Romeo and Juliet Act 1

In which town is the play set? In what country do you suppose this town exists? Verona; Italy
When Sampson says he will not “carry coals”, what does he mean? What literary technique is being used in this silly exchange between Sampson and Gregory? He will not take insults; a pun
Complete this sentence: In Shakespearean times, biting your thumb was… an insult
Is Benvolio a Montague or a Capulet? Montague
Why doesn’t Lady Capulet want her husband to get involved in the fight? She thinks he is too old
How many times have the Capulets and Montagues had street fights recently? 3
How has Romeo been spending his days recently? locked in his room being moody
List three of the oxymorons Romeo uses to describe the conflict between his family and the Capulets. Then, explain how the family feud is oxymoronic in its nature. heavy lightness, sick health, feather of lead; both families hate each other, but they are alike
Romeo is heartsick over a girl (it’s not Juliet) who is not at all interested in Romeo. Name three of the ineffective romantic strategies Romeo has used in his attempt to woo this girl. sweet talk, lingering eye contact, gifts of gold
Why doesn’t this girl like Romeo? She wants to become a nun
What does Benvolio tell Romeo to do in order to forget the girl who doesn’t want him? Look at all the other beautiful women in Verona
What “suit” does Paris bring to Capulet in Scene 2? marriage
How old is Juliet? What are her father’s thoughts about allowing her to marry? 13 years old; her father thinks that she is too young
Lord Capulet’s willingness to allow Juliet to have a say in whom she marries is pretty progressive, since most marriages for this social class at the time would’ve been arranged by parents. Why, do you suppose, Capulet is willing to take Juliet’s feelings into consideration? Since Juliet is an only child, she is spoiled rotten
Why is the Capulet servant upset about having been given a list of party guests to find? The servant is unable to read
Why does Benvolio want to crash the party? Why does Romeo agree? He wants Romeo to compare Rosaline to the other pretty girls; Romeo agrees so he can be near Rosaline
What does Romeo want to happen to his eyes if they find someone other than Rosaline desirable at the party? What does this show us about Romeo? burn; It shows us that Romeo is very dark and passionate
In your own words, explain the Nurse’s two stories about Juliet as a toddler. there was an earthquake and Juliet fell on her face
Does Lady Capulet want Juliet to love Paris? Yes, she says Paris is a gorgeous book and Juliet will be the cover
What is Juliet’s reaction to her mother’s request? What does this show us about Juliet? She says she will think about marrying Paris; she is obedient
According to Mercutio, who or what is Queen Mab, and what does she do? Queen Mab is a Fairy who delivers babies and dreams
What does Romeo say about the value of dreams? Romeo thinks that dreams hold the secret of fate
What does Mercutio say about the value of dreams? Mercutio believes that they are meaningless
At the end of Scene 4, Romeo mentions the subject of his latest vivid dream. What did Romeo dream? Why isn’t he changing his course of action? What does this show us about Romeo? Romeo dreamed that he was going to die young because of the party; he believes we are powerless when it comes to fate
When Romeo first sees Juliet, what terms does he use to describe her? a glowing jewel in a dark-skinned ear, a snowy dove among black crows
How does Tybalt recognize Romeo? his voice
When Tybalt is ready to seize Romeo and throw him out of the party, what does Capulet say to Tybalt? Why? What is Tybalt’s reaction to this? Capulet tells Tybalt to leave Romeo alone because he doesn’t want to cause a scene; Tybalt is a hothead and is angry
How does Romeo find out Juliet’s last name? How does Juliet find out Romeo’s last name? The nurse tells each of them