Oh, Man, Romeo! Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet Act III

With thanks to Prentice Hall now out of print text, 'Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes.'

Shakespeare ‘Romeo and Juliet’

English 9 Ms. Taylor

Questions Act III

1.   What would you do if you were in Romeo or Juliet’s situation?

2.    Why do Mercutio and Tybalt fight in Act III, Scene i? What does Mercutio mean by his dying exclamation, ‘A plague on both your houses!”? How do these lines echo the ideas set forth in the play’s prologue?

3.    How and why does Romeo kill Tybalt? What does Romeo mean when he says, after killing Tybalt, ‘I am fortune’s foo!’?

4.   What punishment does the prince order for Romeo? Why does the Prince decide not to sentence Romeo to death, despite his threat in Act I?

5.    Describe the clashing emotions Juliet feels when Nurse reports Tybalt’s death and Romeo’s punishment. What reactions—both similar and different—do Juliet and Romeo have to Romeo’s punishment?

6.   Do you think Romeo’s punishment is fair? Support your answer.