Analysis of Act Three, Scenes 2-3

Question 1

True or False?
Juliet can’t forgive Romeo for the events of Act 3, Scene 1.

Answer 1

False. Juliet is sad that Tybalt is dead, but decides that Romeo was defending himself. At the end of Scene 2, she calls Romeo her “true knight”, which suggests she forgives him.

Question 2

Who says that Romeo should accept his banishment?

Answer 2

Friar lawrence.

Question 3

What item does the Nurse bring Romeo from Juliet?

Answer 3

A ring. The ring is a love token confirming Juliet’s love for Romeo after Tybalt’s death.

Question 4

Why do you think Shakespeare uses gory language when the Nurse tells Juliet that Tybalt is dead?

Answer 4

The Nurse’s gory language makes the scene seem more shocking to both the audience and Juliet, who thinks she’s talking about Romeo. It also reflects the Nurse’s personality — it shows that she can be very dramatic and that she is often tactless, since she doesn’t think about how Juliet might be affected by what she’s saying.

Question 5

How does Romeo’s response to his banishment compare to Juliet’s response to the news?
Explain your answer.

Answer 5

• Both Romeo and Juliet
  are very upset by the new
  of Romeo’s banishment.
  Romeo says that he has
  “stained the childhood” of
  their “joy” and Juliet says
  “There is no end” to the
  pain of Romeo’s
  banishment.
• However, Juliet seems to have more control over her emotions than Romeo. She tries to stop her “foolish tears”, whereas Romeo’s emotions are so out of control that he has to be stopped from killing himself.