Romeo and Juliet. 2. Benvolio (a Montague) and Tybalt (a Capulet) get involved in the fight. Which one to you seems most aggressive? Why?

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1 Act 1 Reading Questions Act 1, Scene 1 1. Two Capulets, Samson and Gregory, start a fight with two Montagues, Abraham and Balthazar. Who do you think is most to blame for provoking the fight? 2. Benvolio (a Montague) and Tybalt (a Capulet) get involved in the fight. Which one to you seems most aggressive? Why? 3. How does Prince Escalus restore peace? 4. Montague asks Benvolio to find out why his son, Romeo is depressed. What does Romeo tell Benvolio? Act 1, Scene 2 5. How does Capulet respond when Paris asks if can marry his daughter, Juliet? Act 1, Scene 3 6. Lady Capulet and the nurse both speak to Juliet. Who seems to you closer to Juliet? 7. How does Juliet respond to her mother s request that she consider marrying Paris? Act 1, Scene 4 8. As Romeo and his friends go to sneak into Capulet s masquerade ball, what do they joke about? 9. Write an adjective that describes Romeo. Why do you think that? Act 1, Scene Romeo sees Juliet for the first time at Capulet s ball. To what things does he compare her? 11. What is Capulet s reaction when Tybalt tells him that Romeo (a Montague) is there? 12. Choose a line spoken by either Romeo or Juliet that shows how he or she feels.

2 Act 2 Reading Questions Act 2, Scene 1 1. Why do you think Romeo hides from his friends in this scene? Act 2, Scene 2 2. Romeo eavesdrops from below while Juliet speaks on her balcony. How do you think Juliet feels when she realizes that Romeo is there? Why? 3. This scene is regarded by many as being one of the greatest expressions of love in the English language. Choose three lines that struck you. 4. What is Juliet worried about during their conversation? 5. What agreement do they make? Act 2, Scene 3 6. Friar Lawrence realizes that Romeo has been up all night. Who does he think he was with? 7. Why does Friar Lawrence agree to marry Romeo and Juliet? 8. Explain the irony of the Friar s statement: Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast. Act 2, Scene 4 9. Don t you think that the stuff Mercutio, Benvolio and Romeo talk about is weird? 10. How does the nurse respond to Mercutio s joking? Act 2, Scene Why do you think the nurse delays telling Juliet the message from Romeo?

3 Act 3 Reading Questions Act 3, Scene 1 1. Why does Tybalt challenge Romeo? 2. Why does Romeo refuse to fight? 3. Why do you think Mercutio steps in? 4. What causes Romeo to attack and kill Tybalt? 5. What is Romeo s punishment? Act 3, Scene 2 6. How does Juliet respond to the nurse s news? Act 3, Scene 3 7. What plans do Romeo, Friar Lawrence and the nurse make? Act 3, Scene 4 8. Paris again asks Capulet for Juliet s hand in marriage. What is Capulet s answer this time? Act 3, Scene 5 9. Romeo leaves Juliet after their first married night together, and then Capulet tells her that she must marry Paris. What does Juliet do? What would you do in this situation? 10. What is your opinion of the nurse s advice to Juliet?

4 Act 4 Reading Questions Act 4, Scene 1 1. At Friar Lawrence s cell, Juliet speaks with Paris about their marriage on Thursday. How do you think Juliet acts towards Paris? What do you think is going on in her head? 2. Friar Lawrence crafts a plan where Juliet will fake her own death by drinking a potion. Romeo, then, will come to get her from the family vault (crypt), and take her to Mantua, until they re allowed to return. Can you think of any potential problems with the plan? Act 4, Scene 2 3. After Juliet agrees to obey her father, they change the wedding date. When do they change it to? Act 4, Scene 3 4. Juliet has a soliloquy in which she talks about her fears before taking the Friar s potion. What are some things that she fears? Act 4, Scene 5 5. Which member of Juliet s family do you think is most upset by her death? Quote a line that makes you think so. 6. What do you think Friar Lawrence is thinking about during this conversation?

5 Act 5 Reading Questions Act 5, Scene 1 1. In Mantua, Romeo receives news from Balthasar that Juliet is dead. Find a line or two that express Romeo s reaction. 2. Why do you think that Romeo was not informed of Friar Lawrence s plan? Act 5, Scene 2 3. What is the reason that Friar John gives to Friar Lawrence for not delivering the letter? Act 5, Scene 3 4. At the Capulet vault, what causes the fight between Paris and Romeo? 5. When Romeo looks at Juliet, what does he say that gives a clue that she might still be alive? 6. When Juliet wakes, Friar Lawrence offers to take her to a nunnery. She refuses, and the friar runs away, fearing the watch. What should the Friar have done? 7. Back in act 1, scene 5, during Romeo and Juliet s first conversation, this was said: ROMEO Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged. JULIET Then have my lips the sin that they have took. ROMEO Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again. JULIET You kiss by the book. This is an example of foreshadowing. What in this scene does it remind you of? 8. After Friar Lawrence explains all, to the Prince, and the families, what decision is made?