Romeo and Juliet

Question 1

• “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes

A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life”

Answer 1

Theme: Fate/Love/Hate
Technique: Foreshadowing

Romeo and Juliet are destined to die from the very beginning, even before their birth. It is inevitable.

Question 2

*“What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word,
As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee.
Have at thee, coward”

Answer 2

Theme: Hate/Conflict
Technique: Characterisation

Tybalt has a fiery temper and goes looking for violence on the streets. When Benvolio attempts to break up the argument between the servants of each household, Tybalt gets angry and fights him.

This shows how extreme the feud is between the two households as not only does it extend to the servants, but the fight had no rational trigger - there was no reason to fight in the first place. This further indicates how old the feud is between the two households as no one can really recall why they dislike each other so much. The feud is futile.

Question 3

*“Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word,

By thee, old Capulet, and Montague”

Answer 3

Themes: Conflict, Authority

The Prince interferes with the fight between Tybalt and Benvolio, remarking on the futility of its cause - a small insult. This emphasises how volatile the feud is as it can be set off so easily.

The Prince remains neutral in the feud, acting only to break it up. He blames both families equally for the fight.

Question 4

*“My child is yet a stranger in the world

She hath not seen the change of fourteen years”

Answer 4

Themes: Love/Parental Care/Authority
Technique: Setting

Capulet tells Paris that Juliet (his daughter) is too young to marry yet.

Setting is used as Juliet’s marriage is arranged without her input, showing how little freedom she has, as a women of the 16th century, when gender inequality was at its worst, and women were treated as possessions with no rights.

Capulet, as head of his family, has the power to decide who and when Juliet marries. He is initially thoughtful towards her.

Question 5

*“It is an honour that I dream not of”

Answer 5

Themes: Youth
Technique: Setting

Juliet tells her mother, Lady Capulet, that marriage is an honour, but she hasn’t really thought about it. This is unsurprising as she is so young and naive (13 years).

Yet at the time when the play is set, many girls married at this age. Her mother, who was also married young, does not see the problem, and since they are not intimate, she does not seek to.

This creates a turning point as when Juliet meets Romeo later that night, she asks to marry him.

Question 6

*“I’ll look to like if looking liking move.
But no more deep will I endart mine eye
Than your consent gives strength to make it fly.”

Answer 6

Theme: Family Loyalty
Technique: Characteristion

Juliet is intelligent - she has no desire to be with Paris. Yet she does not show any objection to marrying him, to her mother.

Juliet is obedient - she does whatever her parents want her to do. This is what makes her marriage to Romeo such as drastic change in her character, and such an outrage to her parents, as she is expected to be opinion-less and loyal.

Question 7

*“Oh, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!…

Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear”

Answer 7

Theme: Love

Romeo instantly falls in love with Juliet at first sight. He uses heavy religious imagery to convey her beauty.

Question 8

*“Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!

For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.”

Answer 8

Theme: Love

Romeo realises that his live for Rosaline was mearly an infatuation in comparison to his love for Juliet.

Question 9

*“To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?

…To strike him dead I hold it not a sin.”

Answer 9

Theme: Hatred/Conflict
Technique: Characterisation

Tybalt spots Romeo Montague in the crowd at Capulet’s party. The Montagues are not invited, so Tybalt sees this as an insult. His hatred for Montagues is so extreme that he feels that to murder R would not be morally wrong in the eyes of God.

Question 10

*“He shall be endured…
Am I the master here, or you? Go to…
You’ll make a mutiny among my guests.”

Answer 10

Theme: Authority/Family conflict

Capulet is furious when he finds Tybalt wont do as he asks and leave Romeo alone. He feels his status in the family has been questioned.

Capulet doesn’t want to start a fight at his party because Romeo is generally liked by his guests, and it would only reflect badly on C if he were to treat R badly in the public eye.

Question 11

*“I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall

Now seeming sweet, convert to bitterest gall.”

Answer 11

Theme: Hate
Technique: Foreshadowing

Tybalt warns us that the Montagues unwelcome entrance at the Capulet party wont go down quietly, hinting that he plans to take revenge in future.

Question 12

*“My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand

To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.”

Answer 12

Theme: Love
Technique: Religious imagery, sonnet

Romeo persuades Juliet to Kiss him at the Capulet party. This shows his rash and impulsive character as he is in public when he decides to kiss a near stranger, who is also a member of the enemy family.

R and J’s religious imagery mirrors each other, showing that they are meant to be together.

Question 13

*“Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
Which mannerly devotion shows in this,
For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss.”

Answer 13

Themes: Love
Technique: Religious imagery

Juliet is not naturally rash and impulsive so is overwhelmed by Romeo’s forwardness, as he is practically a stranger to her, and she is brought up to be a sensible girl. However, she mirrors his words in religious imagery, showing that she too is in love with him.

Question 14

• “Is she a Capulet?

O dear account! My life is my foe’s debt”

Answer 14

Themes: Love/Fate
Technique: Foreshadowing and Dramatic Irony

Fate and Dramatic Irony - Romeo had no choice but to fall in love with Juliet, he didn’t know she was Capulet and even after he found out, and realised the seriousness of the situation (because it goes against the feud), he couldn’t forget her.

Foreshadowing - Romeo hints at his own death as a result of his meeting with Juliet.

Question 15

“If he be married,

My grave is like to be my wedding bed.”

Answer 15

Themes: Love, Fate
Technique: Dramatic Irony, Foreshadowing

Juliet did not know Romeo’s identity - Fate and DI.
Foreshadowing - Juliet did marry Romeo, but then she died in her grave when she saw him dead.

Question 16

*“My only love sprung from my only hate!”

Answer 16

Themes: Fate, Love

Juliet feels despair when she realises that she loves an enemy of her family, she can no longer follow her families views and feelings anymore.

Question 17

*“Juliet is the sun.

Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon”

Answer 17

Themes: Love
Technique: Metaphor/ Imagery

Romeo waits outside Juliet’s balcony for her to appear. He compares her to the sun, indicating how beautiful she is - she would make the moon jealous.

Question 18

“See how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!”

Answer 18

Themes; Love

Romeo finds her so beautiful, he wishes he could touch her with a glove.

Question 19

*“Oh Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.”

Answer 19

Themes: Love
Techniques: Soliloquy

Juliet speaks to herself on the balcony, expressing her true feelings for Romeo, without the knowledge of his presence. She thinks that Romeo’s name is the problem - why is he called Romeo? - if her were called something else then it would be OK for them to be with each other.

This is slightly naive, reminding the audience of their youth, as it is not the name that separates them, but he feud of their families.

She wants to marry him.

She would probably never have spoken so openly if she’d known that Romeo was there listening, because she is a more rational character.

Question 20

*“It is too rash, too unadvis’d, too sudden,

Too like the lightening…”

Answer 20

Themes: Love
Techniques: Characterisation

Juliet is concerned that their love has moved too quickly. It could be dangerous. She is the more sensible of the two.

Question 21

*“The day is hot, the Capels are abroad,
And if we meet we shall not scape a brawl,
For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring”

Answer 21

Themes: Hate, Conflict, Fate
Techniques: Characterisation, Foreshadowing

Benvolio warns Mercutio that the Capulet family are out and about, and compares the hot, restless weather too the mood, suggesting that the volatility of the feud is at its highest.

Benvolio is the peace keeper (hence the meaning of his name) and knows that if they were to meet the Capulet family, there would likely be a fight, so they should go home.

Question 22

“Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford

No better term than this: thou art a villain.”

Answer 22

Themes: Hate, Conflict
Techniques: Characterisation

“Fiery” Tybalt is looking for a fight with Romeo, he has a hot temper and has not forgotten Romeo’s gate-crash of the Capulet party.

Question 23

*“I do protest I never injured thee,
But love thee better than thou canst devise,
Till thou shalt know the reason of my love;
And so, good Capulet, which name I tender
As dearly as mine own, be satisfied.

Answer 23

Themes: Loyalty, Love, Fate
Techniques: Irony

Romeo tells Tybalt that he does not want to fight. Romeo is trying his best to be loyal to Juliet, who is now his wife, and be kind to members of her family. However, he cannot explain this to Tybalt, because it is a secret - he may be murdered by the Capulets if word gets out.

Question 24

*“A plague a’both houses! … Why the dev’l came you between us! I was hurt under your arm.”

Answer 24

Themes: Hate, Conflict
Technique: Irony

Mercutio (Romeo’s friend and the Prince’s nephew) is killed by Tybalt C, but blames the feud - both houses were equally involved.

He then, seeing that Romeo came between him and Tybalt, blames him for getting involved, even though R had only good intentions to break up the fight, and it was Tybalt who killed Mercutio. (Irony).

It is this event which triggers the steps leading to Romeo’s banishment.

Question 25

*“Away to heaven, respective lenity,

And fire-ey’d fury be my conduct now!”

Answer 25

Themes: Revenge, Hate, Conflict, Fate

Romeo is enraged by the death of his friend, Mercutio, at the hands of Tybalt, and seeks revenge.

This is fate as there was nothing he could do to prevent the fighting, and he initially had good intentions. But rash and impulsive as Romeo is, he did not think of the consequences before murdering Tybalt.

Question 26

*“O, I am fortunes’s fool”

Answer 26

Themes: Fate

Romeo feels that he has no control over the events that are occuring (i.e. Tybalt’s and Mercutio’s death, his love for Juliet, and his banishment form Verona etc). It is as though it has been decided by the universe, written in the stars before it occured.

Question 27

*“Let Romeo hence in haste,

Else, when he is found, that hour is his last.”

Answer 27

Themes: Conflict, Authority

The Prince banishes Romeo from Verona, because he murdered Tybalt. The Prince is particularly furious, not only because the feud has been unable to restrain itself from violence after he had warned them not to fight, but because lives have been needlessly lost, including his nephew - Mercutio.

Question 28

“Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?”

Juliet

Answer 28

Themes: Loyalty, Love
Technique: Characterisation, Rhetorical question

Juliet corrects herself in her confusion, and refuses to talk negatively of Romeo, to whom she is newly wed, despite the fact that he killed her cousin, Tybalt.

Juliet begins to change, her loyalty is no longer tied to her parents wishes - she empathises with Romeo and misses him, over the death of her cousin, Tybalt. She has become a young women, a loyal wife, with a mind of her own.

Question 29

*“Tybalt is dead, and Romeo banished’.
That ‘banished, that one word ‘banished’,
Hath slain ten thousand Tybalts.”

• Juliet

Answer 29

Themes: Love, Conflict, Loyalty
Techniques: Repetition of ‘banished’

Emphasises how devastated Juliet is by Romeo’s banishment. Her love for him overpowers any grief she had for Tybalt, showing how passionate she is and as a result, her loyalties have changed.

Question 30

*“Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day:
It was the nightingale, and not the lark, That pierc’d the fearful hollow of thine ear”

• Juliet

Answer 30

Themes: Love

Juliet is reluctant for Romeo to leave her room, even though it puts his life in greater danger the longer he stays. She persuades him that it was the ‘nightengale’ (a bird which symbolises night and darkness) and not the ‘lark’ (a bird which symbolises morning and light) which woke him up.

This shows how deeply in love they are as they cannot bear to be apart, under any circumstances.

Romeo has to be the sensible one for a change (he is banished from Verona and hated by the Capulet family, so needs to leave for his own safety).

Question 31

“I must be gone and live, or stay and die”

• Romeo

Answer 31

Themes: Love, Conflict

The lovers experience such heart as they cannot be together, R is forced to leave.

Question 32

*“Methinks I see thee now, thou art so low,

As one dead in the bottom of a tomb.”

Answer 32

Themes: Fate
Technique: Foreshadowing

Juliet has a premonition that this will be the last time she sees Romeo alive, which inevitably turns to reality. The two protagonists seem to have no control over their lives. They have to be together, even if it isn’t really possible.

Question 33

“Well, well. thou hast a careful father, child,
One who … Hath sorted out a sudden day of joy,”

• Lady Capulet

Answer 33

Themes: Fate, Conflict
Technique: Setting

Lady Capulet delivers news to Juliet that her father, Capulet, has decided to wed her to Paris, to cheer her up.

This has the opposite effect. As Juliet is already secretly married to Romeo, and loves him loyally and passionately. How could she betray him for Paris?
Such a dilemma puts her in a desperate and isolated position, which further provokes her to make dangerous decisions. (i.e. the poison and FL’s plan.)

The setting also means that as a women, she has no choice but to do what her father wants. So her objection to marry Paris is seen as scandalous in the eyes of her parents.

Question 34

• “He shall not make me there a joyful bride”

- Juliet

Answer 34

Themes: Love/Conflict
Techniques: Setting

Juliet is horrifies by her mothers proposal that she marry Paris. She is Romeo’s loving wife now, and her mother does not know it.

Question 35

*“And you be mine, I’ll give you to my friend;
And you be not, hang, beg, starve…
I’ll ne’er acknowledge thee.”

• Capulet

Answer 35

Capulet is infuriated when Juliet refuses to marry Paris.

He sees her as a possession to give away and since she does obey him, he threatens to disown her.

Question 36

*“Talk not to me, for I’ll not speak a word.
Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee.”

• Lady Capulet

Answer 36

Lady Capulet has never had a close relationship with her daughter. She is disgusted by her disobedience and coldly rejects her, leaving Juliet in a desperate position.

Question 37

“I think it best if you married with the County”

• Nurse

Answer 37

Juliet’s last closest resort has let her down. She is now completely on her own. This is what makes her follow through with FL plan to be with Romeo, there is no other way.

Question 38

“I do spy a kind of hope,
Which craves as desperate an execution”

• FL

Answer 38

The Friar’s plan requires drastic action on Juliet’s part, but is the only help J gets.

Question 39

“Alack the day, she’s dead, she’s dead, she’s dead!”

• Lady Capulet

Answer 39

Juliet’s mother finds her on the morning of her wedding, and observes her still form, announcing that death has taken her.

The audience knows that Juliet has taken the potion from FL to make appear dead, as a part of the plan to reunite her with Romeo.

Question 40

*“Alack, my child is dead,
And with my child my joys are buried”

-Capulet

Answer 40

This links to Capulet’s initial attitude towards his daughter at the beginning of the play, where he shows how much he cares about her.

Question 41

• “Is it e’en so? then I defy you, stars!”

- Romeo

Answer 41

Romeo finds out about J’s death and blames fate.

Question 42

*“Will I set up my everlasting rest,
And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars
From this world-wearied flesh. Eyes, look your last!
Arms, take your last embrace! and, lips, O you
The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss”

• Romeo

Answer 42

Romeo’s last words before he takes the poison.

Question 43

*“Death, that hath suck’d the honey of they breath,
Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty”

• Romeo

Answer 43

Romeo is confused/surprised at how unchanged Juliet’s appearance is after her supposed death.

Question 44

“drunk all, and left no friendly drop
To help me after?”

• Juliet

Answer 44

Juliet intends to kill herself. Living is not an option now that R is dead.

Question 45

*“O happy dagger”

Answer 45

Juliet refers to the weapon which she commits suicide with as ‘happy’ suggesting that it is all that the world can still offer her now that R is dead.

Question 46

*“See what a scourge is laid upon your hate,
That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love!…
All are punish’d”

• Prince Escalus

Answer 46

The Prince blames the feud for the deaths; Romeo, Juliet, Paris and Tybalt.

He evaluates that the love between Romeo and Juliet is what ended the feud.