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ROMEO AND JULIETA Daily Reading Guide
ACT 1 SCENE 1 – Opening scene – Use of puns (play on words);
balance tragedy with humor Examples:
Sampson and Gregory are “guy’s guys” – they are trying to impress one another Examples:
How does the confrontation between the men provide more information about the feud? Examples:
ACT 1 SCENE 1 – MON., APRIL 27/TUES., APRIL 28
Literary term – Aside:
Characters we meet (add descriptions to your background guide)
Sampson – Gregory – Abram – Benvolio – Tybalt – Capulet – Lady Capulet – Montague – Lady Montague – Prince
ACT 1 SCENE 1 –
The main idea of the Prince’s speech:
What is going on with Romeo?
Romeo’s use of oxymorons (record definition on study
guide) – examples? Why is he using these?
What are Benvolio’s and Romeo’s opinions on love?
Literary term: Exeunt – what does it mean?
References to MYTHOLOGY! Awesome.
What is revealed about the girl Romeo loves?
What is Benvolio’s advice? What is his plan?
ACT 1 SCENE 2 – WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29
What TWO key events take place in this scene? Character we meet:
Paris – Peter –
This scene begins in medias res, which is a Latin term meaning “in the middle of things.” We are joining a conversation already in progress. What are they talking about?
What is Paris’s request? What is Capulet’s response? Peter’s little speech is an aside. It is a form of irony.
Do you know what kind? What is revealed by it? What is the identity of the girl Romeo loves? Does Romeo agree to go to the feast? Why?
ACT 1 SCENE 3 – WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29 Characters we meet
Nurse – Juliet –
The Nurse is there to often provide comedic relief. What does this mean?
What is the purpose of the Nurse’s long speech? What does it reveal about her character? What is her relationship with Juliet like?
What is the relationship between Juliet and her mother like?
What does Lady Capulet tell Juliet? How does she react to this?
ACT 1 SCENE 4 – THURSDAY, APRIL 30
Characters we meet- Mercutio:
How does Mercutio differ from Benvolio? Consider how each responds to Romeo’s complaining about love.
PERSONAL RESPONSE: Is it important to have different friends for different situations? Can you provide an example of a friend you go to in different situations?
Mercutio (named after Roman god Mercury/ Greek god Hermes)… why do you think Shakespeare did this?
The famous Queen Mab speech--- let’s analyze together! What do the words ‘queen’ and ‘mab’ refer to in Elizabethan
England?
ACT 1 SCENE 4 – THURSDAY, APRIL 30 Mercutio says that dreams are “the children
of an idle brain.” Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?
It has often been suggested that this scene is necessary. What do you think? Why do you think Shakespeare included it?
What literary device is used in Romeo’s final speech in this scene?
If Romeo is an idealist and Benvolio a realist… what is Mercutio?
ACT 1 SCENE 5 – THURSDAY, APRIL 30 What is the purpose of the brief section
with the servants? What are the partygoers wearing? What is the purpose of Capulet’s opening
address to his guests? Characters we meet-
Mercutio: How does Tybalt react to seeing Romeo?
How does Capulet react?
ACT 1 SCENE 5 – MONDAY, MAY 4 Let’s discuss R&J’s first words to each other.
Is it sweet? Cheesy? Ladies, would you fall for lines like this? Guys, what’s the best pick-up line you ever heard? Girls, the worst?
What are all these references to hands, kisses, and sins. Let’s make sense of them.
How does Romeo discover Juliet’s identity? How does Juliet discover Romeo’s identity?
ACT 2 – PROLOGUE AND SCENE 1 – WEDNESDAY, MAY 6
The prologue does 2 things: summarize where Act 1 left off and provide foreshadowing and suspense for the events to come. Find examples of foreshadowing and suspense-building moments.
Find the mythology reference in the beginning of Act 2 scene 1.
How does Mercutio tease Romeo? Find examples.
How does Benvolio respond to Mercutio’s teasing of Romeo?
What do Mercutio and Benvolio still believe at this time?
ACT 2 SCENE 2 – WED. & THURS. 5/6 & 7
Romeo goes to see Juliet. Is she aware he is there? How do you know this?
Is Romeo romantic or creepy? Romeo compares Juliet to the sun and the
moon in what ways? Ah… the famous balcony speech. What is
Juliet saying here?
ACT 2 SCENE 2 – THURSDAY, MAY 7
Swearing love- How does Juliet feel about this?
What other concerns does Juliet voice about their love?
What promises do Romeo and Juliet make to one another?
ACT 2 SCENE 3 – THURSDAY, MAY 7 New character – Friar Lawrence Besides being a man of religion, what other skills
does Friar Lawrence have? What will Friar Lawrence’s role in the play be?
Make a prediction. What is Romeo’s request and his reason for it? How does the Friar react to Romeo’s news? Look
for moments were he seems to be critical or a bit skeptical of the situation. Why do you think this is?
Look for any moments of FORESHADOWING. Write your 1-sentence summary on the
back page of your study guide.
ACT 2 SCENE 4 – TUESDAY, MAY 12
Mercutio, as usual is acting inappropriate. What has Mercutio and Benvolio received?
Predictions? How does Mercutio treat the Nurse? How do
you know this? Find an example line. What do Romeo and the Nurse discuss?
Write your 1-sentence summary on the back page of your study guide.
ACT 2 SCENE 5 – WEDNESDAY, MAY 13
What is the TONE of Juliet’s opening soliloquy? (i.e. how is she feeling?)
How does the Nurse act upon her return? Why do you think Shakespeare did this?
What news does the Nurse bring?
ACT 2 SCENE 6 – WEDNESDAY, MAY 13
Look for moments of foreshadowing… there’s about 8 zillion of them.
What literary device is being used throughout this scene?
ACT 3 SCENE 1 – FRIDAY, MAY 15
Mercutio says some interesting words about Benvolio, a man we’ve previously thought of as a peacemaker. Are these words true? Why do you think Mercutio says this?
Tybalt calls Romeo a villain. What does this mean? Does Romeo fit this description?
Does Romeo want to fight? Why or why not?
How does Romeo stop Tybalt and Mercutio from fighting?
Analyze the line: “A plague o’ both your houses!” Who says this?
ACT 3 SCENE 1 – FRIDAY, MAY 15
What has happened to Mercutio? Analyze the line, “Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man.” BONUS: Can you find the pun in this line?
Analyze the line: “O sweet Juliet, thy beauty hath made me effeminate.”
So far we have seen comments on the following themes: love, beauty, fate. What other themes are being developed here?
I pretty sure that Shakespeare loves foreshadowing more than your favorite nerdy English. Examples from after M’s death?
ACT 3 SCENE 1 – FRIDAY, MAY 15
Following Mercutio’s death, what does Romeo vow?
In the heat of passion, what has just happened? What does Benvolio tell Romeo to do?
Romeo says, “O, I am fortune’s fool!” What theme is being echoed in these words?
To spin a story means to put it in a positive light. Think of a time where you had to “tweak” the details to protect someone else or yourself.
How does Benvolio spin the story of what has just happened? Why does he do this?
ACT 3 SCENE 1 – FRIDAY, MAY 15
How does Lady Capulet react to what has just happened?
Should Romeo be punished or were his acts in self-defense?
What does the Prince decree (that means, what punishment or sentence is dealt)?
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20 – ACT 3 SCENE 2
Summarize Juliet's soliloquy at the beginning of this scene. BTW, what is her mood?
The Nurse says, "He's dead, he's dead."
What does Juliet first think this means?
What do you suppose Juliet means in line 40? (“Can heaven be so envious?”)
How does Juliet react to Tybalt's death. Notice her use of oxymorons. What does this show?
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20 – ACT 3 SCENE 2
What does she do when the Nurse blames Romeo? Why does she react this way?
Where is the Nurse off to at the end of this scene?
At the end of the scene, Juliet says, “Come, nurse. I’ll to my wedding bed; and death, not Romeo, take my maidenhead.” Decipher.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20 – ACT 3 SCENE 3
What would Romeo prefer to banishment? Why?
Cite examples of Romeo's references to death/suicide.
How Friar Laurence reprimand Romeo?
In his long speech, the friar tells R to snap out of it already. What are his main points and what’s his plan?
Where will Romeo go once he leaves Verona?
THURSDAY, MAY 21 – ACT 3 SCENE 4
What day does Capulet pick to marry off Juliet?
What day is today? (This whole play just started yesterday, which was Sunday!)
Why does Cap-man want such a quick marriage for J? And to whom? (Why has his attitude about marriage changed so drastically?)
What’s the purpose of this short scene?
THURSDAY, MAY 21 – ACT 3 SCENE 5
Why does Juliet suddenly become aware of the danger that could befall Romeo if he doesn't leave?
Remember what the Prologue has told the audience about what will happen to Romeo and Juliet. How do you feel when you hear Juliet say line 51? (“O, think’st thou we shall ever meet again?”)
What role does the Nurse play in this scene?
What vision does Juliet have as Romeo leaves?
THURSDAY, MAY 21 – ACT 3 SCENE 5
Why has Lady Capulet come to see Juliet?
What do Juliet's parents think of her behavior? How does Capulet threaten his daughter?
What reasons does the Nurse give when she advises Juliet to marry Paris?
How does Juliet react to the Nurse's advice?
What do Juliet's last two lines mean?
ACT 4 SCENE 1 - TUESDAY, MAY 26
Why is Paris at Friar Laurence's?
How does Juliet treat Paris?
What solution does Juliet propose to her problem? What is Friar's solution to Juliet's problem?
Describe the plan.
How will Romeo find out about the plan?
How is this scene ironic?
ACT 4 SCENE 2 – TUESDAY, MAY 26
How does Juliet behave when she returns from the Friar?
When does Lord Capulet decide to have the wedding?
How does Lord Cap’s plan add a wrinkle in the Friar’s plan?
ACT 4 SCENE 3 – TUESDAY, MAY 26 A soliloquy! We hear Juliet’s thoughts! (Soliloquies are often
used at a moment of decision. The character weighs the pros and cons of some action) What action is J considering and what are her fears?
What are the four outcomes that Juliet imagines just before she drinks the poison?
Juliet wonders about the Friar. What motivates the Friar to try such a dangerous plan?
What vision does Juliet have?
ACT 4 SCENES 4 AND 5 – WEDNESDAY, MAY 27
What is the purpose of the very short scene 4? Who discovers Juliet “dead”? What does Capulet compare Juliet’s death to? In which line is Death personified by Capulet? How did Juliet die, according to Paris? What words of comfort does Friar Laurence give to
the Capulets? Musicians and Peter joke around. Musicians want
to stay for dinner. What is Shakespeare’s message here?
In this scene, is the nurse “in the loop?” Does she know what’s going on? How or why is this different?
ACT 5 SCENE 1 -
What is Romeo’s dream? Who is Balthasar? What news does he bring
to Romeo? What does Romeo mean in line 24? (“Then I
defy you stars!”) What action does Romeo decide to take? What is an Apothecary? How does Romeo convince the Apothecary
to sell him poison? What does Romeo plan to do with this
poison?
ACT 5 SCENE 2
Who is Friar John?
Why didn't Friar John reach Romeo?
Why does Friar Laurence want "an iron crow?" What does he plan to do?
ACT 5 SCENE 3 Why the heck does Paris come to the churchyard?
What instructions does Romeo give to Balthasar in the churchyard?
What does Paris think when he sees Romeo at the tomb?
How does Romeo show some mercy toward Paris?
How does Romeo describe Juliet in the tomb?
Notice lines 153-4. What does the Friar mean here? (“A greater power than we…”)
ACT 5 SCENE 3 -
What does the Friar plan to do with Juliet now that his plan has gone wrong?
Why is Lady Montague not in the final scene? Why do you suppose the Nurse is not in the
scene? Summarize the Friar's explanation of events to
the Prince. The Prince concludes that "all are punished." To
whom exactly is he referring? Explain. How do Montague and Capulet plan to show that
the feud has ended?
