Capulets garden
Passage Activities:

Words: 201-300

Skills: Character Traits Figurative Language Summary

Grades: 8th 9th 10th

Topics: Dramatic Tragedies

Genres: Drama

Lexile Range: 420L - 730L

Lexile Measure: 630L

CCSS: Reading: Literature

Themes: —

Capulet's Garden

by William Shakespeare from Romeo and Juliet

Act II, Scene 2 passage: This passage is from the balcony scene of "Romeo and Juliet." Students will read part of Romeo's speech and answer questions on the metaphors used, the meaning of the text, and Romeo's character.

Reading Comprehension Passage

Capulet's Garden

by William Shakespeare from Romeo and Juliet

Act II, Scene 2: The party at the Capulet house is over, and Romeo has left after meeting Juliet for the first time. He is avoiding his friends and has climbed into the Capulet's garden.

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[Enter Romeo.]

Romeo.
He jests at scars that never felt a wound.—
[Juliet appears above at a window.]
But soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!—
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief,
That thou her maid art far more fair than she:
Be not her maid, since she is envious;
Her vestal livery is but sick and green,
And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.—
It is my lady; O, it is my love!
O, that she knew she were!—
She speaks, yet she says nothing: what of that?
Her eye discourses, I will answer it.—
I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks:
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business, do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,
As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.—
See how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!

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Reading Comprehension Questions

1. Shakespeare compares Juliet to the sun and her eyes to two stars. Both involve shining lights. What does that tell you about how Romeo views Juliet?



2. Romeo says, "The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,/As daylight doth a lamp." How does daylight shame a lamp?



3. Romeo's friend Mercutio teased Romeo about falling in love. In the passage, Romeo refers to Mercutio when he says, "He jests at scars that never felt a wound." What do you think that means?



4. Romeo says, "Her eye discourses, I will answer it.—/I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks." What does this line tell you about Romeo?



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Vocabulary List

Vocabulary List

Each of the vocabulary words below are used in the reading passage. As you read the passage, pay attention to context clues that suggest the word’s meaning.

  1. jests
  2. vestal
  3. livery
  4. discourses
  5. entreat

Context Clues

Context Clues

Using context clues from the sentences in the passage, underline the correct meaning of the word in boldface.

1. “He jests at scars that never felt a wound”

a. wonders or asks     b. stabs; sticks     c. weeps or cries     d. jokes; kids

2. “Her vestal livery is but sick and green”

a. celestial; starlike     b. pure or virtuous     c. diseased; rotten     d. flowing or graceful

3. “Her vestal livery is but sick and green”

a. organ-like     b. facial features     c. soul or essence     d. clothing or costume

4. “Her eye discourses, I will answer it”

a. speaks; talks     b. disagrees or argues     c. closes or shuts     d. wanders; drifts

5. “Having some business, do entreat her eyes / To twinkle in their spheres till they return”

a. prohibit; forbid     b. enter or become     c. beg or plead     d. improve or enhance