Read the text and find some elements of old English. Rephrase the sentences or expressions in modern English.

I.                  An arranged marriage:

1. How old is Juliet.? What about her mother? Find indications in the text.
2. What does Lady Capulet want? What is Juliet’s answer?
3. Does Juliet know Romeo at that point of the play? What about the audience?
4. Who is Paris? What can you imagine about his social status?
5. What do you learn about the institution of marraige at that time?

II.               Paris and love

1. What does the Nurse compare Paris to? What about the mother? What do you conclude on both women’s view on marriage and love?
2. Which adjective does Lady Capulet use to qualify Paris? What type of literature does it remind you of?
3. Which lexical field does Lady Capulet use to describe Paris (l. 82 – 89)? Quote some examples. What would Juliet correspond to then? Deduce the respective roles of wife and husband for Lady Capulet.
4. What is the next lexical field used by Lady Capulet? (92 – 94) What do you understand about her vision of marriage?
5. What about the Nurse’s vision of marriage? What does she insist on?

III.           Characterization.

Juliet:

1. “It is an honour that I dream not of”: show that this cue has a double meaning.
2. To which verb used by her mother is “dream” opposed? Analyse this opposition.
3. Is Juliet ready to abey her mother? Justify with words from the text.
4. Pick out elements of tragic irony and explain them briefly.

Lady Capulet:

1. line 75. Explain.
2. Imagine why she got married to Capulet.
3. What relationship does she have with her daughter?

The Nurse:

1. Describe her job. What is her link with Juliet?
2. What does she admit about her personality?
3. Focus on her cues. What effect do they bring on this solemn scene?
4. Explain the role of a fool (or a jester) in a tragedy and say to what extent it can be applied to the Nurse.
5. “A man, young lady! Lady, such a man”. What is the literary device? What does it herald?