Romeo and Juliet Discussion Act One Act One

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Romeo and Juliet Discussion Act One

Romeo and Juliet Discussion Act One

Act One Scene One Q: Prince Escalus is furious with all of this disruption

Act One Scene One Q: Prince Escalus is furious with all of this disruption from the feuding families. How many times have such fights recently caused havoc in the streets? A: Three.

Act One Scene One Q: Early in the morning, Benvolio spotted Romeo. Where was

Act One Scene One Q: Early in the morning, Benvolio spotted Romeo. Where was Romeo and what was he doing? A: He was walking along the edge of the woods. He was alone and feeling sorry for himself. When he spotted Benvolio, he slipped into the woods because, Benvolio says, it seems he wanted to be alone.

Act One Scene One Q: Romeo’s in love with Rosaline, a girl who has

Act One Scene One Q: Romeo’s in love with Rosaline, a girl who has decided to become a nun. He says he tried many things to woo the girl, but she rejected him. Name two of the three things Romeo says he tried, but that failed to make a good impression with Rosaline. A: Sweet talk (“the siege of loving terms”), lingering eye contact (“th’ encounter of assailing eyes”), and small gifts of gold/jewelry.

Act One Scene One Q: In which town is the play set? In what

Act One Scene One Q: In which town is the play set? In what country do you suppose this town exists? (Yes this is a real place on our planet!) A: The town is Verona. The country is Italy.

Act One Scene One Q: In the prologue, Shakespeare tells us that our two

Act One Scene One Q: In the prologue, Shakespeare tells us that our two title characters are going to kill themselves. (You already knew this, right? ) His 1600’s audience would’ve already known the story from a famous poem. Many Scholars say that knowing the deaths are coming actually improves the play. How could this be? Explain your thoughts. A: Knowing that the young lovers are doomed from the start makes the audience fully aware of the bittersweet quality of their courtship. We feel the ecstasy along with the couple, but also the agony because we know they will die soon. It is a give and take between joy and pain that makes the play so compelling for the audience.

Act One Scene One Q: When Sampson says he will not “Carry coals, ”

Act One Scene One Q: 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? A: He means that he will not endure insults from any Montagues. This is a pun because Gregory then jokes that if they did carry coals/endure insults, then they would be “colliers, ” or people who sell coal for a living.

Act One Scene One Q: Complete this sentence: In Shakespeare’s times, biting your thumb

Act One Scene One Q: Complete this sentence: In Shakespeare’s times, biting your thumb was: a. a gesture of friendship b. an insult c. a way of hitting on someone Answer: B

Act One Scene One Q: Is Benvolio a Montague or a Capulet? A: He

Act One Scene One Q: Is Benvolio a Montague or a Capulet? A: He is a Montague; he’s Romeo’s level-headed cousin.

Act One Scene One Q: Why doesn’t Lady Capulet want her husband to get

Act One Scene One Q: Why doesn’t Lady Capulet want her husband to get involved in the fight? A: He’s too old. She says he needs a crutch, not a sword.

Act One Scene One Q: How many times have the Capulets and Montagues had

Act One Scene One Q: How many times have the Capulets and Montagues had street fights recently? A: Three times.

Act One Scene One Q: How has Romeo been spending his days recently? a.

Act One Scene One Q: How has Romeo been spending his days recently? a. picking fights b. locked in his room being moody c. dreaming of Juliet A: B.

Act One Scene One Q: List three of the oxymorons Romeo used to describe

Act One Scene One Q: List three of the oxymorons Romeo used to describe the conflict between his family and the Capulets. Then, explain how the family feud is oxymoronic in its nature. A: “heavy lightness, ” “ serious vanity, ” and “feather of lead. ” The feud is oxymoronic because both families hate the opposite family because they love their own family so much. Bot families are “alike in dignity, ” yet waste their efforts/lives in hating people who are exactly like them and want the exact same things that they do – to protect and love their families. With so many similarities, they should be friends, not enemies. Romeo sees what the other players in this drama do not see – it’s foolish to blindly hate the other family.

Act One Scene One Q: In your own words, rewrite Romeo’s speech about love

Act One Scene One Q: In your own words, rewrite Romeo’s speech about love in Scene 1, lines 176 -180, line by line. A: Love is troublesome because it creates bad feelings. For instance, let’s say I have a heavy heart because of my own problems, but now my problems feel even worse because I’m worrying you and causing trouble in your heart. I appreciate that you’re showing me love/ concern, but your love and worry cause me more heartache because I feel guilty that I’m worrying you.

Act One Scene One Q: Romeo is heartsick over a girl (it’s not Juliet)

Act One Scene One Q: Romeo is heartsick over a girl (it’s not Juliet) who is not at all interested in Romeo. Name three of the ineffective strategies that Romeo has used in his attempt to woo this girl. A: In lines 203 -205, Romeo says he has tried sweet talk, lingering eye contact, and given gifts of gold. None of these efforts were futile.

Act One Scene one Q: Why doesn’t this girl like Romeo? A: She’s made

Act One Scene one Q: Why doesn’t this girl like Romeo? A: She’s made a vow to become a Catholic nun. In essence, she’ll marry Jesus. Romeo, of course, thinks this is a “huge waste. ”

Act One Scene One Q: What does Benvolio tell Romeo to do in order

Act One Scene One Q: What does Benvolio tell Romeo to do in order to forget the girl who doesn’t want him? A: Go find another hot girl; there’s plenty of beautiful girls in Verona, Benvolio argues.

Act One Scene two

Act One Scene two

Act One Scene two Q: How old is Juliet? A: 13

Act One Scene two Q: How old is Juliet? A: 13

Act One Scene two Q: Why is the Capulet servant the wrong man for

Act One Scene two Q: Why is the Capulet servant the wrong man for the job of delivering the party invitations? A: He cannot read. He is illiterate.

Act One Scene two Q: Benvolio suggests that he and Romeo crash the Capulets’

Act One Scene two Q: Benvolio suggests that he and Romeo crash the Capulets’ party so that Romeo can find some other girl even prettier/better than Rosaline. Romeo is skeptical that such a girl exists. If Benvolio is right, though, and Romeo does find an even more beautiful girl, what does Romeo say he wants to have happen to his eyes? A: He wants his tears to turn into fire and burn out his eyeballs.

Act One Scene two Q: What “suit” does Paris bring to Capulet in Scene

Act One Scene two Q: What “suit” does Paris bring to Capulet in Scene 2? A: He has asked for Juliet’s hand in marriage.

Act One Scene two Q: How old is Juliet? What are her father’s thoughts

Act One Scene two Q: How old is Juliet? What are her father’s thoughts about allowing her to marry? A: Juliet is 13. Her father thinks she’s too young to get married about would like to see her wait two more years. Still, he wouldn’t stand in the way if Juliet wanted to marry Paris.

Act One Scene two Q: Lord Capulet’s willingness to allow Juliet to have a

Act One Scene two Q: 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? A: Capulet says that all of this other children have died, so Juliet, his jewel, gets more indulgence that other girls might.

Act One Scene two Q: Why is the Capulet servant upset about having been

Act One Scene two Q: Why is the Capulet servant upset about having been given a list of party guests to find? A: He’s illiterate and cannot read the list of names. In lines 38 -43, he basically says that he’s the wrong man for this job.

Act One Scene two Q: Why does Benvolio want to crash the party? Why

Act One Scene two Q: Why does Benvolio want to crash the party? Why does Romeo agree? A: Benvolio sees that Rosaline, the nun-to-be, will be at the party and he wants Romeo to do a side-by-side comparison of her beauty next to other dazzling girls at the party. Romeo, who thinks there’s no way another girl could match Rosaline’s beauty, only begrudgingly agrees to go to the party so that he can stare at Rosaline.

Act One Scene two Q: What does Romeo want to happen to his eyes

Act One Scene two Q: 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? A: In lines 88 -91, Romeo says that his tears should turn into fire and then burn out his eyeballs as punishment for lying to him. This line, along with other emotional outbursts from Romeo, show us that he is an emotional guy, prone to exaggerated focus on his feelings. Obviously, this personality trait will color his actions later in the play.

Act One Scene three

Act One Scene three

Act One Scene three Q: Who was Susan? A: The Nurse’s infant daughter. She

Act One Scene three Q: Who was Susan? A: The Nurse’s infant daughter. She was born around the same time as Juliet, but died.

Act One Scene three Q: Paris has decided to court Juliet. What is the

Act One Scene three Q: Paris has decided to court Juliet. What is the Nurse’s opinion of Juliet? A: Very favorable. She says he’s a “man of wax, ” meaning the perfect model of masculinity.

Act One Scene three Q: According to Lady Capulet, if a man is a

Act One Scene three Q: According to Lady Capulet, if a man is a story, what is his wife? A: The cover of the book.

Act One Scene three Q: In your own words, explain the Nurse’s two stories

Act One Scene three Q: In your own words, explain the Nurse’s two stories about Juliet as a toddler. A: In the first story, the nurse says she wanted to stop breastfeeding Juliet when the girl was about 2 years old. The nurse applied wormwood, so that when she went to feed, it tasted bad. On this same day was a memorable earthquake. In the second story, Juliet was first learning to walk. She fell and hit her head. The Nurse’s husband told her that when she was older, she’d have more sense to fall on her back instead of her face, with innuendo.

Act One Scene three Q: Does Lady Capulet want Juliet to love Paris? A.

Act One Scene three Q: Does Lady Capulet want Juliet to love Paris? A. No, she tells Juliet that she shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. B. Yes, she says Paris is a gorgeous book and Juliet will be the cover. C. Yes, he’s very educated with a Bachelor’s degree. Answer: B.

Act One Scene three Q: What is Juliet’s reaction to her mother’s request? What

Act One Scene three Q: What is Juliet’s reaction to her mother’s request? What does this show us about Juliet? A: She says that she’s not really interested in getting married, but she’ll check out Paris and give him a chance, since that’s what her mother wants. This shows us that she’s a reasonable girl and an obedient daughter.

Act One Scene four

Act One Scene four

Act One Scene four Q: According to Romeo’s best friend, Mercutio, who is Queen

Act One Scene four Q: According to Romeo’s best friend, Mercutio, who is Queen Mab and what does she do? A: She is the fairies’ mid-wife, meaning that she helps deliver their babies. She also delivers dreams to all humans. Depending on who you are and what’s in your heart/mind, she’ll deliver a specific dream – sometimes good, sometimes bad – to you.

Act One Scene four Q: Romeo believes that our dreams hold clues about our

Act One Scene four Q: Romeo believes that our dreams hold clues about our future. Which of his friends holds the opposite view, that dreams are just meaningless mumbo-jumbo? A: Mercutio

Act One Scene four Q: At the end of the scene, Romeo tells Benvolio

Act One Scene four Q: At the end of the scene, Romeo tells Benvolio he had a strange dream/vision. Describe the dream. A: Romeo says he has a foreboding sense that something at tonight’s party will start the wheels in motion that will lead to his untimely death. Still, he doesn’t resist. Fate will direct his sail, he says.

Act One Scene four Q: According to Mercutio, who or what is Queen Mab,

Act One Scene four Q: According to Mercutio, who or what is Queen Mab, and what does she do? A: She is the fairies’ mid-wife, meaning that she helps deliver their babies. She also delivers dreams to all humans. Depending on who you are and what’s in your heart/mind, she’ll deliver a specific dream – sometimes god, sometimes bad – to you.

Act One Scene four Q: What does Mercutio says about the value of dreams?

Act One Scene four Q: What does Mercutio says about the value of dreams? A: He believes that dreams hold the secret of your fate/destiny. He would agree with modern dream interpreters that the subjects of our dreams tells us a lot about our lives.

Act One Scene four Q: What does Romeo say about the value of dreams?

Act One Scene four Q: What does Romeo say about the value of dreams? A: He believes that dreams are meaningless, just our brains whirling while we sleep and we shouldn’t give weight to such nonsense.

Act One Scene four Q: At the end of Scene 4, Romeo mentions the

Act One Scene four Q: 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? A: He dreamed that he would die young, all because of something that is set in motion this evening. A normal person might decide not to go to the party, but the dream doesn’t change Romeo’s evening plans to crash the Capulet party because he shares the ancient Greek belief that we are powerless when it comes to changing our fate. If “he, ” or God, wants Romeo to die young, then so be it, Romeo says.

Act One Scene five

Act One Scene five

Act One Scene five Q: Tybalt spots Romeo at the party and wants to

Act One Scene five Q: Tybalt spots Romeo at the party and wants to have him kicked out. Lord Capulet refuses to do so. Name the two reasons why Capulet decides to let Romeo stay. A: First, Romeo has a good reputation in town; Capulet knows that Romeo’s not a troublemaker. Second, such a scene would ruin the spirit of the party. Capulet doesn’t want the drama. Tybalt, of course, isn’t happy about this answer.

Act One Scene five Q: In what way is kissing like praying? A: In

Act One Scene five Q: In what way is kissing like praying? A: In prayer, two hands press together, while in kissing, two lips press together. Romeo’s smooth talk is trying to get a good, proper girl like Juliet permission to make-out a little bit.

Act One Scene five Q: When Romeo first sees Juliet, what terms does he

Act One Scene five Q: When Romeo first sees Juliet, what terms does he use to describe her? A: There’s a few descriptions of a light object amongst dark things. For example, she seems to be a glowing jewel in a dark-skinned ear and a snowy dove amongst black crows.

Act One Scene five Q: How does Tybalt recognize Romeo? A: Since they’re at

Act One Scene five Q: How does Tybalt recognize Romeo? A: Since they’re at a costume ball and wearing masks, it is Romeo’s voice that catches Tybalt’s attention.

Act One Scene five Q: When Tybalt is ready to seize Romeo and throw

Act One Scene five Q: 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? A: Capulet tells Tybalt to leave Romeo alone because folks in town speak highly of the young man; he’s not a troublemaker. Also, Capulet doesn’t want to cause a scene that will ruin the atmosphere of his party. Tybalt is scolded and swallows his anger, but he also says that his bitterness toward Romeo isn’t over. There’s two interesting things happening here. First, we get to see that Capulet easily flips from easygoing to angry. This will become important later when he scolds Juliet in Act 3. He’s a hot-head. Also, Tybalt’s anger and hatred of Romeo will come into play at the beginning of Act 3. Stay tuned…

Act One Scene five Q: How does Romeo find out Juliet’s last name? A:

Act One Scene five Q: How does Romeo find out Juliet’s last name? A: The Nurse tells him.

Act One Scene five Q: How does Juliet find out Romeo’s last name? A:

Act One Scene five Q: How does Juliet find out Romeo’s last name? A: The Nurse tells her. This exchange hints that the Nurse will become the go-between for these two kids in the next act. The Nurse holds a lot of important knowledge in this play.

Act One Scene five Q: In the 1996 film version, the Capulet ball is

Act One Scene five Q: In the 1996 film version, the Capulet ball is a costume party, where Juliet is dressed as an angel, Romeo as a knight in shining armor, and Paris as an astronaut. Explain how these costumes are appropriate for each character, giving special attention to analyzing Paris’ outfit. A: Juliet is described with white/bright imagery when Romeo first sees her. Romeo is the classic knight in shining armor, rescuing her from a loveless marriage. Paris’ astronaut costume speaks to being a hero and fits the part of a desirable bachelor to snag as a husband, but he just doesn’t belong in the same orbit as Juliet. It is as if he can visit her domain, but he is not equipped to live there permanently with her. This is fitting, as Juliet is not interested in building any kind of connection with him once she sees her Romeo.