In 'Romeo and Juliet,' why does Friar John fail to deliver the letter explaining Juliet’s faked death to Romeo?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: He is quarantined during a plague outbreak
Friar John is detained by health officers in Verona because he was suspected of being in a house where 'the infectious pestilence' reigned. This stroke of ill fate prevents Romeo from learning of Juliet's faked death, making it a key instance of tragic accident in the play.
Keep practicing
More Shakespearean Tragedies questions
- Which of these is NOT one of the 'Four Great Tragedies' of Shakespeare's middle period?
- In 'Titus Andronicus,' what horrific act does the protagonist commit in the final act to achieve his revenge against Tamora?
- What does the term 'Catharsis' refer to in the audience's experience of a tragedy?
- In 'King Lear,' what happens to the Fool after the storm scenes in Act 3?
- According to A.C. Bradley's classic definition, what is the central feature of a Shakespearean tragedy?
- In 'Hamlet,' what specific substance does Claudius use to murder King Hamlet?