Romeo and Juliet Act 1 Study Guide

Who is fighting at the beginning of the first scene? The Montagues and Capulets (their servants started it)
Who tries to break up the fighting? Benvolio, Romeo’s cousin
What is the Prince’s attitude toward the feuding? What threat does the Prince make to Lord Montague and Lord Capulet? The prince wants the fighting to stop. The Prince threatens to takes Lord Montague’s and Lord Capulet’s life if the fighting happens again.
Benvolio and Montague describe the way Romeo has been acting. What do they have to say about him? They say he has been depressed, shutting himself off in his room, crying, etc.
Why is Romeo sad? Explain. He is sad because his love has decided to become a nun.
What advice does Benvolio give Romeo? He tells him to go out and look at other women and see how they are prettier than she was
Why does Capulet think it will be easy for him and Montague to keep the peace? because they are old.
What are Capulet and Paris discussing? What does this tell us about Paris’ personality? They are discussing Paris marrying Juliet. Paris wants to have kids, he takes what he wants, perseverant
What problem does the servant have? He can’t read.
What is the name of the woman Romeo loves? Rosaline
How do Romeo and Benvolio learn about the Capulet’s ball? They read the list the servant couldn’t read because he can’t read
What arguments does Benvolio use to convince Romeo to go to the party? He can look upon prettier faces and compare them to his lost love.
Why does Romeo say he will go? He goes only to see his lost love
How old is Juliet? 13
When Lady Capulet asks Juliet how she feels about marriage, how does she respond? It is an honor she does not dream of
What is Juliet supposed to do at the party? get to know Paris
According to Mercutio, who or what is Queen Mab, and what does she or it do? Queen Mab is a fairy that goes around and gives people dreams
What does Mercutio say about dreams? He says they are the children of the idle brain, foolish and meaning nothing
Does Mercutio believe that men rule their own destiny? yeas he believes that people’s decisions decide their future
Which character does some foreshadowing? What is his premonition? Romeo foreshadows by talking about his dream in which someone dies
Where does scene 5 take place? What is the tone of the beginning of the scene? In the Capulet Party. The tone in the beginning of the scene is excited yet anxious
Who is Romeo talking about in lines 46-55? Explain the irony in theses lines. That somebody is going to die because they went to the party. The irony in this is that Romeo and Juliet are going to die in the end.
Why does Tybalt become so upset, and how does Capulet respond to his rage? Tybalt becomes upset because he sees Romeo at the Capulet party, but Lord Capulet tells him to calm down and not make a scene.
What do Romeo and Juliet discover after they kiss? They discover that they are enemies
Samson the servant that starts the fight with thumb biting, represents foolishness, stupidity, and violence.
Tybalt FIGHTER- violent, hates the Montagues, respects Capulet
Queen Mab Mercutio says she is the fairy that brings people dreams
The Servants Samson and Gregory- instigators of the first fight, loyal
Romeo DREAMER- believes everything is up to fate, sensitive, passionate, but doesn’t know what he wants, dramatic
Juliet INDEPENDENT WOMAN- said she doesn’t want to get married but now does? 13 years old
Benvolio PEACEMAKER- opposite of Tybalt, Romeo’s friend and cousin
Mercutio REALIST- player, relative of the Prince, the whole if love is rough to you be rough back and dreams are dhildren idle minds thingy
Nurse CRAZY- innapropriate, mother figure to Juliet, man of wax quote, comic relief character
Lady Capulet relies on the nurse to take care of Juliet, married very young, wants Juliet to marry Paris now.
July 19, 2019