Romeo & Juliet: Act III Study Questions

Benvolio says it is hot out and the Capulets are out. He also says in hot weather, like the kind they are experiencing, anger is easily triggered, resulting in a brawl that the two will be unable to avoid.

Mercutio accuses Benvolio of being a short tempered man that will often start fights for no apparent reason.

Benvolio tells both Mercutio and Tybalt that they are arguing in public. He tells both of them to go someplace private and argue peacefully or to just go away and leave each other alone.

Tybalt calls Romeo a villain and a dog.

Romeo will not fight Tybalt because he just became married to Tybalt's cousin, Juliet. Romeo considers Tybalt to be part of his family (through marriage); therefore, he will not fight a family member.

Mercutio thinks that Romeo is refusing to fight because he has been weakened by love. Mercutio thinks that Romeo's surrender is dishonorable.

Mercution keeps repeating this phrase because the family feud has cost him his life. As he lays dying he is showing his anger and wishes for evil to happen to both families. This is a good example of foreshadowing in the play.

Romeo states, "Thy love has made me effeminate." Romeo is saying that his love for Juliet has turned him into a weak and helpless girl.

Romeo is commenting on his bad luck and how fate has turned against him.

Benvolio tells the Prince that Romeo tried to the stop the fight. He also tells the Prince that he tried to use the penalty imposed by the Prince as a means to stop the fight.

Lady Capulet accuses Benvolio of lying to the Prince. She accuses him of this because he is part of the Montague family.

The Prince decides that Romeo should banished to Mantua. The Prince also states that should Romeo return to Verona that he will receive the penalty of death.

It is the wedding night and she is waiting for nightfall when Romeo will climb the rope ladder to her room. She is becoming more impatient as time passes slowly. The nurse is bringing Juliet more news that she hopes will help her prepare for the night.

At first Juliet thinks that Romeo has been killed because the nurse is talking about the death of someone but does not tell her the person's name. She is worried about him. When she finds out that Tybalt has been killed by Romeo, she states, "O serpent heart hid within a flowering face." She thinks that Romeo was truly "fake" and was only a wolf in sheep's clothing. Then she forgets about what he did and immediately goes back to being in love with him because it is her husband.

Juliet is most upset by the news that Romeo has been banished from Verona.

The nurse promises to go find Romeo and have him come to Juliet's room and have their "wedding night."

Romeo is devastated at the news of his banishment. In this scene he threw himself on the floor and his crying loudly and equating his banishment to a life in hell. Romeo would rather be dead than banished from Verona.

Romeo tells the priest he cannot understand his sorrow because the priest has not been in love nor has he ever been married. Romeo tells the Friar if you were young, and in love with Juliet, had just been married, and then killed a man, that he too would be in the same position as him.

Friar Lawrence tells Romeo that he has a great deal to live for and that he should be thankful first for being alive. He then tells Romeo that he has Juliet to be thankful for and should do his best to live for her.

The nurse gives Romeo a ring from Juliet to show him that she still loves him.

Capulet tells his wife to go to Juliet's chambers and tell her of the joyful news of the marriage on Thursday. Lady Capulet tells him that she will find out "what she thinks of marriage."

Juliet tells Romeo that it was Nightingale that he heard singing in the tree. She tells him it only sings at night and therefore, he has plenty of time to stay with her until the morning.

Juliet realizes that she is mistaken that it was in fact the Lark that was singing its "harsh" song in the trees. She tells Romeo he must go to avoid being seen and captured.

Juliet tells Romeo that he looks "dead at the bottom of a tomb," and she mentions that he looks "pale." This is a good example foreshadowing.

Lady Capulet thinks that she is still crying over the death of her cousin Tybalt.

Juliet tells Lady Capulet that she would mix the poison herself.

Juliet tells her mother that she will not marry Paris, that she would rather marry Romeo instead before ever considering the wedding her father has planned.

Juliet tells her mother that if she does not delay the marriage that she will kill herelf.

Both Capulet and Lady Capulet tell Juliet what they expect from her, if she chooses not to obey, they will both disown her and throw her out of the house.

The nurse tells Juliet that Romeo is not allowed to return to Verona. Since he is unable to return, the nurse tells her to forget about him and agree to marry Paris because he is just as good as Romeo.

Juliet has decided that she will no longer listen to the nurse and will no longer trust her with any of her secrets. Juliet is turning her back on everything that she has known for her short life.

Juliet told the nurse to go to her parents and tell them that she was off to see Friar Lawrence to confess her sins and be forgiven.