Love

Question 1

True or False? Juliet falls in love with Romeo during the balcony scene.

Answer 1

False. Juliet falls in love with Romeo at the party in Act 1, Scene 5. At the end of the scene she describes Romeo as her “only love”

Question 2

Give an example where Mercutio teases Romeo about his love for Rosaline.

Answer 2

In Act 2, Scene 1, Mercutio mocks Romeo by saying “I conjure thee by Rosaline’s bright eyes”. He’s teasing Romeo by suggesting that he’s so obsessed with Rosaline that just talking about her is enough to “conjure” him.

Question 3

Give two ways that Romeo’s love for Rosaline is similar to traditional courtly love.

Answer 3

Romeo’s love is unrequited— Rosaline won’t listen to “loving terms” and wants to remain “chaste” (avoiding sexual contact). His love for Rosaline is also a painful experience — he describes it as a “choking gall” (a bitter poison)

Question 4

Why do you think Shakespeare decided to make Juliet so young?
How does this affect the audience’s attitude to Romeo and Juliet’s love?

Answer 4

Shakespeare may have made Juliet a young character to emphasise her innocence and make her death seem more tragic. Her young age could also mean that the audience doesn’t take Romeo and Juliet’s love seriously, seeing it as a brief infatuation rather than true love.

Question 5

In Act 1, Scene 2, Benvolio says that Romeo should take “some new infection” to his “eye” by finding a new lover. What does this suggest about love?
How is this reflected in the rest of the play?

Answer 5

This suggests that love can be harmful, and that you can’t control who you fall in love with because love can be caught like a disease. This is reflected in the rest of the play because Romeo and Juliet can’t stop themselves from falling in love, and their love eventually leads them to harm.

Question 6

Give an example from Romeo and Juliet’s first meeting that suggests their love is different to Romeo’s love for Rosaline.

Answer 6

Romeo and Juliet kiss on their first meeting. This is different to Romeo’s relationship with Rosaline, because she never returned his affections and wanted to remain chaste.

Question 7

In Act 3, Scene 2, Juliet says that she has “bought the mansion of a love” but hasn’t yet “possessed it”. What does she mean?
A. She has married Romeo but thinks she will need time to love him truly
B. She has married Romeo but hasn’t slept with him yet.
C. She has married Romeo but can’t tell anyone about her marriage.

Answer 7

B. This quote shows that Juliet is excited about sleeping with Romeo. She has just got married to him, but she is still waiting for their wedding night.

Question 8

Explain why Romeo and Juliet’s love could be seen as destructive.

Answer 8

Their love could be seen as destructive because it makes them impulsive — both of them threaten to kill themselves as soon as it look like they can’t be together. Their love eventually leads to their own deaths, as well as the deaths of several other characters.

Question 9

Do you think that Romeo and Juliet’s relationship is true love or just a youthful romance?
Give reasons for your answer.

Answer 9

• You could have said that
  their relationship is true
  love, because they are
  both totally committed to it
  from the beginning and feel
  unable to live without each
  other. Juliet also describes
  their relationship as “true
  love” in Act 2, Scene 6
• You might have said that
  their relationship is more
  like a youthful romance
  because it happens so
  quickly — Friar Lawrence
  isn’t convinced they truly
  love each other because
  they are acting so
  impulsively. Romeo moves
  on from Rosaline so
  quickly that it’s hard to
  believe he truly loves
  Juliet.