Romeo & Juliet Questions & Answers

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Comprehension I

1. The Phrase, ‘teach the torches to burn bright’ suggests:

Ans: (c) her beauty surpasses the brightness of light.

2.     ‘for earth too dear’ this phrase suggests that the lady’s beauty is

Ans: (b) rare

3.     ‘the measure done’, connotes the completion of

Ans: (b) dance organised by Lord Capulet.

4.     The line, ‘did my heart love till now?’ suggests

Ans: (c) Romeo feels this is true love.

5.     The phrase, ‘new snow’ suggests

Ans: (b) description of Romeo’s charm.

6.     What do you think the phrase; ‘face of heaven’ signifies?

Ans: The night sky / the sky

MCQs

I. Answer the following questions by choosing the right option

1. According to Romeo, Juliet teaches —--------  to burn bright.

a. Stars b.Sun c. Torches d.Buffalo

Ans: c. Torches

2. —------------  seems to hang upon the cheek of night according to Romeo.

a. Romeo b.Roseline c. Juliet d.Ethiopian

Ans: c. Juliet

3. —---------  is compared to a ‘rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear’ by Romeo.

a. Roseline b.Juliet c. Moon d.Ethiopian

Ans: b. Juliet

4. Romeo compares —--------- to a ‘snowy dove’ .

a. Moon b.Ethiopian c. Roseline d. Juliet

Ans: d. Juliet

5. Romeo addresses —------------ as ‘yonder lady.

a. Roseline b.Juliet c. Moon d.Ethiopian

Ans: b. Juliet

6. According to Romeo, —-------------- beauty  is too rich for use.

a. Juliet’s b.Roseline’s c. Ethiopian’s d. Moon’s

Ans: a. Juliet’s

7. According to Romeo, his hand would be blessed when he touches —----------- hand.

a. Ethiopian’s b.Roseline’s c.Juliet’s d. the dancer’s 

Ans: c. Juliet’s

8. After the dance is over, Romeo intends to —--------------------

a. meet and talk to Juliet b.touch Juliet’s hand. c. meet and talk to Ethiopian d. touch Roseline’s hand.

Ans: b. touch Juliet’s hand

10 —--------  rude hand would be made blessed by touching Juliet’s hand

a. Romeo’s b.Juliet’s c. Roseline’s d. Ethiopian’s

Ans: a.  Romeo’s 

11. According to Romeo, —--------  was not seen by him until he saw Juliet.

a. True Love  b.Roseline c. True Beauty d. Lady Capulet

Ans: a. True Beauty 

12. —-------- are compared to crows by Romeo.

a. Juliet and Roseline  b.Juliet’s fellow dancers c. Roseline’s friends d. Ethiopians

Ans: b. Juliet’s fellow dancers

13. Juliet asks the loving, black browed night —-------- .

a. To  take Romeo b. To bring Romeo c. To give her Romeo  d. To fly away

Ans: c. To give her Romeo

14 Juliet expects Romeo to come —-------

a. At dawn b. At noon c. At day break d. When the night arrives 

Ans: d. When the night arrives

15. According to Juliet, —----------- will lie upon the wings of night.

a. Roseline   b.Romeo c. Night d. Moon

Ans: b. Romeo

16. According to Juliet, —---------------- is whiter than new snow.

a. Juliet   b. Moon c. Roseline d. Romeo

Ans: d. Romeo

17. According to Juliet, —--------- is ‘day in night.

a. Juliet   b. Moon c. Roseline d. Romeo

Ans: d. Romeo

18. Juliet wants Romeo to be cut out in little stars when —--------

a. Juliet dies   b. Moon appears c. Roseline dies d. Romeo disappears

Ans: a. Juliet dies

19. According to Juliet, Romeo will  make —----------  so fine.

a. The day  b. Juliet c. the face of heaven d. Roseline

Ans: the face of heaven

20.When Romeo shines as stars in the face of heaven, the world will ____________ according to Juliet.

a) worship the garish sun b) fall in love with night c) keep staring at the heaven d) worship the day

Ans: a. Fall in love with night

Comprehension II

Q. 1 What similes does Romeo use to convey Juliet’s beauty and to what effect?

Ans: William Shakespeare is known for his deft use of language in his works. In “Romeo and Juliet” through the character of Romeo we come to know how effectively similes are used to express intense feelings. Romeo in his speech uses two similes to describe the beauty of Juliet. The first simile compares her beauty to a rich jewel worn by an Ethiopian. The comparison here is so effective that the jewel shines brighter against the dark skin background. Such a beauty is very expensive and rare to be seen on earth. The second simile is used to compare Juliet’s beauty to  a snowy dove which stands out as it troops with crows referring to her companions. They are outshone by her heavenly beauty. This is how Romeo conveys Juliet’s beauty.

Q. 2 How according to Juliet, would Romeo be immortalized to the world?

 Ans: Shakespeare’s characters are timeless and his works are universal in appeal. The English language and literature continue to grow mightier in his legacy. This element is manifest in “Romeo and Juliet”. Juliet is fascinated by the charming personality of Romeo. She beseeches night to arrive so that she can meet her Romeo. She calls night ‘gentle and sweet’, for it brings charming Romeo to her. Juliet is so much charmed by him that supposing she dies without him, she wishes night to cut Romeo in little stars and decorate the sky beautifully. Thus Romeo would be immortalized. People will then fall in love with the starlit heavens of the night and pay no attention to the Sun. 

Comprehension III

Q. 1. Comment on the imagery of ‘night-day, black-white’ in the poem. What purpose do they serve in highlighting the intensity of love?

Ans: ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is the most popular  romantic tragedy written by William Shakespeare, an  English playwright and poet, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English Language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. He is well-known to the world through his timeless characters that are universal in their appeal. The themes that he deals with also touch human lives across the globe. Love is the most recurring theme in his works. Here, in this poem, he presents Romeo and Juliet as the epitome of true love emanating from eternal beauty. The poem is replete with a series of imagery. The contrasting imagery of night-day and black-white underline the poetic techniques employed by William Shakespeare to portray the unparalleled beauty of Juliet against the charming presence of Romeo.

The Night with its darkness is imposing throughout the poem. The contexts of Romeo’s meeting with Juliet at a supper party and Juliet’s appointment with Romeo at her orchard at night signify the prominence of night. For example, Romeo discovers the best beauties comparable to night: cheek of night, rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear. The night-day imagery is more vibrant in Juliet’s words as she compares Romeo’s charm to the day against night’s evident darkness. She further heightens the importance of night when she wishes that the night sky be bedecked with the images of Romeo in a constellation, thus reducing the day’s brilliance with the Sun.

The black-white imagery is elaborate in the words of Romeo and Juliet. The beauty of Juliet is glorified as she hangs like a bright jewel on the cheek of night. This contrasting description continues with reference to a snowy dove in the company of crows. Even in the eyes of Juliet, Romeo appears like a new snow on a raven’s back. The imagery not only highlights the charm and beauty of Romeo and Juliet but also culminates in the blossoming of an intense love.

Q. 2. Between Romeo and Juliet, whose love, do you think, is more passionate and intense?

Ans: Juliet’s love is undoubtedly more intense for the following reasons. For Romeo, Rosaline was his first love before he saw Juliet on the dance floor at the supper whereas Juliet felt prodigious birth of love for a man whom she saw for the first time. In her soliloquy she admires the young and charming Romeo through striking comparisons. She invites night and Romeo, for he is like day in night. He seems to ride the wings of night. He looks whiter than new snow on a raven’s back. Juliet entreats night to arrive soon so that she can have a chance to see Romeo. “Give me my Romeo, and when I shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars.” These words of Juliet show her intense love for Romeo. She further states that Romeo will beautify the night’s sky with his images all over the expanse of the sky. Juliet is so much filled with strong emotions that she declares that once Romeo occupies the night’s sky, the world will be in love with night. No one, then, will admire the sun any longer. These words add to her glorification of Romeo’s charm. Thus Juliet proves to be very intense in her true love for Romeo.

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