Edexcel English Literature GCSE

Romeo and Juliet: Question Bank

Characters

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 Contents

1. Romeo page 3

2. Juliet page 4

3. Friar Lawrence page 6

4. Benvolio page 8

5. Lord Capulet page 9

6. The Nurse page 10

7. Mercutio page 12

Please note:​ ​these questions have been written and formatted in the same style as AQA exam
questions. You can use them to help with extract questions and timed essay practice. These
questions have NOT been taken from past papers and they have NOT been made by AQA.

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1. Romeo

Romeo and Juliet - from Act 2 Scene 2

ROMEO
I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will
be Romeo.

JULIET
What man art thou that thus bescreen'd in night So stumblest on my counsel?

ROMEO
By a name I know not how to tell thee who I am: My name, dear saint, is hateful to
myself, Because it is an enemy to thee; Had I it written, I would tear the word.

JULIET
My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words Of that tongue's utterance, yet I know the
sound: Art thou not Romeo and a Montague?

ROMEO
Neither, fair saint, if either thee dislike.

JULIET
How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore? The orchard walls are high and hard to
climb, And the place death, considering who thou art, If any of my kinsmen find thee
here.

ROMEO
With love's light wings did I o'er-perch these walls; For stony limits cannot hold love out,
And what love can do that dares love attempt; Therefore thy kinsmen are no let to me.

1 ​(a) Explore how Shakespeare presents the character of Romeo in this extract.
Refer closely to the extract in your answer.
(20)

(b) In this extract, Romeo demonstrates his passion to be a part of Juliet’s life.
Explain the importance of passion ​elsewhere​ in the play.
In your answer, you ​must​ consider:
• how passion is presented
• the effects passion has within the play.
You ​must​ refer to the context of the play in your answer.
​(20)
(Total for Question 3 = 40 marks)

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2. Juliet

Read the following extract from Act 5 Scene 3 of Romeo and Juliet and then answer the
question that follows.

At this point in the play, Juliet has just woken up and engages in conversation with the Friar.

JULIET
O comfortable friar! where is my lord? I do remember well where I should be, And there I
am. Where is my Romeo?
Noise within

FRIAR LAURENCE
I hear some noise. Lady, come from that nest
Of death, contagion, and unnatural sleep: A greater power than we can contradict Hath
thwarted our intents. Come, come away. Thy husband in thy bosom there lies dead; And
Paris too. Come, I'll dispose of thee Among a sisterhood of holy nuns: Stay not to
question, for the watch is coming; Come, go, good Juliet,
Noise again
I dare no longer stay.

JULIET
Go, get thee hence, for I will not away.
Exit FRIAR LAURENCE
What's here? a cup, closed in my true love's hand? Poison, I see, hath been his timeless
end: O churl! drunk all, and left no friendly drop To help me after? I will kiss thy lips;
Haply some poison yet doth hang on them, To make die with a restorative.
Kisses him
Thy lips are warm.

First Watchman
[Within] Lead, boy: which way?

JULIET
Yea, noise? then I'll be brief. O happy dagger!
Snatching ROMEO's dagger
This is thy sheath;
Stabs herself
there rust, and let me die.
Falls on ROMEO's body, and dies.

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1 ​(a) Explore how Shakespeare presents the character of Juliet in this extract.
Refer closely to the extract in your answer.
(20)

(b) In this extract, Juliet demonstrates how determined she is to be with Romeo.
Explain the importance of determination ​elsewhere​ in the play.
In your answer, you ​must​ consider:
• how determination is presented
• the effects determination has within the play.
You ​must​ refer to the context of the play in your answer.
(20)
​(Total for Question 3 = 40 marks)

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3. Friar Lawrence

Romeo and Juliet - from Act 2 Scene 3

FRIAR LAURENCE
Be plain, good son, and homely in thy drift; Riddling confession finds but riddling shrift.

ROMEO
Then plainly know my heart's dear love is set on the fair daughter of rich Capulet: As
mine on hers, so hers is set on mine; And all combined, save what thou must combine
By holy marriage: when and where and how We met, we woo'd and made exchange of
vow, I'll tell thee as we pass; but this I pray, That thou consent to marry us to-day.

FRIAR LAURENCE
Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here! Is Rosaline, whom thou didst love so dear, So
soon forsaken? young men's love then lies Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.
Jesu Maria, what a deal of brine Hath wash'd thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline! How much
salt water thrown away in waste, To season love, that of it doth not taste! The sun not
yet thy sighs from heaven clears, Thy old groans ring yet in my ancient ears; Lo, here
upon thy cheek the stain doth sit Of an old tear that is not wash'd off yet:
If e'er thou wast thyself and these woes thine, Thou and these woes were all for
Rosaline: And art thou changed? pronounce this sentence then, Women may fall, when
there's no strength in men.

ROMEO
Thou chid'st me oft for loving Rosaline.

FRIAR LAURENCE
For doting, not for loving, pupil mine.

1 ​(a) Explore how Shakespeare presents the character of Friar Lawrence in this
extract.
Refer closely to the extract in your answer.
(20)

(b) In this extract, the Friar demonstrates his loyalty to Romeo by giving him advice.
Explain the importance of loyalty ​elsewhere​ in the play.
In your answer, you ​must​ consider:
• how loyalty is presented
• the effects loyalty has within the play.
You ​must​ refer to the context of the play in your answer.
(20) ​ ​ (Total for Question 3 = 40 marks)

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4. Benvolio

Romeo and Juliet - from Act 3 Scene 1

A public place.
Enter MERCUTIO, BENVOLIO, Page, and Servants

BENVOLIO
I pray thee, good Mercutio, let's retire: The day is hot, the Capulets abroad, And, if we
meet, we shall not scape a brawl; For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.

MERCUTIO
Thou art like one of those fellows that when he enters the confines of a tavern claps me
his sword upon the table and says 'God send me no need of thee!' and by the operation
of the second cup draws it on the drawer, when indeed there is no need.

BENVOLIO
Am I like such a fellow?

MERCUTIO
Come, come, thou art as hot a Jack in thy mood as any in Italy, and as soon moved to
be moody, and as soon moody to be moved.

BENVOLIO
And what to?

1 ​(a) Explore how Shakespeare presents the character of Benvolio in this extract.
Refer closely to the extract in your answer.
​(20)

(b) In this extract, Benvolio acts as a peacemaker.

Explain the importance of peace ​elsewhere​ in the play.
In your answer, you ​must​ consider:
• how peace is presented
• the effects peace has within the play.
You ​must​ refer to the context of the play in your answer.
(20)

​(Total for Question 3 = 40 marks)

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5. Lord Capulet

Read the following extract from Act 3 Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet and then answer the
question that follows.

At this point in the play, Juliet has just told her father that she refuses to marry Paris.

CAPULET
How now, how now, chop-logic! What is this? 'Proud,' and 'I thank you,' and 'I thank you
not;' And yet 'not proud,' mistress minion, you, Thank me no thankings, nor, proud me no
prouds, But fettle your fine joints 'gainst Thursday next, To go with Paris to Saint Peter's
Church, Or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither. Out, you green-sickness carrion! out, you
baggage! You tallow-face!

LADY CAPULET
Fie, fie! what, are you mad?

JULIET
Good father, I beseech you on my knees, Hear me with patience but to speak a word.

CAPULET
Hang thee, young baggage! disobedient wretch! I tell thee what: get thee to church o'
Thursday, Or never after look me in the face: Speak not, reply not, do not answer me;
My fingers itch. Wife, we scarce thought us blest
That God had lent us but this only child; But now I see this one is one too much, And
that we have a curse in having her: Out on her, hilding!

1 ​(a) Explore how Shakespeare presents the character of Lord Capulet in this extract.
Refer closely to the extract in your answer.
(20)

(b) In this extract, Lord Capulet acts abusively towards Juliet, as he sees her as his
possession.

Explain the importance of the treatment of women ​elsewhere​ in the play.

In your answer, you ​must​ consider:
• how the treatment of women is presented
• the effects the treatment of women has within the play.
You ​must​ refer to the context of the play in your answer.
​(20)
​ (Total for Question 3 = 40 marks)

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6. The Nurse

Romeo and Juliet - from Act 1 Scene 3

A room in Capulet's house.

Enter LADY CAPULET and Nurse

LADY CAPULET
Nurse, where's my daughter? call her forth to me.

Nurse
Now, by my maidenhead, at twelve year old, I bade her come. What, lamb! what,
ladybird! God forbid! Where's this girl? What, Juliet!
Enter JULIET

JULIET
How now! who calls?

Nurse
Your mother.

JULIET
Madam, I am here. What is your will?

LADY CAPULET
This is the matter:--Nurse, give leave awhile, We must talk in secret:--nurse, come back
again; I have remember'd me, thou's hear our counsel. Thou know'st my daughter's of a
pretty age.
Nurse
Faith, I can tell her age unto an hour.

LADY CAPULET
She's not fourteen.

Nurse
I'll lay fourteen of my teeth,-- And yet, to my teeth be it spoken, I have but four-- She is
not fourteen. How long is it now To Lammas-tide?

LADY CAPULET
A fortnight and odd days.

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1 ​(a) Explore how Shakespeare presents the character of the Nurse in this extract.
Refer closely to the extract in your answer.
(20)

(b) In this extract, the Nurse attempts to be comedic.

Explain the importance of comedy ​elsewhere​ in the play.
In your answer, you ​must​ consider:
• how comedy is presented
• the effects comedy has within the play.
You ​must​ refer to the context of the play in your answer.
(20)

​ (Total for Question 3 = 40 marks)

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7. Mercutio

Read the following extract from Act 1 Scene 4 of Romeo and Juliet and then answer the
question that follows.

At this point in the play, Romeo speaks of Rosaline who had forsaken him.

MERCUTIO
You are a lover; borrow Cupid's wings, And soar with them above a common bound.

ROMEO
I am too sore enpierced with his shaft To soar with his light feathers, and so bound, I
cannot bound a pitch above dull woe: Under love's heavy burden do I sink.

MERCUTIO
And, to sink in it, should you burden love; Too great oppression for a tender thing.

ROMEO
Is love a tender thing? it is too rough, Too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn.

MERCUTIO
If love be rough with you, be rough with love; Prick love for pricking, and you beat love
down. Give me a case to put my visage in: A visor for a visor! what care I What curious
eye doth quote deformities? Here are the beetle brows shall blush for me.

1 ​(a) Explore how Shakespeare presents the character of Mercutio in this extract.
Refer closely to the extract in your answer.
(20)

(b) In this extract, Mercutio reveals his perspective on love.

Explain the importance of love ​elsewhere​ in the play.
In your answer, you ​must​ consider:
• how love is presented
• the effects love has within the play.
You ​must​ refer to the context of the play in your answer.
​(20)

​ (Total for Question 3 = 40 marks)

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