Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet

by William Shakespeareby William Shakespeare

Act 2

Act 2, PrologueAct 2, PrologueSummarizes Act 1Addresses the speed

in which Romeo and Juliet have fallen in love

Makes fun at the way in which Romeo abandoned Rosaline quickly for Juliet Now old desire doth in his death-bed lie,

And young affection gapes to be his heir;That fair for which love groan'd for and would die,With tender Juliet match'd, is now not fair.

Act 2, Scene 1Act 2, Scene 1Romeo’s friends,

Mercutio and Benvolio, go looking for Romeo.

They think that Romeo is still in love with Rosaline.

Benvolio and Mercutio do not know that Romeo is headed to the Capulet orchard.

They do not know Romeo is now in love with Juliet DRAMATIC IRONY

Mercutio calls out to Romeo in search of him by teasing him about Rosaline’s seductive beauty. CHARACTERIZATION

Romeo hides. Benvolio asks that he leave

Romeo alone. After much joking around,

Mercutio and Benvolio give up and go home to bed.

Mercutio: I conjure thee by Rosaline's bright eyes,

By her high forehead and her scarlet lip,

By her fine foot, straight leg and quivering thigh

And the demesnes that there adjacent lie,

That in thy likeness thou appear to us!

Act 2, Scene 1Act 2, Scene 1 Romeo symbolically

separates from his friends in this scene when he jumps over the Capulet wall.

He cannot let his friends know he is in love with Juliet.

For Mercutio, love is a physical conquest.

Mercutio is Romeo’s foil in that Romeo views love romantically & spiritually.

Act 2, Scenes 1 & 2 Act 2, Scenes 1 & 2 Romeo describes Juliet

in terms of light images.

Juliet is the sun, a torch, bright angel

Juliet = light & truthRosaline = darkness &

moonRomeo has moved

beyond darkness to light

Act 2, Scene 2Act 2, Scene 2The Famous Balcony

SceneRomeo climbs over the

Capulet’s garden wall and hides in the garden below Juliet’s window.

He can’t decide to speak or listen INTERNAL CONFLICT◦ Romeo: Shall I hear more, or

shall I speak at this

Act 2, Scene 2Act 2, Scene 2Romeo overhears

Juliet talking to herself in her famous soliloquy Her monologue lets

Romeo know she is interested in him

Juliet says that she will disown her family so she can be with Romeo.

Juliet hates the name “Montague” not the person “Romeo.”

Act 2, Scene 2Act 2, Scene 2 Romeo answers Juliet. Romeo is willing to change his

name just to be with Juliet and says that Juliet’s family cannot stop their love.

Juliet says that she is afraid that her family will kill Romeo if they find him. FORESHADOWING Romeo replies: I have night's

cloak to hide me from their sight;And but thou love me, let them find me here:My life were better ended by their hate,Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.

Act 2, Scene 2Act 2, Scene 2Romeo says he

would rather die than live without Juliet. FORESHADOWING

After hearing Romeo speak words of love, Juliet wonders if their love came too quickly and easily.

Act 2, Scene 2Act 2, Scene 2 Juliet doesn’t want

Romeo to promise that he loves her; she wants him to prove it through his actions by proposing marriage!

Romeo proposes and Juliet accepts.

Juliet says that if Romeo is serious about marriage, he must go and arrange the wedding. CHARACTERIZATION They have not known

each other 24 hours!

Act 2, Scene 2Act 2, Scene 2Notice the scenes in

which Romeo and Juliet are together are dark. SYMBOLISM

Darkness = secrecy Romeo must leave

Juliet when it becomes light.

Light = truth & exposure (their families are natural enemies)

Act 2, Scene 2Act 2, Scene 2Romeo views Juliet as

a very pure; he uses religious imagery by calling her “dear saint” and “bright angel.”

Romeo says he will have the wedding arranged by 9:00 am.

Romeo goes to the Friar to arrange the marriage.

Juliet promises to follow Romeo through the world after marriage no matter what. FORESHADOWING

Act 2, Scene 3Act 2, Scene 3Friar Lawrence’s

monologue discusses the nature of good and evil in both nature and men.

He thinks that Romeo is too quick to fall “in love” and that the marriage is a bad idea, but agrees because it may help end the feud. CHARACTERIZATION

Friar. Thy love did read by rote, that could not spell.But come, young waverer, come go with me.In one respect I’ll thy assistant be; For this alliance my so happy proveTo turn your households’ rancor to pure love.

Act 2, Scene 4Act 2, Scene 4 Benvolio and Mercutio discuss

the danger Tybalt poses to Romeo.

Tybalt is the best fighter in Verona, and is looking for Romeo to kill him. FORESHADOWING

They both believe that Romeo is too concentrated on “love” to face Tybalt.

Romeo comes in and he and Mercutio use puns to joke about Romeo’s tendency to fall in love.

The nurse enters and Mercutio makes fun of her.

Romeo tells the nurse to have Juliet at the church at one.

Nurse.And speak anything against me, I’ll take him down…

Act 2, Scene 5Act 2, Scene 5Juliet expresses her

anxiety and frustration in her opening soliloquy.

The nurse enters and first teases Juliet, refusing to give her an answer, and then tells her that Romeo will marry her that day when she goes to church.

Nurse.Then hie you hence to Friar Lawrence’s cell; There stays a husband to make you a wife.

Act 2, Scene 6Act 2, Scene 6 Romeo is at Friar Lawrence’s

cell. The friar cautions the young

man that the intensity of his love will lead to no good. FORESHADOWING

When Juliet enters, Romeo urges her to describe the extent of their love.

Juliet replies that words are unable to do justice to the substance of her love. CHARACTERIZATION

The friar quickly leads them off to be married.

Friar.

These violent delig

hts have violent e

nds

And in th

eir triu

mph die, like fire and

powder.

Works CitedWorks Cited Chichester, Karen. “Romeo and Juliet Outlines by

Act.” Jefferson High School: Livonia, Michigan. SlideShare.net. SlideShare Inc. Sept. 2008. Web.

18 May 2010. “Romeo and Juliet.” Google Images. Google. 2010. Web. 18 May 2010. Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Michigan Institute of Technology. 2010. Web. 18 May 2010.