Question

Why is a sonnet an effective way for Romeo and Juliet to speak when they first meet? Write two to three sentences explaining your answer.

Answer 1

Sample Response: The sonnet shows that Romeo and Juliet are both familiar with love poetry. They are both smart, and they recognize what the other is doing, so that makes them well matched. By using a sonnet, Shakespeare shows that the two are really in love.

Answer 2

The sonnet is an effective way for Romeo and Juliet to speak when they first meet for two reasons. First, sonnets were often about love. Therefore, it is fitting that they would speak in a sonnet when they first meet. Second, a sonnet is a 14-line poem. When they first meet, Romeo and Juliet share a sonnet, as their lines are distributed over the 14 lines. Their words join together to form a single poem, making this the second reason it is fitting for them to speak in sonnet.