How is this an example of foreshadowing?__________________________________
7. In line 184, Juliet uses the oxymoron "________________________" to express her pleasure in extending
her goodbye.
_______________ - ___
____________________
Romeo and Juliet 5/13
8. Romeo's attitude towards life has changed since Act I. He is no longer ______________; he is now
_________________________________.
9. Romeo departs Juliet's orchard and goes to see _______________________________.
Act II, scene 3:
1. A soliloquy is a long _________________ made by an _______________ alone on the stage.
2. Friar Laurence's soliloquy reveals his character. We learn that he is skilled in ________________. He also
compares the _____________ to _______________ and how both can be ___________________ as well as
___________________.
3. From Romeo and Friar Laurence's discussion of Romeo's love life, how do the two men differ?_
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
4. Romeo asks Friar Laurence to _____________ him and ______________. Friar Laurence is hesitant
because he thinks Romeo must not know what ______________ really is.
5. What motif does Friar Laurence illustrate when he says, “Young men’s love the lies not truly in their hearts,
but in their eyes”? __________________ What do the adults seem to believe about the young people?
____________________________________________________________________________________
6. When Friar Laurence says, "Women may fall when there's no strength in men," means that he believes that
_____________ should set an example for ____________________.
7. Friar Laurence agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet because he wants them to be _________________, but he
also has another motive. He wants to help stop the ______________ between the two ________________.
This motive shows that the Friar truly ______________ about the well-being of the two families. Dramatic
irony occurs with this motive because the audience knows that the families' feud doesn't end with their
children's ______________, but with their __________________.
Act II, scene 4:
1. Mercutio is looking for Romeo because _______________ has challenged him to a _____________ and
Mercutio feels that Romeo is in no shape to ______________; he thinks Romeo is still too
________________ over ______________. Mercutio refers to Tybalt as the "Prince of Cats" which means
he is a great ______________.
2. Paraphrase Romeo's description of Mercutio in lines 134-136____________________________________
3. How are the nurse and Mercutio alike?_______________________________________________________
How are they different?___________________________________________________________________
_______________ - ___
____________________
Romeo and Juliet 6/13
4. Romeo and the nurse devise a plan for carrying out the wedding. The nurse is to wait behind the _________
wall for someone to bring her a ___________________ which will be used for _______________________
_____________________________________. She is to also go home and tell Juliet to find a way to go to
__________________ today, which will really be her __________________________.
5. The __________________ and the __________________ have become Romeo and Juliet's accomplices in
their marriage arrangements.
Act II, scene 5:
1. Juliet desperately tries to wring the wedding news from the nurse who continues to delay because she is
_________ and out of __________.
Act II, scene 6:
1. As this scene opens, Friar Laurence prays that he is doing the _________ thing.
2. Lines 3-8 are an example of foreshadowing. Explain.___________________________________________
3. Explain how lines 9-15 are an example of foreshadowing.________________________________________
4. In general, what is the attitude of Friar Laurence toward the lovers’ insistence that he marry them without
delay?_________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________ - ___
____________________
Romeo and Juliet 7/13
Act III, scene 1:
1. The ____________ weather is making people irritable and testy.
2. ________________ renews the quarreling and feuding between the ________________ and
______________ with his challenge of _____________ to a ____________.
3. Mercutio appears to want to fight because he dares ______________ to throw a punch.
4. ______________ attempts to serve as a peacemaker. ______________ refuses _____________'s first
challenge because he is now ___________ to him through _____________. This is an example of
____________ irony because we know about Romeo and Juliet's ________________ and the other
characters do not.
5. Irony occurs in this scene when Mercutio says he has a _________________ but is really
________________ wounded.
6. Mercutio repeatedly ________________ the houses of ___________________ and ___________________,
when he says (line 104), "____________________________________."
7. What does Romeo mean in line 112 when he says that Juliet's "beauty hath made me effeminate”? ________
______________________________________________________________________________________
8. This is the turning point of the play. Romeo's words in line 127 leave little doubt that he will _________
with _____________, which will set in motion a whole chain of events, turning the play toward its tragic
ending.
9. Romeo assumes personal responsibility for avenging Mercutio's death because he ____________ defending
___________’s honor.
10. Romeo and Tybalt duel and ________________ is killed. The Prince arrives and chooses ______________
to explain what has happened. In most details his explanation is accurate, but he does not explain that it was
_________________ who first baited _________________ and that Romeo fled only at _________ urging.
Lady _______________ distrusts ________________ because he is a ___________________ and Romeo's
good friend.
11. The Prince ________________ Romeo; if he does not leave ______________, he will be ______________.
The Prince refuses mercy because the feud has now killed one of his own _______________, Mercutio. Do
you feel the punishment is fair or unfair? Why?____________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________ - ___
____________________
Romeo and Juliet 8/13
Act III, scene 2:
1. Juliet's opening speech is an example of a __________________.
2. What is Juliet alluding to in her speech? __________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. What does Juliet want to come quickly? ___________________________________________ What motif
is this illustrating? ________________
4. Juliet's joy suddenly turns to despair because she sees the nurse approaching, wringing her _____________
and saying "___________________________".
5. Because of the nurse's rambling, Juliet believes _________________ is dead.
6. In lines 75-79 Juliet uses several oxymorons, such as ___________________, _______________________,
_____________________, _____________________, ____________________, _____________________,
to express her momentary feeling that Romeo has _________________ her.
7. The rope ladder is used as an ironic symbol that the plot has turned from romance to tragedy because
Romeo was to use it to ______________________________________________________ and now Juliet
considers using it to ______________________________.
8. At the close of the scene, Juliet has decided to remain true to her husband and sends him a _____________
as a token of her _____________.
Act III, scene 3:
1. In lines 2-3 Friar Laurence uses personification with the words ________________ and _______________,
saying that they love Romeo and have married him. This signals the turning of the
plot from ___________________ to ____________________.
2. Both Romeo and Juliet respond to the news of banishment as a sentence worse than __________________.
3. Friar Laurence has a plan to safeguard Romeo until he can make ______________ the news of their
_______________. His plan is for Romeo to go to _______________ and comfort her, but he must leave
before the ________________. He is to then go to _________________ and wait there until Friar Laurence
sends him word through _________________ that it is safe for him to return.
Act III, scene 4:
1. Lady Capulet thinks that Juliet has shut herself in her room because she is overcome with _____________
over ______________; she thinks Juliet is exhausted from _______________.
2. Lord Capulet's decision to have Juliet marry _______________ on _______________ because of the death
of ________________ sets off the falling action of the play. The decision sets the characters more firmly
on a tragic course. There will not be time for ______________________ to carry out his plans.
_______________ - ___
____________________
Romeo and Juliet 9/13
Act III, scene 5:
1. The references to light and darkness are used here ironically to suggest the tragedy to come. The image of
the __________ rising, usually a sign of ____________, is contrasted with the reality that the
_____________ will separate the lovers. At this moment the lovers have little ______________, and the
dark despair dominates their future.
2. Explain how lines 54-57 are irony as well as foreshadowing:___________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
3. What does Juliet personify in lines 60-64?_________________________________
4. Explain why Juliet is agreeing with her mother and adding insults about Romeo:____________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
5. At the news of marrying Paris, Juliet is defiant and directly refuses to marry Paris; in fact, she swears that
she will marry __________________, whom she _______________, first.
6. Lord Capulet responds to Juliet's disobedience with anger; he harshly insults her and even wants to
_______________ her. He swears to _________________ her if she refuses.
7. This scene also contributes to the falling action of the play. Juliet feels completely abandoned at this point.
She pleads with her mother not to ______________ her and to delay the __________________ or she will
______________________________. Her mother betrays her here and says _______________________
________________________________________.
8. Worst of all the _______________ even betrays Juliet when she ridicules ______________ in comparison
with ________________ and tells Juliet that she thinks she should end her marriage to _______________
and marry _______________. Juliet now trusts no one and leads the nurse to believe her behavior was
disobedient and that she will marry _____________. She asks the nurse to tell her parents she has gone to
__________________ to ask __________________.
9. Juliet is really going to see the Friar for ____________; if he cannot help her, then she will have to resort to
_______________.
10. The betrayal of Juliet's family, especially the ______________ adds to the tragedy that follows because
Juliet no longer has support within her own home.
11. How has Romeo changed?_________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
How has Juliet changed? __________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
What kind of characters are they – static or dynamic? __________________________________________
_______________ - ___
____________________
Romeo and Juliet 10/13
Act IV, scene 1:
1. As act IV opens, _____________ is visiting Friar Laurence to make ______________ arrangements. While
he and Friar Laurence are talking, ______________ arrives and is very short and abrupt with
_____________. Line 29, "Poor soul, thy face is much abused with tears," reveals that he is greatly
concerned with ______________.
2. Lines 44-54 are part of the falling action of the play. Juliet's sense of desperation about the planned
________________ is causing her to consider any plan, no matter how risky, to avoid _______________ to
Paris. She is even holding a ________________ in her hand and is willing to end her own
_______________ if necessary.
3. Friar Laurence is only able to calm Juliet with the notion of a _________________ to their problem, but is
worried whether or not she is _______________ enough to carry it through. Juliet claims to be brave
enough to __________________ to avoid marrying _____________ and she vows that can do the plan.
4. Friar Laurence's plan is for Juliet to go to ____________ alone and drink the ______________ which will
make her appear ________________ for _________ hours. Friar Laurence and _____________ will be
waiting in the Capulet ________________ when she wakes up and the two lovers will run away to
______________ together.
5. Juliet take the _______________ and uses personification when she asks ______________ to give her
strength.
6. In line 123, Friar Laurence makes a fatal mistake in his plan. What is that mistake?____________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Act IV, scene 2:
1. As this scene opens, the Capulet family is preparing for the ___________________ feast.
2. How does this comic and domestic scene contrast with the previous one? ____________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. This scene is an example of dramatic irony because we (the audience) know that the __________________
food, flowers, music, etc. will all be used for the ___________________ service. Also because the very
clothes the nurse is picking out for Juliet to be ___________________ in will be her __________________
clothes.
4. A major change in the wedding plans has been made. Lord Capulet has moved the wedding up to
___________________.
5. How is Lord Capulet's joyful attitude towards Friar Laurence's "good" he has done for Juliet an example of
irony?_________________________________________________________________________________
_______________ - ___
____________________
Romeo and Juliet 11/13
Act IV, scene 3:
1. Juliet dismisses both her ___________________ and the __________________ from her chamber so that
she can ___________________________________________________.
2. As Juliet holds the vial in her hands, she faces many fears. She is afraid the potion will not _____________,
in which case she plans to ___________________________________________; she fears the friar may
__________________ her in order to retain his _____________________; she also fears waking in the
burial vault too soon and the foul ____________ suffocating her; worst of all she fears going ____________
amid the horrors she will encounter there.
3. The Elizabethans were very superstitious and believed that ghosts often returned to earth on specific
missions. Why might Juliet fear a visit from Tybalt's ghost?______________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Act IV, scene 4:
1. What day is it when scene 4 opens?________________________. What is taking place?_______________
______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why do we feel suspense at the close of scene 4?_______________________________________________
Act IV, scene 5:
1. In what line does the nurse realize Juliet is dead?_________
2. How is this scene an example of dramatic irony?________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. In lines 39-40, Lord Capulet personifies death as a suitor, who has seized Juliet away from
________________, becoming her __________________ and Capulet's _____________________.
4. Friar Laurence offers consolation that Juliet is now in ________________. He rebukes the adults for
_________________ and lack of ___________________.
5. What does Friar Laurence insinuate caused Juliet’s death in lines 94-95? _____________________
6. Shakespeare probably uses the scene with the musicians as ________________________.
_______________ - ___
____________________
Romeo and Juliet 12/13
Act V, scene 1:
1. Act V opens on _____________________ with Romeo in ___________________.
2. Lines 1-9 are an example of irony and foreshadowing. Explain.___________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Romeo asks _______________________ if he has brought him news from ____________________but
____________________ has brought news to Romeo that _______________ is dead. What is significant
about Romeo requesting this news?_________________________________________________________
How is Balthasar's news an example of dramatic irony?_________________________________________
4. What motif does Romeo illustrate in line 24? __________________ Why does he blame the stars for Juiet’s
death? ________________________________________________________________________
5. Line 34 tells us that Romeo has decided to _______________________ by seeking out a poor
_____________________ to purchase ___________________.
6. Romeo's poison will "dispatch you straight" which means _______________________________________.
Act V, scene 2:
1. Friar Laurence's plan has gone amuck because Friar _________________ was unable to deliver Friar
Laurence's _________________ to __________________.
2. Friar Laurence is forced to adjust his plan and now goes to the ______________________ alone because
Juliet will be waking in _________ hours. He plans to keep Juliet hidden at his _____________ until he can
send word to ________________. How is this new plan an example of dramatic irony?________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Act V, scene 3:
1. This scene opens early ________________ morning with ____________ at the Capulet monument to place
_________________ for Juliet.
2. _________________ arrives at the monument and gives Balthasar the following orders:
_________________________________________________________________
3. __________________ does not follow Romeo's instructions and instead ____________________________.
4. Interpret the extended metaphor in lines 45-48._________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
5. Paris and Romeo have a bitter confrontation because Paris believes Juliet died from ___________________
which makes Romeo responsible for her ______________. Romeo pleads with Paris to ________________
but Paris feels inclined to ________________ Juliet's death. The two men fight and ____________ is killed.
_______________ - ___
____________________
Romeo and Juliet 13/13
His dying request is to be ______________________________________ and Romeo honors his request
because__________________________________________________.
6. How is death personified in lines 102-105?____________________________________________________
7. The climax of the scene begins with _________________'s suicide-- the tragic deaths of the
"_______________________________" (you will find the answer in the prologue to the play).
8. Romeo drinks to his _______________ and dies with a _______________.
9. Approaching the vault, Friar Laurence encounters ____________________ who informs him that
_______________ has been here a full _________________. Friar Laurence says, "Fear comes upon me."
What does he suspect?___________________________________________________________________
10. Friar Laurence finds both _________________ and _________________ dead within the tomb.
11. What is Juliet's first question when she awakes?______________________________________
12. Friar Laurence hears a noise and begs Juliet to leave with him and be disposed of to a _________________
13. Do you think it was right of Friar Laurence to leave her there? What does this show about his character?
______________________________________________________________________________________
14. Juliet finds Romeo and first tries to kill herself by _______________________________________ in which
she realizes that he ___________________________________________________. Upon hearing noises
outside she _________________________________________________. This act by Juliet concludes the
full __________________ of the play.
15. What figure of speech is used when Juliet says, "This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die"?___________
The resolution of the play begins. The chief watchman has found ___________________
_________________ dead. How do they know Juliet is newly dead? _________________
___________________________________
16. Who has died of grief?_________________ Why?____________________________________
17. ____________________ and ______________________ are arrested. Shakespeare uses them, along with
the ______________ to reveal the plot and untangle the threads, which concludes the resolution of the play.
The ____________ clears Friar Laurence of wrongdoing.
18. Prince Escalus feels that everyone, including _______________ are responsible for the deaths of Romeo
and Juliet. The prince says, "All are punished." Explain:_________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
19. The families’ feuding is finally ended with the erecting of gold ___________________ in honor of their
____________________.