Romeo and Juliet

by William Shakespeare

Act 2 Outline

I. Prologue

A. Summarizes Act I

B. Hints that Romeo and Juliet will find a way to be together.

II. Scene 1

A. Romeo’s friends, Mercutio and Benvolio, go looking for Romeo.

B. They think that Romeo is still in love with Rosaline.

C. Romeo is wandering around just as alone as he was when he loved Rosaline.

D. After much joking around, Mercutio and Benvolio give up and go home to bed.

III. Scene 2 – Balcony Scene

A. Romeo climbs over the Capulet’s garden wall and hides in the garden below Juliet’s window.

B. He overhears Juliet talking to herself.

1. Juliet says that she will disown her family so she can be with Romeo.

2. Juliet hates the name “Montague” not the person “Romeo.”

C. Romeo answers.

1. He is willing to change his name just to be with Juliet

2. and says that Juliet’s family cannot stop their love.

D. Juliet says that she is afraid that her family will kill Romeo if they find him.

E. Romeo says he would rather die than live without Juliet.

F. After hearing Romeo speak words of love, Juliet

1. believes that Romeo

loves her and

2. wonders if their love came too quickly and easily.

G. Juliet doesn’t want Romeo to promise that he loves her; she wants him to prove it through his actions.

H. Romeo proposes and Juliet accepts.

I. Juliet says that if Romeo is serious about marriage, he must go and arrange the wedding.

J. Romeo says he will have everything arranged by 9:00am.

K. Romeo goes to the Priest to arrange the marriage.

IV. Scene 3

A. Friar Laurence is alone in his garden.

1. He says that nothing is completely good or evil. It is how it is used. This hints at his involvement in the tragedy to come.

2. This speech shows his knowledge of herbs and drugs.

B. Romeo arrives explains that

1. he no longer loves Rosaline and

2. he is now in love with Juliet and

3. he asks Friar Laurence to marry them.

C. Friar Laurence tells Romeo 1. that Romeo says the words

of love 2. but he really doesn’t really

understand true love.

D. Friar Laurence isn’t sure this is a good idea but

1. he only agrees to marry them

2. because he thinks it will stop the feud between the two families.

V. Scene 4

A. Mercutio and Benvolio are out walking in the town square. They discuss

1. that Tybalt sent a challenge to Romeo wanting to duel.

2. They says that Tybalt is an expert at dueling (fencing, sword fighting)

B. After arranging the marriage, Romeo meets them and he is in a much better mood.

C. Nurse comes and finds Romeo at noon not 9:00 am.

D. Romeo tells the nurse about the plan for the wedding.

1. Juliet is to go to confession at Friar Laurence’s room that afternoon.

2. They will be married there.

3. Romeo’s servant will give a rope ladder to the Nurse.

4. Romeo will use it to climb into Juliet’s room for their wedding night.

E. Nurse tells Romeo that

1. she thinks that Paris would make a Juliet better husband.

2. Juliet doesn’t agree with her.

VI. Scene 5

A. Juliet is very nervous as she waits for Nurse to return from meeting Romeo. She is 3 hours late.

B. Nurse teases Juliet by not giving her Romeo’s message immediately.

C. Juliet goes to Friar Laurence to get married.

VII. Scene 6

A. Before Juliet arrives Romeo and Friar Laurence talk.

1. Friar Laurence prays that God will bless the wedding regardless of what else might happen to the couple, and

2. warns that “things” that happen so fast often end just as quickly (and explosively).

B. When Juliet arrives, Romeo uses lots of poetic words to describe her and their love.

C. Juliet

1.worries that Romeo only talks about love;

2.is afraid that he doesn’t really understand true love.

D. Romeo and Juliet get married.