Romeo & Juliet Act 2 Questions

Instructor Wendy A. Garland Show bio Wendy has a Ph.D. in Adult Education and a Master's Degree in Business Management. She has 10 years experience working in higher education.

Act 2 of 'Romeo and Juliet' explores the theme of love. Examine the scenes on the balcony, with Friar Laurence, and with other characters, guided by the provided questions to further understand their significance.

Table of Contents

• Romeo & Juliet: Act 2
• Advice on Love
• Scene 1: Balcony
• Scene 2: Friar Laurence
• Scenes 3 & 4

Romeo & Juliet: Act 2

In Act 2 of Romeo and Juliet, events begin to unfold quickly. We have the famous balcony scene between Romeo and Juliet as well as the marriage arrangements that follow it. These events and plans all take place in secret. This is because the houses of Capulet and Montague would never approve of a marriage between their families.

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Advice on Love

In Act 2, some of the characters express their feelings about love. To clarify these feelings, ask your students:

• How does Mercutio feel about blind love? What does he say about it?
• What does Friar Laurence say to Romeo about how young men love? Does he approve or disapprove of it?
• What advice does Friar Laurence have for Romeo and Juliet about love?

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Scene 1: Balcony

Moving on to the famous balcony scene in Scene 1:

• To what does Romeo compare Juliet when she appears on the balcony? What does he mean?
• What does Romeo mean when he says Juliet speaks without saying a word?

Here, Romeo is referring to Juliet's body language, or conscious or non-conscious nonverbal communication, something of which most teenagers are acutely aware. Discuss with your students the role of body language among today's teens. Is it still as important? Or does it mostly lead to trouble? Ask your students:

• What does Romeo say when he sees Juliet leaning her face on her hand?
• What does Juliet, still unaware of Romeo's presence, wish he would say to her? What does she say about names to justify this wish?

Juliet wishes Romeo would denounce his family name and profess his love to her. She says that names and titles are just words; they mean nothing when it comes to important things such as love. But is she right? If so, then why would families feud for decades, or even centuries, over their family names and honor? You could also ask your students:

• Why is Juliet embarrassed when she realizes Romeo has been there for some time?
• Why is Romeo's presence at Juliet's home dangerous? What does he tell Juliet that helped him overcome the dangers and difficulties?
• What happens at the end of Scene 2? What is the result of the balcony interaction between Romeo and Juliet?

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Scene 2: Friar Laurence

Now let's discuss what Friar Laurence has been up to in Act 2, Scene 2.

• What has Friar Laurence been out gathering all morning? Why?

Friar Laurence has been out gathering poisonous flowers, because he makes poison potions. But why would a religious man do such a thing? Does he have a reason or is this just a plot device to be used later in the play? Does history include other men of the cloth who dabbled in potions and poisons?

• What does Friar Laurence say about virtue and vice? What importance does this have in the context of the play?

Friar Laurence tells Romeo that it's possible to do the right thing for the wrong reasons. Is the opposite also true? Discuss modern examples where this saying applies. Ask your students:

• What does Friar Laurence say about seeing Romeo so early in the day? Is he surprised, or was he expecting him?
• Friar Laurence is clearly not a big fan of Romeo and Juliet marrying. So why does he agree to perform their marriage ceremony? What does that decision say about him?

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Scenes 3 & 4

When discussing Scenes 3 and 4 in Act 2, ask your students:

• What do Mercutio and Benvolio talk about in Scene 4?
• How does Mercutio characterize Tybalt to Benvolio?
  • What event does his characterization foreshadow?

  The Nurse tells Romeo that he better mean what he says about loving Juliet, and that he shouldn't play with her emotions. Discuss with your students their feelings about this point. How important is it to them in this day and age? Finally, ask your students:

  • How does Juliet arrange for Romeo to meet her again? What does she ask him to bring?

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