Romeo and Juliet

Guide to Acts II-V

Act II Scence i

• Where: Capulet’s Orchard

• Who: Benvolio, Mercutio, Romeo

• What: Benvolio & Mercutio talk; Romeo leaves (moping again)

• What do you learn?

Act II Scene ii

• Where: Capulet’s Orchard

• Who: Romeo and Juliet

• What happens: They declare their love; famous balcony scene. Famous lines: 33, 43.

• What do you learn: They are planning a secret marriage

Act II Scene iii

• Where: Friar Lawrence’s cell

• Who: Friar Lawrence & Romeo

• What happens: They make arrangements for a marriage between Romeo and Juliet

Act II Scene iv

• Where: a street

• Who: Romeo, Benvolio, Mercutio, Nurse, Peter (her servant)

• What: Romeo tells the nurse about the plans for a wedding; she promises to tell Juliet

• What do you learn:

Act II: Scene v

• Where: Capulet’s Orchard

• Who: Juliet, Nurse,

• What happens: the Nurse tells Juliet the plan for the secret wedding, and Juliet agrees

Act II Scene vi

• Where: Friar Lawrence’s cell

• Who: Friar Lawrence, Romeo, Juliet

• What happens: Romeo and Juliet are married secretly

• What do we learn from this:

Act III Scene i

• Where: a public place• Who: Mercutio, Benvolio, Tybalt,

Petruccio, Rome, Prince, Lady Capulet• What happens: Mercutio and Tybalt fight.

Romeo tries to break it up, but Tybalt stabs Mercutio, who died. Tybalt comes back to fight with Romeo; Romeo kills Tybalt. Romeo is banished as punishment.

Act III Scene ii

• Where: Capulet’s Orchard

• Who: Juliet, Nurse

• What happens: Juliet gives a soliloquy. She has to wait for night for Romeo to come. Nurse tells Juliet about the fight and Romeo’s banishment.

Act III Scene iii

• Where: Friar Lawrence’s cell

• Who: Romeo, Friar Lawrence, Nurse.

• What happens: Romeo is despairing; Friar Lawrence tells him to leave, and wait for him to make arrangements.

Act III Scene iv

• Where: A room in Capulet’s house

• Who? Capulet and Paris

• What happens: They set a date for the wedding on Thursday (to help Juliet get over her “grief about Tybalt’s death)

• What do you learn: There is going to be a problem . . .

Act III Scene v

• Where: Capulet’s Orchard• Who: Romeo & Juliet; then, Nurse and

Lady Capulet• What happens: Romeo comes to see

Juliet for the last time before he leaves. Lady Capulet tells Juliet about the wedding, and Juliet refuses to marry Paris. Capulet is very angry with her. They all fight.

Act IV: Scene i

• Where: Friar Lawrence’s cell.

• Who: Paris; Friar Lawrence; Juliet.

• What happens: Paris and Friar talk about the wedding. The Friar tries to object. Juliet and the Friar make a plan: he gives her a potion to make her appear dead on her wedding day & promises to send a letter to Romeo about it.

Act IV: Scene ii

• Where: Hall in Capulet’s house

• Who: Capulet, Nurse, Juliet.

• What happens: Juliet tells her father she has changed her mind and will marry Paris. He moves the wedding up to tomorrow.

Act IV: Scene iii

• Where: Juliet’s room

• Who: Juliet; Nurse and Lady Capulet come in, but Juliet sends them away.

• What happens: Juliet’s soliloquy; she questions whether to take the potion, but finally drinks it.

Act IV: Scene iv

• Where: Hall in Capulet’s house

• Who: Lady Capulet, Nurse, Capulet.

• What happens: The nurse is sent to wake up Juliet.

Act IV: Scene v

• Where: Juliet’s room

• Who: Nurse; Lady Capulet; Capulet; Friar; Paris; musicians

• What happens: Nurse discovers Juliet is “dead”; everyone mourns, funeral arrangements are made.

Act V: Scene i

• Where: Street in Mantua

• Who: Romeo, Balthasar, Apothecary

• What happens: Romeo learns from Balthasar that Juliet is dead; he talks the Apothecary into selling him poison (this is illegal for the apothecary, but he is poor, so he does it for money). Romeo heads to Juliet’s grave to use it.

Act V: Scene ii

• Where: Friar Lawrence’s cell

• Who: Friar John, Friar Lawrence

• What happens: Friar John explains that he was prevented from giving the letter to Romeo. He and Friar Lawrence head to Juliet’s grave to get her out and keep her until Romeo can be sent for.

Vocabulary Words to Know:

• Pernicious

• Augmenting

• Grievance

• Transgression

• Procure

• Vile

• Predominant

• Intercession

• Lamentable

• Unwieldy

Act V: Scene iii

• Where: Churchyard, the Capulets’ Monument

• Who: Paris, his page; Romeo, Balthasar; Friar Lawrence; Juliet; watchmen; Capulet, Lady Capulet, Prince, Montague

• What happens:– Paris goes to lay flowers on Juliet’s grave– He hears a noise, and hides – Romeo and Balthasar come; Romeo sends

Balthasar off, then he goes into the tomb– Paris recognizes Romeo, and tries to stop

him.– They fight; Romeo kills Paris.– Romeo gives a long speech; then drinks the

poison

– Friar Lawrence sees Balthasar who tells him Romeo is at the tomb; the Friar hurries there, sees Romeo’s body

– Juliet wakes up; sees Romeo– The Friar leaves– Juliet kisses Romeo and stabs herself with

Romeo’s dagger

– Outside: Watchmen and others gather; the Prince, Capulet, Lady Capulet, Montague, enter

• Friar Lawrence explains the whole story

• Romeo’s letter arrives, and corroborates the Friar’s story

• Capulet and Montague agree to end their quarrel and Montague promises to raise a gold statue of Juliet, and Capulet to have one of Romeo made.