Act 5
1. What is Romeo’s mood before he receives the news about Juliet? Romeo is in a good mood. “My dreams predict I’m about to receive some joyful news. My heart feels light in my breast, and all day an unusual spirit has lifted me above the ground with cheerful thoughts” (5.1.2-5).
2. How does Balthasar hinder Friar Laurence’s plan? Balthasar tells Romeo that Juliet is dead. “Her body sleeps in the Capulet’s tomb, and her soul is with the angels” (5.1.18-19).
4. What is Romeo’s reaction to the news that Balthasar brings? He wants to kill himself, so he goes to an apothecary and buys poison. “Well, Juliet, I’ll lie with you tonight. Let’s see, what method shall I use?” (5.1.36-37). It is illegal for the apothecary to sell poison to Romeo, but Romeo convinces the apothecary to take money since he is impoverished.
4. How did Friar John hinder Friar Laurence’s plan? Friar Laurence gave Friar John a letter to deliver to Romeo. Friar John never delivered the letter to Romeo. He was prevented from going because it was suspected he had been exposed to plague.
5. What does Friar Laurence decide to do after learning that Romeo did not get his message? Friar Laurence decides he must go to the tomb and be there for Juliet before she wakes up. He will bring Juliet back to his cell and try to get another message to Romeo.
6. What leads to the confrontation between Romeo and Paris at the tomb? Paris is at the tomb paying respect to Juliet. Romeo is trying to break in to the tomb she he can die with Juliet. Paris sees Romeo and assumes he is trying to dishonor the dead bodies, so he tries to stop him. “There’s that banished, haughty Montague who murdered my love’s cousin. It was from grieving for Tybalt, it’s said, that my beautiful love died. And now he’s come to do some villainous dishonor to the dead bodies. I’ll stop him” (5.3.49-53).
7. What is the end result of this confrontation? They fight, and Romeo kills Paris. Romeo then puts Paris’s body in the tomb with Juliet.
8. What does Romeo notice about Juliet in the tomb? Romeo notices how beautiful and rosy Juliet looks; she does not look dead. “Beauty’s flag is still crimson in your lips and cheeks, and death’s pale flag has not advanced there” (5.3.94-96). Readers know this is because she is not actually dead!
9. Why does he leave her alone in the tomb? Friar Laurence hears a noise, which he thinks is the guards coming, so he runs out of the tomb in fright.
10. What does Juliet do after he leaves? She realizes Romeo drank all the poison, so she tries to get some poison by kissing his lips. When that doesn’t work, she stabs herself with Romeo’s dagger.
11. Who else do we learn is a victim of a tragedy? Montague arrives at the tomb and announces that his wife, Lady Montague, died last night from grief over Romeo’s banishment.
12. List the deaths in order. Mercutio (killed by Tybalt) Tybalt (killed by Romeo) Paris (killed by Romeo) Romeo (killed by himself) Juliet (killed by herself) Lady Montague (killed, we assume, by herself or from grief)
13. Which of the Prince’s lines states the irony of the situation at the end of the play? “Heaven finds the means to kill your joys with love” (5.3.298).
14. How do the families reconcile? Capulet asks for Montague’s hand in forgiveness. Montague says he will put up a statue of Juliet in pure gold so that all of Verona will cherish Juliet’s memory. Capulet then says he will put up a statue of Romeo beside Juliet’s statue.