Show:
ACT III
ACT IV
ACT V
terms
concepts
100
Why does Romeo mean when he tells Tybalt that "the reason that I have to love thee / Doth much excuse the appertaining rage / To such a greeting" (III.i.60-62)?
He just married Juliet an hour before and is now related to Tybalt, who has just called him a villain.
100
What is Act IV associated with in terms of the dramatic structure of a Shakespearean tragedy? Explain.
The falling action occurs in Act IV. The deaths in Act III are the turning point (climax), after which the course of planned events must change.
100
Who brings the news of Juliet's "death" to Romeo and how is this person knowledgeable of what's going on?
Balthasar is Romeo's man. He brings the news to Romeo and is knowledgeable because he brought the rope ladder to the Nurse, which means he had to have known of the plans. The Nurse even asks Romeo (much earlier in the play) whether his man is true (meaning can he be trusted?).
100
How is a monologue different from a soliloquy?
Both are long speeches, but a monologue is made in the presence of others, while a soliloquy is made alone on stage.
100
One theme in the play is that not all is as it seems. Name two instances in which this is the case.
Answers will vary because there are lots of possibilities!
200
Whose is the first death of Act III, and who causes it?
Mercutio is killed by Tybalt.
200
"O son, the night before thy wedding day / Has Death lain with thy wife" (IV.v.35-36). Who states this to whom, and why? What is this an example of?
Lord Capulet tells Paris this once Juliet has "died". This statement exemplifies personification of Death.
200
Why does Romeo state, "Then I defy you, stars!" (V.i.24). What does this reflect?
Romeo refuses to accept the course of fate/destiny, and this relates back to the astrological beliefs people held in Shakespeare's day. This also relates back to the Prologue.
200
What is an aside?
An aside is a brief comment made either to the audience, to one's self, or to another character, and is not heard by everyone on stage.
200
Why does the Friar have that super long monologue? V.iii.229-269
While the audience knows what has gone on, the others on stage have to learn of it (the families, Prince, etc.)
300
Juliet states, "Gallop apace, ye fiery-footed steeds, / Towards Phoebus' lodging!" (III.ii.1-2). Why?
She is waiting for Romeo to arrive at night. (This is an allusion.)
300
When Juliet considers the potion and what effects it might have, what is this a conventional example of, and why?
Juliet's speech is a soliloquy. She is alone and considers the pros and cons as she is on the brink of a serious action.
300
Whose deaths occur in this final Act?
Paris is slain by Romeo, who then kills himself. Juliet awakens to find Romeo dead, and kills herself. )And Lady Montague, too.)
300
What are the three types of irony? Which one is most prominent in the play?
The three types of irony are situational, verbal, and dramatic, and the most prominent in the play is dramatic irony.
300
Explain how to cite a line from the play.
You use a capital Roman numeral for the Act, a lowercase Roman numeral for the scene, and then indicate the line numbers. A period separates each piece of information. Act.scene.line#s.
400
How does the second death in Act III occur and what is the consequence?
Tybalt is killed by Romeo, who is then exiled by the Prince.
400
Explain the Friar's plan.
Juliet will take a potion that feigns death. She will be taken to the Capulet's monument, and then when she awakens, Romeo and the Friar will be there. She'll leave with Romeo to Mantua, where they'll stay until time allows a return (see III.iii.150-154).
400
What is significant about Shakespearean tragedies' ending? How does this play out in "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet"?
Although something tragic occurs, characters learn a lesson and there is light at the end of the tunnel. In this case, the two feuding families resolve their conflict and decide to erect two golden statues in remembrance of their children.
400
There are many italicized portions throughout the text of the play. These usually indicate people who come on or off the stage, as well as when an aside is made, etc. What is the term for these instructions?
Stage directions
400
What does each Act represents in terms of a Shakespearean tragedy?
Act I = exposition; Act II = rising action; Act III = climax; Act IV = falling action; Act V = resolution
500
Act III ends with an important event that causes Juliet to seek out the Friar in defiance of the Nurse's opinion. Explain.
She is told she'll marry Paris, which the Nurse thinks is better than attempting a life with Romeo. Juliet wants the Friar's advice.
500
Juliet greets Paris when she arrives to the Friar's cell. Their exchange is loaded with tension. Explain why, and name the literary device that exemplifies this exchange.
Juliet does not love Paris, but speaks in such a guarded way that she seems to state she loves Paris, when in reality, she speaks of Romeo. This is clearly dramatic irony because the audience would recognize her true meaning while it is concealed from Paris.
500
Who states "A glooming peace this morning with it brings. / The sun for sorrow will not show his head" (V.iii.305-306)? Furthermore, what are two literary devices exemplified in this, and what does his description indicate about the setting?
The Prince states these closing words, there is an oxymoron ("glooming peace"), as well as personification of the sun. The fact that the sun "will not show his head" means it is an overcast morning.
500
When we first meet the Friar, what is one thing we learn about him, why does he describe the morning in detail, and what is the term for what he speaks?
We learn he is skilled in using herbs for different purposes, this is a soliloquy, and he describes the morning so that the audience knows it is the next day.
500
How is courtly love conveyed in this play, and how is its portrayal unconventional?
Courtly love referred to wooing of an unattainable woman and is marked by over-the-top declarations of love. In the case of "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet", Romeo and Juliet actually act on that love, which made it somewhat racy to audiences. As John Greene commented, there is a lot of bawdy references in this play, most of which we did not discuss in class. (Hopefully this will interest you in researching more about the play!)