Act scene Summaries

Question 1

The Prologue

Answer 1

The prologue summaries the whole play as a sonnet in 14 lines
They tell you 2 key points:
There’s a feud between two families
The two lovers from each family will both die and their deaths will bring an end to the quarrel

Question 2

Act 1 Scene 1

Answer 2

Sword fight between Montague’s and Capulets
Prince Esculas says the next person to cause trouble will be executed

Romeo is upset because of his unrequited love for Rosaline

Question 3

Act 1 Scene 2

Answer 3

Paris visits Lord Capulet to ask for Juliet’s hand in marriage
Lord capulet thinks Juliet is too young
However he later tells Paris to woo her at the capulet party
Romeo and Benvolio find out about Capulet party and suggest they go to the ball
Romeo agrees to go but he isn’t thrilled as he believes he won’t meet anyone prettier than Rosaline

Question 4

Act 1 Scene 3

Answer 4

Lady Capulet is searching for her daughter who is getting ready for the ball
Her and the nurse try to convince Juliet to marry Paris
The Nurse tells her that she was the prettiest baby and that she is keen for Juliet to marry Paris as she believes it will make her happy

Question 5

Act 1 Scene 4

Answer 5

Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio go to the Capulet Party But Romeo is so depressed about Rosaline he has second thoughts
Romeo has a supposed dream that makes him anxious about the party but Mercutio tells him that it’s ridiculous and talks about Queen Mab (who brings dreams to sleepers) suggesting our dreams are meaningless

Question 6

Act 1 Scene 5

Answer 6

Romeo meets Juliet for the first time but a Tybalt spots Romeo also and wants to fight him
Lord Capulet tells Tybalt not to fight him
Romeo talks to Juliet (a traditional love poem sonnet)
It shows how well Romeo and Juliet understand each other
The scene ends in suspense as they find out their families hate each other making it seem impossible for them to be together

Question 7

Act 2 Scene 2

Answer 7

Romeo climbs over the orchard wall into the Capulet garden to find Juliet
It’s the only scene where they’re both alone for a long time
Juliet says on her own on the balcony how openly and lovingly she feels about Romeo
Romeo overhears and it’s embarrasses her
She tries to hide Romeo from the nurse which shows it’s very difficult for them to be alone
Juliet suggests they get married and Romeo promises to organise it for the next day which shows they are both impulsive and romantic

Question 8

Act 2 Scene 3

Answer 8

Romeo meets up with Friar Lawrence and explains he’s forgotten Rosaline and now wants to marry Juliet
Friar is amazed but he reluctantly agrees to marry them
He agrees to help be assured he believes it will end the feud between both households

Question 9

Act 2 Scene 4

Answer 9

Mercutio and Benvolio are still looking for Romeo who hasn’t yet returned home from the Capulet Party
Tybalt has a sent a challenge to Romeo
Romeo tells the nurse to pass a message to Juliet telling her the wedding has been arranged
This is the first time Romeos friends have seen him happy since the beginning of the play

Question 10

Act 2 Scene 5

Answer 10

Juliet waits for the nurse impatiently showing she can’t wait to be with Romeo
The nurse isn’t efficient when telling Juliet the news which makes her frantic however it’s shows they have a lighthearted teasing relationship
The nurse tells Juliet to visit Friar Lawrence at the church

Question 11

Act 2 Scene 6

Answer 11

Romeo and Juliet get married
Friar is worried that they are in too much of a rush and thinks their love won’t last if they keep rushing
He is also concerned Romeo is too emotional

Question 12

Act 3 Scene 1

Answer 12

Tybalt comes out looking for Romeo to fight him but Mercutio starts teasing him
Romeo appears and try’s to stop the fight between Tybalt and Mercutio showing he is desperate to stop all this conflict
Romeo is caught in the middle as he wants to protect Tybalt as well as Mercutio as Tybalt cousin is now his wife
Mercutio dies he is so angry he says he wants both families to suffer as he has
Romeo want revenge and refuses to calm down and kills Tybalt
The prince banishes Romeo from the Verona

Question 13

Act 3 Scene 2

Answer 13

Juliet hasn’t yet found out about the news
The nurse tells her very dramatically and her emotions become all over the place
She is suicidal when she thinks Romeo is dead but then realised that her cousin is the one who’s dead
This confuses Juliet with her emotions as she thinks Romeo is evil but she still loves him at the same time
Juliet is torn between love and grief
Juliet then comes to realise that Tybalt would’ve killed Romeo if he and the chance so she eventually decides to stand by her husband

Question 14

Act 3 Scene 3

Answer 14

Romeo hates his banishment more than death (ironic) and struggles to cope
He is completely overwhelmed
Romeo becomes suicidal at the thought of living without Juliet
Friar convinces Romeo to not kill himself and tells him to grow up
It shows Romeo is still young and friar is a father figure to him
When Romeo leaves he’s happy about going to see Juliet showing he has wild mood swings

Question 15

Act 3 Scene 4

Answer 15

Lord Capulet tells Paris that Juliet will marry him on Thursday
Capulet expects her to react obediently
The audience know the can’t happen as she’s madly in love with her new husband Romeo

Question 16

Act 3 Scene 5

Answer 16

Romeo leaves for Mantua to be banished
Juliet desperately wants him to stay
Lady Capulet tells Juliet about her marriage with Paris
This displeases Juliet and she refuses to which makes Lord Capulet extremely angry at her
He rants at her uncontrollably
Even the nurse thinks she should marry Paris which makes Juliet feel betrayed
Friar is Juliet’s last hope and everyone begins to leave her isolated

Question 17

Act 4 Scene 1

Answer 17

Juliet meets friar Lawrence and tells him she will kills herself if he cannot help her get out of this situation
Friar devises a plan for Juliet to take a potion that will make her appear dead but only temporarily
Friar plans to let Romeo know the truth about his so he can plan on collecting her at the tomb

Question 18

Act 4 Scene 2

Answer 18

The Capulet household are planning for the wedding showing Juliet’s parents have ignored her emotions for Paris
Juliet apologises to her parents and agrees to marry him

Question 19

Act 4 Scene 3

Answer 19

Juliet gets ready to take the potion
She feels alone and scared
Juliet thinks about death and her love for Romeo

Question 20

Act 4 Scene 4

Answer 20

The Capulet household are all excited and jolly about the upcoming wedding as they prepare the house for the wedding

Question 21

Act 4 Scene 5

Answer 21

Nurse discovers body of Juliet and the whole family are very upset

Question 22

Act 5 Scene 1

Answer 22

Romeo servant tells him that Juliet is dead and he truly believes this as Friars plan is never told to him he decides to go to an apothecary to get some poison to kill himself in Juliets tune as he is determined to die and be with her

Question 23

Act 5 Scene 2

Answer 23

Friar Lawrence finds out that Romeo did not get the message about Juliets plan and that she really isn’t dead meanwhile Romeo is rushing to Varona to see Juliet and kill himself friar Lawrence loses control of the situation the audience here are hoping that Friar might meet Romeo at the tomb and that it will all work out

Question 24

Act 5 Scene 3

Answer 24

Paris is laying flowers at Juliets tomb
Romeo arrives and he is unstable and violent which results him to fighting and killing Paris he refuses to leave Juliets tomb
In the tomb Romeo was amazed at Juliets beauty (ironic) he takes the poison and dies
Juliet wakes up and sees that Romeo is dead so she kisses his lips and takes Romeos dagger and kills herself