Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two young Italians from conflicting families.
It was one of the most popular plays of Shakespeare’s lifetime.
Romeo and Juliet Act 4
Romeo and Juliet Act 4 Scene 1
Paris meets with Friar Laurence to discuss his marriage to Juliet. When Juliet arrives, Paris leaves. Juliet threatens to kill herself if the Friar can’t help her. The Friar comes up with a plan: Juliet should go home, apologize to her father, and agree to marry Paris. He gives Juliet a potion that will make her appear dead for 42 hours. She will be placed in the Capulet tomb. The Friar will send a message to Romeo in Mantua to come and rescue her when she wakes.
Questions on Romeo and Juliet Act 4 Scene 1
Question: What is Paris’s purpose for meeting with Friar Laurence in Scene 1?
Answer: Paris meets with Friar Laurence to discuss his upcoming marriage to Juliet and make wedding arrangements.
Question: What desperate threat does Juliet make to Friar Laurence, and how does he respond?
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Answer: Juliet threatens to kill herself if Friar Laurence can’t help her avoid marrying Paris. In response, Friar Laurence comes up with a plan involving a potion to make her appear dead.
Romeo and Juliet Act 4 Scene 2
On Tuesday afternoon, preparations for Juliet’s wedding are underway at the Capulet house. Juliet apologizes to her father, but he decides to move the wedding to Wednesday, the next day.
Questions on Romeo and Juliet Act 4 Scene 2
Question: What preparations are happening at the Capulet house in Scene 2, and how does Juliet behave when she returns home?
Answer: Preparations for Juliet’s wedding to Paris are taking place at the Capulet house. Juliet apologizes to her father and agrees to marry Paris, even though she secretly plans to take the potion given by Friar Laurence.
Romeo and Juliet Act 4 Scene 3
Juliet is in her bedroom with the Nurse and her mother. She manages to get them to leave, which is necessary for her plan. Juliet is worried about the potion’s effects but eventually drinks it.
Questions on Romeo and Juliet Act 4 Scene 3
Question: What concerns and fears does Juliet express while taking the potion from Friar Laurence?
Answer: Juliet is worried about the effects and consequences of the potion. She fears that it might actually be a poison meant to kill her, and she worries about waking up alone in the tomb surrounded by her ancestors’ corpses.
Question: What is the purpose of Juliet taking the potion, and how long is she expected to be unconscious?
Answer: Juliet takes the potion to make her appear dead, and she is expected to be unconscious for 42 hours. This is part of Friar Laurence’s plan to allow her to escape her impending marriage to Paris and reunite with Romeo.
Romeo and Juliet Act 4 Scene 4
Wednesday morning at the Capulet house, wedding preparations are in full swing.
Questions on Romeo and Juliet Act 4 Scene 4
Question: What is happening at the Capulet house on the morning of the wedding day (Wednesday) in Scene 4?
Answer: Preparations for Juliet’s wedding continue at the Capulet house, despite her taking the potion.
Romeo and Juliet Act 4 Scene 5
The Nurse goes to Juliet’s bedroom to wake her but believes she’s dead. The scene is full of emotion and dramatic irony since the audience knows she’s still alive. The Nurse, Lord and Lady Capulet, and Paris all grieve. Friar Laurence enters and tries to reassure everyone that Juliet will now be at peace and happy. Capulet decides to change the wedding preparations into funeral arrangements.
Questions on Romeo and Juliet Act 4 Scene 5
Question: How does the Nurse react when she goes to wake Juliet in Scene 5, and what is the dramatic irony in this scene?
Answer: The Nurse believes Juliet is dead and reacts with grief and despair. The dramatic irony lies in the fact that the audience knows Juliet is not actually dead but under the influence of the potion, which creates tension and emotion in the scene.
Question: How do Lord and Lady Capulet, Paris, and Friar Laurence react to Juliet’s apparent death?
Answer: Lord and Lady Capulet, Paris, and Friar Laurence are all shocked and devastated by Juliet’s supposed death. They are unaware of the Friar’s plan and believe that Juliet has taken her own life.
Question: What decision does Capulet make upon discovering Juliet’s “death”?
Answer: Capulet decides to change the wedding preparations into funeral arrangements for Juliet.
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