Romeo & Juliet

ACT I QUESTIONS

9TH GRADE LIT

 1. What (or who!) starts the brawl?

The brawl begins when Sampson decides to bite his thumb at the
Montagues who are passing by.

He says “I will bite my thumb at them, which is a disgrace to

them” (37). It is clear from the very beginning that Samson is
hotheaded and looking for a fight.
 2. How does Benvolio get involved?
What is Tybalt’s response?

Benvolio gets involved when he pulls out his sword and tells the
others to stop fighting.
Tybalt mistakenly sees this as a threat and tells Benvolio “look
upon thy death” (57) and begins a sword fight.
3. What background information does the
Prince provide about the feuding families?

The Prince is clearly at his wits end with these

feuding families. He says that there have been
three riots in the city as a result of the
Montagues and Capulets.

He issues the penalty that if the families once

more cause a disturbance in the street, they
will pay for it with their lives.
 4. Describe Tybalt’s personality.

Tybalt is very impulsive and rash. His

hotheaded nature does not allow him to
stop and think before he acts. It is for this
reason that he attacks Benvolio without
cause and will not listen to his explanation.
5. What do Montague and Benvolio plan to do regarding
Romeo?

Montague and Benvolio want to find out

what is the matter with Romeo.

They think that if they could “learn from

whence his sorrow grow, [they] would as
willingly give cure as
know” (144-145).
 6. a) What is wrong with Romeo?
b) What is Benvolio’s solution?

a) Romeo is upset because he loves

someone who does not love him back.

b) Benvolio’s solution is that Romeo stop

thinking about the woman. Benvolio tells
Romeo he will teach him how to
forget about her and to think of
other women.
SCENE 2
1. What are Capulet and Paris
talking about?

Capulet and Paris are discussing Capulet’s

daughter, Juliet. Paris wants to marry Juliet, but
Capulet is unsure if it is a good choice since he
thinks she is too young.
 2. How old is Juliet?

Capulet says that Juliet “hath not seen

the change of fourteen years” (9), which
means she is 13 years old.

SCENE 2
 3. What is Capulet’s position on the subject of their
conversation? What is his proposal to Paris?

Capulet thinks that girls who get married too young

grow up too quickly, but suggests that Paris “woo her,
gentle Paris, get her heart”(16). If Juliet agrees to marry
him, Capulet will support the marriage.

SCENE 2
 4. How does Romeo get “invited” to the
party?
Romeo is invited to the party by
Peter, a man who works for
Capulets.

Romeo helps him read a list and

Peter, not knowing that Romeo is a
member of the Montague family,
tells him to
come to the party.
SCENE 2
5. Why does Benvolio want Romeo to go to the party?

Benvolio wants Romeo to go to the party to see

that there are more beautiful women than
Rosaline. Romeo, however, only wants to go
because he knows that Rosaline will be in
attendance.

SCENE 2
SCENE 3
1. What does Lady Capulet want?

Lady Capulet, in the beginning of the scene, is

looking for Juliet. She is asking the nurse to find her.
It becomes clear that Lady Capulet wants Juliet to
be married to Paris as she begins asking her many
questions and telling her to begin looking at Paris
affectionately.
2. What does line 61 tell the reader about the relationship
between Juliet and her nurse?

It is clear that the nurse and Juliet have a strong

bond. It is similar to the bond between mother
and child. It is evident that the nurse played an
important motherly role.

SCENE 3
 3. What is decided by the end of the scene?

It is decided that Juliet will attempt to like Paris; however, she

says that “no more deep will [she] endart [her] eye than...
consent gives strength to make it fly (100-101). This means she
will try to love him, but she won’t fall for him anymore than
permission allows.

SCENE 3
SCENE 4
1. What is Mercutio trying to do with his Queen Mab
speech?
The Queen Mab speech paints a picture of a
tiny fairy who fills dreams with wild fantasies.
Mercutio uses this speech to make fun of
Romeo. Romeo has been constantly talking
about Rosaline, and when he says he has had a
dream about her, Mercutio uses this information
to poke fun at Romeo.
2. What evidence of foreshadowing is there in this
scene?
A negative consequence is foreshadowed in this
scene when Romeo says “I fear too early, for my
mind misgives some consequence yet hanging
in the stars hall bitterly begin his fearful date”
(107-109).

This means that Romeo is worried that going to

this party will be the start of something bad.

SCENE 4
SCENE 5
1. Why does Tybalt wish to quarrel with Romeo?

When Tybalt hears Romeo speaking, he says

“this, by his voice, should be a Montague”
(52).
Once he realizes that a Montague has
come to a Capulet celebration, he wants to
kill him.
2. Why won’t Capulet let Tybalt fight Romeo?

Capulet does not want Tybalt to fight Romeo

because it is not the way one should behave
at a feast. He says it would be “ill-beseeming”
(73). He also does not see Romeo as a threat,
but rather as a “virtuous and well- governed
youth” (67).

SCENE 5
SCENE 5
3. Summarize the imagery of Romeo’s speech when
he first describes Juliet?

Romeo uses a variety of light and dark images to

describe Juliet. He says that she “doth teach the
torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the
cheek of night” (42-43).
He also says she is like a snowy dove next to a
flock of crows.