Analysis of Act Four, Scenes 4-5

Question 1

Why are the Capulets up late in Act 4, Scene 4?
A. waiting for Romeo’s return
B. preparing for Juliet’s wedding
C. preparing for Juliet’s funeral
D. waiting for the Nurse’s return

Answer 1

B. Having brought the wedding forward, the Capulets stay up all night preparing for it.

Question 2

Which character finds Juliet after she has drunk the potion?

Answer 2

The Nurse finds Juliet after she has drunk the potion.

Question 3

Give one example of repetition from Act 4, Scene 5.

Answer 3

“she’s dead, she’s dead, she’s dead!” (Lady Capulet)

Question 4

Act 4, Scene 4 has a light-hearted tone.
What effect does this have on the audience’s response to Act 4, Scene 5?

Answer 4

The light-hearted tone of Act 4, Scene 4 contrasts strongly with the sad tone of Scene 5, emphasising the shock and desperation of the Capulets when they find Juliet ‘dead’. This creates pity for the Capulets — the audience has just seen how happy the Capulets were about the wedding and can now see how sad they are.

Question 5

How does Lady Capulet’s attitude towards Juliet in Act 4, Scene 5 compare to her attitude earlier in the play?

Answer 5

In Act 4, Scene 5, Lady Capulet is genuinely distressed when she thinks that Juliet is dead. She cries out in shock when Juliet’s body is first discovered and says she will “die with” Juliet. This contrasts with her unfeeling attitude earlier in the play — e.g. in Act 3, Scene 5, she is unsympathetic towards Juliet’s grief for Tybalt and wishes that “the fool were married to her grave” when Juliet refuses to marry Paris.