Romeo and Juliet
Discussion Questions
Prologue
1. How does the prologue define the setting?
2. What is the setting?
3. Compare the modern English version to the Elizabethan era English. What differences can you
notice?
ACT 1 Scene 1 ___________________________ Location
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What characters are presented?
What is their position in society?
What is known about their last names?
What comedic reference is made in the opening pages?
What is to “bite your thumb”?
What is the present conflict between the families?
What is the official decree that the prince creates?
What does the Prince function as?
What do you think is wrong with Romeo’s version of love?
Why is this not credible? Why can’t he have Juliet?
Scene II _____________________ Location
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What is Paris doing?
Identify the characters in this scene.
What does Paris want?
What does Benvolio say to cheer him up?
What does the servant not know?
Why is Romeo out that day?
How is the interaction between these men?
Scene III _____________________location
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How does Juliet interact with the nurse?
What are they speaking of?
Why do they talk about Paris?
What does the Nurse recommend to Juliet?
25. What does Juliet tell the nurse?
Scene IV______________________location
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Why must he dance?
What type of party are they going to?
Why is Romeo so sad?
Why are dream mentioned in the text?
What is curious about dreams? Can they interpret the future?
Why is Romeo so hesitant?
Scene V______________________location
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How does Sir Capulet address himself to the party?
How long ago was the last party?
Who is Romeo looking at?
What does Tybalt notice?
How does Capulet calm him?
What is funny about this conversation?
What does Tybalt wish to do?
How quick is their relationship? What do they do when they see each other?
Do you believe in love at first sight?
What does the nurse let him know?
“They test extreme danger for extreme pleasure” – What type of relationship can grow from this
type of attitude?
ACT II
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Scene I _________________________Location
What is Romeo doing?
Who is warned about Romeo?
What do they end up doing?
What do Benvolio and Mercutio think of Romeo?
Identify an example of figurative language in this scene.
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Scene II _________________________location
What is Juliet asking of Romeo in this famous scene?
What is Romeo even willing to do?
Mention exaggerated aspects that they wish to do for each other, based off love.
How does Juliet want their love to be like?
How does she test him?
At this point, what makes you believe this is true love? What makes you believe this is lustful?
Scene III__________________________location.
54. What is the flower compared with?
55. What does Romeo ask the Friar to do?
Scene IV__________________________location
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Who has challenged Romeo? Why?
How is the tone of the conversation that Romeo and Mercutio have?
What did they think about the nurse?
What message does Romeo give the nurse?
Who is also behind Juliet?
Scene V __________________________location
61. What is so important in this scene?
62. How does the nurse deliver the message to Juliet?
ACT III
Scene I ________________________location
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How is Benvolio feeling about that day?
What is Benvolio’s personality like?
What does Tybalt want?
What does he incite?
How does this situation end?
With the loss of Mercutio, what does this define?
Why is Romeo’s love for Juliet toxic? Define love that is toxic.
Tybalt is being searched by who?
How did Tybalt’s death happen?
What is Romeo’s fate now?
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Scene II ____________________________location
“You’re like freshly fallen snow on the wings of a raven” What does this mean?
What is Juliet thinking about?
“Can heaven be so envious?” How does this personify heaven? What is it saying?
What does Juliet ask the nurse to do?
What will Juliet do to herself if Romeo doesn’t show up?
What is vile now about Romeo? Does this make Juliet change her mind?
How is love clearly blind at this point? Is it ridiculous?
What does the nurse decide to do?
Scene III ____________________________location
81. Romeo is married to trouble, why?
82. How is Romeo unappreciative?
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How does he react to his decree?
What crazy idea is Romeo having? Why is he called a madman?
What do the Friar and the nurse have in common?
What crude reality does the Friar have to tell Romeo?
Why does he need to take responsibility for his actions?
Identify sexist language or remarks throughout Romeo and Juliet.
Where does Romeo need to go?
Scene IV__ ____________________________location
90. What exchange are Romeo and Juliet having in this very moment?
91. What cliché love declarations do they tell each other?
92. What will they share in old age? How is this hopelessly romantic?
93. What is Lady Capulet’s plan?
94. How is this conversation?
95. What does old Lady Capulet do to inflict pain?
96. What attributes of her personality are completely negative?
97. What condition is Capulet requiring of Juliet? How is this wrong?
98. Why are her parents so cold with her?
99. What does Juliet decide to do?
100.
Why is she so mad at the nurse?
ACT IV
Scene 1 _____________________location
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What is Paris talking about when faced with the Friar?
How is this interaction?
What does Juliet do?
What is the Friar’s plan?
What would Juliet do to prevent the marriage?
What is the plan? Explain in detail.
Scene II _____________________location
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How does she trick her father?
How does this marriage make Capulet feel?
Scene III _____________________location
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What is Juliet thinking?
How does the vial scare her?
Scene IV _____________________location
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What are the capulets doing?
What is the exeunt?
113.
What other negative personality trait does Lady Capulet have?
Scene V _____________________location
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What are the Capulets doing?
How does Juliet wake up?
What did Capulet say that everyone should do?
Who is most affected by this news?
What do the musicians comically get out of this?
ACT V
Scene I _____________________location
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What was Romeo’s dream?
What news does Balthasar give him?
What does the apothecary hand him?
Why is gold the most poisonous?
Scene II______________________location
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How does Friar Lawrence notice that his plan failed?
How is dramatic irony used throughout the play?
What must the Friar do now?
Scene III_______________________location
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Who arrives first? What is he thinking?
What is Romeo’s current status? How is his passion shown?
As he enters the Tomb, who attacks him?
What does Romeo say as he dies?
What does he wish tod o?
What does Juliet do when she wakes up?
How does Lady Capulet keep reflecting her vile personality despite this death?
Who reveals what had actually happened to the prince?
What happens to people who bear hatred to others?
Why is this a sad way to have peace?