Act 2

Scene 2

1. Where is Romeo at the beginning of this scene? What is he doing? Romeo is in Juliet’s yard watching her and reflecting on her beauty. “Juliet is the sun” (2.2.3). “If her eyes were stars, the heavens would shine so brightly that the birds would sing because they would think it was day” (2.2.20- 22).

2. What does Juliet mean when she asks, “Wherefore art thou Romeo?” Juliet is not asking where Romeo is. She is asking why the young man she just met has to be Romeo Montague – a member of a family in a long-standing feud with her own.

3. What does Juliet reveal about herself 3. What does Juliet reveal about herself? Explain the dramatic irony in the scene. Juliet reveals that she has fallen in love with Romeo. Readers know Romeo is there listening, but Juliet does not. “Romeo, get rid of your name, and in place of that name, which isn’t part of you, take me” (2.2.49-50).

4. Why is Juliet worried for Romeo’s safety? If Juliet’s family finds Romeo under her balcony, he will get hurt. “…this is a place of death to you—considering who you are—if any of my relatives should find you here” (2.2.68-69).

5. Why is Juliet doubtful about this meeting with Romeo? Juliet feels that things are moving along too quickly. “Our love is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden, too like the lightening….” (2.2.124).

6. Who first brings up the idea of getting married? Why? Juliet proposes to Romeo. She wants to be sure he is honorable and actually loves her.

7. What concrete plans do Romeo and Juliet make? They have agreed that Juliet will send a messenger to him at 9:00 the next morning. Romeo will send back details of their wedding plans.

Text Conversation

Figurative Language

Metaphor a comparison between unlike objects that does not use “like” or “as” She is a flower too delicate for the summer heat.

Simile a comparison between unlike objects that uses “like” or “as” He panted like a dog in the sun.

Personification giving human characteristics to nonhuman objects The blank page beckoned me to spill ink across its white surface.

Hyperbole exaggeration for emphasis I have a million things to do after school today.

Metaphor 1. But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun! Though it is late at night, Juliet’s surpassing beauty makes Romeo imagine that she is the sun, transforming the darkness into daylight.

Metaphor 2. Oh, speak again bright angel… Romeo is comparing Juliet to an angel. Comparing Juliet to an angel shows that Romeo believes she is more lovely and perfect than anyone else on earth.

Personification 3. My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words of thy tongue’s utterings, yet I know the sound. Juliet recognizes Romeo’s voice even though she hasn't heard even a hundred words from him.

Personification/Hyperbole 4. With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls… Love gave Romeo wings to climb the wall into the Capulet orchard (love does not have wings). Romeo is saying that love can overcome any obstacle between him and Juliet.

Hyperbole 5. There lies more peril in thine eyes than twenty of their swords. Romeo claims there is more danger in Juliet's eyes than in twenty of her relatives coming at him with their swords.

Personification 6. I have night’s cloak to hide me from their eyes. Romeo is saying he will use the darkness of night to prevent him from being seen. (Night does not have a cloak.)

Simile 7. It is too rash…too like the lightening which doth cease to be ere can say it lightens. Juliet compares their promises of love to lightning. It is sudden and quick - lightning disappears from the sky before you can say there was lightning.

Metaphor/Personification 8. This bud of love, by summer’s ripening breath, may prove a beauteous flower. Summer does not have "ripening breath.“ Juliet compares their love to a flower bud.

Simile 9. My bounty is a boundless as the sea, my love as deep. Juliet compares her love to the sea. She is saying her love is never-ending.

Metaphor/Hyperbole 10. I would have thee gone, and yet no farther than a wanton bird that lets it hop a little from her hand like a poor prisoner in his twisted chains… Juliet expresses how closely she wishes Romeo could stay to her by comparing him to a bird kept on a chain that can only "hop a little from her hand.” This is an exaggeration of just how close she wants to keep Romeo.

Scene 3

1. What does Friar Lawrence mean in his opening soliloquy? He reflects on the fact that everything on Earth, from herbs to virtues, has some special good, but that any of those things, if misapplied or used in excess, can cause disaster.

2. Why does Friar Lawrence think Romeo has “sinned”? Friar Lawrence senses that something is wrong with Romeo because he is there so early. Romeo also admits he has not slept, so Friar thinks he spend the night with Rosaline.

3. Explain what Friar Lawrence meant by, “Young men’s love then lies/ Not truly in their hearts but in their eyes.” When Romeo reveals he actually loves Juliet, Friar Lawrence thinks Romeo has fallen in love based only on physical appearance.

4. Why did Friar Lawrence agree to marry Romeo and Juliet? He agrees to marry them because it may bring their houses together. “I will help you for just one reason: this marriage alliance may prove to be so happy that it will turn the hatred of your two households into love” (2.3.93-95).

5. What word would you use to describe Friar Lawrence 5. What word would you use to describe Friar Lawrence? Find a line that supports your opinion. Be sure to cite it properly (p.109-115).

Scene 4

Pun a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word

Find a pun in this scene (2.4) and identify its double meaning. Mercutio says, “You certainly gave us the counterfeit last night” (2.4.39). Romeo thinks Mercutio is talking about money. A counterfeit coin was called a "slip," so Mercutio is saying that Romeo gave them the slip, or dissed them, the night of the party.

Write a sentence using a pun and identify its double meaning. I wanted to buy a camouflage shirt, but I didn’t see one. Why does Peter Pan fly all the time? He Neverlands. I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me. Writing with a dull pencil is pointless.

Scene 5

1. Is the nurse right to be helping Juliet marry Romeo without informing Lord and Lady Capulet? How might this go wrong? How else might she and Juliet have handled the situation?

Scene 6

1. What MOOD do you get from the following lines: “These sudden joys have sudden endings. They burn up in victory like fire and gunpowder. When they meet, as in a kiss, they explode” (Shakespeare 2.6.9-11). foreboding, ominous (threatening)

2. What advice does the Friar give Romeo about love? Cite the lines. He tells Romeo to “love moderately” (2.6.14). “Love that lasts a long time is moderate. To push love too fast can be as bad as being too slow to love” (2.6.14-15).

3. How soon after meeting one another have Romeo and Juliet married? They have known each other for less than 24 hours. They met the night of the party and are married the next afternoon.

Review Draw a picture or symbol that represents something in each scene. Briefly explain the reasoning behind your drawing.

Act 2 2.1: Romeo ditches his friends after the party and sneaks into Juliet’s yard. 2.2: (The Balcony Scene) Romeo and Juliet exchange vows of love and talk of getting married. 2.3: Romeo asks Friar Lawrence if he will perform the marriage ceremony. 2.4: The nurse goes to Romeo to find out details about the wedding 2.5: The nurse brings the wedding details back to Juliet. 2.6: Romeo and Juliet get married.