Romeo and Juliet Short Essay Assignments

Short Essay Questions

The 60 short essay questions listed in this section require a one to two sentence answer. They ask students to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the text. Students must describe what they've read, rather than just recall it.

Short Essay Question - Act 1, Prologue

1. Why is the play called "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet"?

2. What is the cause of the current feud between the two families, according to the Act 1 prologue?

3. What, according to the Act 1 prologue, will comprise the traffic of the stage?

4. How are Romeo and Juliet's families alike, and why might this be important?

Short Essay Question - Act 1, Scene 1

5. What are Sampson and Gregory saying about the Montagues as they approach the city square?