Romeo and Juliet

Question 1

Juliet’s parents, important?

Answer 1

> Juliet is voiceless
'hopeful lady of my earth'
> Juliet's mother
'Younger than you...Are already made mothers' 'I'll look to like'
> Juliet defies her parents
'I'll no longer be a Capulet'
> Juliet goes against her father
'fettle your fine joints' 'disobedient wretch'
> Their reaction to Juliet's death
'sweetest flower' 'O me'

Question 2

How does Shakespeare present love?

Answer 2

> Marriage is like a business deal
‘hopeful lady of my earth’ ‘younger than you…Are already made mothers’
Love is lustful
‘open arse, thou a poperin pear’ ‘A right fair mark’
Romeo and Juliet meeting
‘grant for prayer’s sake’ ‘palm to palm’
Romeo and Juliet’s unconventional love
‘swear not by the moon’ ‘I’ll no longer be a Capulet’
Juliet’s unconventional epithalamium
‘love-performing night’

Question 3

How does Shakespeare present conflict?

Answer 3

> Young men perpetuate the endless cycle of violence
‘Draw, if you be men’ ‘Peace! I hate the word’
Romeo is juxtaposed with the crude language of his peers
‘holy shrine’ ‘open arse’ ‘siege of loving terms’ ‘A right fair mark’
Did Romeo have to kill Tybalt
‘I am fortune’s fool’ ‘Soften’d valour’s steel!’
Lack of understanding between Juliet and her father
‘fettle your fine joints’ ‘disobedient wretch’
Death of Romeo and Juliet ends the feud
‘The young are sacrificed to bring about the end that splits Verona’

Question 4

How does the character of Juliet change?

Answer 4

> She is voiceless at the start; we only hear about her from her father
‘hopeful lady of my earth’
When she meets Romeo
‘Saints do not move’ ‘palm to palm’
The balcony scene
‘I’ll no longer be a Capulet’ ‘Swear not by the moon’
Juliet’s unconventional epithalamium
‘love performing night’ ‘impatient child that hath new clothes’ ‘into stars’
Her death
‘myself have the power to die’ ‘I will do it without fear’

Question 5

To what extent is … to blame for the tragic events?

Answer 5

> Fate
‘star-crossed lovers’ ‘This day’s black fate’ ‘fortune’s fool’
Feuding families
‘ancient grudge’ ‘The young are sacrificed to bring about the end that splits Verona’
Romeo-the tragic hero
‘This day’s black fate’ ‘Soften’d valour’s steel!’ ‘ope her lap’
Masculine dominant society
‘Draw, if you be men’ ‘peace! I hate the word’
Juliet’s defiance o the patriarchy
‘I’ll no longer be a Capulet’ ‘farewell compliment’ ‘myself have the power to die’
Nurse and Friar Laurence
‘I think it best you married with the county’ ‘unhappy fortune’ (or an ill-advised plan)

Question 6

How is the character of Mercutio important?

Answer 6

>Foil to Romeo
'open arse' 'holy shrine'
>Needless death
'plague o' both your houses' (decay, harshness of Verona)
>Determination to fight Tybalt - represents the young men perpetuating the endless cycle of violence
'I will not budge'
>His death is the fulcrum of the play
'soften'd valour's steel'

Question 7

How is the character of Benvolio important?

Answer 7

> Ineffectual peace maker-similar to greek chorus
‘Part fools’ ‘peace I hate the word’ ‘furious Tybalt back again’
Benvolio’s exit-death of peace
‘as he fell’ (merely states action)
Facilitates Romeo’s exposition
‘a right fait mark’
Mysogynistic
‘Examine other beauties’ ‘She will still live chaste’