ANSWERS

TEST 2

1. B
2. A
3. B
4. B
5. A
6. C
7. C
8. A
9. A
10. A

11. First, state what you believe are the main differences in their personalities in this scene; then find specific examples to back it up.

One difference between them is that Romeo is romantic, and Juliet practical. For a discussion of this, go to the discussion of Act II, Scene ii in The Story section of this guide.

12. He is the unwelcome third party in the love triangle with Romeo and Juliet. He's Romeo's rival for Juliet's hand in marriage, and a worthy rival. He's also a contrast to Romeo, because he has the Capulets' blessing, and takes the correct steps to win his bride; Romeo's love is forbidden and secret.

Because he doesn't know the situation, his actions cause the lovers' deaths and his own. Juliet takes the potion to escape marrying Paris; this leads Romeo to kill himself because he believes Juliet to be dead, which leads Juliet to kill herself because Romeo is dead. Paris, because of his ignorance and his love for Juliet, would rather die than let Romeo into Juliet's tomb. He challenges Romeo and is killed.

Paris, like the lovers, is a sympathetic character. He is a good man who is done in by "sour misfortune." (V, iii, 82)

For more on his part, see the section on character.

13. To counsel someone, you have to understand both the person and his situation. Both the Nurse and the Friar are friends and confidants of the lovers: they are the only ones who know the situation.

From the beginning, the Friar knows Romeo's secrets. He knows about Rosaline, and he soon knows about his intended marriage with Juliet. The Nurse, too, is always in on Juliet's secrets. At the beginning of the play, Lady Capulet remembers not to discuss anything important with Juliet unless the Nurse is there. (I, iii, 7-10).

When Romeo and Juliet fall in love and want to get married, they seek help and advice from the Friar and the Nurse.

As the problems intensify, Romeo turns to the Friar, and Juliet turns to the Nurse. The Friar helps Romeo escape, but the Nurse can't help Juliet get out of her marriage. The Friar does his best to help her, but his help is ineffective. In the end, both the Nurse and the Friar contribute to the lovers' doom, rather than to their salvation.

14. First, let's recall some images of light and dark. LIGHT: sun, moon, stars, fire, lightning, the flash of gunpowder, the reflected fight of beauty and love.

DARK: night, darkness, clouds, rain, mist, and smoke. What are the images at the beginning of the play? Romeo is smitten by a "false" love. He describes this feeling as "smoke" rather than fire (I, i, 194-95), and shuts all his curtains to make an "artificial night" (I, i, 143).

Then we find the major image: Romeo and Juliet are the light in the darkness to each other. Romeo says this the first time he sees Juliet (I, v, 46) and again in the balcony scene (II, ii). Juliet calls Romeo her "day in night" (III, ii, 15). Because of him, she sees night as a friend. But soon things change. Even daytime becomes an enemy to them (III, v, 36), and they both end up forever in "the pallet of dim night" (V, iii, 107).

15. At the beginning of the play, Juliet is in harmony with her family. Their wish that she like Paris is also her wish, and she has no secrets from them.

After she meets Romeo, the two are isolated from the rest of the world. Even their friends don't truly understand them any more, but they have each other, and no one, at this point, is seriously threatening them.

But in Act III, Juliet starts to physically lose her family and friends. First, Romeo is banished to Mantua. Then her parents disown her when she refuses to marry Paris. Finally, her beloved Nurse betrays her, and Friar Lawrence deserts her in the tomb. Without meaning to, Romeo has left her alone in the world. She must spend her final moments totally abandoned.

We hear Juliet talk about this aloneness in Act IV, Scene iii; and her parents echo the theme: "But one, poor one, one poor and loving child" (IV, v, 46).

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