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Guided Reading – Act I Scenes 2-5
Scene 2 – A Street
Summary: Paris asks Lord Capulet for permission to marry Juliet. Capulet hesitates
because he feels Juliet is too young. He relents, however, advising Paris that he must win
Juliet’s heart. Capulet invites Paris to a feast. He hands his servant a list of people to be
invited and exits with Paris. The illiterate servant asks Romeo and Benvolio for help
reading the list, unaware that they are Montegues. Romeo discovers that Rosaline,
Capulet’s niece, has been invited. Benvolio, hoping his friend will fall in love with
someone else, persuades Romeo to “crash” the party.
Line 7-10: How old is Juliet? At what age does Capulet think it is proper for Juliet to
marry?
Line 12: What does Paris want?
Line 15: Why doesn’t Capulet want his daughter to marry right away? How is Capulet
now different from the man we saw in Scene 1?
Line 26-28: What happens to young men in the spring?
Lines 38-44: The servant thinks Capulet is crazy for giving him such a task and he mixes
up his quotes in his speech. What comparisons does he try to make?
Line 58: What does Romeo mean in his reply to the servant?
Line 82: What is ironic about the servant’s invite (dramatic irony)?
Line 89: Explain “And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.”
Lines 90-95: What is Romeo’s reply?
Scene 3: A room in the Capulet’s house
Summary: Lady Capulet asks Juliet’s nurse to summon Juliet. Her initial address to her
mother shows that she is submissive and obedient. The nurse rambles on, telling a story
about Juliet as a child. Lady Capulet tells the nurse to be quiet and then tells Juliet of
Paris’ marriage offer, asking her daughter to consider his proposal. Both the mother and
the nurse praise Juliet’s appearance, and Juliet dutifully agrees to her mother’s request.
Lines 6-10: What does Lady Capulet change her mind about? Why?
Lines 16-19: Who is Susan? What happened to her?
Lines 39-43: What advice did the nurse’s deceased husband give Juliet when she was a
toddler?
Line 58: Do you think Juliet finds the nurse’s story funny? Why?
Line 63: Explain the word play Lady Capulet uses to change the subject.
Line 76: Explain “Why he’s a man of wax.”
Lines 100-103: What is your impression of the servant?
From this scene, what is your first impression of Juliet?
Scene 4: A street
Summary: Romeo, Benvolio, and their friend Mercutio don masks in preparation for
attending the Capulet’s party. Romeo is still lovesick and tells his friends that a dream
has filled him with forebodings about the party. Mercutio, trying to get Romeo to forget
his troubles, describes Queen Mab, who is the fairy in control of the dream world.
Mercutio insists that dreams have no bearing on reality. Romeo, who foresees his own
“untimely death”,” disagrees but decides to confront whatever fate awaits him and sets
off for the party with his friends.
Line 11-12: Explain Romeo’s comments in this line.
Line 15: Explain Romeo’s pun in this line.
Lines 13-32: Mercutio is a key character as the play goes on. How do Mercutio and
Romeo differ in their attitudes about love?
Lines 35-39: Despite Mercutio’s teasing and Benvolio’s urging, what is Romeo
determined to do at the dance?
Lines 53-94: Mercutio, as a ringleader and a born entertainer, serves as a character foil
for the more serious and emotional Romeo. Mercutio grabs everyon’s attention with this
famous monologue – a long speech directed at other characters onstage. What points is
Mercutio making about dreams and their significance?
Lines 106-113: Romeo fears “Some consequence yet hanging in the stars,” but decides to
go to the party and leave his fate to “he that hath steerage of my course.” What does this
tell us about Romeo’s belief in predetermined fate?
Explain the foreshadowing of Romeo’s dream.
Scene 5: A hall in the Capulet’s house.
Summary: Three servants enter, bantering with one another as they set up for the party.
Lord Capulet greets his guests, welcomes the maskers, and reminisces about his youth.
Romeo sees Juliet and falls immediately in love with her. He inquires about her, but does
not learn her identity. Tybalt (from scene 1), recognizes Romeo’s voice and prepares to
fight. He is restrained by Capulet, however, who even compliments Romeo’s good
manners. Tybalt obeys his uncle’s command, but swears he will have revenge. Romeo
confesses his love to Juliet; their exchange forms a sonnet, which uses religious imagery
to describe the passionate devotion of lovers. They kiss, but are separated by the nurse,
who summons Juliet to her mother. Romeo finds out from the nurse that Juliet is Lord
Capulet’s daughter, laments his bad fortune, and departs with his friends. Juliet
questions her nurse and discovers that Romeo is a Montegue, and she too mourns her
bad luck in love.
Lines 16-33: Lord Capulet welcomes his guests. How does he tease the woman? What
does he want everyone to do?
Line 44-53: Romeo spots Juliet across the room. What is your response to Romeo’s
declaration of love?
Lines 65-74: Does Lord Capulet seem to have taken seriously the prince’s warning about
no more feuding? How do you know?
Lines 89-92: How might the audience guess that Tybalt is about to exit?
Lines 93-106: Romeo and Juliet move across the stage and stand with their palms
touching as if praying together. Lines 93-106 are spoken together to form a sonnet.
Romeo pretends to be a pilgrim going to a saint’s shrine. What religious images do the
lovers use to talk of their feelings for each other? What is the rhyme scheme of a sonnet?
Lines 128-135: Why does Juliet ask about several men before she asks about Romeo?
Lines 138-140: Explain “My only love, sprung from my only hate!”