Romeo and Juliet Act IV and Act V Reading Questions
ACT IV
1. Why does Juliet go to the Friar’s cell?
For advice on her marriage to Paris
2. If the Friar cannot help her, what does she intend to do?
Kill herself
3. What remedy does the Friar have to the dilemma? How does he feel about his plan?
Have Juliet agree to marry Paris, have Juliet drink a sleeping potion that will make her appear dead; Friar will send word to Romeo, Romeo will come & they will flee to Mantua to live free
4. Does Juliet agree to the plan?
Yes
5. When Juliet appears before her father, how does she conduct herself?
She apologizes to her father and agrees to marry Paris
6. Why does she promise obedience to her father?
In hope to buy more time to ward off Paris
7. Why does Lord Capulet change the wedding date?
Because Juliet has agreed to marry Paris
8. In her soliloquy, what does Juliet reveal of her feelings, hopes, and fears?
Worries about sleeping potion not working; worried that potion will kill her; worried she will wake up before Romeo gets to her & she’ll be stuck in the tomb; she had originally felt her wedding as romantic, but now see it as a night of frightful horrors
9. What is Juliet’s condition when the Nurse attempts to wake her?
“dead asleep”
10. In Capulet’s description of death, what poetic element is used?
Personification
ACT V
11. Where does scene I take place?
Mantua
12. Describe Romeo’s dream.
Dreamed that he will receive cheerful news & that Juliet will find him dead but then kiss him to bring him back to life
13. What news does Balthasar bring from Verona?
Juliet’s dead
14. What is Romeo’s initial emotion upon hearing the news? What does he decide to do?
Angry with fate; prepares to return to Verona
15. Describe the apothecary and his shop.
Poor, willing to sell illegal poison
16. What does Romeo say about gold? What does this mean?
“gold is poison to the soul”; money hurts people more than anything else
17. Upon what mission has Friar John been sent?
To deliver a letter to Romeo explaining Juliet’s death is a hoax
18. Why is Paris at Juliet’s tomb?
To place flowers & scented water on Juliet’s burial
19. What does Romeo send (with Balthasar) to his father?
A letter
20. What excuse does Romeo give to Balthasar for going into the tomb?
That Romeo wants to see her face & take a ring from her finger
21. What happens between Romeo and Paris? Why?
They fight because Paris believes Romeo is a felon
22. What dream does Balthasar have while sleeping under the yew tree?
Dreamed that his master, Romeo, fought & killed someone (foreshadowing)
23. Whom does the Friar find in the tomb? In what condition?
Juliet - awake
24. What does Juliet say upon awakening?
She asks where Romeo is
25. When Friar Laurence runs from the tomb, what do we learn of his character?
That he is scared about letting it known he had something to do with all this; worried
26. What does Juliet say to her dead husband? What does she do?
That he holds the vial which had the poson & how he did not leave her any – kisses him
27. Whom do the watch arrest? Why?
Balthasar & Friar because they are found at the scene
28. What unexpected fact does Lord Montague announce?
Lady Montague has died because of son’s exile
29. Why is the letter to Romeo’s father important?
Because it confirms Friar Laurence’s story about Romeo & Juliet’s secret marriage
30. With what final words does the Prince address Lord Capulet and Lord Montague?
That everyone will be punished
31. Does the Prince take any of the blame for what has happened? Why?
Yes, because it has cost too many lives; he believes he let the families get away with the feuding for too long
32. What happens between the Montague and Capulet families?
The feuding between them ends
33. List the characters that die (in order).
Mercurtio, Tybalt, Lady Montague, Romeo, Juliet