Romeo and Juliet Revision Guide

The Acts

There are five acts in Romeo and Juliet:

Act 1 - This act starts with members of the Montague and Capulet families

brawling on the streets of Verona. Capulet and Paris discuss Juliet and her

possible marriage to Paris. Romeo has unrequited love for a woman called

Rosaline. It ends with the Capulet feast, and a romantic moment between Romeo

and Juliet.

Act 2 This act follows Romeo and Juliet’s brief encounter and is the basis for

the theme of love. Romeo escapes his friends and visits Juliet on her balcony.

The two decide to wed, and Friar Laurence marries them. Tybalt sends Romeo a

letter challenging him to a duel.

Act 3 - This act begins with a duel. Tybalt, wanting to fight Romeo, instead

kills Mercutio. Enraged, Romeo seeks revenge and kills Tybalt. Romeo is

subsequently banished from Verona. Meanwhile, Capulet arranges a swift

marriage between Paris and Juliet to cheer his daughter up, but Juliet has a

huge fight with him on it.

Act 4 - Juliet and Friar Laurence come up with a plan to allow Romeo and Juliet

to be together. Juliet sets the plan in motion by apologising to her parents and

agreeing to the wedding. She takes the sleeping potion, appears to be dead, and

her family mourn her death.

Act 5 - In a city close to Verona, Romeo is waiting for news from Friar

Laurence. Instead, his servant tells him that Juliet is dead. Heartbroken, he

seeks out a poison so that he can die too. We learn Romeo never got the letter
from Friar Laurence. The final scene takes place in the churchyard and the

Capulet tomb. Romeo and Paris meet, with Paris laying flowers and Romeo hoping

to die. They fight, Romeo kills Paris, and the law enforcement are called. Romeo

enters the tomb and poisons himself beside Juliet. Juliet awakens, and she, too,

takes her life before Friar Laurence can get to her. The play ends with the

arrival of the Prince, and the Capulet and Montague families. The families,

struck by grief, realise the error of their ways and reconcile their differences.

The ancient feud ends.

Key Scenes/Key moments to explore

1. Act 1,Scene 1 – Capulet and Montague brawl begins in the streets of Verona.

Important scene when discussing theme of conflict. Sampson bites his thumb –

major insult.

2. Act 1 Scene 5 - The Capulet Feast - Romeo and Juliet meet, sparks of theme

of love.

3. Act 2 Scene 2 - The Balcony Scene - Romeo and Juliet declare their love for

one another and agree to marry. This continues the theme of love.

4. Act 3 Scene 1- The Fight Scene - Mercutio, Tybalt and Romeo fight,

Tybalt and Mercutio die, Romeo is banished. This shows the theme of

conflict and marks a sinister change in the play.

5. Act 3 Scene 5 – Capulet thinks that Juliet should marry Paris to stop her

grieving. When Lady Capulet breaks the news to Juliet a huge argument breaks

out. Juliet’s refusal causes uproar from her father, who insults her and

threatens to disown her.

6. Act 4 Scene 3 - Juliet takes the potion that will make her appear dead. The

ghost of Tybalt haunts her. This scene starts the tragic end for the two lovers.
7. Act 5 Scene 3 - The final scene. Romeo kills Paris, poisons himself and dies.

Juliet awakens to her love dead and takes her own life. Verona learns of the

tragic events.

Characters

Juliet: At the start of the play, Juliet is a playful, innocent, naive girl under
the thumb of her father. She undergoes a huge transformation and becomes a

strong, independent woman. Juliet is transformed by love, from an innocent

child to a woman of heroic strength and self-sacrifice. As a woman, she has no

power, and yet she shows a decisive and headstrong nature. She, too, is ruled by

passion, but ultimately it is her loyalty that is her downfall. While she appears

more rational than Romeo, she too flirts with the idea of taking her own life,

albeit after exhausting all other possibilities.

Romeo: Romeo begins the play as a broody, lovelorn character. He is engrossed

with his own emotions and struggles. As the play progresses, he shows a level of

immaturity and brashness in his quick temper and love for Juliet. We find

ourselves unsure of who the real Romeo is when we compare his personality

when he is with his friends to that when he is with Juliet. Romeo is a character

ruled by emotion, which ends up being his fatal flaw.

Tybalt: Juliet’s cousin is the most violent of all the characters. Aggressively

headstrong, he takes the mere existence of Montagues as a personal dig against

him. He provokes other characters and rocks the delicate relationship between

the two families in Verona. His development into a less rational man can be seen

in the progression between Act 1 Scene 1, Act 1 Scene 5, and Act 3 Scene 1.

However, we assume he was a good cousin and family member in Juliet and the

Capulets’ grief after his death.

Mercutio: Neither a Capulet or a Montague, Mercutio provides comic relief in

this otherwise tragic play. He exists in a feuding world and seems to have

chosen the Montague side, but ultimately curses both families in his death. His

humour is crass and brings out a different side to Romeo.

Benvolio: As a Montague, Benvolio has no choice but to be involved in the feud.

However, he proves himself as a peaceful character numerous times. He

discourages his friends from using violence and is honest in nature. He offers

relief from Romeo’s brooding and Mercutio’s jokes with his level head.

Friar Laurence: The Friar comes across as a kind, smart, if somewhat scheming

man. As Romeo’s confidant, he assists the two lovers in their union. He longs for

a peaceful Verona and hopes that their marriage will cement it. Despite his

involvement in the fatal tragedy that befalls the star-crossed lovers, we do not

view him as an evil or wrong man.

Nurse: As Juliet’s maternal figure, the Nurse plays an important role in the

play. She supports and nurtures Juliet, and Juliet trusts her with her union to

Romeo. Despite the Nurse’s loyalty, however, Juliet feels betrayed at her

suggestion that she marry Paris. We can see that the Nurse just wanted her

ward to be happy, but Juliet sees it as an act of disloyalty and vows to never

take her counsel.

Themes

A number of themes can be found in this play. However, the one we know well is

the theme of conflict. Always discuss the theme of conflict in exam questions.

If you are asked to discuss a specific theme such as love, there are some ideas

below! 😊

Theme of conflict/violence:
Love as the cause of conflict is a theme in this play. The conflict is an

underlying theme in the play, since the play starts and ends with violent scenes.

It lingers even in happier scenes of love, a suggestion that this play is more than

a mere love story. The brawls in Act 1 Scene 1, Act 3 Scene 1, and Act 5 Scene

3, coupled with the mentions of violence throughout the play create a dangerous

atmosphere for our characters where conflict can lie around any corner. There

are 4 types of conflict – Public, private, man vs man and internal conflict.

Theme of love:

This theme is perhaps the most easily identified in the play. Throughout Acts

1-3, Romeo and Juliet’s torrid love affair crescendos and builds into something

almost holy or to be revered (worshipped). This theme follows a love at first

sight to a love that consumes and destroys two otherwise happy people. The play

presents love as a powerful force with the potential to change the city in a

positive or a negative way. Love isn’t presented in a ‘prettied up’ way, but rather

as a cause for violence and terror. Romeo and Juliet shows love as an

unmeasurable thing, too complicated to describe. The dialogue between the

starcrossed lovers proves this, in their inability to fully comprehend or put

their love into words. They compare love to religion and to fate, showing how

inhumane and distant it is, untouchable and intangible for mere humans.

Theme of family:

Both Romeo and Juliet find themselves constricted by their families. Juliet is

ruled by her father and is supposed to marry whoever he tells her to. Romeo is

bound to fight for his family in the constant brawls. Their families stand as an

obstacle to their love without ever being consulted on the issue. Juliet’s Nurse,

a maternal figure, even seems to approve of the union. Family respect can also

be discussed here. Theme of loyalty: Romeo and Juliet are loyal to each other as
well as their families. This dual loyalty causes great harm to the pair. Romeo,

loyal to Juliet, refuses to fight Tybalt until eventually, Mercutio is killed by him

instead. Had he been loyal to his friends and family more than to Juliet’s family,

Mercutio may not have died. Juliet battles with her own loyalty when Romeo kills

her dear cousin, cursing her husband.

Theme of fate:

Both Romeo and Juliet discuss the idea of fate throughout the play. Fate is

determined at the beginning of the play in the Prologue. As an audience, we can

see that they were destined for tragedy as the excitement of the play builds.

Characters in this play often treat their circumstances as a result of fate

rather than a result of their own actions (Romeo, Act 3 Scene 1).

Turning point in the play You could be asked to discuss the most

interesting/dramatic/important/a turning point scene in the play in your opinion.

Act 3 Scene 1 is a good one to do, as you already know lots

about it for your answer on the theme of conflict. You can

mention any scene you want but if you’re stuck this is a good one

to write about! • Act 3 Scene 1 is the turning point (most

interesting/dramatic/important scene) of the play. • Up until

this point the tone of the drama has been predominately (mainly)

comic; but this scene marks the move towards tragedy. • This

scene is a key moment in the play and highlights the themes of

conflict and violence in R&J. • As a consequence of the events in

this scene Romeo is banished from Verona and seeks exile in

Mantua. • Mercutio, Tybalt and Romeo fight, Tybalt and

Mercutio die, Romeo is banished. This shows the theme of

conflict and marks a sinister change in the play. • Romeo is

conscious that the events of this day will have tragic

consequences for him and his future with Juliet. • This scene

marks the turning point in the play as Romeo’s banishment leads

to Juliet’s distress. • And so the consequences of Act 3 Scene 1

ultimately lead to the ‘untimely’ death of the two ‘star-cross’d

lovers’. • It is the most interesting/dramatic/important scene in

the play as it heightens the drama and creates a great degree

of suspense for the audience.

Literary Devices

Soliloquy: A soliloquy is a literary device used in Romeo and Juliet to signify

when a character is relating their innermost thoughts and feelings. They are not

talking to the other characters in the play but rather informing the audience of

their feelings. Both Romeo and Juliet use soliloquy when discussing their

emotions for each other. It makes our characters more three-dimensional: we

can see their innermost fears and concerns, and how they work through inner

turmoil to act in the way that they do.

Metaphor: Many of the characters in the play use metaphor to describe their

emotions.

Metaphor allows the audience to gain insight on an idea or thing that would

otherwise be too difficult to explain i.e. Romeo and Juliet’s love. Prior to kissing

Juliet, Romeo uses a metaphor to describe his lips as two pilgrims, eager to kiss

their holy object of worship. He is comparing Juliet to a goddess and himself to

a follower. In doing this, he shows the audience how in awe he is of Juliet and

how instantly devoted he appears.

Iambic pentameter: Iambic pentameter is the rhythmic pattern sometimes used

in Romeo and Juliet. It can be found in the prologue of the play. It is used to

emphasise certain syllables or sounds.

Foreshadowing: This literary device ties into the theme of fate in the play.

Foreshadowing gives the audience hints at what is going to happen later in the

play. It allows us to appreciate the actions of the characters when we know

what might come next. Benvolio foreshadows that Romeo will meet an even more

beautiful woman that Rosaline at the Capulet feast, and he does. Romeo and

Juliet both foreshadow their own untimely ends in their fantasies of taking

their own lives, which allows the audience to react and see where the play might

conclude before our characters can.

Pun: Mercutio uses a number of puns in the play, which acts as comedic relief

from an otherwise tragic tale. Puns amuse us and grab our attention. A pun is a

form of word play. It is a joke based on the different meanings of the same

word. Mercutio, lying dying after his fight with Tybalt, uses a pun on his ‘grave’

situation, where grave means serious and the place where one is buried when

they die. Personification: In this play, personification is used to show the depth

of certain emotions.

Personification gives human attributes to inanimate (non living) things, bringing

them to life. This allows the audience to recognise that certain aspects of the

play are being highlighted by the playwright.

Dramatic irony: This literary device goes hand in hand with foreshadowing. It

occurs when the audience understands the implication and significance of a

specific situation on stage, whereas the characters are unaware of the gravity

of the meanings underlying that situation. As the two lovers speak to one

another, the audience is aware that there is no happy ending for the pair. The
prologue, which tells us that the pair will take their own lives at the end of the

play, sets up a dramatic irony for the remainder of Romeo and Juliet.

Key Quotes

Act 1: • “A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life, Whose misadventured

piteous overthrows, Doth with their death bury their parents strife” – Prologue

• "What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word, as I hate hell, all

Montagues and thee" - Act 1 Scene 1 (Tybalt)

• "If you ever disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the

peace" - Act 1 Scene 1 (Prince Escalus) • “Did my heart love till now? Forswear

it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night” - Act 1 Scene 5 (Romeo) •

“My only love sprung from my only hate!” - Act 1 Scene 5 (Juliet) Act 2: • “Deny

thy father and refuse thy name” - Act 2 Scene 2 (Juliet)

• “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other word would smell as

sweet” - Act 2 Scene 2 (Juliet) Act 3:

• “A plague a’ both your houses!” - Act 3 Scene 1 (Mercutio)

• “O, I am fortune’s fool” - Act 3 Scene 1 (Romeo)

Act 4:

• “Romeo, Romeo, Romeo, here’s drink. I drink to thee.” - Act 4 Scene 3 (Juliet)

• “She’s dead, deceased, she’s dead. Alack the day!” - Act 4 Scene 5 (Nurse)

Act 5:

• “Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.” - Act 5 Scene 3 (Romeo)

• “O happy dagger, This is thy sheath. There rust and let me die.” - Act 5 Scene

3 (Juliet)
• “Romeo, there dead, was husband to that Juliet, And she, there dead, that

Romeo’s faithful wife.” _Act 5 Scene 3 (Friar Laurence)

• “A glooming peace this morning with it brings. The sun for sorrow will not

show his head” - Act 5 Scene 3 (Prince)

Staging a Scene

You might be asked to imagine you are directing a scene from Romeo and Juliet.

Break your answer into 3 paragraphs:

• Setting and Stage • Visual and Aural effects • Characters Paragraph 1 -

Stage: First, you will have to determine the type of stage, and your reasoning

for choosing this stage. -Set: This ties in to the stage, and can be a simple

description of one or two props, a backdrop to indicate location, and a few

pieces of furniture. Paragraph 2 - Sound effects: Your choice of music and

sounds shows that you understand the mood (tone) of a particular scene.

Romantic music will suit scenes between Romeo and Juliet, while more intense,

building music will suit fight scenes. Sound effects can add to the drama of the

play, so include basics like swords clashing, feet pounding the pavement to

indicate people running, a murmur of hushed angry voices growing closer and

closer, heavy breathing, night sounds like owls or crickets to indicate a silence

etc.

-Lighting: Lighting can also help to establish the mood. Filters can create a

warm, glowing, gentle, or harsh light. Dim light can make for a tense, menacing

atmosphere while a well lit stage indicates a sense of calm. Spotlights can help

the audience to identify key characters. Lighting can also indicate a change in

weather mentioned in the play.

-Costumes and Makeup: Colour is an excellent tool in staging a scene. Learn the

following colour associations: Red - passion or anger White - purity or innocence

Black - evil or power Yellow or greenish tinge - sinister and evil Use plenty of

adjectives to describe the characters e.g. torn, dishevelled, sleek, expensive,

elegant, flowing, tightly-fitted, Renaissance style dress, suspenders, ruffled

blouse, knee breaches, bloody etc. You could link characters by having them

wear similar or complementary colours i.e. all Capulets wear a similar shade, all

Montagues have a colour associated with them.

Paragraph 3 - Character Position: How many characters will be on stage? Will

they be centre stage, in the foreground (front) or background? If you have a

tiered stage, will you place the dominant character higher up in a scene? Will an

isolated/lonely character be standing alone?

-Posture/movement/facial expressions: Use adverbs freely. Do your characters

stand proudly and tall, with their shoulders pushed back to show an air of

confidence and certainty, or are they slumped over, bent in humble submission?

Try to support their postures and movements with reference to the text. Use

descriptive language and remember to exaggerate your characters’ expressions

so the audience can see. How to design a poster to advertise the play You could

be asked a question like this that requires you to think creatively. Here are

some ideas but you can add in your own too!

• State that you want to design a poster that will create a sense of anticipation

for the audience.

• Mention that you want to create suspense for the audience, giving them

enough information to make them want to come see the play/film, but not too

much information that you ruin the plot.

• Visual images

• Text
• Discuss the characters you would have on the poster, where on the poster you

would position these characters and why you would choose these characters. For

example, if you decide to have Romeo and Juliet on the poster, explain why. •

Dominant colours on the poster, props, setting/background.

• If you are going to have a key moment from the play on the poster, discuss

and explain that key moment. For example, Act 2 Scene 2 - the Balcony Scene.

This is a key moment in the play and perhaps you want to portray this on your

poster to highlight its importance. • Aspects that create a particular mood. •

Poster could include quotes from the play, ratings for the play