This document summarizes key events and passages from Act II, Scene IV of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It explains allusions made to historical figures like Petrarch, Dido, Cleopatra, and Helen of Troy who were famous for their ill-fated love stories. It also analyzes puns and wordplay used by Romeo as he discusses his love for Juliet with the Nurse. Finally, it outlines the plan for Romeo and Juliet to secretly marry through the use of a rope ladder to reach her balcony.

1. Romeo & Juliet
Act II, Scene IV
Study Guide Answers

2. 1. Allusions are suggestions designed
to call something else to mind
without mentioning it directly.

3. Petrarch was a classical Italian scholar known
for his odes to Laura, his idealized love.

4. Dido was a goddess who became the Queen
of Carthage and fell in love with Aeneas.

5. Cleopatra was an ancient Egytpian queen
who loved Mark Anthony.

6. Helen of Troy was considered very beautiful
and was fought over by several men in
Ancient Greece.

7. Thisbe and Pyramus were ill-fated lovers in
Babylon.

8. 2. Romeo minus “ro” leaves “meo” a
pun on “mio” meaning my. Romeo is
not himself since Rosaline. Also, roe
means fish eggs so, a double
entendre.
Without his roe, like a dry herring: O flesh, flesh, how are thou fishified?
Line 37& 38

9. 3. Mercutio notices Romeo is his old
self, sociable, and making jokes. He
is not miserable.
Line 81 – 83 Why is this not better now than groaning for
love? Now thou art sociable, now thou art Romeo.

10. 4. Romeo says he will grow old waiting for
Nurse to get to the point.

11. 5. A malapropism is substituting one
word for another. The Nurse uses
“confidence” instead of “conference”
showing she will confide in Romeo
about Juliet.
Line 18 If you be he sir, I desire some confidence with you.

12. 6. Romeo tells the Nurse that Mercutio loves
to hear himself talk.

13. 7. The Nurse worries that Romeo is
leading Juliet into a “fool’s paradise”
and trying to take advantage of her.
Romeo says no that his feelings are
genuine.
Lines 150-166

14. 8. Romeo’s message is that Juliet
needs to pretend to come for
confession so that they can be
married.
Lines 167-170

15. 9. Romeo’s man is bringing a rope ladder to
hang from Juliet’s balcony.

16. Created by M. Riddell
March 2017