ROMEO AND JULIET ACT 2- STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS
Act 2, Scenes 1-2
Act 2, Scenes 3-4
Act 2, Scenes 5-6
- In what ways are the lovers isolated from the support of their families?
- Benvolio and Mercutio believe Romeo is still playing a love game; why would this misconception isolate the lovers even more?
- Romeo’s soliloquy conveys an idealized quality of love; explain in what ways he is being idealistic.
- He describes his new feelings for Juliet in terms of brightness. Choose three and analyze the meaning and effect.
- Why does Juliet ask Romeo not to swear by the moon?
- The two lovers meet, declare their love, exchange vows of love, and plan to be married all in a matter of hours. They repeatedly demonstrate that they prefer death to separation. What in their environment and in their specific lives pushes them towards this impetuosity?
Act 2, Scenes 3-4
- Elizabethans were fascinated with potions and poisons and the Friar’s soliloquy enthralled them; paraphrase his soliloquy, noting that he is speaking about the dichotomy of nature and man.
- He cautions Romeo, saying “Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast.” Then he violates his own admonition. How?
- The Nurse becomes an accomplice of the Friar by advancing the plot; what does she do and say that does this?
- How responsible do you think she is at this point for the ultimate tragedy? Should she have known better or counseled differently? What is her function both in the household and to Juliet? What does she owe her employers; what about Juliet?
Act 2, Scenes 5-6
- The scene between the Nurse and Juliet further develops their relationship. Describe this relationship, focusing on what you see in the opening scene here.
- Look up “courtly love” on the Internet. How is this whole scenario between Romeo and Juliet a violation of the courtly love tradition and the restrictions of the era? Look at both the courtship and the marriage; consider Juliet’s secondary courtship, the one by Paris.
- What similar character traits do you see revealed in Juliet that are echoed in Romeo?
- What does the Friar hope for when he violates the custom to marry the two?
- How does the marriage intensify the conflict between Tybalt and Romeo?