Homework Help: English: Books, Novels & Plays: Romeo and Juliet

Looking at the prologue

1- Find evidence from the Prologue that the feud between the two families had been long-standing and violent.

"From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean, bred from fatal loins of these two foes"

2- What role does the Chorus assign to fate?

In the line "A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life", Shakespeare informs his audience that the death of these young lovers was preordained from fate. Yet he complicates the message by adding "Whose misadventure piteous overthrows, do with their death bury their parents' strife" suggesting that the fate of Romeo and Juliet is due also to misadventures acts by them. This shows that the lovers are not just swept away by a malevolent fortune, but also by forces very much belonging to this world.

3- What is the effect of the young lovers' deaths?

When the lovers are swept helplessly and inexorably to their deaths by fate, it offers hope to both of the houses and ends their strife.

4- Discuss the role of the Chorus. What is its function to the play? How does it set the stage for the drama?

The prologue is Shakespeare's opportunity to tell his audience what he intends and what to expect. The chorus sets the emotions and tells us virtually the whole story: set in Verona, the children of two feuding families meet, fall in love, and die at their own hands, all within the bounds of a two hour play.

Looking at Scene One

1 a) How does Shakespeare create a light, humorous tone in the opening moments of scene one?

Shakespeare sets the scene with two vivacious, saucy young men quarreling using sexual connotations. They swap insults at a fast pace and have a mocking, joking kind of tone.

b) Are there also indications of a sinister violence? Explain.

The two men are mocking each other across the two houses. This is a very complicated and deep rooted insidious matter within the community.

2 What is the dramatic effect of having two servants start the fight?

The two servants are youths that are violent and very much on heat. Though they only seem to be joking about, the meaning behind their words shows that even the lower class citizens understand the strong division within the upper houses.

3 Discuss the role of each of the following in the brawl:

a) Tybalt: he moves the action from the servant level up to aristocracy. Though Tybalt is full of energy he has no sense of fun as he is jealous and proud.

b) Benvolio: he is serious and sympathetic and is necessary in keeping the peace between the houses.

c) Capulet: he is older and shows a contrast to the younger generation. Yet, he also strongly understands the arbitrary fate within the two houses and is insistent upon his daughter marrying well.

d) Lady Capulet and Lady Montague: both of these characters are restrained from the action and play no part in it, but they illustrate the family feud with the Capulets

4 Describe the Prince's reaction to the brawl. By what decree does he attempt to ensure that violence will not break out again?

The prince is insistent upon law and order within his township, as he disperses the crowd and threatens them with a punishment of death. He seems impartial to the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets, since he has relatives on both sides.

5. In a conversation between Benvolio, Lady Montague and her husband express concern over Romeo's behavior. What seems to be troubling them?

Romeo appears to be melancholy, shuns company, walks in the woods alone at night and locks himself away in his room by day. His family and friends are concerned about his unusual absent mindedness and moody adolescent behavior.

6. Define oxymoron. Examine Romeo's speech. How does Romeo's use of this technique help to establish his loves-struck condition?

An oxymoron is a phrase of two words that are in complete contrast to each other creating absurdity. Romeo uses this technique to explain how strange love feels to him, and he is really only in love with love itself. He shows how he is head over heels in love, yet it is only surface deep. His lovesickness is with the words and notion of love, rather than Rosaline.

7. Outline the contrasting views presented in scene 1.

Scene one presents the love within a family, the love of friendship, platonic love, and love as a passionate feeling towards a notion or person. Another contrast is seen within Romeo's personality as he is miserable, however he enjoys it. The emotion of love makes Romeo happy at the same time it makes him sad.

8. Describe Romeo's state of mind, based on his comments in Scene one?

Romeo is confused as he reluctantly tells Benvolio that he is sad because Rosaline rejects his attempts to court her, as she has vowed to remain chaste. Romeo acts like the traditional forlorn lover and is in a befuddled state of mind towards the notion of love.

9. Summarize Benvolio's advice to Romeo.

Benvolio suggests that Romeo attends the Capulet ball so that he can see for himself that Rosaline is not the only girl in the world worthy of his affections.

10. Events in Scene One build to a crisis. What is the crisis? Explain.

Shakespeare has created an atmosphere of tension where the least word or gesture can trigger off unthinking violence which is shared by the community- old and young alike, whether they are the lowest servants or the respected heads of noble families.

Scene one also builds up high amounts of tension surrounding the ideals of love, and we are left wondering how the next scene will evolve.

Homework Help: English: Books, Novels, and Plays

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