Romeo and Juliet Discussion Questions
Act One - Scene One
- Sampson uses quite threatening imagery as the play opens. Discuss the vulgarity of his words.
- What is the dramatic effect of having the servants from each household fight?
- Describe the Prince’s reaction to the brawl. Explain the depth of his anger.
- Describe Romeo’s state of mind based on his comments in this scene.
Act One - Scene Two
- Examine Capulet’s conversation with Paris.
- How does Capulet feel about his daughter.
- What are his thoughts about young marriages?
- How does Capulet feel about his daughter.
- Explain how fate accelerates the plot in this scene.
Act One - Scene Three
- Describe the Nurse’s character in terms of her a) personality, b) attitude towards love, and c) relationship with Juliet.
- Prove that Juliet is closer to the Nurse than her own mother with evidence from this scene.
Act One - Scene Four
- Discuss your impressions of Mercutio’s character.
- Describe Mercutio’s and Romeo’s relationship.
- How does Mercutio describe dreams in this scene? How does this seem to contrast with Romeo’s personality?
Act One - Scene Five
- What effect is created by interlacing Romeo’s discovery of Juliet with Tybalt’s discovery of Romeo? What two extremes are intertwined here?
- 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?
- 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?
- What significance is there of their first dialogue being a sonnet?