Romeo and Juliet Act 4 Notes

Scene 1 – Setting: Friar Lawrence’s cell/Church.- When Juliet arrives Paris is with Friar Lawrence talking about his wedding to Juliet on Thursday.- Paris tries to be charming and firt with her – Juliet brushes him off.- P: “How happy I am to see you, my lady and my wife”. – J: “That may be sir – when I become your wife.”- Paris leaves- Juliet begs Friar Lawrence for help and threatens to kill himself.- She blames Friar Lawrence – “God joined my heart and Romeo’s and you joined our heads”.
Friar Lawrence Plan – He created a plan but it’s dangerous.1. Go home and act like she happy to marry Paris.2. Tomorrow night (Wed) she must sleep alone 3. Must then drink the distilled liquor (potion) a. Make her sleep for 2 days b. Make her look dead c. Slow her breathing down d. Make her look pale e. Make pulse slow down f. Make her cold to touch4. Thursday morning everyone will think she’s dead. a. They will bury instead of having a wedding. b. Will place her in the family tomb Thursday.5. Friar Lawrence will send Romeo a letter to explain the plan.6. Romeo will be there when she wakes up and they will run away to Mantua to be together.
Scene 2 – Lord Capulet pushes the wedding up to Wednesday.- Juliet pretends to go along with the wedding plans.
Juliet Afraid Of What Might Happen To Her? – Juliet asks to be left alone so she can pray before the wedding.- Juliet thinks about her fears of the plan.- Afraid that the potion won’t work – her back up plan is to stab herself so she won’t have to marry Paris.- Afraid she might suffocate in the tomb.- Afraid of the small of Tybalt’s corpse. – Afraid Tybalt might come back to life and try to kill her.- Afraid she might go insane before Romeo arrives.- She then drinks the potion and falls back on her bed.
Scene 4 – Suppose to be a comedy scene before the tragedy. This gives the audience a break from the heavy emotions.- Lord Capulet and family teasing each other and getting ready for the party.- It’s 3AM and everyone is rushing and in good spirts.
Scene 5 Part 1 – Setting: In Juliet’s bedroom Wednesday Morning, the day of her marriage to Paris.- The Nurse comes into wake her up.- She tries making jokes to wake Juliet up – teases her about her wedding to Paris.- She pulls back the curtains and find Juliet “dead” on the bed.- Calls for help.- Paris arrives with the musicians to celebrate the wedding.
Scene Part 2 – Lord Capulet refers to “Death” as a person – this is personification.- Says Juliet is married and has slept with Death.- Lord Capulet says Death is his son – in – law.- Friar Lawrence tries to comfort the family.- Because Juliet is pure she is going to have a higher place in heaven.- Her parents wanted her to marry into a higher class, but they should be happy that she is in the highest class, which is heaven.- Lord Capulet decides to turn the wedding celebration into a funeral.