Romeo and Juliet Discussion Questions

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Act One - Scene One

1. Sampson uses quite threatening imagery as the play opens. Discuss the vulgarity of his words.
2. What is the dramatic effect of having the servants from each household fight?
3. Describe the Prince’s reaction to the brawl. Explain the depth of his anger.
4. Describe Romeo’s state of mind based on his comments in this scene.

Act One - Scene Two

1. Examine Capulet’s conversation with Paris.
   
   1. How does Capulet feel about his daughter.
      
   2. What are his thoughts about young marriages?
2. Explain how fate accelerates the plot in this scene.

Act One - Scene Three

1. Describe the Nurse’s character in terms of her a) personality, b) attitude towards love, and c) relationship with Juliet.
2. Prove that Juliet is closer to the Nurse than her own mother with evidence from this scene.

Act One - Scene Four

1. Discuss your impressions of Mercutio’s character.
2. Describe Mercutio’s and Romeo’s relationship.
3. How does Mercutio describe dreams in this scene? How does this seem to contrast with Romeo’s personality?

Act One - Scene Five

1. What effect is created by interlacing Romeo’s discovery of Juliet with Tybalt’s discovery of Romeo? What two extremes are intertwined here?
2. Compare Romeo’s description of Juliet (“O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!”) to his earlier description of Rosaline (The all-seeing sun / Ne’er saw her match since first the world begun”). What do these descriptions show about his feelings?
3. The love exchange between Romeo and Juliet has a sacramental, religious tone. What specific words that create this tone. What might it be suggesting about Romeo and Juliet’s love?
4. What significance is there of their first dialogue being a sonnet?