Act II
Romeo’s attitude toward life has changed drastically in Act I. He was morose and depressing. In Act II, because of his new love with Juliet, he is alive with enthusiasm. Romeo does a 180-degree turn in attitude because of Juliet. True love changes him tremendously. He is no longer a foolish, sentimental boy eager to tell the world he is lovesick. True love makes him sincere. He plunges into love impulsively, and its passions completely absorb him. He gives no thought to the consequences of loving Juliet. His actions are guided by feelings alone. Reason doesn’t rule him. His heart and not his head rule him. His spirits are raised by true love, and he is restored to a clever, witty, young man.
Juliet is quick to fall under the spell of love. Love totally entrances her senses and her soul. It causes her to abandon all sense of reason and propriety. She, like Romeo, is ruled entirely by her impulses. She’s ruled by her heart and not her head.
5 Characteristics of Friar Lawrence
1. He is interested in science, gathers herbs.
2. He is wise, sees that the value of plants lies in their proper use
and mistrusts Romeo’s love.
3. He is philosophical - from his knowledge of plants; he generalizes
about human nature.
4. He is practical; he mistrusts Romeo’s pledges of love for Juliet because only yesterday Romeo loved Rosaline.
5. He is kind. He listens with understanding to Romeo’s problems.
3 doubts the Friar has about Romeo’s proposal to marry Juliet
1. He questions that Romeo could love Rosaline one minute and Juliet the next.
2. He fears Romeo has transferred his impulsive desires (obsession) from one girl to another.
3. He is concerned that Romeo does not know the meaning of love.
The only reason the Friar agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet is because he sees a prospect of healing the ancient hatred between the two families.
ADVICE FROM THE FRIAR - Be careful, go slowly, rashness leads to misfortune. "Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast." “Love moderately”
Humor in Act II
1. Mercutio and Benvolio are ignorant to what happened to Romeo the preceding night and act like Romeo still is very much hung up on Rosaline.
2. The nurse misuses words - sententious for sentences, ropery for roguery, and confidence for conference.
3. Mercutio and Benvolio mock the nurse.
4. Romeo, Benvolio, and Mercutio joke around with each other just after
Romeo has visited the Friar.
5. The nurse teases Juliet by withholding the message from Romeo and working Juliet into a frenzy.
Threat in Act II
Tybalt, an excellent duelist, has sent a letter challenging Romeo to a duel.
Chance Happening (Fate) in Act II
Romeo has no intentions of marriage. He overhears strictly by accident Juliet telling the night of her love for him. Because of this, he impulsively agrees to marriage.
4 Forebodings of Tragedy in Act II
1. We know that the Friar possesses an herb that can stop the heart.
2. We listened to the warning of the Friar, “Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast.”
3. The Friar has a premonition of evil when he states his caution to Romeo that he needs to “love moderately.”
Tybalt threatens Romeo to a duel.
Blank Verse is: unrhymed poetry written in iambic pentameter, or lines of five stressed beats in which every second syllable is stressed.
Romeo and Juliet vocabulary is defined at the beginning of each Act. It also appears within the text aids.
cunning - cleverness; slyness
procure - get
predominant - having dominating influence over others
intercession - the act of pleading on behalf of another sallow - of a sickly, pale-yellowish complexion
waverer - one who changes or is unsteady
lamentable - distressing; sad
unwieldy - awkward; clumsy
Juliet is quick to fall under the spell of love. Love totally entrances her senses and her soul. It causes her to abandon all sense of reason and propriety. She, like Romeo, is ruled entirely by her impulses. She’s ruled by her heart and not her head.
5 Characteristics of Friar Lawrence
1. He is interested in science, gathers herbs.
2. He is wise, sees that the value of plants lies in their proper use
and mistrusts Romeo’s love.
3. He is philosophical - from his knowledge of plants; he generalizes
about human nature.
4. He is practical; he mistrusts Romeo’s pledges of love for Juliet because only yesterday Romeo loved Rosaline.
5. He is kind. He listens with understanding to Romeo’s problems.
3 doubts the Friar has about Romeo’s proposal to marry Juliet
1. He questions that Romeo could love Rosaline one minute and Juliet the next.
2. He fears Romeo has transferred his impulsive desires (obsession) from one girl to another.
3. He is concerned that Romeo does not know the meaning of love.
The only reason the Friar agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet is because he sees a prospect of healing the ancient hatred between the two families.
ADVICE FROM THE FRIAR - Be careful, go slowly, rashness leads to misfortune. "Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast." “Love moderately”
Humor in Act II
1. Mercutio and Benvolio are ignorant to what happened to Romeo the preceding night and act like Romeo still is very much hung up on Rosaline.
2. The nurse misuses words - sententious for sentences, ropery for roguery, and confidence for conference.
3. Mercutio and Benvolio mock the nurse.
4. Romeo, Benvolio, and Mercutio joke around with each other just after
Romeo has visited the Friar.
5. The nurse teases Juliet by withholding the message from Romeo and working Juliet into a frenzy.
Threat in Act II
Tybalt, an excellent duelist, has sent a letter challenging Romeo to a duel.
Chance Happening (Fate) in Act II
Romeo has no intentions of marriage. He overhears strictly by accident Juliet telling the night of her love for him. Because of this, he impulsively agrees to marriage.
4 Forebodings of Tragedy in Act II
1. We know that the Friar possesses an herb that can stop the heart.
2. We listened to the warning of the Friar, “Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast.”
3. The Friar has a premonition of evil when he states his caution to Romeo that he needs to “love moderately.”
Tybalt threatens Romeo to a duel.
Blank Verse is: unrhymed poetry written in iambic pentameter, or lines of five stressed beats in which every second syllable is stressed.
Romeo and Juliet vocabulary is defined at the beginning of each Act. It also appears within the text aids.
cunning - cleverness; slyness
procure - get
predominant - having dominating influence over others
intercession - the act of pleading on behalf of another sallow - of a sickly, pale-yellowish complexion
waverer - one who changes or is unsteady
lamentable - distressing; sad
unwieldy - awkward; clumsy
