Question

Which of the following is NOT true about Romeo in Act V of Romeo

Answer 1

Answer: D

Explanation:

Romeo knew he was fighting Paris, even when he killed him, based on this information in the scripting:

"Paris mourns at the Capulet tomb, but hides when he hears someone (Romeo) approaching. As he reaches the tomb, Romeo commands Balthasar to leave; Balthasar leaves but decides to linger secretly. Paris confronts Romeo as he attempts to open the tomb. They fight, and Romeo kills Paris. Romeo enters the tomb and lays Paris inside it. Approaching Juliet, Romeo grieves for her death and the luster of her still-lively beauty. He drinks the poison and dies. Friar Lawrence arrives and witnesses the scene as Juliet wakes, offering to hide her away among a convent of nuns. She refuses. Hearing guards approaching, Juliet kills herself with Romeo’s dagger. The Prince, the Capulets, and the Montagues are summoned by the guards. Friar Lawrence summarizes the events leading to this point and is corroborated by Balthasar and Romeo’s letter to his father. In remorse, lords Capulet and Montague make peace." So this information, rules out option A.

Romeo knew the poison from the Apothecary would kill him quickly, because he requests such at the time he was given it: "Balthasar, a friend of Romeo’s, brings him news that Juliet is dead and lies in the Capulet tomb. Resolved to find her and join her in death, Romeo first visits an apothecary and bribes him to obtain an illegal (and lethal) poison...."

Let me have A dram° of poison, such soon-speeding stuff

As will disperse itself through all the veins

That life-weary taker may fall dead,

And that the trunk° may be discharged of breath

As violently as hasty powder fired

Doth hurry from the fatal cannon’s womb.

So this rules out option B as the answer.

Option C is ruled out because Romeo does in fact lay Paris' body in the Capulet tomb when he kills him, because this is where he sees Juliet.

Paris confronts Romeo as he attempts to open the tomb. They fight, and Romeo kills Paris. Romeo enters the tomb and lays Paris inside it.

So, this leaves Option D as the only viable answer, because of the conversation Romeo has with Balthasar about Juliet before going to see the Apothecary in the marketplace: Balthasar, a friend of Romeo’s, brings him news that Juliet is dead and lies in the Capulet tomb. Romeo dismissed Balthasar after hearing the news Juliet was dead, and decided to go get the poison on his own. Friar Lawrence, also was unaware he planned to kill himself, because of this line in the play: Friar John returns to Friar Lawrence, informing him that his letter could not be delivered to Romeo due to an outbreak of sickness. Aware that Juliet will soon awake, Friar Lawrence heads to the Capulet tomb to retrieve Juliet and keep her safe until Romeo can return.