Scene summaries.

Question 1

What happens in Act 1, Scene 1?

Answer 1

The servants of the Capulet’s, Sampson and Gregory, are discussing what they would do to the Montague’s if they should meet them. They come across Balthasar and Abraham, servants of the Montagues and try to goad them into a fight. Benovolio, Montague’s nephew, stops the fight but Tybalt, the nephew of Capulet, tries to engage a fight with Benvolio. The Prince arrives and orders them all to stop. He tells them that if they fight again they will pay with their lives. The Prince leaves. Benvolio tells his uncle about the fight. His Aunt is worried about Romeo as he has locked himself away in his room. Benvolio talks to Romeo. Romeo is unhappy as he has been rejected by Rosaline. Bevolio tells him to get over her by looking at other women.

Question 2

What happens in Act 1, Scene 2?

Answer 2

Paris, a kinsman of the Prince and well respected man, asks Lord Capulet if he could marry his daughter, Juliet. Lord Capulet is a little worried at first as she is only 14. Lord Capulet decides to throw a party so that Paris can see Juliet for himself. He sends a servant with a list of names for the party but he can’t read. He bumps into Romeo and Benvolio. They read the list and decide to attend the party. Benvolio is convinced that Romeo will get over his broken heart by going to the party.

Question 3

What happens in Act 1, Scene 3?

Answer 3

Lady Capulet calls Juliet to see her. Her nurse, who she is very close to, is there too, which Lady Capulet is not happy about. She has gone to talk to Juliet about marrying Paris but Juliet is not interested in the idea of marriage. Both the nurse and Lady Capulet try to convince her that Paris is an amazing man. Juliet is not convinced and says that she will keep an open mind.

Question 4

What happens in Act 1, Scene 4?

Answer 4

Romeo, Benvolio and Mercutio (kinsman to the Prince and friend of Romeo) attend the masked ball held by the Capulet’s. Mercutio is trying to get Romeo to forget about Rosaline. Romeo has had a dream that makes him feel uncertain about being there but Mercutio scoffs at Romeo and tells him that dreams mean nothing. However, Romeo can’t shake the feeling that something bad will come from being there..

Question 5

What happens in Act 1, Scene 5?

Answer 5

Romeo, Mercutio and Benvlio enter the ball. Tybalt tries to start a fight with Romeo but Lord Capulet stops him. Romeo sees Juliet and falls immediately in love with her. They share a sonnet in this scene, which shows how in love they are. She discovers that he is a Montague and an enemy of her family.

Question 6

What happens in Act 2, scene 1?

Answer 6

Romeo decides that he wants to go back to see Juliet. Mercutio jokes with Benvolio about how Romeo has been blinded and overcome with love. They leave him.

Question 7

What happens in Act 2, Scene 2?

Answer 7

The Balcony scene. Romeo hears Juliet talking about her love for him. They tell each other how much they love each other. They decide that they want to get married as soon as possible.

Question 8

What happens in Act 2, Scene 3?

Answer 8

Romeo goes to visit Friar Lawrence. He tells him that he wants to get married to Juliet. The Friar is a bit suspicious of this love as he is aware of the feelings that he had for Rosaline. However, he eventually agrees to marry them as he thinks that it will resolve the hatred between the families.

Question 9

What happens in Act 2, Scene 4?

Answer 9

Romeo hears that Tybalt wants to fight him. He sends word to Juliet to meet him that afternoon in the Friar’s cell. He tells the nurse the arrangements and sends her off to tell Juliet.

Question 10

What happens in Act 2, scene 5?

Answer 10

The nurse teases Juliet by not letting her know immediately about Romeo’s intentions. Juliet hurries off to marry Romeo.

Question 11

What happens in Act 2, Scene 6?

Answer 11

Romeo and Juliet are married by Friar Lawrence The marriage is conducted off stage to infer the secrecy of their relationship and their marriage.

Question 12

What happens in Act 3, Scene 1?

Answer 12

Tybalt tries to begin fight with Romeo but he refuses as he has married Juliet so is now related to him. Mercutio is ashamed because Romeo is not standing up to Tybalt and it is damaging the Montague’s reputation. Mercutio challenges Tybalt to a fight. Romeo tries to prevent this and Mecutiois fatally stabbed. Romeo kills Tybalt in revenge and is sent into exile by the Prince for his part in the fight.

Question 13

What happens in Act 3, Scene 2?

Answer 13

Juliet discovers that Romeo has killed her cousin, Tybalt. She is torn about her feelings towards him. She cannot believe that someone that she loves is a murderer. However, by the end of the scene, she stays loyal to Romeo as she is now his wife. She sends her nurse to find him.

Question 14

What happens in Act 3, scene 3?

Answer 14

Romeo tries to kill himself because he cannot bear the thought of being exiled away from Juliet. The Friar prevents this and gives him a sense of hope. The Friar advises that he spend the night with Juliet before leaving for his exile in Mantua. Romeo leaves to spend his last evening in Verona with Juliet.

Question 15

What happens in Act 3, scene 4?

Answer 15

Lord Capulet tells Paris that he can marry Juliet, without asking Juliet. He is convinced that she will agree because she is an obedient daughter. They arrange for the marriage to happen in three days.

Question 16

What happens in Act 3, scene 5?

Answer 16

Romeo leaves Juliet after the spending the night with her. Later that morning, Lady Capulet tells Juliet that she has to marry Paris. Juliet refuses and her father threatens to disown her. Juliet is heartbroken and decides to visit Friar Lawrence to get some advice.

Question 17

What happens in Act 4, scene 1?

Answer 17

Paris has gone to visit Friar Lawrence to discuss his upcoming wedding to Juliet. Juliet arrives and is quite frosty towards Paris. Paris leaves and Juliet tells the Friar how miserable she is and that she would rather be dead. Friar Lawrence tells Juliet to go a long with the wedding plans and that he will give her a potion to take the night before, that will make her look as though she is dead and that he will inform Romeo about what is going on so that they can escape to Mantua together.

Question 18

What happens in Act 4, scene 2?

Answer 18

Lord and Lady Capulet are busy planning the wedding of Paris and Juliet. Lord Capulet is still angry with Juliet’s refusal to marry Paris but is pleased to hear that she has gone to visit the Friar. Juliet returns and tells her father that she has met with Paris and agreed to marry him. Her father is pleased.

Question 19

What happens in Act 4, scene 3?

Answer 19

It is the eve of Juliet’s wedding to Paris. Juliet is in her bedroom with her nurse and her mother. Her mother offers her help in preparing for the wedding but Juliet refuses. The nurse and her mother leave and Juliet prepares to take the potion that the Friar has given her. She is nervous and uncertain about this.

Question 20

What happens in Act 4, scene 4?

Answer 20

Lord and Lady Capulet are preparing for the wedding and the house is filled with excitement. Lord Capulet orders the nurse to go and wake up Juliet.

Question 21

What happens in Act 4, scene 5?

Answer 21

The Nurse goes to wake up Juliet and discovers that she is dead. She screams and alerts the attention of Lady Capulet. Lord Capulet enters and is distraught by the death of his daughter. The Friar and Paris arrive for the wedding to be met by the news that Juliet is dead.

Question 22

What happens in Act 5, scene 1?

Answer 22

Romeo is in Mantua, awaiting news from Verona. Balthasar arrives and tells Romeo about the ‘death’ of Juliet. He is unaware of the Friar’s plan. Romeo decides to buy some poison and kill himself in Juliet’s tomb.

Question 23

What happens in Act 5, scene 2?

Answer 23

The Friar finds out that his letter to Romeo never arrived- he doesn’t know that Romeo thinks that Juliet is dead. He decides to go to the tomb to be there when Juliet wakes up.

Question 24

What happens in Act 5, scene 3?

Answer 24

Paris sees Romeo going into Juliet’s tomb and they fight. Romeo kills Paris and drinks the poison. The Friar arrives just as Juliet wakes up and they see that Romeo is dead. After Friar Lawrence leaves, Juliet kills herself. The Montague’s and Capulet’s arrive at the tomb and discover their children are dead. The Friar explains what has happened, and the two families realise that their feud has caused the two deaths. They make peace.