ROMEO & JULIETACT 1, SCENE 1Study Guide Answers

Created by M. RiddellFebruary 2017

1. Sampson & Gregory are servants for the Capulets and they are talking about hating the Montagues.

2. Sampson says he will thrust the maids to the wall (take their virginity). This is an example of vulgar (sexual) love.

3. Gregory & Sampson meet Abraham & Balthasar, Montague servants. Gregory wants to run but Sampson says he’ll back him up, and then suggests they get the Montagues to start the fight.

4. Biting a thumb is like giving someone the middle finger.

5. Benvolio is a Montague and he tries to stop the fighting by drawing his own sword.

6. Tybalt sees Benvolio’s sword and thinks he’s fighting. Tybalt says he really hates peace.

7. Tybalt is a hot-head and doesn’t really listen to Benvolio’s explanation - he just starts fighting.

8. Lady Capulet says her husband is old and needs a crutch not a sword.

9. Lady Montague doesn’t think it dignified to be brawling in the streets.

10. The Prince is angry the two families have fought in the streets three times, so he imposes a death sentence if it happens again.

11. Benvolio says he saw Romeo heading to the woods, in the early morning, but he lost him in a thicket.

12. Lord Montague says that Romeo stays out all night, until the sun is up, and then hides in his room in the dark. Aurora is the Roman goddess of Dawn, the time when Romeo returns home. Shakespeare uses an allusion (hints at dawn without saying it). Most people at this time were familiar with Roman Gods and Goddesses.

13. Romeo’s problem is that he is in love, with Rosaline, who does not return his love.

14. Romeo asks Benvolio to laugh.“This love feel I, that feel no love in this. Dost thou not laugh?”

15. Benvolio is not laughing because he is sympathetic to Romeo’s heartache.

16. Lines 184-186 show a metaphor. Love is like a fire (passion) and a sea of tears.

17. Benvolio and Romeo sarcastically state the obvious.“In sadness cousin, I do love a woman.” “I aimed so near when I supposed you loved.”

18. Romeo expresses a vulgar (sexual) love. At this time, in the tradition of courtly love, when a woman rejects a man he is expected to pine away and die of unrequited love.

19. Benvolio tells Romeo to “Examine other beauties.”Look for a different girl.

20. The entire dialogue between Benvolio and Romeo is written in couplets. Two lines of verse that usually rhyme.