Romeo Flashcards
What mood is Romeo in when the audience first sees him?
Romeo is sad. He refers to the “Sad hours” he has passed and exclaims “Ay me!”
Which of these does Romeo not do out of love for Rosaline in the play?
A. describe her poetically
B. attend a party to see
her
C. talk to her
C. Rosaline doesn’t appear in the play — we never see Romeo talk to her.
Explain how Romeo’s attitude towards love in Act 1 is made to seem clichéd and unrealistic.
- Romeo uses
classical
references like
“Cupid’s arrow”
and “Dian’s wit”.
These are
common images
from poetry and
mythology, so
they make his
attitude to love
seem clichéd. - Romeo uses oxymorons like “loving hate” and extravagant metaphors like “Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs”. His dramatic language makes it sound like he is exaggerating, so his love seem unrealistic.
How does Shakespeare present Romeo’s friendships in the play?
Why do you think these friendships are included?
Romeo’s friendships are presented as an important part of his life. His friends offer him advice and support him. They defend Romeo’s honour and he fights for them too. His friendships may have been included to drive the plot — Mercutio’s death leads to Romeo to kill Tybalt. They also add humour and let the audience see Romeo’s light-hearted side.
Give an example where Romeo uses humour.
When the Nurse is looking for “young Romeo”, he teases her by saying that “young Romeo will be older when you have found him”.
True or False? Romeo believes in the power of fate.
True. In Act 3, Romeo exclaims “O, I am fortune’s fool” when he has killed Tybalt.
Give an example of a time when Romeo is:
a) peaceful
b) aggressive
a) Romeo is peaceful when
he meets Paris at the
tomb, offering him
“mercy” if he leaves.
b) When Paris refuses to leave Juliet’s tomb, Romeo becomes violent — he asks “Wilt thou provoke me?”, they fight and Paris dies.
What does Romeo describe himself as in Act 5, Scene 3?
A. a fighter
B. a poet
C. a musician
D. a madman
D. He says “A madman’s mercy bid thee run away.”
How important is Romeo’s relationship with his parents to the play? Explain your answer.
- Romeo’s relationship with
his parents is quite
important to the play’s
beginning. The couple’s
concern prepares the
audience to feel worry for
Romeo. - Their relationship is also
important to the play’s
end. Lady Montague’s
death from grief over
Romeo’s banishment
makes the final scene
more sad, and Romeo’s
death leads Montague to
make peace with Capulet.
Romeo is an impulsive character. Is this presented as a bad trait in the play?
Give reasons for your answer.
Romeo’s impulsiveness is presented as a bad trait in the play. When Romeo acts on his impulses, he causes misery for himself and for other characters. For example, his rash murder of Tybalt leads to his banishment. Shakespeare uses Friar Lawrence to emphasise that Romeo’s impulsiveness is bad — he tells Romeo off for his “wild acts”.
