Romeo and Juliet - Act 4

1) Why is Juliet so willing to trust the friar's plan? Would you be willing to?

2) One of the pleasures of watching a play is knowing something that a character on stage does no know. This use of dramatic irony makes us feel suspense. We wait anxiously to find out what will happen when the characters discover what we already know. Where do you feel dramatic irony in Scenes 2,3 and 4?

3) What terrible trials does Juliet face in this act? How does she respond to these challenges?

4)What do Juliet's responses tell you about her character?

5) Juliet's parents are the blocking figures in the play- their plans for Juliet make it seem impossible for the young couple to stay together. Does Shakespeare present the Capulets as bad characters? Or does he help us see them as complex human beings, not as mere stage villains? Explain your feelings.