Romeo & Juliet: Act IV Study Questions – Flashcards

Friar Lawrence is concerned because Paris does not "know the mind" of Juliet. In other words, Paris doesn't know if she wants to get married to him.

Paris explains that it is a good thing to rush the marriage because a long "mourning period" and extended sadness is dangerous. Paris explains that Capulet is smart to rush the marriage to stop Juliet's crying.

Juliet and Paris talk about love and confession of love to Friar Lawrence. Juliet actually confesses her love for Romeo to Paris, but he remains unaware of her "confession."

Juliet tells the Friar that she will kill herself by letting the "bloody knife play the part of the umpire."

Friar Lawrence thinks that Juliet will accept his plan because she is so willing to die rather than marry Paris. The Friar thinks that his plan that feigns death will be a good solution to the problem.

The Friar tells Juliet to go home and tell her parents that she is willing to marry Paris. After she tells them the news, she is to go into her bedroom and drink a vial of liquid. The liquid that she drinks will stop her pulse and turn her skin cold. Juliet will appear to be dead for 42 hours, after which she will wake up from a "pleasant sleep."

Juliet tells her father that she was wrong to disobey him. She asks him for her forgiveness and tells him that she will do whatever he asks of her.

After hearing Juliet's willingness to marry Capulet, he decides to move the wedding. The wedding will now be held the next day. This creates a problem in the timeline the Friar has established for the poison and notification of Romeo

At one point in the scene she questions whether she is doing the right thing. For only a moment she hints at asking the nurse for guidance with her decision. Juliet decides to go through with the plan established by her and the Friar without consulting anyone else.

As she has stated in the previous scene, Juliet will use a knife and take her own life if the poison does not work.

Juliet is afraid the Friar may have mixed the potion incorrectly. She thinks it may be poison. Juliet also worries that she will wake up in the tomb before Romeo comes to save her. This worries her because she is not sure if she will have air inside the tomb causing her to die of suffocation. She also comments on the rotting body of Tybalt that is lying in the tomb.

Scene IV is a very brief scene that shows all of the Capulets planning for tomorrow's wedding. The servingmen are preparing logs for the fire and setting tables. The cooks are working in the food that will be served to the guests.

"Her blood is settled, and her joints are stiff" - lividity and rigor mortis "Death lies on her like an untimely frost upon the sweetest flower" - Frost will kill plants and flowers

Friar tells the Capulets that heaven gave them Juliet, now heaven has a need for her and she will experience eternal life; therefore, we should be happy for her since she is resting in heaven.

The Capulets are now preparing for a funeral instead of the wedding. Capulet indicates they will use the same food and table settings; however, they will play sad music as his "joys" are buried.