Romeo and Juliet

Reading Guide

Acts IV-V

Act 4 Scene 1

1. 1. Why is Friar Laurence reluctant to marry Paris to Juliet? She is already married and he is
worried about her mental health

2. 2. How does Paris explain the sudden haste of the marriage plans? Hopefully it will get her
mind off tybalt/romeo

3. 3. What is ironic about the conversation between Juliet and Paris? She knows she's married
and he does not

4. 4. If Friar Laurence cannot help her, what does Juliet threaten to do? She threatens to kill
herself

5. 5. Why does Friar Laurence think that Juliet will accept his plan? Because she is willing to kill
herself so she wont marry him

6. 6. Describe the friar’s plan for Juliet. To drink the deadly potion, she will pretend to die for 42
hours but come back

Act 4 Scene 2

1. 1. What does Juliet say that makes her father happy? She apologizes and says she will do
anything he says

2. 2. How does Capulet change the wedding plans? What implication does this have? he plans to
have the wedding the next day, he says it is how things should be

Act 4 Scene 3

1. 1. How does Juliet show her maturity and independence in this scene? She asked to be alone
even when she is very scared

2. 2. If the potion does not work, what will Juliet do? she will kill herself with the knife.

3. 3. What are some of the fears Juliet has about the potion? That the potion may really kill her,
she may suffocate in the tomb, romeo may not get there in time

Act 4 Scene 4
1. 1. What is happening in this brief scene? They are getting ready for the wedding

Act 4 Scene 5

1. 1. Describe the imagery Shakespeare uses in describing Juliet’s “death”? Cold, stiff, her
breathing stopped, she doesn't have a pulse, pale.

2. 2. What does Friar Laurence say to comfort the Capulet family? She is in a better place in
heaven and should alway keep her in all of their hearts.

3. 3. What event are the Capulets now preparing for? juliet's memorial service

Act 5 Scene 1

1. 1. What news does Balthasar bring to Romeo? That juliet had died

2. 2. What does Romeo mean when de says, “Then I defy you, stars!”? He is angry at the
heavens

3. 3. What actions does Balthasar’s news prompt Romeo to do? Go back to verona

Act 5 Scene 2

1. 1. What does Friar John tell Friar Laurence? The letter was not sent to romeo

2. 2. After hearing this news from Friar John, what does Friar Laurence intend to do? He must go
and save juliet because romeo is not there

Act 5 Scene 3

1. 1. Why is Paris at Juliet’s tomb? He put flowers there and waters them each night.

2. 2. Romeo gives Balthasar two reasons for entering the Capulet’s tomb. What are those two
reasons? He has to see her face and get the ring from her finger

3. 3. Why does Paris think that Romeo has come to the tomb? To commit crimes against her
body and destroy her corpse.

4. 4. What is it about Juliet that should have told Romeo that she was not dead? She still has
color on her cheeks and lips.

5. 5. Why doesn’t Friar Laurence stay in the tomb with Juliet after she awakens? He believes
something very bad has happened and it did.

6. 6. Why does Juliet kiss Romeo after he is dead? She hopes there will still be some poison on
his lips so she can also kill herself to be with him.
7. 7. When Montague first arrives on the scene, what does he tell those gathered?” Alas, my
liege, my wife is dead tonight. Grief of my son’s exile hath stopped her breath. What further woe
conspires against mine age”

8. 8. Relate the events that lead to Romeo and Juliet’s death as they are told by Friar Laurence
near the play’s end. Romeo and Juliet got married, Tybalt was mad at Romeo for coming to the party
and fought him but was killed by romeo. Romeo was banished and Juliet was sad, she was forced to
be married but didn't want to so she got the sleeping potion, everyone believed she was dead. Paris
and Romeo fought over sleeping Juliet and Paris died. Romeo drank the poison and died. Juliet
stabbed herself and died.

9. 9. What information does Romeo’s letter give? The letter confirms the friar’s account. It
describes the course of their love and mentions the news of her death. Here he writes that he bought
poison from a poor pharmacist. He brought that poison with him to this vault to die and lie with Juliet.

10. 10. How do Montague and Capulet plan to honor the memories of their children? They will raise
her statue, there will be no figure praised more than Juliet. The statue I will make of Romeo to lie
beside his Juliet.