Take-Home Written Response Exam for

Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Due: March 31st
Choose SEVEN (7) prompts from the TEN (10) prompts below and write one paragraph in
response to each.
Each response is worth FIVE (5) points for a total of 35 points.
EXTRA CREDIT: You are welcome to do one or more of the remaining three prompts for extra
points. In other words, you can get up to FIFTEEN (15) extra points if you want to go for it.
Define Tragedy and Comedy by explaining the differences between the two (keeping in mind
that tragedy does not simply mean a sad play, and a comedy does not mean simply a funny play)
A: Comedy and tragedy are not only classified according to their emotions. Tragic events

sometimes involve fatal flaws or outside conditions that result in extreme human suffering and a

tragic outcome. Comedy, on the other hand, uses humor to expose oddities and resolve disputes

as it navigates human follies and cultural standards. Comedy addresses the lighter side of life

amid its obstacles, while tragedy explores deeper parts of existence – both genres serve as

mirrors of human experiences (Adrados, 2023). In the end, they provide unique perspectives that

help us understand the human predicament in ways that go beyond humor or melancholy.

1. In Act 2, scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet (the “balcony scene”),

Romeo overhears Juliet’s soliloquy below on the arbitrary
nature of names. What is Juliet saying about the nature of
words and names? For instance, what does she mean when
she claims, “a rose/By any other word would smell as
sweet?” and how does it relate to her love for Romeo?

O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

Deny thy father and refuse thy name,
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.
…
’Tis but thy name that is my enemy.
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What’s Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,
 Nor arm, nor face. O, be some other name
45 Belonging to a man.
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet.
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
50 Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And, for thy name, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself (2.2 41 – 53).
A: Act 2, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet depicts Juliet questioning the meaning of names,

claiming that they are not intrinsically valuable in identifying essence. Her famous line, "So

Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,/ Retain that dear perfection which he owes," separates

Romeo's identity from his family, highlighting their innate connection that transcends social

norms. Juliet demonstrates her vast awareness of language's fluidity and its inadequacy to

capture the essence of love through her disobedience of societal limits (Percec, & Punga, 2022).

This statement emphasizes Juliet's unwavering, transcending love for Romeo, regardless of

labels or familial ties.

2. The Nurse and Mercutio are sort of “supporting actors” in

Romeo and Juliet. They both exhibit outrageous
personalities, and, thus, they have a propensity to steal scenes
with their perverse and pornographic minds. We want to like
them—in fact, we laugh at their behavior despite ourselves.
But they are ultimately bad news. Choose one of the
characters (the Nurse or Mercutio) and explain how he or she
ultimately betrays Romeo or Juliet.
A: In Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio ultimately betrays not on purpose, though Romeo with his

flashy manner and blatant wit. Even though he acts impulsively, Mercutio's joviality soon turns

tragic as the conflict between the Montagues and Capulets intensifies. His lack of consideration

for the repercussions intensifies the dispute and leads to his premature death. Romeo's demise is

sealed by Mercutio's recklessness and violent tendencies, which highlight the dangers of
unbridled impulsivity in the face of boiling tensions. His actions set off a chain of terrible events

that demonstrate the repercussions of choosing bravado over rationality and the devastating force

of unfettered emotions.

3. Act 3 scene 1 is the climax of Romeo and Juliet. Fresh from

his marriage to Juliet, Romeo tries to be a peacemaker in a
ridiculous fight between Mercutio and Tybalt. As we
discussed in class, Romeo is, in many ways, portraying the
most important teachings of Christ in the gospels – love thy
enemy, and turn the other cheek. He is at his best in this
moment: he is faithful to Juliet’s love for him, the same faith
she wants him to have in himself. However, after Tybalt kills
Mercutio, Romeo’s attitude shifts. Choose either a or b below
in response concerning Act 3, scene 1.

a. How do you feel about Romeo’s response when his failure to fight with Mercutio
leads to Mercutio being mortally wounded when he cries out:

My reputation stained
With Tybalt’s slander—Tybalt, that an hour
Hath been my cousin! O sweet Juliet,
Thy beauty hath made me effeminate
120 And in my temper softened valor’s steel (3.1. 117 – 120).
A: Act 3, Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet shows Romeo's initial commitment to the Christian

ideals of forgiveness and love. But Mercutio receives a fatal wound as a result of his ineffective

intervention. His lament, "O, I am Fortune's fool!" shows his knowledge that he has fallen victim

to the harsh tricks of fate. Romeo initially exemplifies Christlike qualities, but his eventual

submission to retaliation highlights his susceptibility to other influences and calls into question

the idea of free will in the face of fate.

b. After he kills Mercutio Romeo doesn’t kill him, and everyone tells him he must flee
Verona, Romeo cries out:

O, I am Fortune’s fool! (143).

 What does Romeo mean by the exclamation? And do you agree with him? Is he
purely a victim of fate?
A: Romeo's exclamation "O, I am Fortune's fool!" after killing Mercutio represents his

awakening to the fact that he is a victim of fate's caprices. While acknowledging that chance

played a part in creating his unfortunate circumstances, he questions the randomness of his fate

(Rajistha & Anggreni, 2020). Romeo's transition into a "fool" emphasizes the tension between

personal agency and outside influences, even though at first he represents ideas of love and

harmony. Shakespeare's portrayal of Romeo as a tragic figure caught by fate invites

contemplation on the intricacies of human existence and the relationship between fate and

choice.

4. Romeo and Juliet opens with a Prologue that emphasizes fate

(“star-crossed lovers”). The whole play seems to emphasize
that Romeo and Juliet are driven toward some inevitable
doom as if their lives are fixed by the stars, i.e., the notion
that everyone is controlled by a cosmic fate out of their
hands. However, as we have discussed, Shakespeare never
exhibits a belief in some kind of cosmic fate or
predestination. Dispense with the notion of some kind of
cosmic fate and explain in what ways Romeo and Juliet’s
lives are very much doomed by very human things.
A: Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet contrasts social constraints, human agency, and cosmic

fate. The drama takes place against a backdrop of human frailties and societal constructions,

despite the prologue hinting at a predestined disaster. The deterministic nature of human

interactions is highlighted by Romeo and Juliet's fate, which results from familial disputes, rash

choices, and societal expectations. Shakespeare emphasizes how human agency and societal

limits shape tragic results by rejecting cosmic fatalism. The drama addresses the intricacies of

human nature in the context of the interaction between personal choices and social conventions,

resonating with existential themes of choice and consequence.

 5. When Romeo and Juliet ends, the Prince has the bodies of
Romeo and Juliet laid out for all members of the Montague
and Capulet family to view in shame. The Friar explains how
both Romeo and Juliet came to their suicidal end. Suddenly,
Lord Montague and Lord Capulet proclaim peace and love
between their families (as if centuries of irrational hatred and
animosity simply melt away). Further, they promise to erect a
statue made of gold in honor of Romeo and Juliet. Although
many tragedies end with a sense of potential hope rising from
the ashes of absolute tragedy, how do you feel about this
ending? How do you think Shakespeare wants us to feel
about this ending? Keep in mind what horribly bloodthirsty
and hideous people these parents were—and keep in mind the
evident connotations behind erecting statues made of gold.
A: The Romeo and Juliet epilogue depicts hope juxtaposed with extreme tragedy.

Shakespeare explores forgiveness amid catastrophe in a complex way through his representation

of parental regret and societal change. Nonetheless, the hasty conclusion and flimsy family

reconciliation highlight the persistent threat of unreasonable animosity and cultural expectations.

Amidst the needless carnage, the promises of memory and the sudden serenity seem empty

(Kussemiarti & Sotyarini, 2022). Shakespeare challenges readers to consider the fleeting nature

of harmony and the lingering effects of hostility. In the face of deep-rooted animosity, the

resolution forces the audience to consider the complexity of both human nature and societal

processes, casting doubt on notions of reconciliation.

6. Near the beginning of Act V of A Midsummer Night’s

Dream, Hippolyta tells Duke Theseus the wild story the four
lovers (Hermia, Helena, Demetrius, and Lysander)
experienced in the magic forest. Theseus dismisses the story
by delivering a famous speech below in which he claims that
lovers, poets, and lunatics are all the same: victims of too
much imagination. What do you think Thesus is saying about
the imagination? Keep in mind that Shakespeare is himself,
of course, a “poet.” Do you think that Shakespeare agrees
with Thesus’s assessment that artists/poets are lunatics? Do
you agree? Also keep in mind that, after the speech below,
 Hippolyta defends the lovers’ stories—and Theseus relents
and allows Hermia and Helena to marry whom they please,
despite Athenian law.
Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,
5 Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend
More than cool reason ever comprehends.
The lunatic, the lover, and the poet
Are of imagination all compact.
One sees more devils than vast hell can hold:
10 That is the madman. The lover, all as frantic,
Sees Helen’s beauty in a brow of Egypt.
The poet’s eye, in a fine frenzy rolling,
Doth glance from heaven to Earth, from Earth to
heaven,
15 And as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name.
Such tricks hath strong imagination
20 That, if it would but apprehend some joy,
It comprehends some bringer of that joy.
Or in the night, imagining some fear,
How easy is a bush supposed a bear!

A: A contradiction between reason and creativity is shown by Duke Theseus' disdain for

imagination in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Hippolyta upholds the transformational potential of

stories, even though he compares lovers, poets, and insane people to victims of an overactive

imagination. Shakespeare skilfully strikes a balance between scepticism and respect for the

imagination, highlighting both its potential for illusion and revelation. Theseus eventually

acknowledges the stories told by the lovers, implying a balancing of creativity and reason in the

understanding of human experience (Alsharadgeh, 2022). Shakespeare challenges audiences to

consider the relationship between reason and imagination via the development of Theseus,

urging them to value the diversity of human expression and perception.

7. What do you think that A Midsummer Night’s Dream is

saying about the relationship between love and the
imagination? or about the relationship between dreams and
reality?
A: The interplay between love and imagination is explored in A Midsummer Night's Dream,

which blurs the lines between reality and dream. Shakespeare presents love as an impetus for

transforming events in dreamlike settings, a force that surpasses reason. The juxtaposition of the

mortal and fairy realms highlights the transient nature of human ambitions and the timeless

appeal of imaginative adventures (Wang, 2023). The drama honors the innate complexity and

magic of human connections through its examination of love and imagination. Shakespeare

challenges conventional concepts of realism while exalting the infinite possibilities of the human

heart and imagination, encouraging audiences to consider the connection between love and

fantasy. By doing this, Shakespeare invites audiences to enter the enchanted world of dreams and

emotions and encourages thoughtful contemplation on the ability of love to transcend reason and

weave together the complex tapestry of human existence.

8. Bottom, the Weaver is one of Shakespeare’s greatest

creations up until this point in his career. (He is a forebear of
the great comic characters of Falstaff, Rosalind, etc.).
Audiences to this day love the character, Bottom—and
Shakespeare evidently intended him to be greatly
entertaining. In my own experience attending many
performances of plays in colleges and universities, I’ve never
seen more laughter produced by anything than when Bottom
is performed. Provide a character sketch of Bottom,
explaining why you think he is such a fun and attractive
character, despite his evident low (and lowbrow) leanings.
Perhaps consider his attitude throughout the play. Perhaps
consider how, no matter what crazy and fantastic things
happen to him—his head turned into a donkey’s head; the
luscious Queen of the fairies falling madly in love with him
and being doted as royalty by all her fairy attendants, only to
return to being simply Bottom, the Weaver—he always
continues being simply who he is, good old, bully Bottom,
the Weaver.

A: Shakespearean humor at its best is embodied by Bottom, with his boundless zeal and

humble attitude. Audiences find him endearing, and his resilience in the face of absurdity and
unflinching self-assurance transcend social hierarchies. Bottom's sincerity and resilience in the

face of humorous mishaps strike a chord, highlighting the continuing allure of likable individuals

in the middle of fanciful stories (Ren, 2022). Shakespeare gives Bottom nuance and wit, making

him a legendary figure in the history of comedy. As a timeless reminder of the ability of sincerity

and humor to overcome life's obstacles, Bottom's portrayal highlights humanity's resiliency and

aptitude for self-discovery amid disaster.

9. In both Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream,

Shakespeare emphasizes that what it means to be human is
essentially performative. In other words, what we call a
“self,” an “identity,” and the things we call “love” and
“hate,” are the products of language and how we use
language in imaginative ways to perform our roles in life
(and to “weave” our dreams). In other words, the dominant
metaphor in Shakespeare’s plays is: “Life is a stage, and we
are actors on it.” Or, sometimes, “life is but a dream.” Do
you agree, disagree, or a little bit of both? Why?

A: Shakespeare emphasizes the performative aspect of human identity and experience,

which highlights how the power of language may change reality. He asks the audience to

consider the mobility of identity and the function of language in telling stories using theatrical

metaphors and existential issues. Shakespeare challenges audiences to balance sincerity and

artifice in self-expression while exploring the inherent inconsistencies of human nature and

societal structures. Shakespeare does this while embracing the theatricality of life. Through

highlighting the theatrical nature of life, he stimulates contemplation on the intricacies of the

human condition and the metamorphic power of words in molding personal stories within the

expansive stage of life.