SENS
Shakespeare’s Narrative Sources: Italian Novellas and Their European Dissemination
Shakespeare – Romeo and Juliet
Q1 Modernised
An Excellent Conceited Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.
As it hath been often (with great applause) played publicly, by the right Honourable the L. of Hunsdon his Servants.
LONDON Printed by John Danter. 1597.
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THE PROLOGUE Two household friends alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From civil broils broke into enmity, Whose civil war makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-crossed lovers took their life, Whose misadventures, piteous overthrows, Through the continuing of their father’s strife, And death-marked passage of their parents’ rage, Is now the two hours traffic of our stage; The which if you with patient ears attend, What here we want we’ll study to amend. |
| PROLOGUE
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[1.1][i] Enter 2. Servingmen of the Capulets.[ii] [1.] Gregory, of my word I’ll carry no coals. 2. No, for if you do, you should be a collier. 1. If I be in choler, I’ll draw. 2. Ever while you live, draw your neck out of the collar. 1. I strike quickly being moved. 2. I, but you are not quickly moved to strike. 1. A dog of the house of the Montagues moves me. 2. To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to stand to it: Therefore, of my word, if thou be moved thou’t run away. 1. There’s not a man of them I meet, but I’ll take the wall of. 2. That shows thee a weakling, for the weakest goes to the wall. 1. That’s true, therefore I’ll thrust the men from the wall, and thrust the maids to the walls: nay, thou shalt see I am a tall piece of flesh. 2. ’Tis well thou art not fish, for if thou wert thou wouldst be but poor John. 1. I’ll play the tyrant, I’ll first begin with the maids, and off with heir heads. 2. The heads of the maids? 1. Ay, the heads of their maids, or the maidenheads, take it in what sense thou wilt. 2. Nay let them take it in sense that feel it, but here comes two of the Montagues. | 1.a Sampson and Gregory (witty and bawdy punning).
| 1. The first brawl in the street.
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Enter two Servingmen of the Montagues. 1. Nay fear not me I warrant thee. 2. I fear them no more than thee, but draw. 1. Nay let us have the law on our side, let them begin first I’ll tell thee what I’ll do, as I go by I’ll bite my thumb, which is disgrace enough if they suffer it. 2. Content, go thou by and bite thy thumb, and I’ll come after and frown. | 1.b Sampson and Gregory discuss how to start off a quarrel with the Montagues.
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1. MON. Do you bite your thumb at us? 1. I bite my thumb. 2 MON. Ay, but is’t at us? 1. I bite my thumb, is the law on our side? 2. No. 1. I bite my thumb. 1. MON. Ay, but is’t at us?
| 1.c Sampson, Gregory and Abraham start off a quarrel.
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Enter Benvolio. 2. Say ‘Ay’, here comes my master’s kinsman. They draw, to them enters Tybalt, they fight, to them the Prince, old Montague, and his Wife, old Capulet and his Wife, and other Citizens and part them. | 1.d Enter Benvolio ad Tybalyt. They fight. Enter Capulet and his wife, Montague and his wihe and Citizens.
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PRINCE Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, On pain of torture, from those bloody hands Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground. | 2.a The Prince’s address to the rebellious subjects.
| 2. Prince Escalus arrives and rebukes the Capulets and the Montagues.
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Three civil brawls bred of an airy word, By the old Capulet and Montague, Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets. . | 2.b Reference to the past three civil brawls.
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If ever you disturb our streets again, Your lives shall pay the ransom of your fault. For this time every man depart in peace. Come, Capulet, come you along with me, And Montague, come you this afternoon, To know our farther pleasure in this case, To old Freetown our common judgement place. Once more, on pain of death, each man depart. Exeunt. [all but Montague, Montague’s Wife, and Benvolio] | 2.c Threat of death sentence. Capulet and Montague are summoned to Freetown (“the common judgement place”).
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MONTAGUE’S WIFE Who set this ancient quarrel first abroach? Speak, nephew, were you by when it began?
| 3.a Montague’s wife enquires about who set off the quarrel.
| 3. Benvolio’s narration of the brawl.
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BENVOLIO Here were the servants of your adversaries And yours close fighting ere I did approach.
| 3.b Benvolio’s narration.
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MONTAGUE’S WIFE Ah, where is Romeo, saw you him to day? Right glad I am he was not at this fray.
| 4.a Montague’s wife enquires about Romeo.
| 4. Benvolio’s and Montague’s presentation of Romeo’s recent sadness and solitariness.
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BENVOLIO Madam, an hour before the worshipped sun Peeped through the golden window of the east, A troubled thought drew me from company, Where underneath the grove sycamore, That westward rooteth from the city’s side, So early walking might I see your son. I drew towards him, but he was ware of me, And drew into the thicket of the wood. I noting his affections by mine own, That most are busied when th’are most alone, Pursued my honour, not pursuing his. | 4.b Benvolio’s narration of his own seeing him near a sycamore tree early in the morning.
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MONTAGUE Black and portentous must this [humour][iii] prove, Unless good counsel do the cause remove. BENVOLIO Why tell me, uncle, do you know the cause? | 4.c Montague’s preoccupation about Romeo’s sadness and his incapacity to unveil the cause.
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Enter Romeo. MONTAGUE I neither know it nor can learn of him. BENVOLIO See where he is, but stand you both aside, I’ll know his grievance, or be much denied. MONTAGUE I would thou wert so happy by thy stay To hear true shrift. Come, madam, let’s away. [Exeunt Montague and Wife.] | 4.d Benvolio is entrusted with the task of discovering the cause of Romeo’s sadness.
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BENVOLIO Good morrow cousin. ROMEO Is the day so young? BENVOLIO But new stroke nine. ROMEO Ay me, sad hopes seem long. Was that my father that went hence so fast? BENVOLIO It was. What sorrow lengthens Romeo’s hours? ROMEO Not having that which, having, makes them short. | 5.a Romeo and Benvolio’s talk about how Romeo’s sadness expands time.
| 5. Benvolio and Romeo talk about Romeo’s own sadness due to unrequited love.
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BENVOLIO In love. ROMEO Out. BENVOLIO Of love. ROMEO Out of her favour where I am in love. BENVOLIO Alas that love so gentle in her view, Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof. ROMEO Alas that love whose view is muffled still, Should without laws give pathways to our will. Where shall we dine? Gods me, what fray was here? Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all, Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love. Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate, O anything, of nothing first create; O heavy lightness, serious vanity, Mishapen chaos of best-seeming things, Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health, Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is: This love feel I, which feel no love in this. Doest thou not laugh? BENVOLIO No coz, I rather weep. ROMEO Good heart, at what? BENVOLIO At thy good heart’s oppression. ROMEO Why, such is love’s transgression, Griefs of mine own lie heavy at my heart, Which thou wouldst propagate to have them pressed With more of thine, this grief that thou hast shown, Doth add more grief to too much of mine own. Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs, Being purged, a fire sparkling in lover’s eyes, Being vexed, a sea raging with a lover’s tears. What is it else? A madness most discreet, A choking gall, and a preserving sweet. Farewell coz. BENVOLIO Nay I’ll go along. And if you hinder me, you do me wrong. ROMEO Tut, I have lost my self, I am not here, This is not Romeo, he’s some other where. | 5.b Romeo’s description of unrequited love as an oxymoronic passion, whose pain is increased by Benvolio’s own feelings of compassion. Romeo’s avowal of having lost himself.
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BENVOLIO Tell me in sadness whom she is you love? ROMEO What, shall I groan and tell thee? BENVOLIO Why no, but sadly tell me who. ROMEO Bid a sickman in sadness make his will. Ah, word ill-urged to one that is so ill. In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman. BENVOLIO I aimed so right, when as you said you loved. ROMEO A right good mark-man, and she’s fair I love. BENVOLIO A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit. ROMEO But in that hit you miss, she’ll not be hit With Cupid’s arrow, she hath Dian’s wit, And in strong proof of chastity well armed. ’Gainst Cupid’s childish bow she lives unharmed, She’ll not abide the siege of loving terms, Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold, Ah she is rich in beauty, only poor, That when she dies with beauty dies her store. Exeunt. | 5.c Romeo’s description of the cruel chastity of his beloved.
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[1.2] Enter County Paris, old Capulet. [PARIS][iv] Of honourable reckoning are they both, And pity ’tis they live at odds so long: But leaving that, what say you to my suit? CAPULET What should I say more than I said before, My daughter is a stranger in the world, She hath not yet attained to fourteen years; Let two more summers wither in their pride, Before she can be thought fit for a bride. PARIS Younger than she are happy mothers made. CAPULET But too soon marred are these so early married. But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart, My word to her consent is but a part. | 6.a Capulet and Paris talk about the sentence the Prince has emitted and his wish to keep the peace.
| 6. Capulet talks with Paris about Paris’s suit, and Capulet invites him to the feast.
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This night I hold an old accustomed feast, Whereto I have invited many a guest, Such as I love; yet you among the store, One more most welcome makes the number more. At my poor house you shall behold this night, Earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light. Such comfort as do lusty young men feel, When well-apparelled April on the heel Of lumping winter treads, even such delights Amongst fresh female buds shall you this night Inherit at my house. Hear all, all see, And like her most, whose merit most shall be. Such amongst view, of many, mine being one, May stand in number, though in reckoning none. Enter Servingman. Where are you sirrah? Go, trudge about, Through fair Verona streets, and seek them out Whose names are written here[v] and to them say: My house and welcome at their pleasure stay. Exeunt. | 6.c Capulet invites Paris to the feast and urges him to compare his daughter to the other beauties. Capulet sends the serving-man out with order of invitation of the people listed on a paper he gives him.
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SERVINGMAN “Seek them out whose names are written here”, and yet I know not who are written here. I must to the learned to learn of them, that’s as much to say, as the taylor must meddle with his laste, the shoomaker with his needle, the painter with his nets, and the fisher with his pencil, I must to the learned. |
| 7. The serving-man can’t read the list of names.
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Enter Benvolio and Romeo. BENVOLIO Tut, man, one fire burns out another’s burning, One pain is lessened with another’s anguish: Turn backward, and be holp with backward turning, One desperate grief cures with another’s languish. Take thou some new infection to thy eye, And the rank poison of the old will die. ROMEO Your plantain leaf is excellent for that. BENVOLIO For what? ROMEO For your broken shin. BENVOLIO Why, Romeo, art thou mad? ROMEO Not mad, but bound more than a mad man is. Shut up in prison, kept without my food, Whipped and tormented, |
| 8. Benvolio advises Romeo to cure one illness with another one.
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and Godd-e’en good fellow. SERVINGMAN: God gi’ go’den, I pray sir can you read? ROMEO I mine own fortune in my misery. SERVINGMAN Perhaps you have learned it without book. But I pray can you read any thing you see? ROMEO Ay, if I know the letters and the language. SERVINGMAN Ye say honestly, rest you merry. ROMEO Stay fellow, I can read. He reads the letter. “Signor Martino and his wife and daughters, County Anselme and his beauteous sisters, The Lady widow of Utruvio, Signor Placentio, and his lovely nieces, Mercutio and his brother Valentine, Mine uncle Capulet, his wife and daughters, My fair niece Rosaline and Livia, Signor Valentio and his cousin Tybalt, Lucio and the lively Helena.” A fair assembly, whether should they come? SERVINGMAN Up. ROMEO Whether to supper? SERVINGMAN To our house. ROMEO Whose house? SERVINGMAN. My master’s. ROMEO Indeed I should have asked thee that before. SERVINGMAN Now I’ll tell you without asking. My master is the great rich Capulet, and if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry. [Exit.] |
| 9. Benvolio and Romeo meet Capulet’s serving man and are informed about the feast.
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BENVOLIO At this fame ancient feast of Capulet, Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so loves, With all the admired beauties of Verona. Go thither, and with unattainted eye Compare her face with some that I shall show, And I will make thee think thy swan a crow. ROMEO When the devout religion of mine eye Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fire, And these who often drowned could never die, Transparent heretics, be burnt for liars. One fairer than my love, the all-seeing sun Ne’er saw her match, since first the world begun. BENVOLIO Tut, you saw her fair none else being by, Herself poised with herself in either eye. But in that crystal scales let there be weighed Your lady’s love against some other maid That I will show you shining at this feast, And she shall scant show well that now seems best. ROMEO I’ll go along no such sight to be shown, But to rejoice in splendour of mine own. |
| 10. Benvolio suggests that they go to the feast so that Romeo may compare Rosaline’s beauty with other beauties.
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[1.3] Enter Capulet’s Wife and Nurse. [CAPULET’S] WIFE Nurse, where’s my daughter? Call her forth to me. NURSE Now by my maiden head at twelve yeare old, I bade her come. What lamb, what ladybird, God forbid! Where’s this girl? What, Juliet![vi] | 11.a Capulet’s wife asks the Nurse to call for Juliet.
| 11. Capulet’s wife informs Juliet of Paris’ suit and asks her if she can love him.
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Enter Juliet. JULIET How now, who calls? NURSE Your mother. JULIET Madam, I am here. What is your will? [CAPULET’S] WIFE This is the matter. Nurse, give leave a while, We must talke in secret. Nurse, come back again, I have rememberd me, thou’s hear our counsel. Thou knowest my daughter’s of a pretty age. NURSE Faith, I can tell her age unto an hour. [CAPULET’S] WIFE She’s not fourteen. NURSE: I’ll lay fourteen of my teeth, and yet to my teen be it spoken, I have but four, she’s not fourteen. How long is it now to Lammas-tide?[vii] [CAPULET’S] WIFE A fortnight and odd days. NURSE Even or odd, of all days in the year Come Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen. Susan and she – God rest all Christian souls – Were of an age. Well, Susan is with God; She was too good for me. But as I said, On Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen, That shall she, marry, I remember it well. ’Tis since the earthquake now eleven years, And she was weaned – I never shall forget it – Of all the days of the year upon that day. For I had then laid wormwood to my dug, Sitting in the sun under the dovehouse wall. My lord and you were then at Mantua, Nay, I do bear a brain. But, as I said, When it did taste the wormwood on the nipple Of my dug, and felt it bitter, pretty fool, To see it tetchy and fall out wi’th’dug! “Shake”, quoth the dovehouse. ’Twas no need, I trow, To bid me trudge. And since that time it is eleven year: For then could Juliet stand high-lone, nay by th’rood, She could have waddled up and down, For even the day before she brake her brow, And then my husband – God be with his soul, He was a merry man – “Dost thou fall forward, Juliet? Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit, Wilt thou not Juliet?” And by my holidam, The pretty fool left crying and said “Ay”. To see how a jest shall come about! I warrant you, if I should live a hundred year, I never should forget it, “Wilt thou not, Juliet?” And by my troth, she stinted and cried “Ay”. JULIET And stint thou too, I prithee, Nurse, say I. NURSE Well, go thy ways. God mark thee for his grace, Thou wert the prettiest babe that ever I nursed. Might I but live to see thee married once, I have my wish. | 11.b Nurse’s bawdy talk on Juliet’s age.
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[CAPULET’S] WIFE And that same marriage, Nurse, is the theme I meant to talk of. Tell me, Juliet, How stand you affected to be married: JULIET It is an honour that I dream not of. NURSE An honour! Were not I thy only nurse, I would say thou hadst sucked wisdom from thy teat. [CAPULET’S] WIFE Well girl, the noble County Paris seeks thee for his wife.
| 11.c Capulet’s wife broaches the issue of marriage and Paris’ proposal.
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NURSE A man, young lady, lady, such a man As all the world. Why, he is a man of wax. [CAPULET’S] WIFE Verona’s summer hath not such a flower. NURSE Nay, he is a flower, in faith, a very flower. | 11.d Paris’s qualities are praised by the Nurse and Capulet’s Wife.
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[CAPULET’S] WIFE Well, Juliet, how like you of Paris’ love. JULIET I’ll look to like, if looking liking move, But no more deep will I engage mine eye, Than your consent gives strength to make it fly. | 11.e Juliet is asked if she can love Paris.
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Enter Clown.[viii] CLOWN Madam, you are called for, supper is ready, the Nurse cursed in the pantry, all things in extreamitie, make haste for I must be gone to wait. |
| 12. The serving-man announces the arrival of the guests.
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[1.4] Enter masquers with Romeo and a Page. ROMEO What shall this speech be spoke for our excuse, Or shall we on without apology? BENVOLIO The date is out of such prolixity; We’ll have no Cupid hoodwinked with a scarf, Bearing a Tartar’s painted bow of lath, Scaring the ladies like a crow-keeper; Nor no without-book prologue faintly spoke After the prompter, for our entrance. But let them measure us by what they will. We’ll measure them a measure and be gone. | 13.a Romeo wonders what to say by way of introduction, and Benvolio replies that no self- presentation is necessary.
| 13. Romeo, Benvolio, and Mercutio talk before going to Capulet’s house.
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ROMEO A torch for me I am not for this ambling, Being but heavy I will bear the light. MERCUTIO Believe me, Romeo, I must have you dance. ROMEO Not I, believe me, you have dancing shoes With nimble soles, I have a soul of lead, So stakes me to the ground I cannot stir.
| 13.b Romeo asks for a torch and claims that he’ll be standing aside.
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MERCUTIO Give me a case to put my visage in, A visor for a visor. What care I What curious eye doth quote deformity?
| 13.d Mercutio asks for a visor.
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ROMEO Give me a torch. Let wantons, light of heart, Tickle the senselses rushes with their heels: For I am proverbed with a grandsire phrase: I’ll be a candle-holder and looke on, The game was ne’er so fair and I am done. MERCUTIO Tut, dun’s the mouse, the constable’s old word, If thou beest dun, we’ll draw thee from the mire Of this sir-reverence love, wherein thou stickest. | 13.f Romeo again asks for a torch and is teased by Mercutio.
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Leave this talk, we burn day light here. ROMEO Nay, that’s not so. MERCUTIO. I mean, sir, in delay, We burn our lights by night, like lamps by day, Take our good meaning for our judgement fits Three times a day, ere once in her right wits. | 13.g Mercutio urges them to get in.
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ROMEO So we mean well by going to this masque, But ’tis no wit to go. MERCUTIO Why, Romeo, may one ask? | 13.h Romeo shows reluctance to go.
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ROMEO I dreamt a dream tonight. MERCUTIO And so did I. ROMEO Why what was yours? MERCUTIO That dreamers often lie. ROMEO In bed asleep while they do dream things ture. | 13.i Romeo mentions a dream he’s had.
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MERCUTIO Ah, then I see Queen Mab hath been with you. BENVOLIO Queen Mab? What’s she? [MERCUTIO] She is the fairies’ midwife and doth come In shape no bigger than an agate stone On the forefinger of a burgomaster, Drawn with a team of little atomi, Athwart men’s noses when they lie asleep. Her wagon-spokes are made of spinners’ webs, The cover of the wings of grashoppers, The traces are the moonshine-watery beams, The collars, crickets’ bones, the lash of films, Her wagoner is a small gray-coated fly, Not half so big as is a little worm, Picked from the lazy finger of a maid, And in this sort she gallops up and down Through lovers’ brains, and then they dream of love; O’er courtiers’ knees, who straight on curtsies dream, O’er ladies’ lips, who dream on kisses straight, Which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues, Because their breaths with sweet meats tainted are. Sometimes she gallops ore a lawyer’s lap, And then dreams he of smelling out a suit, And sometime comes she with a tithe-pigs’ tail, Tickling a parson’s nose that lies asleep, And then dreams he of another benefice. Sometime she gallops o’er a soldier’s nose, And then dreams he of cutting foreign throats, Of breaches, ambuscados, countermines, Of healths five fathom deep, and then anon Drums in his eare: at which he starts and wakes, And swears a prayer or two and sleeps again. This is that Mab that makes maids lie on their backs, And proves them women of good cariage. This is the very Mab That plaits the manes of horses in the night,[ix] And plaits the elf-locks in foul sluttish hair, Which once untangled much misfortune breeds. | 13.j Mercutio teases Romeo with his Queen Mab speech.
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ROMEO Peace, peace, thou talk’st of nothing. MERCUTIO True, I talk of dreams, Which are the children of an idle brain, Begot of nothing but vain fantasy, Which is as thin a substance as the air, And more inconstant than the wind, which woos Even now the frozen bowels of the north, And being angered puffs away in haste, Turning his face to the dew-dropping south. | 13.k Romeo stops Mercutio short; Mercutio comments on dreams.
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BENVOLIO Come, come, this wind doth blow us from ourselves. Supper is done and we shall come too late. | 13.l Benvolio urges them to go.
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ROMEO I fear too early, for my mind misgives Some consequence is hanging in the stars, Which bitterly begins his feareful date With this night’s revels, and expires the term Of a dispised life, closed in this breast, By some untimely forfeit of vile death. But he that hath the steerage of my course Directs my sail. On, lusty gentlemen. | 13.m Romeo gives voice to his bad premonitions (life- voyage metaphor).
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[1.5] Enter old Capulet with the Ladies. CAPULET Welcome gentlemen, welcome gentlemen! Ladies that have their toes unplagued with corns Will have about with you. Aha, my mistresses, Which of you all will now refuse to dance? She that makes dainty, she, I’ll swear hath corns. Am I come near you now? Welcome gentlemen, welcome! More lights, you knaves, and turn these tables up. And quench the fire, the room is grown too hot. Ah, sirrah, this unlooked for sport comes well, | 15.a Capulet welcomes the guests.
| 15. Romeo and Juliet meet at the feast.
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Nay sit, nay sit, good cousin Capulet, For you and I are past our standing days, How long is it since you and I were in a masque? COUSIN By Lady, sir, ’tis thirty years at least. CAPULET ’Tis not so much, ’tis not so much. ’Tis since the marriage of Lucentio, Come Pentecost as quickly as it will, Some five-and-twenty years, and then we masqued. COUSIN ’Tis more, ’tis more, his son is elder far. CAPULET Will you tell me that it cannot be so, His son was but a ward three years ago? Good youths, i’faith. O, youth’s a jolly thing. | 15.b Capulet talks with his cousin.
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ROMEO What lady is that that doth enrich the hand Of yonder knight? O she doth teach the torches to burn bright![x] It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night, Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear, Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear. So shines a snow-white swan trouping with crows, As this fair lady over her fellows shows. The measure done, I’ll watch her place of stand, And touching hers, make happy my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? Forsweare it sight, I never saw true beauty till this night. | 15.c Romeo sees Juliet.
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TYBALT This by his voice should be a Mountague, Fetch me my rapier boy. What dares the slave Come hither cover’d with an antic face, To scorn and jeer at our solemnity? Now by the stock and honour of my kin, To strike him dead I hold it for no sin. CAPULET Why, how now cousin, wherefore storm you so? TYBALT Uncle, this is a Mountague, our foe, A villain that is hither come in spight To mock at our solemnity this night. CAPULET Young Romeo, is it not? TYBALT It is that villain Romeo. CAPULET Let him alone. He bears him like a portly gentleman And to speak truth, Verona brags of him As of a virtuous and well-govern’d youth. I would not for the wealth of all this town, Here in my house, do him disparagement. Therefore be quiet, take no note of him, Bear a fair presence, and put off these frowns, An ill-beseeming semblance for a feast. TYBALT It fits when such a villain is a guest, I’ll not endure him. CAPULET He shall be endured. Go to, I say he shall. Am I the master of the house or you? You’ll not endure him? God shall mend my soul, You’ll make a mutiny amongst my guests, You’ll set cock-a-hoop, you’ll be the man! TYBALT Uncle, ’tis a shame. CAPULET. Go to, you are a saucy knave. This trick will scathe you one day, I know what. Well said, my hearts – Be quiet! [To Tybalt.] More light, you knave, or I will make you quiet. TYBALT Patience perforce with wilful choler meeting Makes my flesh tremble in their different greetings. I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall, Now seeming sweet, convert to bitter gall. | 15.d Tybalt recognises Romeo and quarrels with Capulet over him.
[DP:5] ?
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ROMEO If I prophane with my unworhy hand, This holiest shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips two blushing pilgrims ready stand, To smooth the rough touch with a gentle kiss. JULIET Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, Which mannerly devotion shows in this: For saints have hands which holy palmers touch, And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss. ROMEO Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too? JULIET Yes, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer. ROMEO Why then, fair saint, let lips do what hands do, They pray; yield thou, least faith turn to dispair. JULIET Saints do not move, though grant, nor prayer forsake. ROMEO Then move not till my prayer’s effect I take. [He kisses her.] Thus from my lips, by yours my sin is purged. JULIET Then have my lips the sin that they have took. ROMEO Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again. [They kiss.] JULIET. You kiss by the book.
| 15.e Romeo and Juliet meet (the shared sonnet and the first kiss).
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NURSE Madam, your mother calls. ROMEO What is her mother? NURSE[xi] Marry, batchelor, Her mother is the lady of the house, And a good lady, and a wise, and a virtuous. I nursed her daughter that you talked withall, I tell you, he that can lay hold of her Shall have the chinks. ROMEO Is she a [Capulet]?[xii] Oh dear account! My life is my foe’s thrall. | 15.f. The Nurse interrupts Romeo and Juliet. Romeo discovers who Juliet is.
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CAPULET Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to be gone, We have a trifling foolish banquet towards. They whisper in his ears, I pray you let me entreat you. Is it so? Well, then, I thank you honest gentlemen, I promise you but for your company, I would have been abed an hour ago. Light to my chamber, ho! Exeunt. | 15.g Capulet says goodbye to his guests.
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JULIET Nurse, what is yonder gentleman? NURSE The son and heir of old Tiberio. JULIET What’s he that now is going out of door? NURSE That as I think is young Petruchio. JULIET What’s he that follows there that would not dance? NURSE I know not. JULIET Goe learn his name. If he be married, My grave is like to be my wedding bed. NURSE His name is Romeo and a Mountague, The onely son of your great enemy. JULIET My only love sprung from my only hate, Too early seen unknown, and known too late. Prodigious birth of love is this to me, That I should love a loathed enemy. NURSE What’s this? What’s that? JULIET Nothing, Nurse, but a rhyme I learnt even now of one I danced[xiii] with. NURSE. Come, your mother stays for you. I’ll go along with you. Exeunt. | 15.h Juliet discovers who Romeo is.
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[2.1] Enter Romeo alone. ROMEO Shall I go forward and my heart is here? Turn back, dull earth, and find thy centre out.
| 16.a Romeo withdraws and remains in the orchard.
| 16. Romeo remains in the orchard while Benvolio and Mercutio look for him.
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Enter Benvolio, Mercutio. BENVOLIO Romeo, my cousin Romeo! MERCUTIO Doest thou hear he is wise, Upon my life, he hath stol’n him hom to bed. BENVOLIO He came this way, and leapt this orchard wall. Call good Mercutio. MERCUTIO[xiv] Call, nay I’ll conjure too. Romeo! Madman! Humours! Passion! [Lover!][xv] Appear thou in likeness of a sigh, Speak but one rhyme and I am satisfied, Cry but “Ay me”, pronounce but “love” and “dove”, Speak to my gossip Venus one fair word, One nickname for her purblind son and heir Young Abraham Cupid, he that shot so trim When young King Cophetua loved the beggar wench. He hears me not. I conjure the by Rosalind’s bright eye, High forehead, and scarlet lip, Her pretty foot, straight leg, and quivering thigh, And the demesnes that there adjacent lie, That in thy likeness thou appeare to us. BENVOLIO If he do hear the thou wilt anger him. MERCUTIO Tut, this cannot anger him, marry if one Should raise a spirit in his mistress’ circle Of some strange fashion, making it there to stand Till she had laid it, and conjured it down, That were some spite. My invocation Is fair and honest, and in his mistress’ name I conjure only but to raise up him. BENVOLIO Well he hath hid himself amongst those trees, To be comforted with the humorous night, Blind in his love, and best befits the dark. MERCUTIO If love be blind, love will not hit the mark. Now will he sit under a medlar tree, And wish his mistress were that kinde of fruit, As maids call medlars when they laugh alone. Ah Romeo that she were, ah that she were An open et cetera, thou a pop’rin’ pear. Romeo, good night. I’ll to my trundle bed: This field bed is too cold for me. Come, let’s away, for ’tis but vain, To seek him here that means not to be found. | 16.b Benvolio and Mercutio look for Romeo and tease him (mock conjuration).
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[2.2] ROMEO He jests at scars that never felt a wound. But soft, what light forth yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun, Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon That is already sick and pale with grief That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she. Be not her maid, since she is envious; Her vestal livery is but pale and green, And none but fools do wear it, cast it off. She speaks, but she says nothing. What of that? Her eye discourseth, I will answer it. I am too bold, ’tis not to me she speaks, Two of the fairest stars in all the skies, Having some business, do entreat her eyes To twinckle in their spheres till they return What if her eyes were there, they in her head, The brightness of her cheeks would shame those stars As daylight doth a lamp, her eyes in heaven, Would through the airy region stream so bright, That birds would sing, and think it were not night. Oh, now she leans her cheeks upon her hand, I would I were the glove to that same hand, That I might kiss that cheek. JULIET Ay me. ROMEO She speaks, Oh, speak again bright angel, for thou art As glorious to this night being over my head As is a winged messenger of heaven Unto the white upturned wondering eyes, Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him, When he bestrides the lazy pacing clouds, And sails upon the bosom of the air. JUlIET Ah 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. ROMEO Shall I hear more, or shall I speak to this? JULIET ’Tis but thy name that is mine enemy. What’s Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part.[xvi] What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, Retain the divine perfection he owes Without that title. Romeo, part thy name, And for that name which is no part of thee, Take all I have. | 17.a Romeo sees Juliet at the window and overhears her words.
| 17. The first balcony scene. Romeo and Juliet exchange vows of love and decide to married.
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ROMEO I take thee at thy word, Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptised, Henceforth I never will be Romeo.
| 17.b Romeo speaks to Juliet without presenting himself.
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JULIET What man art thou, that thus bescreened in night, Doest stumble on my counsel? ROMEO By a name I know not how to tell thee. My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself, Because it is an enemy to thee. Had I it written I would tear the word. JULIET My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words Of that tongue’s utterance, yet I know the sound: Art thou not Romeo and a Mountague? ROMEO Neither, fair saint, if either thee displease. | 17.c Juliet recognizes him by his voice.
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JULIET How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore? The orchard walls are high and hard to climb, And the place death, considering who thou art, If any of my kinsmen find thee here. ROMEO By love’s light wings did I o’rperch these walls, For stony limits cannot hold love out, And what love can do, that dares love attempt. Therefore thy kinsmen are no let to me. JULIET If they do find thee they will murder thee. ROMEO Alas, there lies more peril in thine eyes, Then twenty of their swords. Look thou but sweet, And I am proof against their enmity. JULIET I would not for the world they should find thee here. ROMEO I have night’s cloak to hide [me][xvii] from their sight, And but thou love me let them find me here: For life were better ended by their hate, Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love. JULIET By whose directions found’st thou out this place? ROMEO By love, who first did prompt me to enquire. Ay, he gave me counsel and I lent him eyes. I am no pilot, yet wert thou as far As that vast shore, washed with the furthest sea, I would adventure for such merchandise.
| 17.d Juliet asks Romeo how he got there and urges him to go away, being enemy to her family; Romeo expresses his love.
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JULIET Thou know’st the mask of night is on my face, Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheeks, For that which thou hast heard me speake to night. Fain would I dwell on form; fain, fain deny, What I have spoke; but farewell compliments. Doest thou love me? Nay, I know thou wilt say “Ay”, And I will take thy word. But if thou swear’st, Thou mayst prove false. At lovers’ perjuries They say Jove smiles. Ah gentle Romeo, If thou love, pronounce it faithfully.[xviii] Or if thou think I am too easily won, I’ll frown and say thee nay and be perverse. So thou wilt woo: but else not for the world. In truth, fair Mountague, I am too fond, And therefore thou mayst think my haviour light; But trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove more true, Than they that have more cunning to be strange. I should have been strange, I must confess, But that thou overheard’st ere I was ware My true love’s passion. Therefore pardon me, And not impute this yielding to light love, Which the dark night hath so discovered. ROMEO By yonder blessed moon I swear, That tips with silver all these fruit trees tops – JULIET O sweare not by the moon, the unconstant moon, That monthly changeth in her circled orb, Least that thy love prove likewise variable. ROMEO Now by – JULIET Nay, do not swear at all, Or if thou swear, swear by thy glorious self, Which art the god of my idolatry, And I’ll believe thee. ROMEO If my true heart’s love – | 17.e Juliet is ashamed of her own outspokenness and asks for a proof of his love.
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JULIET Swear not at all, though I do joy in thee, I have small joy in this contract tonight, It is too rash, too sudden, too unadvised, Too like the lightning that doth cease to be Ere one can say it lightens. | 17.f Juliet is worried about the rashness of their love and wishes him good night.
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I hear some coming, Dear love adieu. Sweet Mountague, be true, Stay but a little, and I’ll come again. ROMEO O blessed, blessed night, I fear, being night, All this is but a dream I hear and see, Too flattering true to be substantial. | 17.h Juliet hears somebody coming.
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JULIET Three words, good Romeo, and good night indeed. If that thy bent of love be honourable, Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow By one that I’ll procure to come to thee, Where and what time thou wilt perform that rite, And all my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay, And follow thee, my lord, throughout the world. ROMEO Love goes toward love like schoolboys from their books, But love from love, to school with heavy looks. | 17.i Juliet asks Romeo to marry her and promises to send him somebody the following day. She goes in.
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JULIET Romeo, Romeo! O for a falc’ner’s voice, To lure this tassel-gentle back again. Bondage is hoarse and may not cry aloud, Else would I tear the cave where echo lies, And make her airy voice as hoarse as mine With repetition of my Romeo’s name. Romeo! ROMEO It is my soul that calls upon my name, How silver-sweet sound lovers’ tongues in night. JULIET Romeo? ROMEO Madam? JULIET At what o’clock tomorrow shall I send? ROMEO At the hour of nine. JULIET I will not fail, ’tis twenty years till then. I have forgot why I did call thee back.[xix] ROMEO Let me stay here till you remember it. JULIET I shall forget, to have thee still stay here, Remembering how I love thy company. ROMEO And I’ll stay still to have thee still forget, Forgetting any other home but this. JULIET ’Tis almost morning, I would have thee gone, But yet no further then a wanton’s bird, Who lets it hop a little from her hand, Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves, And with a silk thread pulls it back again, Too loving-jealous of his liberty. ROMEO Would I were thy bird. JULIET Sweet, so would I, Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing thee. Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be morrow. ROMEO Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace on thy breast. I would that I were sleep and peace, [so][xx] sweet to rest. Now will I go to my ghostly father’s cell, His help to crave, and my good hap to tell | 17.j Juliet comes out again and they decide to get in touch by nine the following morning. They part.
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[2.3] Enter Friar [Laurence.][xxi] FRIAR The grey-ey’d morn smiles on the frowning night, Check’ring the eastern clouds with streaks of light, And flecked darkeness like a drunkard reels From forth day’s path, and Titan’s fiery wheels. Now ere the sun advance his burning eye, The world to cheer, and night’s dark dew to dry, We must upfill this oasier cage of ours, With baleful weeds and precious-juiced flowers. O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies In herbs, plants, stones, and their true qualities; For naught so vile, that vile on earth doth live, But to the earth some special good doth give; Nor naught so good, but strained from that fair use, Revolts to vice and stumbles on abuse; Virtue itself turns vice being misapplied, And vice sometimes by action dignified. Within the infant rind of this small flower, Poison hath residence, and medecine power: For this, being smelt too, with that part cheers each heart, Being tasted, slays all senses with the heart. Two such opposed foes encamp them still, In man as well as herbs: grace and rude will; And where the worser is predominant, Full soon the canker death eats up that plant. | 18.a Friar Laurence is returning to his cell with a basket full of herbs.
| 18. Romeo goes to the Friar and asks him to marry them.
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ROMEO Good morrow to my ghostly confessor. FRIAR Benedicite. What early tongue so soon saluteth me? Young son, it argues a distempered head, So soon to bid good morrow to my bed. Care keeps his watch in every old man’s eye, And where care lodgeth, sleep can never lie; But where unbrusied youth with unstuffed brains Doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep remains. Therefore thy earliness doth me assure, Thou art uproused by some distemperature. Or if not so, then here I hit it right: Our Romeo hath not been abed to night. ROMEO The last was true, the sweeter rest was mine. FRIAR God pardon sin! Wert thou with Rosaline? ROMEO With Rosaline? My ghostly father, no. I have forgot that name, and that name’s woe. FRIAR That’s my good son: but where hast thou been then? ROMEO I tell thee ere thou ask it me again: I have been feasting with mine enemy, Where on the sudden one hath wounded me That’s by me wounded. Both our remedies Within thy help and holy physic lies. I beare no hatred, blessed man, for lo, My interecession likewise steads my foe. FRIAR Be plain, my son, and homely in thy drift; Riddling confession finds but riddling shrift. | 18.b Romeo salutes the Friar and the Friar asks him if he has been up all night, supposing with Rosaline.
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ROMEO Then plainly know my heart’s dear love is set On the fair daughter of rich Capulet: As mine on hers, so hers likewise on mine, And all combined, save what thou must combine By holy marriage. Where, and when, and how, We met, we woo’d, and made exchange of vows, I’ll tell thee as I pass. But this I pray, That thou consent to marry us today. | 18.c Romeo avows his love for Juliet and asks him to marry them.
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FRIAR Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here! Is Rosaline whom thou didst love so dear So soon forsook? Lo, young men’s love then lies Not truely in their hearts, but in their eyes. Jesu Maria, what a deal of brine Hath washed thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline? How much salt water cast away in waste, To season love, that of love doth not taste. The sun not yet thy sighs from heaven clears, Thy old groans ring yet in my ancient ears, And lo, upon thy cheek the stain doth sit, Of an old tear that is not washed off yet. If ever thou wert thus, and these woes thine, Thou and these woes were all for Rosaline. And art thou changed? Pronounce this sentence then: Women may fall when ther’s no strength in men. ROMEO Thou chids’t me oft for loving Rosaline. FRIAR For doting, not for loving, pupil mine. ROMEO And bads’t me bury love. FRIAR Not in a grave, To lay one in another out to have. ROMEO I prithee, chide not, she whom I love now Doth grace for grace, and love for love allow: The other did not so. FRIAR. O, she knew well Thy love did read by rote, and could not spell. | 18.d The Friar rebukes him for being a young waverer.
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But come, young waverer, come, go with me, In one respect I’ll thy assistant be, For this alliance may so happy prove, To turn your housholds’ rancour to pure love. Exeunt. | 18.e The Friar eventually offers to help him and favours this alliance. He rebukes them for their hurry.
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[2.4] Enter Mercutio, Benvolio. MERCUTIO Why, what’s become of Romeo? Came he not home to night? BENVOLIO Not to his father’s, I spake with his man. MERCUTIO Ah, that same pale hard-hearted wench, that Rosaline, Torments him so, that he will sure run mad. [BENVOLIO][xxii] Tybalt, the kinsman of old Capulet, Hath sent a letter to his father’s house: [MERCUTIO][xxiii] Some challenge, on my life. BENVOLIO Romeo will answer it MERCUTIO Ay, any man that can write may answer a letter. BENVOLIO Nay, he will answer the letter’s master if he be challenged. | 19.a Benvolio informs Mercutio that Tybalt has sent a challenge to Romeo.
| 19. Benvolio tells Mercutio about Tybalt’s challenge sent to Romeo; Romeo informs the Nurse about the plan for the secret marriage.
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MERCUTIO Who, Romeo? Why, he is already dead: stabbed with a white wench’s black eye, shot through the ear with a love song, the very pin of his heart cleft with the blind bow- boy’s butt-shaft. And is he a man to encounter Tybalt? BENVOLIO Why, what is Tybalt? MERCUTIO More than the prince of cats I can tell you. O, he is the couragious captain of compliments. Catso, he fights as you sing prick-song, keeps time, dstance, and proportion, rests me his minim rest, one, Two, and the third in your bosom; the very butcher of a silken button, a duellist, a duellist, a gentleman of the very first house of the first and second cause. Ah, the immortal passado, the punto reverso, the hay! BENVOLIO The what? MERCUTIO The pox of such limping, antic, affecting fantasticoes, these new tuners of accents. By Jesu, a very good blade, a very tall man, a very good whore. Why, grandsire, is not this a miserable case that we should be still afflicted with these strange flies, these fashion-mongers, these pardon-me’s, that stand so much on the new form, that they cannot sit at ease on the old bench. O, their bones, theyr bones! | 19.b Mercutio mocks Romeo and describes Tybalt as the Prince of Cats.
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BENVOLIO Here comes Romeo. MERCUTIO Without his roe, like a dried herring. O flesh, flesh, how art thou fishified! Sirrah, now is he for the numbers that Petrarch flowed in: Laura to his lady was but a kitchin drudge, yet she had a better love to berhyme her; Dido a dowdy, Cleopatra a gypsie, Hero and Helen hildings and harlotries; Thisby a grey eye or so, but not to the purpose. Signor Romeo, bonjour, there is a French curtsy to your French stop: you gave us the counterfeit fairly yesternight. ROMEO What counterfeit, I pray you? MERCUTIO. The slip, the slip, can you not conceive? ROMEO I cry you mercy, my busines was great, and in such a case as mine, a man may strain courtesy. MERCUTIO O, that’s as much to say as such a case as yours will constrain a man to bow in the hams. ROMEO A most courteous exposition. MERCUTIO Why, I am the very pink of courtesy. ROMEO Pink for flower? MERCUTIO Right. ROMEO Then is my pump well flowered. MERCUTIO Well said, follow me now that jest till thou hast worn out thy pump, that when the single sole of it is worn, the jest may remain, after the wearing, solely singular. ROMEO O single-soled jest, solely singular for the singleness. MERCUTIO Come between us, good Benvolio, for my wits fail. ROMEO Swits and spurs, swits and spurs, or I’ll cry a match. MERCUTIO Nay if thy wits run the wildgoose chase, I have done: for I am sure thou hast more of the goose in one of thy wits, than I have in all my five. Was I with you there for the goose? ROMEO Thou were never with me for an thing when, thou wert not with me for the goose. MERCUTIO I’ll bite thee by the ear for that jest. ROMEO Nay, good goose, bite not. MERCUTIO Why, thy wit is a bitter sweeting, a most sharp sauce. ROMEO And was it not well serv’d in to a sweet goose? MERCUTIO Oh here is a wit of cheverel that stretcheth from an inch narrow to an ell broad. ROMEO I stretched it out for the word ‘broad’, which, added to the goose, proves thee fair and wide a broad goose. MERCUTIO Why is not this better now than groaning for love? Why, now art thou sociable, now art thou thy self, now art thou what thou art, as well by art as nature. This drivelling love is like a great natural, that runs up and down to hide his babble in a hole. BENVOLIO Stop there. MERCUTIO Why thou wouldst have me stop my tale against the hair. BENVOLIO Thou wouldst have made thy tale too long? MERCUTIO Tut, man thou art deceived, I meant to make it short, for I was come to the whole depth of my tale, and meant indeed to occupy the argument no longer. ROMEO Here’s goodly gear. | 19.c Romeo joins them and they start joking around.
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Enter Nurse and her man [Peter.] MERCUTIO A sail, a sail, a sail! BENVOLIO Two, two, a shirt and a smock. NURSE Peter, prithee, give me my fan. MERCUTIO Prithee do, good Peter, to hide her face: for her fan is the fairer of the two. NURSE God ye good morrow, gentlemen. MERCUTIO God ye good den, fair gentlewoman. NURSE. Is it ‘God ye good den?’ I pray you. MERCUTIO ’Tis no less, I assure you, for the baudy hand of the dial is even now upon the pricke of noon. NURSE Fie, what a man is this? ROMEO A Gentleman, Nurse, that God hath made for himself to mar. NURSE By my troth, well said: for himself to mar, quoth he? I pray, you can any of you tell where one may find young Romeo? ROMEO I can: but young Romeo will be elder when you have found him, than he was when you sought him, I am the youngest of that name for fault of a worse. NURSE Well said. MERCUTIO Yea, is the worst well? Mass, well noted, wisely, wisely. NURSE If you be he sir, I desire some conference with you. BENVOLIO O, belike she means to invite him to supper. MERCUTIO So ho, a bawd, a bawd, a bawd! ROMEO Why, what hast found, man? MERCUTIO No hare sir, unless it be a hare in a Lenten pie, that is somewhat stale and hoar ere it be eaten. He walks by them, and sings. And an old hare hoar, and an old hare hoar, Is very good meat in Lent. But a hare that’s hoar is too much for a score, If it hoar ere it be spent You’ll come to your father’s to supper? ROMEO I will. MERCUTIO Farewell, ancient Lady, farewell sweet lady. Exeunt Benuolio, Mercutio. | 19.d The Nurse and Peter arrive and Mercutio teases her.
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NURSE Marry, farewell. Pray, what saucy merchant was this that was so full of his rope-ripe? ROMEO A gentleman, Nurse, that loves to hear himself talk, and will speak more in an hour than he will stand to in a month. NURSE If he stand to any thing against me, I’ll take him down if he were lustier than he is. If I cannot take him, down I’ll find them that shall. I am none of his flirt-gills, I am none of his skains mates. She turns to Peter her man. And thou like a knave must stand by, and see every Jack use me at his pleasure. PETER I see no body use you at his pleasure. If I had, I would soon have drawn: you know my tool is as soon out as another’s if I see time and place. NURSE Now, afore God, he hath so vexed me, that every member about me quivers: scurvy Jack! But, as I said, my lady bade me seek ye out, and what she bade me tell ye, that I’ll keep to myself. But if you should lead her into a fool’s paradise, as they say, it were a very gross kind of behaviour, as they say, for the gentlewoman is young. Now, if you should deal doubly with her, it were very weak dealing, and not to be offered to any gentlewoman. ROMEO Nurse, commend me to thy lady, tell her I protest – NURSE Good heart, i’faith I’ll tell her so: oh she will be a joyful woman. ROMEO Why, what wilt thou tell her? NURSE That you do protest: which, as I take it, is a gentlemanlike proffer. ROMEO Bid her get leave to morrow morning To come to shrift to Friar Laurence’ cell, And stay thou, Nurse, behind the Abbey wall. My man shall come to thee, and bring along The cords, made like a tackled stair, Which to the hightop-gallant of my ioy Must be my conduct in the secret night. Hold, take that for thy pains. NURSE No, not a penny, truly. ROMEO I say you shall not choose. NURSE Well, tomorrow morning she shall not fail. ROMEO Farewell, be trusty, and I’ll quit thy paine. Exit. NURSE Peter, take my fan and go before. Ex[eunt] omnes. | 19.e Romeo informs the Nurse about the plan for the secret marriage which will take place in the afternoon. Romeo offers the Nurse some money.
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[2.5] Enter Juliet. JULIET The clock struck nine when I did send my Nurse, In half an hour she promised to return. Perhaps she cannot finde him. That’s not so. O, she is lazy. Love’s heralds should be thoughts, And run more swift than hasty powder fiered Doth hurry from the fearful cannon’s mouth. | 20.a Juliet is anxious about the Nurse who has not come back yet (it is 12 a.m).
| 20. The Nurse informs Juliet about the plan for the secret marriage.
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Enter Nurse. O, now she comes! Tell me, gentle Nurse, What says my love?
| 20.b The Nurse arrives and tells Peter to stay at the gate.
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NURSE O I am weary, let me rest a while. Lord how my bones ache. O where’s my man? Give me some aqua–vitae. JULIET I would thou hadst my bones, and I thy news. NURSE Fie, what a jaunt have I had! And my back a’t’ other side. Lord, Lord, what a case am I in. JULIET But tell me, sweet Nurse, what says Romeo? NURSE Romeo, nay, alas you cannot choose a man. He’s no body, he is not the flower of curtesy, he is not a proper man; and for a hand, and a foote, and a body – well go thy way wench, thou hast it i’faith, Lord, Lord, how my head beats! JULIET What of all this? Tell me, what says he to our marriage? NURSE Marry, he says like an honest gentleman, And a kind, and I warrant, a virtuous – Where’s your mother? JULIET Lord, Lord, how oddly thou repliest? “He says, like a kind gentleman, And an honest, and a virtuous – Where’s your mother?” NURSE Marry, come up, cannot you stay a while? Is this the poultice for mine aching bones? Next errand you’ll have done, even do’t yourself. JULIET Nay, stay sweet Nurse, I do entreat thee now, What says my love, my lord, my Romeo? NURSE Go, hie you straight to Friar Laurence’ cell, And frame a scuse that you must go to shrift: There stays a bridegroom to make you a bride. Now comes the wanton blood up in your cheeks, I must provide a ladder made of cords, With which your lord must climb a bride’s nest soon. I must take pains to further your delight, But you must bear the burden soon at night. Doth this news please you now? JULIET How doth her latter words revive my heart! Thanks, gentle Nurse, dispatch thy business, And I’lll not fail to meet my Romeo. Exeunt. | 20.c The Nurse praises Romeo, postpones all answer, and eventually tells Juliet about the plan for the secret marriage, and Romeo’s getting into her room at night.
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[2.6] Enter Romeo, Friar. ROMEO Now, Father Laurence, in thy holy grant Consists the good of me and Juliet. FRIAR Without more words I will do all I may, To make you happy if in me it lie. ROMEO This morning here she pointed we should meet, And consummate those never-parting bands, Witness of our hearts’ love, by joyning hands, And come she will. FRIAR I guess she will indeed, Youth’s love is quick, swifter than swiftest speed.
| 21.a The Friar and Romeo wait for Juliet, and the Friar shows preoccupation.
| 21 The secret marriage.
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Enter Juliet somewhat fast, and embraceth Romeo. See where she comes. So light of foot ne’er hurts the trodden flower: Of love and joy, see, see the sovereign power. JULIET Romeo. ROMEO My Juliet, welcome. As do waking eyes Closed in night’s mists, attend the frolic day, So Romeo hath expected Juliet, And thou art come. JULIET I am, if I be day, Come to my sun: shine forth, and make me fair. ROMEO All beauteous fairness dwelleth in thine eyes. JULIET Romeo from thine all brightness doth arise. FRIAR Come, wantons, come, the stealing hours do pass, Defer embracements till some fitter time. Part for a while, you shall not be alone, Till holy Church have joyned ye both in one. ROMEO Lead, holy Father, all delay seems long. JULIET Make haste, make haste, this lingering doth us wrong. FRIAR O, soft and fair makes sweetest work, they say. Haste is common hind’rer in cross’ way. Exeunt omnes. | 21.b Juliet arrives. The Friar invites them to go with him for the celebration of the wedding.
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[3.1] Enter Benvolio, Mercutio [and boy.] BENVOLIO I prithee, good Mercutio, let’s retire, The day is hot, the Capels are abroad. MERCUTIO Thou art like one of those that, when he comes into the confines of a tavern, claps me his rapier on the board, and says, “God send me no need of thee”. And by the operation of the next cup of wine, he draws it on the drawer, when indeed there is no need. BENVOLIO Am I like such a one? MERCUTIO Go too, thou art as hot a Jack being moved, and as soon moved to be moody, and as soon moody to be moved. BENVOLIO And what too? MERCUTIO Nay, and there were two such, we should have none shortly. Didst not thou fall out with a man for cracking of nuts, having no other reason, but because thou hadst hazel eyes? What eye but such an eye would have picked out such a quarrel? With another for coughing because he waked thy dog that lay asleep in the sun? With a taylor for wearing his new dublet before Easter: and with another for tying his new shoes with old ribbons. And yet thou wilt forbid me of quarrelling. BENVOLIO By my head, here comes a Capulet. | 22.a Knowing that the Capulets are roaming the streets of Verona, Benvolio wants to retire. Mercutio refuses.
| 22. A new brawl erupts between the Montagues and the Capulets in Verona’s streets.
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Enter Tybalt. MERCUTIO By my heel, I care not. TYBALT Gentlemen, a word with one of you. MERCUTIO But one word with one of us? You had best couple it with somewhat, and make it a word and a blow. TYBALT I am apt enough to that if I have occasion. MERCUTIO Could you not take occasion? TYBALT Mercutio, thou consorts with Romeo? MERCUTIO Consort? Zounds, consort? The slave will make fiddlers of us. If you do, sirrah, look for nothing but discord: for here’s my fiddlestick.
| 22.b Tybalt arrives. Tybalt and Mercutio start quarrelling.
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Enter Romeo. TYBALT Well, peace be with you, here comes my man. MERCUTIO But I’ll be hanged if he wear your livery: marry, go before into the field, and he may be your follower, so in that sense your worship may call him ‘man’. TYBALT Romeo, the hate I bear to thee can afford No better words then these: thou art a villain.[xxiv]
| 22.c Romeo arrives. Tybalt challenges him.
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ROMEO Tybalt, the love I bear to thee, doth excuse The appertaining rage to such a word: Villain am I none, therefore I well perceive Thou know’st me not.[xxv] TYBALT Base boy – This cannot serve thy turn, and therefore draw.[xxvi] ROMEO I do protest I never injured thee, But love thee better than thou canst devise, Till thou shalt know the reason of my love.[xxvii]
| 22.d Romeo refuses to fight and protests his love for Tybalt.
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MERCUTIO O dishonuorable vile submission. Alla stoccado carries it away. You, rat-catcher, come back, come back.[xxviii] TYBALT What wouldest with me? MERCUTIO Nothing, King of Cats, but borrow one of your nine lives, therefore come draw your rapier out of your scabbard, least mine be about your ears ere you be aware. | 22.e Mercutio intervenes and fights with Tybalt.
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ROMEO Stay, Tybalt! Hold, Mercutio! Benvolio, beat down their weapons! Tybalt under Romeo’s arms thrusts Mercutio in and flies.
| 23.a Romeo tries to stop the fight and Mercutio is mortally wounded by Tybalt. Tybalt flees.
| 23. Mercutio is killed by Tybalt. |
MERCUTIO Is he gone, hath he nothing? A pox on your houses. ROMEO What, art thou hurt, man, the wound is not deep. MERCUTIO No, not so deep as a well, not so wide as a barn- door, but it will serve, I warrant. What meant you to come between us? I was hurt under your arm. ROMEO I did all for the best. MERCUTIO A pox of your houses! I am fairly dressed. Sirrah, go fetch me a surgeon. BOY I go my lord. MERCUTIO I am peppered for this world, I am sped, i’faith; he hath made worms’ meat of me. And ye ask for me tomorrow you shall find me a grave man. A pox of your houses! I shall be fairly mounted upon four men’s shoulders, for your house of the Mountagues and the Capulets. And then some peasantly rogue, some sexton, some base slave shall write my epitapth, that Tybalt came and broke the Princes’ laws, and Mercutio was slain for the first and second cause. Where’s the surgeon? BOY He’s come sir. MERCUTIO Now he’ll keep a mumbling in my guts – on the other side – come Benvolio, lend me thy hand. A pox of your houses! Exeunt. | 23.c Mercutio exits assisted by Benvolio (joking about his wound but eventually cursing the two households).
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ROMEO This gentleman, the Prince’s neer ally, My very friend hath ta’en this mortal wound In my behalf, my reputation stained With Tybalt’s slander, Tybalt that an hour Hath been my kinsman. Ah Juliet, Thy beauty makes me thus effeminate, And in my temper softens valour’s steel. | 23.d Romeo blames Juliet’s beauty for making him ‘effeminate’.
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Enter Benvolio. BENVOLIO Ah Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio is dead, That gallant spirit hath aspir’d the clouds, Which too untimely scorned the lowly earth. ROMEO This day’s black fate, on more days doth depend; This but begins what other days must end. | 23.e Benvolio re-enters and announces Mercutio’s death.
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Enter Tybalt. BENVOLIO Here comes the furious Tybalt back again. ROMEO Alive in triumph and Mercutio slain? Away to heaven respective lenity, And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now. Now, Tybalt, take the villain back again, Which late thou gav’st me: for Mercutio’s soul Is but a little way above the clouds, And stays for thine to bear him company. Or thou, or I, or both shall follow him. Fight, Tybalt falls.
| 24.a Romeo throws caution to the winds, assails Tybalt, they fight and he kills him.
| 24. Romeo kills Tybalt.
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BENVOLIO Romeo, away, thou seest that Tybalt’s slain. The citizens approach, away, be gone! Thou wilt be taken. ROMEO Ah, I am fortune’s slave. [Exit.][xxix] | 24.b Benvolio urges him to leave and Romeo flees away.
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Enter Citizens. WATCH Where’s he that slave Mercutio, Tybalt, that villain? BENVOLIO There is that Tybalt. [WATCH] Up, sirrah, go with us.
| 25.a Enter Citizens and start inquiring about Tybalt’s and Mercutio’s deaths.
| 25. Benvolio’s narration.
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Enter Prince, Capulet’s Wife. PRINCE Where be the vile beginners of this fray? BENVOLIO Ah, noble Prince, I can discover all The most unlucky manage of this brawl. Here lies the man slain by young Romeo, That slew thy kinsman brave Mercutio, [CAPULET’S WIFE][xxx] Tybalt, Tybalt, O my brother’s child, Unhappy fight! Ah the blood is spilt Of my dear kinsman. Prince, as thou art true, For blood of ours, shed blood of Mountague. PRINCE Speake, Benvolio, who began this fray? | 25.b Enter the Prince, and asks who started the fight while. Lady Capulet grieves over Tybalt’s body.
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BENVOLIO Tybalt here slain, whom Romeo’s hand did slay. Romeo, who spake him fair, bid him bethink How nice the quarrel was. But Tybalt still persisting in his wrong, The stout Mercutio drew to calm the storm, Which Romeo seeing called “Stay gentlemen!” And on me cried, who drew to part their strife, And with his agil arm young Romeo, As fast as tongue cried peace, fought peace to make. While they were interchanging thrusts and blows, Under young Romeo’s labouring arm to part, The furious Tybalt cast an envious thrust, That rid the life of stout Mercutio. With that he fled, but presently return’d, And with his rapier braved Romeo, That had but newly entertain’d revenge, And ere I could draw forth my rapier To part their fury, down did Tybalt fall, And this way Romeo fled. | 25.c Benvolio’s narration of the fight.
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[CAPULET’S WIFE][xxxi] He is a Montague and speaks partial, Some twenty of them fought in this black strife, And all those twenty could but kill one life. I do entreat, sweet Prince, thou’lt justice give: Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo may not live. | 26.a Lady Capulet asks for a death sentence to be pronounced against Romeo.
| 26. The Prince’s verdict.
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PRINCE And for that offence Immediately we do exile him hence. I have an interest in your hate’s proceeding, My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding. But I’ll amerce you with so large a fine, That you shall all repent the loss of mine. I will be deaf to pleading and excuses, Nor tears, nor prayers shall purchase for abuses. Pity shall dwell and govern with us still; Mercy to all but murderers, pardoning none that kill. Exeunt omnes.
| 26.c The Prince sentences Romeo to exile.
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[3.2] Enter Juliet. JULIET Gallop apace you fiery-footed steeds To Phoebus’ mansion. Such a wagoner As Phaeton, would quickly bring you thither, And send in cloudy night immediately.
| 27.a Juliet eagerly waits for her wedding night with Romeo.
| 27. Juliet learns about Tybalt’s death and Romeo’s exile.
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Enter Nurse wringing her hands, with the ladder of cords in her lap. But how now, Nurse? O Lord, why look’st thou sad? What hast thou there, the cords? NURSE Ay, ay, the cords. Alack, we are undone, We are undone, lady, we are undone. JULIET What devil art thou that torments me thus? NURSE Alack the day, he’s dead, he’s dead, he’s dead. JULIET This torture should be roared in dismal hell. Can heavens be so envious? NURSE Romeo can if heavens cannot. | 27.b Enters the Nurse announcing someone’s death and Juliet understands it is Romeo’s.
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I saw the wound, I saw it with mine eyes, God save the sample, on his manly breast. A bloody corpse, a piteous bloody corpse, All pale as ashes. I swounded at the sight. | 27.d The Nurse says she saw the wound and fainted.
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JULIET Ah, Romeo, Romeo, what disaster hap Hath severed thee from thy true Juliet? Ah, why should heaven so much conspire with woe, Or fate envy our happy marriage, So soon to sunder us by timeless Death. | 27.e Juliet wishes her heart to break and be dead.
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NURSE O Tybalt, Tybalt, the best friend I had, O honest Tybalt, courteous gentleman. JULIET What storm is this that blows so contrary? Is Tybalt dead, and Romeo murdered? My dear-loved cousin, and my dearest lord? Then let the trumpet sound a general doom. These two being dead, then living is there none. NURSE Tybalt is dead, and Romeo banished, Romeo that murdered him is banished. JULIET Ah heavens, did Romeo’s hand shed Tybalt’s blood? NURSE It did, it did, alack the day it did. | 27.f The Nurse tells her that Tybalt is dead, killed by Romeo who therefore has been exiled.
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JULIET O serpent’s hate, hid with a flow’ring face, O painted sepulcher, including filth. Was never book containing so foul matter So fairly bound. Ah, what meant Romeo?
| 27.g Juliet curses Romeo’s angelic looks hiding a fiendish nature.
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NURSE There is no truth, no faith, no honesty in men: All false, all faithless, perjured, all forsworn. Shame come to Romeo. | 27.h The Nurse also curses Romeo.
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JULIET A blister on that tongue, he was not born to shame. Upon his face shame is ashamed to sit. But wherefore villain didst thou kill my cousin? That villain cousin would have killed my husband. All this is comfort. | 27.i Juliet rebukes the Nurse and repents the words she has just said against Romeo, whom she has just married.
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Worse than his death, which fain I would forget. But ah, it presseth to my memory, Romeo is banished. Ah that word “banished” Is worse than death. “Romeo is banished” Is father, mother, Tybalt, Juliet, All killed, all slain, all dead, all banished. | 27.l Juliet muses over Romeo’s banishment and its consequences.
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Where are my father and my mother Nurse? NURSE Weeping and wailing over Tybalt’s corpse. Will you go to them? | 27.m Juliet asks the Nurse about her parents and she answers they are crying over Tybalt’s dead body.
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JULIET Ay, ay, when theirs are spent, Mine shall he shed for Romeo’s banishment. | 27.n Juliet cries over Romeo’s banishment.
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NURSE Lady, your Romeo will be here to night, I’ll to him, he is hid at Laurence’ cell. | 27.o The Nurse says she will find Romeo.
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JULIET Do so, and bear this Ring to my true knight, And bid him come to take his last farewell. Exeunt. | 27.p Juliet gives her a ring for Romeo.
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[3.3] Enter Friar. FRIAR Romeo, come forth, come forth, thou fearful man, Affliction is enamoured on thy parts, And thou art wedded to calamity. Enter Romeo. ROMEO Father, what news, what is the Prince’s doom? What sorrow craves acquaintance at our hands, Which yet we know not. Is my young son with such sour company. I bring thee tidings of the Prince’s doom. ROMEO What less than doomesday is the Prince’s doom? FRIAR A gentler judgement vanished from his lips, Not body’s death, but body’s banishment. ROMEO Ha, banished? Be merciful, say death: For exile hath more terror in his looks Than death itself, do not say banishment. FRIAR Hence from Verona art thou banished. Be patient, for the world is broad and wide. ROMEO There is no world without Verona walls, But purgatory, torture, hell itself. Hence banished is banished from the world: And world-exiled is death. Calling death “banishment”, Thou cutt’st my head off with a golden axe, And smilest upon the stroke that murders me. FRIAR Oh monstrous sin, O rude unthankfulness, Thy fault our law calls death, but the mild Prince, Taking thy part, hath rushed aside the law, And turned that black word “death” to “banishment”. This is mere mercy, and thou seest it not. ROMEO ’Tis torture and not mercy. Heaven is here Where Juliet lives. And every cat and dog, And little mouse, every unworthy thing Live here in heaven, and may look on her, But Romeo may not. More validity, More honourable state, more courtship lives In carrion-flies, than Romeo: they may seize On the white wonder of fair Juliet’s skin, And steal immortal kisses from her lips; But Romeo may not, he is banished. Flies may do this, but I from this must fly. O father, hadst thou no strong poison mixed, No sharp ground-knife, no present mean of death, Though ne’er so mean, but “banishment” To torture me withal? Ah, “banished”. O Friar, the damned use that word in hell: Howling attends it. How hadst thou the heart, Being a divine, a ghostly confessor, A sin-absolver, and my friend professed, To mangle me with that word, “banishment”? FRIAR Thou, fond madman, hear me but speak a word. ROMEO O, thou wilt talk again of banishment. FRIAR I’ll give thee armour to bear off this word, Adversity’s sweet milk, philosophy, To comfort thee though thou be banished ROMEO Yet “banished”? Hang up philosophy! Unless philosophy can make a Juliet, Displant a town, reverse a Prince’s doom, It helps not, it prevails not, talk no more. FRIAR O, now I see that madmen have no ears. ROMEO How should they, when that wise men have no eyes. FRIAR Let me dispute with thee of thy estate. ROMEO Thou canst not speak of what thou dost not feel. Wert thou as young as I, Juliet thy love, An hour but married, Tybalt murdered, Doting like me, and like me banished, Then mightst thou speak, then mightst thou tear thy hair. And fall upon the ground as I do now, Taking the measure of an unmade grave. | 28.a Romeo learns from the Friar that the Prince banished him from Verona and plunges into the depths of despair.
| 28. Romeo goes to Friar Laurence’s cell and learns he has been exiled from Verona.
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Nurse knocks. FRIAR Romeo arise, stand up, thou wilt be taken. I hear one knock, arise and get thee gone. NURSE Ho, Friar! FRIAR God’s will, what wilfulness is this? She knocks again. NURSE Ho, Friar, open the door, FRIAR By and by I come. Who is there? NURSE One from lady Juliet. FRIAR Then come near. NURSE O holy Friar, tell me, O holy Friar, Where is my lady’s lord? Where’s Romeo? ROMEO There on the ground, with his own teares made drunk. NURSE O, he is even in my mistress’ case. Just in her case! O, woeful simpathy, Piteous predicament, even so lies she, Weeping and blubbering, blubbering and weeping. Stand up, stand up, stand and you be a man. For Juliet’s sake, for her sake, rise and stand, Why should you fall into so deep an O? He rises. ROMEO Nurse. NURSE Ah sir, ah sir. Well death’s the end of all. ROMEO Spakest thou of Juliet, how is it with her? Doth she not think me an old murderer, Now I have stained the childhood of her joy, With blood remov’d but little from her own? Where is she? And how doth she? And what says My conceal’d lady to our cancelled love? NURSE O, she saith nothing, but weeps and pules, And now falls on her bed, now on the ground, And Tybalt cries, and then on Romeo calls. | 28.b Enters the Nurse bringing Juliet’s news: the girl is also hopelessly despairing and keeps crying in her room.
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ROMEO As if that name shot from the deadly level of a gun Did murder her, as that name’s cursed hand Murdered her kinsman. Ah tell me, holy Friar, In what vile part of this anatomy Doth my name lie? Tell me that I may sack The hateful mansion? He offers to stab himself, and Nurse snatches the dagger away. NURSE Ah! | 28.c Romeo threatens to kill himself.
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FRIAR Hold, stay thy hand! Art thou a man? Thy form Cries out thou art, but thy wild acts denote The unreasonable furies of a beast. Unseemely woman in a seeming man, Or ill-beseeming beast in seeming both. Thou hast amazed me. By my holy order, I thought thy disposition better tempered. Hast thou slain Tybalt? Wilt thou slay thy self? And slay thy lady too, that lives in thee? Rouse up thy spirits, thy lady Juliet lives, For whose sweet sake thou wert but lately dead; There art thou happy. Tybalt would kill thee, But thou slewest Tybalt; there art thou happy too. A pack of blessings lights upon thy back, Happiness courts thee in his best array, But like a misbehaved and sullen wench Thou frown’st upon thy Fate that smiles on thee. Take heed, take heed, for such die miserable. | 28.d The Friar rebukes him.
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Go get thee to thy love as was decreed: Ascend her chamber window, hence, and comfort her, But look thou stay not till the watch be set: For then thou canst not pass to Mantua. | 28.e The Friar tells Romeo to pay one last visit to his wife and then leave for Mantua before Dawn.
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Nurse, provide all things in a readiness. Comfort thy mistress, haste the house to bed, Which heavy sorrow makes them apt unto. NURSE Good Lord, what a thing learning is! I could Have stayed here all this night to hear good counsel. Well, sir, I’ll tell my lady that you will come.[xxxii] ROMEO Do so and bid my sweet prepare to [chide],[xxxiii] Farwell, good Nurse.
| 28.f The Friar tells the Nurse to inform Juliet about Romeo’s visit.
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Nurse offers to go in and turns again. NURSE Here is a ring, sir, that she bade me give you. ROMEO How well my comfort is revived by this. Exit Nurse. | 28.g The Nurse gives Juliet’s ring to Romeo.
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FRIAR Sojourn in Mantua, I’ll find out your man, And he shall signify from time to time, Every good hap that doth befall thee here. Farwell. ROMEO But that a ioy, past joy cries out on me, It were a grief so brief to part with thee. | 28.h The Friar tells Romeo to go and that he will keep informed
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[3.4] Enter old Capulet and his Wife, with County Paris. CAPULET Things have fallen out, sir, so unluckily, That we have had no time to move my daughter. Look ye, sir, she loved her kinsman dearly, And so did I. Well, we were born to die, Wife, wher’s your daughter, is she in her chamber? I think she means not to come down tonight. PARIS These times of woe afford no time to woo, Madam, farwell, commend me to your daughter. | 29.a Capulet tells Paris he could not speak to Juliet because of Tybalt’s death.
| 29. Capulet gives his daughter to Paris.
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Paris offers to go in, and Capulet calls him again. CAPULET Sir Paris? I’ll make a desperate tender of my child. I think she will be ruled in all respects by me. But soft, what day is this? PARIS. Monday, my lord. CAPULET O, then Wednesday is too soon, On Thursday let it be, you shall be married. We’ll make no great ado, a friend or two, or so. For look ye, sir, Tybalt being slain so lately, It will be thought we held him carelessly. If we should revel much, therefore we will have Some half a dozen friends and make no more ado. But what say you to Thursday? PARIS My lord I wish that Thursday where tomorrow. CAPULET Wife, go you to your daughter, ere you go to bed. Acquaint her with the County Paris’ love, Farewell, my lord, till Thursday next. Wife, get you to your daughter. Light to my chamber. Afore me, it is so very very late, That we may call it early by and by. Exeunt. | 29.b Capulet suddenly changes his mind and sets a date (the following Thursday) for her marriage with Paris, and begs his wife to inform the girl about his decision.
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[3.5] Enter Romeo and Juliet at the window. JULIET Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day: It was the nightingale and not the lark That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear. Nightly she sings on yon pomegranate tree, Believe me love, it was the nightingale. ROMEO It was the lark, the herald of the morn, And not the nightingale. See, love, what envious strakes Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east. Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day Stands tiptoes on the mysty mountain tops. I must be gone and live, or stay and die. JULIET Yon light is not daylight, I know it, I: It is some meteor that the sun exhales, To be this night to thee a torch-bearer, And light thee on thy way to Mantua. Then stay awhile, thou shalt not go soon. ROMEO Let me stay here, let me be ta’en, and die. If thou wilt have it so, I am content. I’ll say yon grey is not the morning’s eye, It is the pale reflex of Cynthia’s brow. I’ll say it is the nightingale that bear The vaulty heaven so high above our heads, And not the larke the messenger of morn. Come, death, and welcome! Juliet wils it so. What says my love? Let’s talk, ’tis not yet day. JULIET It is, it is. Be gone, fly hence, away! It is the lark that sings so out of tune, Straining harsh discords and unpleasing sharps. Some say the lark makes sweet division: This doth not so, for this divideth us. Some say the lark and loathed toad change eyes, I would that now they had changed voices too, Since arm from arm her voice doth us affray, Hunting thee hence with hunt’s-up to the day. So now be gone, more light and light it grows. ROMEO More light and light, more dark and dark our woes. | 30.a The two lovers amorously bicker over which bird is singing outside Juliet’s window (aubade).
| 30. Romeo and Juliet share their last farewell.
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Farewell my love, one kiss and I’ll descend. He goeth down. JULIET Art thou gone so, my lord, my love, my friend? I must hear from thee every day in the hour, For in an hour there are many minutes. Minutes are dayes, so will I number them. O, by this count I shall be much in years Ere I see thee again. ROMEO Farewell, I will omit no opportunity That may convey my greetings, love, to thee. JULIET Oh, think’st thou we shall ever meet againe? ROMEO No doubt, no doubt, and all this woe shall serve For sweet discourses in the time to come. JULIET O God, I have an ill-divining soul! Me thinks I see thee, now thou art below Like one dead in the bottom of a tomb: Either mine eyesight fails, or thou look’st pale. And trust me, love, in my eye so do you. Dry sorrow drinks our blood. Adieu, adieu. Exit. | 30.c Romeo leaves from Juliet’s window: the two lovers have an ominous feeling.
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Enter Nurse hastily. NURSE Madam beware, take heed the day is broke, Your mother’s coming to your chamber, make all sure. She goeth down from the window. Enter Juliet’s Mother, Nurse. [CAPULET’S WIFE][xxxiv] Where are you, daughter? NURSE What, lady, lamb, what Juliet? JULIET How now, who calls? NURSE It is your mother. [CAPULET’S WIFE][xxxv] Why, how now Iuliet? JULIET Madam, I am not well. [CAPULET’S WIFE][xxxvi] What, evermore weeping for your cousin’s death? I think thou’lt wash him from his grave with tears. JULIET I cannot choose, having so great a loss. [CAPULET’S WIFE][xxxvii] I cannot blame thee. But it grieves thee more that villain lives. JULIET What villain, madam? [CAPULET’S WIFE][xxxviii] That villain Romeo. JULIET Villain and he are many miles asunder. [CAPULET’S WIFE][xxxix] Content thee, girl. If I could find a man, I soon would send to Mantua where he is, That should bestow on him so sure a draught, As he should soon beare Tybalt company. JULIET Find you the means, and I’ll find such a man: For whilst he lives, my heart shall ne’er be light Till I behold him – dead – is my poor heart. Thus for a kinsman vexed. | 31.a Enters the Nurse announcing the arrival of Lady Capulet. Once arrived, Lady Capulet asks Juliet the reason for her protracted weeping. Juliet wishes she could revenge Tybalt’s death and her mother promises that she will send someone to Mantua in order to settle the matter.
| 31. Lady Capulet tells Juliet about her upcoming marriage to Paris.
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[CAPULET’S WIFE][xl] Well, let that pass. I come to bring thee joyful news? JULIET And joy comes well in such a needful time. [CAPULET’S WIFE][xli] Well then, thou hast a careful father, girl, And one who, pitying thy needful state, Hath found thee out a happy day of ioy. JULIET What day is that I pray you? [CAPULET’S WIFE][xlii] Marry my child, The gallant, young and youthful gentleman, The County Paris at Saint Peters’ Church, Early next Thursday morning must provide, To make you there a glad and joyful bride. | 31.b Lady Capulet tells Juliet that she has joyful tidings for her: she will be married to Paris on the following Thursday.
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JULIET Now by Saint Peter’s Church and Peter too, He shall not there make me a joyful bride. Are these the news you had to tell me of? Marry, here are news indeed! Madam, I will not marry yet. And when I do, It shall be rather Romeo, whom I hate,[xliii] Than County Paris, that I cannot love. | 31.c Juliet is upset, and fefuses to be married to Paris
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Enter old Capulet. [CAPULET’S WIFE][xliv] Here comes your father, you may tell him so. | 31.d Juliet’s mother is taken aback and tells her to talk to her father.
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CAPULET Why, how now, evermore show’ring? In one little body thou resemblest a sea, a bark, a storm. For this thy body, which I terme a bark, Still floating in thy ever-falling tears, And tossed with sighs arising from thy heart, Will without succour shipwreck presently. But hear you, wife, what, have you sounded her? What says she to it?[xlv] [CAPULET’S WIFE][xlvi] I have, but she will none; she thanks ye. Would God that she were married to her grave. CAPULET What, will she not? Doth she not thank us? Doth she not wax proud?[xlvii]
| 32.a Enters Capulet. He learns from his wife about his daughter’s refusal.
| 32. Juliet confronts her father.
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JULIET Not proud ye have, but thankful that ye have: Proud can I never be of that I hate, But thankful even for hate that is meant love. | 32.b Juliet confirms her refusal to get married to Paris.
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CAPULET “Proud” and “I thank you”, and “I thank you not”, And yet “not proud”. What’s here, chop logick? Proud me no prouds, nor thank me no thanks, But settle your fine joints on Thursday next To go with Paris to Saint Peter’s Church, Or I will drag you on a hurdle thither. Out you green-sickness baggage! Out you tallow face!
| 32.c Capulet gets incensed.
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JULIET Good father, hear me speak. She kneels down. CAPULET I tell thee what: either resolve on Thursday next To go with Paris to Saint Peter’s Church, Or henceforth never look me in the face. Speak not, reply not, for my fingers itch. Why, wife, we thought that we were scarcely blessed That God had sent us but this onely child. But now I see this one is one too much, And that we have a cross in having her.
| 32.d Juliet begs her father to listen to her but he violently abuses her.
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NURSE Marry, God in heaven bless her, my lord, You are to blame to rate her so. CAPULET And why, my Lady Wisdom? Hold your tongue, Good Prudence, smatter with your gossips, go. NURSE Why, my lord, I speak no treason. CAPULET O God ’i’good e’en! Utter your gravity over a gossip’s bowl, For here we need it not. [CAPULET’S WIFE][xlviii] My lord, ye are too hot. | 32.e Capulet is deaf to his wife’s and the Nurse’s invitations to calm down.
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CAPULET God’s blessed mother, wife, it mads me. Day, night, early, late, at home, abroad, Alone, in company, waking or sleeping, Still my care hath been to see her matched. And having how found out a gentleman, Of princely parentage, youthful, and nobly trained, Stuffed, as they say, with honourable parts, Proportioned as one’s heart could wish a man: And then to have a wretched winning fool, A puling mammet in her fortune’s tender, To say “I cannot love, I am too young, I pray you pardon me”.[xlix] But if you cannot wed, I’ll pardon you. Graze where you will, you shall not house with me. Look to it, think on’t, I do not use to jest. I tell yee what, Thursday is near, Lay hand on heart, advise, bethink yourself, If you be mine, I’ll give you to my friend. If not, hang, drown, starve, beg, Die in the streets: for by my soul I’ll never more acknowledge thee, Nor what I have shall ever do thee good. Think on’t, looke to’t, I do not use to jest. Exit. | 32.f Capulet tells Juliet that she can either obey or be cut off and disowned. He exits.
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JULIET Is there no pity hanging in the clouds, That looks into the bottom of my woes? I do beseech you, madam, cast me not away, Defer this marriage for a day or two, Or if you cannot, make my marriage bed In that dim monument where Tybalt lies. [CAPULET’S WIFE][l] Nay, be assured, I will not speak a word. Do what thou wilt, for I have done with thee. Exit. | 33.a Juliet wishes that her mother could help her, but Lady Capulet turns her down and exits.
| 33. Juliet turns for help to her mother and to the Nurse.
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JULIET Ah Nurse, what comfort? What counsel canst thou give me? NURSE Now trust me, madam, I know not what to say. Your Romeo, he is banished, and all the world to nothing. He never dares return to challenge you. Now I think good you marry with this County. O, he is a gallant gentleman. Romeo is but a dish-clout In respect of him. I promise you.[li] I think you happy in this second match. As for your husband, he is dead, or ’twere As good he were, for you have no use of him.[lii] JULIET Speak’st thou this from thy heart? NURSE Ay, and from my soul, or else beshrew them both. JULIET Amen. NURSE What say you, madam? | 33.b Juliet then turns to the Nurse who advises her to marry Paris and forget about Romeo as if he were dead.
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JULET Well, thou hast comforted me wondrous much, I pray thee, go thy ways unto my mother, Tell her I am gone, having displeased my father, To Friar Laurence’ cell to confess me, And to be absolv’d. NURSE I will, and this is wisely done. She looks after Nurse. | 33.c Juliet pretends to appreciate the Nurse’s advice.
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JULIET Ancient damnation! O most cursed fiend! Is it more sin to wish me thus forsworn, Or to dispraise him with the self-same tongue That thou hast praised him with above compare So many thousand times? Go, counsellor, Thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain. | 33.d Juliet curses the Nurse for her ill advice as soon as she exits.
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I’ll to the Friar to know his remedy, If all fail else, I have the power to die. Exit. | 33.e Juliet decides to go to Friar Laurence for help or, if he cannot help her either, kill herself. She exits.
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[4.1] Enter Friar and Paris. FRIAR On Thursday say ye: the time is very short. PARIS My father Capulet will have it so, And I am nothing slack to slow his haste. FRIAR You say you do not know the lady’s mind? Uneven is the course, I like it not. PARIS Immoderately she weeps for Tybalt’s death, And therefore have I little talked of love. For Venus smiles not in a house of tears. Now, sir, her father thinks it dangerous That she doth give her sorrow so much sway. And in his wisdom hastes our marriage To stop the inundation of her tears, Which, too much minded by herself alone, May be put from her by society. Now do ye know the reason of this haste. FRIAR I would I knew not why it should be slowed. | 34.a Paris discusses his marriage with Friar Laurence. Paris justifies its being so sudden by referring to Juliet’s excessive mourning over Tybalt’s death.
| 34. Paris and Juliet meet at the Friar’s cell.
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Enter [Juliet.][liii] Here comes the lady to my cell. PARIS Welcome my love, my lady and my wife. JULIET That may be sir, when I may be a wife. PARIS That may be, must be, love, on Thursday next. JULIET What must be shall be. FRIAR That’s a certain text. PARIS What, come ye to confession to the Friar? JULIET To tell you that were to confess to you. PARIS Do not deny to him that you love me. JULIET I will confess to you that I love him. PARIS So I am sure you will that you love me. JULIET And if I do, it will be of more price, Being spoke behind your back, than to your face. PARIS Poor soul, thy face is much abused with tears. JULIET The tears have got small victory by that, For it was bad enough before their spite. PARIS Thou wrong’st it more than tears by that report. JULIET That is no wrong, sir, that is a truth: And what I spake, I spake it to my face. PARIS Thy face is mine, and thou hast slandered it. JULIET It may be so, for it is not mine own. Are you at leisure, holy father, now? Or shall I come to you at evening mass? FRIAR My leisure serves me, pensive daughter, now. My lord, we must entreat the time alone. PARIS God shield I should disturb devotion. JULIET Farewell, and keep this holy kiss. Exit Paris. | 34.b Enters Juliet. She tells Paris she has come for confession. Exits Paris.
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JULIET Go, shut the door, and when thou hast done so, Come, weep with me that am past cure, past help. FRIAR Ah, Juliet, I already know thy grief. I hear thou must and nothig may prorogue it, On Thursday next be married to the County. JULIET Tell me not, Friar, that thou hear’st of it, Unless thou tell me how we may prevent it. Give me some sudden counsel; else behold, ’Twixt my extremes and me, this bloody knife Shall play the umpire, arbitrating that Which the commission of thy years and art Could to no issue of true honour bring. Speak not, be brief: for I desire to die, If what thou speak’st speak not of remedy. | 35.a Juliet declares that she is ready to commit suicide rather than marrying Paris.
| 35. The Friar’s ‘fake death’ plan.
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FRIAR Stay, Juliet, I do spy a kind of hope, Which craves as desperate an execution, As that is desperate we would prevent. If rather than to marry County Paris Thou hast the strength or will to slay thyself, ’Tis not unlike that thou wilt undertake A thing like death to chide away this shame, That cop’st with death itself to fly from blame; And if thou dost, I’ll give thee remedy. JULIET O bid me leap, rather than marry Paris, From off the battlements of yonder tower; Or chain me to some steepy mountain’s top, Where roaring bears and savage lions are; Or shut me nightly in a charnel-house, With reeky shanks, and yellow chapless sculls; Or lay me in tomb with one new dead – Things that to hear them named have made me tremble – And I will do it without fear or doubt, To keep my self a faithful unstained wife To my dear lord, my dearest Romeo. FRIAR Hold, Juliet, hie thee home, get thee to bed, Let not thy Nurse lie with thee in thy chamber; And when thou art alone, take thou this vial, And this distilled liquor drink thou off; When presently through all thy veines shall run A dull and heavy slumber, which shall sieze Each vital spirit, for no pulse shall keep His natural progress, but surcease to beat, No sign of breath shall testify thou liv’st; And in this borrowed likeness of shrunk death, Thou shalt remain full two-and-forty hours. And when thou art laid in thy kindred’s vault, I’ll send in haste to Mantua to thy lord, And he shall come and take thee from thy grave. JULIET Friar I go, be sure thou send for my dear Romeo. Exeunt. | 35.b Laurence tells her that there is still hope; he gives her a sleeping potion, and instructs her about the ‘fake death’ plan.
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[4.2] Enter old Capulet, his Wife, Nurse, and Servingman. CAPULET Where are you sirrah? SERVINGMAN Here, forsooth. CAPULET Go, provide me twenty cunning cooks. SERVINGMAN I warrant you, sir, let me alone for that. I’ll know them by licking their fingers. CAPULET How canst thou know them so? SERVINGMAN Ah, sir, ’tis an ill cook cannot lick his own fingers. CAPULET Well, get you gone. Exit Servingman. | 36.a. Capulet discusses some details of the wedding feast with his servants.
| 36. Juliet feigns repentance in front of her father. The wedding is moved up to the following day.
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But where’s this headstrong? [CAPULET’S WIFE][liv] She’s gone, my Lord, to Friar Laurence’ cell Too be confessed. CAPULET Ah, he may hap to do some good of her, A headstrong self-willed harlotry it is.
| 36.b Capulet is happy to hear that Juliet has gone to see Friar Laurence.
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Enter Juliet. [CAPULET’S WIFE][lv] See, here she commeth from confession, CAPULET How now my headstrong, where have you been gadding? JULIET Where I have learned to repent the sin Of froward wilful opposition ’Gainst you and your behests, and am enjoined By holy Laurence to fall prostrate here, And crave remission of so foul a fact. She kneels down.
| 36.c Juliet comes back home and expresses her repentance to her father.
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[CAPULET’S WIFE][lvi] Why, that’s well said. CAPULET Now, before God, this holy reverent Friar All our whole city is much bound unto. Go, tell the County presently of this, For I will have this knot knit up tomorrow.
| 36.d Capulet is pleased by the news and decides to move up the wedding to the following day.
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JULIET Nurse, will you go with me to my closet, To sort such things as shall be requisite Against to morrow? [CAPULET’S WIFE][lvii] I prithee do, good Nurse, go in with her: Help her to sort tires, rebatos, chains, And I will come unto you presently, NURSE Come sweet heart, shall we go? JULIET. I prithee, let us. Exeunt Nurse and Juliet.
| 36.e Juliet asks the Nurse to help her choose the ornaments for the wedding.
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[CAPULET’S WIFE][lviii] Methinks on Thursday would be time enough. CAPULET I say I will have this dispatched tomorrow. | 36.f Capulet insists that he wants to move up the wedding to the following day.
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Go one and certify the Count thereof. [CAPULET’S WIFE][lix] I pray my Lord, let it be Thursday. CAPULET I say tomorrow, while she’s in the mood. [CAPULET’S WIFE][lx] We shall be short in our provision. CAPULET Let me alone for that, go, get you in. Now before God my heart is passing light, To see her thus conformed to our will. Exeunt. | 36.g Capulet tells his wife that he will personally attend to the organization of the wedding feast.
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[4.3] Enter Nurse, Juliet. NURSE Come, come, what need you anything else? JULIET Nothing, good Nurse, but leave me to myself, For I do mean to lie alone to night. NURSE Well, there’s a clean smock under your pillow, and so goodnight. Exit. Enter [CAPULET’S WIFE][lxi] [CAPULET’S WIFE][lxii] What, are you busie, do you need my help? JULIET No, madam, I desire to lie alone, For I have many things to think upon. [CAPULET’S WIFE][lxiii] Well then, good night, be stirring Juliet, The County will be early here tomorrow. Exit.
| 37.a Juliet has chosen her attire for the wedding and begs both the Nurse and her mother to leave her alone for the night.
| 37. Juliet drinks the Friar’s potion and is believed to be dead.
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JULIET Farewell – God knows when we shall meet again. Ah, I do take a fearful thing in hand.
| 37.b Juliet says goodbye and is scared.
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What if this potion should not work at all, Must I of force be married to the County? This shall forbid it. – Knife, lie thou there.
| 37.c Juliet is worried about the effectiveness of the potion and places a knife beside her.
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What if the Friar should give me this drink To poison me, for fear I should disclose Our former marriage? Ah, I wrong him much, He is a holy and religious man; I will not entertain so bad a thought.
| 37.d Juliet briefly calls into doubt the honourableness of the Friar’s intentions.
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What if I should be stifled in the tomb? Awake an hour before the appointed time: An then I fear I shall be lunatic, And playing with my dead forefathers’ bones, Dash out my frantic brains.
| 37.e Juliet fears to die anyway, either suffocated or terrified by the place she will find herself in.
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Methinks I see My cousin Tybalt welt’ring in his blood, Seeking for Romeo: stay, Tybalt, stay! | 37.f She thinks she sees Tybalt’s ghost.
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Romeo, I come, this do I drink to thee. She falls upon her bed within the curtains.
| 37.g Juliet eventually drinks the potion and faints.
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[4.4] Enter Nurse with herbs, [Capulet’s Wife.][lxiv] [CAPULET’S WIFE.][lxv] That’s well said, Nurse, set all in readiness, The County will be here immediately. Enter Capulet.[lxvi] CAPULET Make haste, make haste, for it is almost day, The curfew bell hath rung, ’tis four o’clock, Look to your backed meats, good Angelica. NURSE Go, get you to bed, you cotquean. I’faith you will be sick anon. CAPULET I warrant thee, Nurse, I have ere now watched all night, and have taken no harm at all. [CAPULET’S WIFE.][lxvii] I you have been a mouse hunt in your time.
| 38.a Lady Capulet and the Nurse bicker with Old Capulet over who will be in charge of the feast.
| 38. Capulet’s house is animated by the upcoming celebration.
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Enter a Servingman with logs and coals. CAPULET A jealous hood, a jealous hood! Now now sirrah? What have you there? SERVINGMAN Forsooth, logs. CAPULET Go, go, choose drier. Will will tell thee where thou shalt fetch them. SERVINGMAN Nay, I warrant, let me alone, I have a head, I trow, to choose a log. Exit.
| 38.b Capulet gives instructions to the servingmen and urges them to be quick.
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CAPULET Well, go thy way, thou shalt be loggerhead. Come, come, make haste, call up your daughter, The County will be here with music straight. Gods me, he’s come. Nurse call up my daughter.
| 38.c The bridegroom has arrived and Capulet tells the Nurse to wake Juliet up.
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[4.5] NURSE Go, get you gone. [Exeunt Capulet and his Wife.] What lamb, what ladybird? Fast, I warrant. What, Juliet! Well, let the County take you in your bed. Ye sleep for a week now, but the next night The County Paris hath set up his rest That you shall rest but little. What lamb, I say! Fast still. What, lady, love, what, bride, what Juliet! Gods me, how sound she sleeps! Nay, then I see I must wake you indeed. What’s here, Laid on your bed, dressed in your cloaths and down – Ah me, alack the day! Some aqua-vitae, ho!
| 39.a The Nurse goes into Juliet’s room and starts to call her to wake her up.
| 39. Juliet is found (apparently) dead in her bed.
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Enter [Capulet’s Wife.][lxviii] [CAPULET’S WIFE.][lxix]How now whats the matter? NURSE Alack the day, she’s dead, she’s dead, she’s dead!
| 39.b Lady Capulet arrives, alerted by the Nurse’s cries.
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[CAPULET’S WIFE.][lxx] Accursed, unhappy, miserable time!
| 39.c Lady Capulet and despairs.
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Enter [Capulet.][lxxi] CAPULET Come, come, make haste! Where’s my daughter? [CAPULET’S WIFE.][lxxii] Ah, she’s dead, she’s dead! CAPULET Stay, let me see, all pale and wan. Accursed time, unfortunate old man!
| 39.f They all start wailing.
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Enter Friar and Paris. PARIS What is the bride ready to goe to Church? CAPULET Ready to go, but never to return. O, son, the night before thy wedding day, Hath Death lain with thy bride. Flower as she is, Deflowered by him, see, where she lies, Death is my son-in-law, to him I give all that I have.
| 39.g Enter Laurence and Paris: Capulet tells them about Juliet’s death (death as lover motif).
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PARIS Have I thought long to see this morning’s face, And doth it now present such prodigies? Accursed, unhappy, miserable man, Forlorn, forsaken, destitute I am; Born to the world to be a slave in it. Distressed, remediless, and unfortunate. O heavens, O nature, wherefore did you make me To live so vile, so wretched as I shall. CAPULET O here she lies that was our hope, our ioy, And being dead, dead sorrow nips us all. All at once cry out and wring their hands. ALL CRY All our joy, and all our hope is dead, Dead, lost, undone, absented, wholly fled. CAPULET Cruel, unjust, impartial destinies, Why to this day have you preserv’d my life? To see my hope, my stay, my joy, my life, Deprived of sense, of life, of all by death. Cruel, unjust, impartial destinies. [PARIS][lxxiii] O sad-fac’d sorrow map of misery, Why this sad time have I desired to see. This day, this unjust, this impartial day Wherein I hop’d to see my comfort full, To be deprived by sudden destiny. [CAPULET’S WIFE.][lxxiv] O wo, alack, distressed, why should I live? To see this day, this miserable day. Alack the time that ever I was born, To be partaker of this destiny. Alack the day, alack and welladay!
| 39.h Paris, Capulet, and Lady Capulet, mourn over the girl’s body.
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FRIAR O peace for shame, if not for charity. Your daughter lives in peace and happiness, And it is vain to wish it otherwise. Come, stick your rosemary in this dead corpse, And as the custom of our country is, In all her best and sumptuous ornaments, Convey her where her ancestors lie tomb’d.
| 39.i Friar Laurence tries to comfort them saying that Juliet is now in heaven.
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CAPULET Let it be so. Come, woeful sorrow-mates, Let us together taste this bitter fate. They all but the Nurse go forth, casting rosemary on her and shutting the curtains.
| 39.j They mornfully cast rosemary on her bed and shut the curtains.
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Enter Musicians. NURSE Put up, put up, this is a woeful case. Exit. 1. I by my troth, Mistress, is it, it had need be mended. Enter Servingman. | 40.a The Nurse sends the musicians away.
| 40. Enter some musicians (comic interlude).
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SERVINGMAN Alack, alack, what shal I do, come fiddlers play me some merry dump. 1. A sir, this is no time to play. SERVINGMAN You will not then? 1. No, marry, will we. SERVINGMAN Then will I give it you, and soundly to. 1. What will you give us? SERVINGMAN The fiddler. I’ll re you, I’ll fa you, I’ll sol you. 1. If you re us and fa us, we will note you. SERVINGMAN I will put up my iron dagger, and beat you with my wooden wit. Come on, Simon Soundpost, I’ll pose you. 1. Let’s hear. SERVINGMAN When griping grief the heart doth wound, And doleful dumps the mind oppress, Then music with her silver sound – Why “silver sound”? Why “silver sound”? 1. I think because music hath a sweet sound. SERVINGMAN Pretty. What say you Mathew Minikin? 2. I think because Musicians sound for silver. SERVINGMAN Pretty too: come, what say you? 3. I say nothing. SERVINGMAN I think so. I’ll speak for you because you are the singer. I say “silver sound” because such fellows as you have seldom gold for sounding. Farewell, fiddlers, farewell. Exit. 1. Farewell and be hanged! Come, let’s go. Exeunt.
| 40.b The musicians bicker with the servingman.
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[5.1] Enter Romeo. ROMEO If I may trust the flattering eye of sleep, My dream presaged some good event to come. My bosom-lord sits chearful in his throne, And I am comforted with pleasing dreams. Methought I was this night already dead – Strange dreams that give a dead man leave to think – And that my lady Juliet came to me, And breathed such life with kisses in my lips, That I revived and was an emperor.
| 41.a Romeo’s dream: he was dead and was revived by Juliet’s kiss.
| 41. Romeo learns about Juliet’s death and decides to go back to Verona.
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Enter Balthasar his man booted. News from Verona. How now, Balthasar, How doth my lady? Is my father well? How fares my Juliet? That I ask again. If she be well, then nothing can be ill. BALTHASAR Then nothing can be ill, for she is well, Her body sleeps in Capels’ monument, And her immortal parts with angels dwell. Pardon me, sir, that am the messenger Of such bad tidings.[lxxv]
| 41.b Balthasar arrives bringing news about Juliet’s death. He tells Romeo that she has been buried in the family tomb.
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ROMEO Is it even so? Then I defy my stars. Go, get mee ink and paper, hire post-horse, I will not stay in Mantua tonight. BALTHASAR Pardon me, sir, I will not leave you thus; Your looks are dangerous and full of fear. I dare not, nor I will not leave you yet. ROMEO Do as I bid thee, get me ink and paper, And hire those horse. Stay not, I say. Exit Balthasar.
| 41.c Romeo decides to return to Verona immediately. He asks for ink and paper and post horses.
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Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight. Let’s see for means. | 41.e Romeo resolves to lie with Juliet that night.
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As I do remember Here dwells a ’pothecary whom oft I noted As I passed by, whose needy shop is stuffed With beggerly accounts of empty boxes; And in the same an alligator hangs, Old ends of packthread, and cakes of roses Are thinly strewd to make up a show. Him as I noted, thus with myself I thought: And if a man should need a poison now, Whose present sale is death in Mantua Here he might buy it. This thought of mine Did but forerun my need;
| 41.f Romeo remembers where a poor apothecary lives (description of his shop).
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and here about he dwells. Being holiday the beggar’s shop is shut. What ho! Apothecary, come forth I say. Enter Apothecary. APOTHECARY Who calls, what would you sir? ROMEO Here’s twenty ducats, Give me a dram of some such speeding gear, As will dispatch the weary taker’s life, As suddenly as powder being fiered From forth a cannon’s mouth. | 41.g Romeo goes to the apothecary’s shop and asks for some deadly poison.
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APOTHECARY Such drugs I have I must of force confess, But yet the law is death to those that sell them.
| 41.h The apothecary says that the sale of poison is prohibited by Mantua’s laws.
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ROMEO Art thou so bare and full of poverty, And dost thou fear to violate the law? The law is not thy friend, nor the law’s friend, And therefore make no conscience of the law. Upon thy back hangs ragged misery, And starved famine dwelleth in thy cheeks. APOTHECARY My poverty, but not my will, consents. ROMEO I pay thy poverty, but not thy will. | 41.i Convinced by Romeo’s money and his own neediness, he sells Romeo the poison.
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APOTHECARY Hold, take you this, and put it in any liquid thing you will, and it will serve had you the lives of twenty men.
| 41.j The apothecary tells Romeo about the power of the poison.
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ROMEO Hold, take this gold, worse poison to men’s souls Than this which thou hast given me. Go, hie thee hence; Go, buy the clothes, and get thee into flesh.
| 41.k Romeo says that gold is a stronger poison.
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Come, cordial and not poison, go with me To Juliet’s grave, for there must I use thee. Exeunt.
| 41.l The poison will be for him as a cordial. He will drink it at Juliet’s tomb.
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[5.2] Enter Friar John. JOHN What, Friar Laurence, brother, ho? LAURENCE This same should be the voice of Friar John. What news from Mantua, what, will Romeo come?
| 42.a Friar Laurence asks Friar John about news from Romeo.
| 42. Friar John has failed to deliver the letter to Romeo.
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JOHN Going to seek a barefoot brother out, One of our order to associate me, Here in this city visiting the sick, Whereas the infectious pestilence remained, And being by the searchers of the town Found and examined, we were both shut up.
| 42.b Friar John tells Laurence that he has been detained in a house because of the plague.
| |
LAURENCE Who bare my letters then to Romeo? JOHN I have them still, and here they are.
| 42.c John still carries the letters on him, as he could not deliver them.
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LAURENCE Now by my holy order, The letters were not nice, but of great weight. Go, get thee hence, and get me presently A spade and a mattock. JOHN Well, I will presently go fetch thee them. Exit.
| 42.d Very worried, Friar Laurence orders John to bring him an iron crow at his cell.
| |
LAURENCE Now must I to the monument alone, Least that the lady should before I come Be waked from sleep. I will hie To free her from that tomb of misery. Exit.
| 42.e Laurence decides to go to the Capulet monument alone before Juliet wakes up.
| |
[5.3] Enter County Paris and his Page with flowers and sweet water. PARIS Put out the torch, and lie thee all along Under this ewe-tree, Keeping thine ear close to the hollow ground.[lxxvi] And if thou hear one tread within the churchyard, Staight give me notice. PAGE[lxxvii] I will my Lord.
| 43.a Paris arrives with his page at the Capulet monument; Paris tells his page to keep watch and warn him of any noise.
| 43. Romeo kills Paris at the Capulet tomb.
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Paris strews the tomb with flowers. PARIS Sweet flower, with flowers I strew thy bridale bed, Sweet tomb that in thy circuit dost contain The perfect model of eternity. Fair Juliet, that with angels dost remain, Accept this latest favour at my hands, That living honoured thee, and being dead, With funeral praises do adorn thy tomb. | 43.b Paris strews flowers over the tomb.
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[Page][lxxviii] whistles and calls. [PAGE] My Lord! Enter Romeo and Balthasar, with a torch, a mattock, and a crow of iron. PARIS The boy gives warning, something doth approach. What cursed foot wanders this [way][lxxix] tonight To stay my obsequies and true loves rites? What with a torch, muffle me night a while.
| 43.c Paris’ page whistles to signal that someone is coming. Paris hides.
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ROMEO Give me this mattock, and this wrentching-iron; And take these letters early in the morning, See thou deliver them to my lord and father. So get thee gone and trouble me no more. Why I descend into this bed of death Is partly to behold my lady’s face, But chiefly to take from her dead finger A precious ring which I must use In dear employment. But if thou wilt stay, Further to pry in what I undertake, By heaven, I’ll tear thee joint by joint, And strew this hungry churchyard with thy limbs. The time and my intents are savage, wild. BALTHASAR Well, I’ll be gone and not trouble you. ROMEO So shalt thou win my favour, take thou this, Commend me to my father, farwell, good fellow.
| 43.d Romeo and his man (Balthasar) arrive at the tomb; Romeo instructs him and them dismisses him.
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BALTHASAR Yet, for all this, will I not part from hence.
| 43.e Balthasar does not leave, but hides himself.
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ROMEO Thou detestable maw, thou womb of death, Gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth. Thus I enforce thy rotten jaws to ope.
| 43.f Romeo opens the tomb.
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PARIS This is that banished naughty Montague, That murdered my love’s cousin, I will apprehend him. Stop thy unhallowed toil, vile Montague! Can vengeance be pursued further than death? I do attach thee as a felon here. The law condemns thee, therefore thou must die.
| 43.g Paris sees Romeo, recognizes him and tries to apprehnd him.
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ROMEO I must indeed, and therefore came I hither. Good youth, be gone, tempt not a desperate man. Heap not another sin upon my head By shedding of thy blood. I do protest, I love thee better then I love myself: For I come hither armed against myself.
| 43.h Romeo begs him to leave for his own good.
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PARIS I do defy thy conjurations, And do attach thee as a felon here. ROMEO What, dost thou tempt me, then have at thee, boy! They fight.
| 43.i Paris refuses to leave and Romeo and Paris fight.
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[PAGE][lxxx] O Lord, they fight! I will go call the watch.
| 43.j Paris’s page calls the watch.
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PARIS Ah I am slain! If thou be merciful Open the tomb, lay me with Juliet.
| 43.k Paris is wounded and, before dying, begs Romeo to be buried with Juliet.
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ROMEO I’faith, I will, let me peruse this face. Mercutio’s kinsman, noble County Paris! What said my man, when my betossed soul Did no regard him as we past along? Did he not say Paris should have married Juliet? Either he said so, or I dreamed it so.[lxxxi] But I will satisfy thy last request, For thou hast prized thy love above thy life. | 44.a Romeo looks at the man he has just killed, realizes that it is Paris, and vows to grant him his last will.
| 44. Romeo enters the monument, sees Juliet, drinks the poison and dies.
|
Death, lie thou there, by a dead man interred. How oft have many, at the hour of death, Been blithe and pleasant, which their keepers call A light’ning before death. But how may I Call this a light’ning? Ah dear Juliet, How well thy beauty doth become this grave. | 44.b Romeo enters the monument, sees Juliet, and wonders at her still incorrupt beauty.
|
|
O, I believe that unsubstantial death, Is amorous, and doth court my love. Therefore will I, O here, O ever here, Set up my everlasting rest With worms, that are thy chambermaids.
| 44.d Romeo sets his everlasting rest with Juliet.
|
|
Come, desperate pilot, now at once run on The dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary barge. Here’s to my love. O true apothecary, Thy drugs are swift. Thus with a kiss I die. Falls.
| 44.f Romeo, drinks the poison, kisses Juliet and dies.
|
|
Enter Friar with a lantern. How oft tonight have these my aged feet Stumbled at graves as I did pass along. Who’s there? [BALTHASAR][lxxxii] A friend and one that knows you well. | 45.a Friar Laurence gets to the monument and meets Balthasar.
| 45. Juliet wakes up in the tomb.
|
FRIAR Who is it that consorts so late the dead? What light is yon? if I be not deceived, Methinks it burns in Capels’ monument? [BALTHASAR][lxxxiii] It doth so, holy sir, and there is one That loves you dearly. FRIAR Who is it? [BALTHASAR][lxxxiv] Romeo. FRIAR How long hath he been there? [BALTHASAR][lxxxv] Full half an hour and more.
| 45.b Balthasar tells the Friar that Romeo is also there.
|
|
FRIAR Go with me thither. | 45.c The Friar wants Balthasar to go with him.
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[BALTHASAR][lxxxvi] I dare not, sir, he knows not I am here: On paine of death he charged me to be gone, And not for to disturb him in his enterprise.
| 45.d Balthasar will not disobey Romeo’s orders.
|
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FRIAR Then must I go. My mind presageth ill.
| 45.e The Friar says that he will go alone, even though he starts to fear some adversity at hand.
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Friar stoops and looks on the blood and weapons. What blood is this that stains the entrance Of this marble stony monument? What means these masterless and gory weapons? Ah me, I doubt. Who’s here? What, Romeo dead? Who – and Paris too? What unlucky hour Is accessory to so foul a sin?
| 45.g The Friar goes alone and sees blood at the entrance of the monument. He finds Romeo’s and Paris’ dead bodies.
|
|
Juliet rises. The lady stirs. [JULIET][lxxxvii] Ah comfortable Friar, I do remember well where I should be, And what we talked of. But yet I cannot see Him for whose sake I undertook this hazard.
| 45.h Juliet wakes up and asks for Romeo.
|
|
FRIAR Lady, come forth. I hear some noise at hand, We shall be taken. Paris, he is slain, And Romeo dead; and if we here be ta’en We shall be thought to be as accessory. I will provide for you in some close nunnery. JULIET Ah leave me, leave me, I will not from hence. FRIAR I hear some noise, I dare not stay: come, come.
| 45.i The Friar hears some noise and begs Juliet to go with him: he will hide her in a convent. He then leaves.
|
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JULIET Go get thee gone. What’s here? A cup closed in my lover’s hands? Ah churl, drink all, and leave no drop for me? | 46.a Juliet refuses the Friar’s offer. She sees a cup in Romeo’s hands.
| 46. Juliet commits suicide.
|
Enter Watch. WATCH This way, this way.
| 46.b Enters the watchman.
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JULIET Ay, noise? Then must I be resolute. O happy dagger, thou shalt end my fear. Rest in my bosom, thus I come to thee. She stabs herself and falls.
| 46.c Juliet stabs herself and dies.
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Enter Watch.[lxxxviii] CAPTAIN Come, look about, what weapons have we here? See, friends, where Juliet, two days buried, New bleeding wounded – search and see who’s near. Attach and bring them to us presently.
| 47.a The watchman starts the investigation.
| 47. Everybody (Guards, Citizens, the Prince, the Capulets and old Montague) gets at the tomb.
|
Enter one with the Friar. 1. Captain, here’s a friar with tools about him Fit to ope a tomb. CAPTAIN A great suspicion. Keep him safe. Enter one with Romeo’s man. 1. Here’s Romeo’ man. CAPTAIN Keep him to be examined.
| 47.b Balthasar and the Friar are apprehended.
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Enter Prince with others. PRINCE What early mischief calls us up so soon? | 47.c Waked by the shrieks and the general racket, the Prince, arrives at the tomb.
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CAPTAIN O noble Prince, see here Where Juliet that hath lain entombed two days, Warm and fresh bleeding, Romeo and County Paris Likewise newly slain. PRINCE Search, seek about to find the murderers.
| 47.d The Prince asks what happened and the Captain describes what and whom he has found at the monument.
|
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Enter old Capulet and his Wife. CAPULET What rumour’s this that is so early up? [CAPULET’S WIFE][lxxxix] The people in the streets cry Romeo, And some on Juliet, as if they alone Had been the cause of such a mutiny. CAPULET See, wife, this dagger hath mistook: For lo, the back is empty of young Montague, And it is sheathed in our daughter’s breast.
| 47.e Capulet and Lady Capulet see their daughter dead and covered in blood.
|
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Enter old Montague. PRINCE Come, Montague, for thou art early up, To see thy son and heir more early down. MONTAGUE Dread sovereign, my wife is dead to night, And young Benvolio is deceased too. What further mischief can there yet be found?
| 47.f Montague enters and announces, the death of his wife and Benvolio.
|
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PRINCE First come and see, then speak. MONTAGUE O thou untaught, what manners is in this To press before thy father to a grave.
| 47.g Montague sees his dead son.
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PRINCE Come, seal your mouths of outrage for a while, And let us seek to find the authors out Of such a hainous and seld seen mischance. Bring forth the parties in suspicion.
| 48.a The Prince wants to investigate what happened and summons the suspects.
| 48. The final recapitulation.
|
FRIAR I am the greatest able to do least. Most worthy Prince, hear me but speak the truth. And I’ll inform you how these things fell out.
| 48.b The Friar comes forth and speaks for himself.
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|
Juliet here slain was married to that Romeo, Without her father’s or her mother’s grant; The Nurse was privy to the marriage. The baleful day of this unhappy marriage, Was Tybalt’s doomsday, for which Romeo Was banished from hence to Mantua. He gone, her father sought by foul constraint To marry her to Paris; but her soul, Loathing a second contract, did refuse To give consent; and therefore did she urge me Hither to find a means she might avoid What so her father sought to force her to, Or else all desperately she threatened Even in my presence to dispatch of herself. Then did I give her, tutored by mine art, A potion that should make her seem as dead, And told her that I would with all post-speed Send hence to Mantua for her Romeo, That he might come and take her from the tomb. But he that had my letters, Friar John, Seeking a brother to associate him, Whereas the sick infection remained, Was stayed by the searchers of the town. But Romeo, understanding by his man That Juliet was deceased, returned in post Unto Verona for to see his love. What after happened touching Paris’ death, Or Romeo’s is to me unknown at all. But when I came to take the lady hence, I found them dead, and she awaked from sleep, Whom fain I would have taken from the tombe, Which she refused seeing Romeo dead. Anon I heard the watch and then I fled. What after happened I am ignorant of. And if in this aught have miscarried By me, or by my means, let my old life Be sacrificed some hour before his time To the most strictest rigour of the law.
| 48.c At the Prince’s request, Laurence recapitulates the events.
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PRINCE We still have known thee for a holy man. Where’s Romeo’s man? What can he say in this?
| 48.d The Prince believes the Friar and asks Balthasar to give his version.
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BALTHASAR I brought my master word that she was dead, And then he posted straight from Mantua, Unto this tomb. | 48.e Balthasar tells about Rome’s return from Mantua after he informed him about Juliet’s death.
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These letters he delivered me, Charging me early give them to his father. PRINCE Let’s see the letters, I will read them over.
| 48.f Balthasar gives the Prince the letter Romeo wrote to his father.
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Where is the County’s boy that called the watch? [PAGE][xc] I brought my master unto Juliet’s grave, But one approaching, straight I called my master. At last they fought, I ran to call the watch; And this is all that I can say or know. | 48.g Asked by the Prince, Paris’ page gives his own version.
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PRINCE These letters do make good the Friar’s words,
| 48.h Romeo’s letters, read by the Prince, confirm the testimonials.
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Come, Capulet, and come, old Mountague. Where are these enemies? See what hate hath done. | 49.a The Prince admonishes both families and considers the young people’s deaths as God’s punishment.
| 49. The final reconciliation between the feuding families.
|
CAPULET Come, brother Montague, give me thy hand, There is my daughter’s dowry, for now no more Can I bestow on her. That’s all I have.
| 49.c Capulet shakes Montague’s hand and reconciles with him. This is his daughter’s jointure.
| |
MONTAGUE But I will give them more, I will erect Her statue of pure gold, That while Verona by that name is known, There shall no statue of such price be set, As that of Romeo’s loved Juliet.
| 49.d Montague promises to raise a golden statue of Juliet to eternize her and Verona’s name.
| |
CAPULET As rich shall Romeo by his lady lie, Poor sacrifices to our enmity.
| 49.e Capulet declares that he will do the same for Romeo.
| |
A gloomy peace this day doth with it bring. Come, let us hence, to have more talk of these sad things;[xci] Some shall be pardoned and some punished. Fore ne’er was heard a story of more woe, Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.
FINIS.
| 49.f The Prince invites all to leave and talk about these sad events.
|
[i] Acts and scenes added.
[ii] 1: Sampson; 2: Gregory.
[iii] honor Q1] humor Q2]
[iv] SH missing.
[v] He hands him a paper.
[vi] In italics and in prose in Q1. If not otherwise stated, lineation of the Nurse’s speeches here and below to end of scene after Hubbard
(followed by Levinson, Erne, Halio). Referencese here and below are to the following editions: Frank G. Hubbard. 1924. The First
Quarto Edition of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Madison: University of Wisconsin Studies in Language and Literature (n. 9); Jill
- Levinson. 2000. Romeo and Juliet. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Lukas Erne. 2007. The First Quarto of Romeo and Juliet
. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; J. L. Halio. 2008. Romeo and Juliet. Parallel Texts of Quarto 1 (1597) and Quarto 2 (1598).
Newark: University of Delaware Press.
[vii] Relineated in Hubbard (3 lines).
[viii] In the role of a servingman.
[ix] This … the night Q1] one line; lineation after Hubbard (and Erne).
[x] What Lady . . . hand / Of . . . bright Q1]. Lineation after Hubbard (followed by Erne and Halio).
[xi] Here and below to end of scene, the Nurse’s lines are in italics and prose.
[xii] Montague Q1]
[xiii] dancest Q1]
[xiv] This speech and the following exchanges down to 27 are printed as prose in Q1.
[xv] liver Q1] lover Q2]
[xvi] nor any other part / Belonging to a man Q2]
[xvii] thee Q1]
[xviii] Thou . . . false / At lovers’. . . smiles / Ah gentle . . . faithfully Q1]. Lineation after Hubbard (followed by Levenson and Erne).
[xix] This line is erroneously assigned to Romeo in Q1.
[xx] of Q1]
[xxi] Francis. Q1]
[xxii] Mer. Q1]
[xxiii] SH missing.
[xxiv] Lineation after Q2; prose in Q1.
[xxv] Lineation after Q2; prose in Q1.
[xxvi] Prose in Q1.
[xxvii] Lineation after Q2; prose in Q1.
[xxviii] Lineation after Q2; prose in Q1.
[xxix] Exeunt. Q1]
[xxx] M. Q1]
[xxxi] M. Q1]
[xxxii] Good Lord . . . will come Q1]. Lineation after Hubbard (followed by Erne and Halio).
[xxxiii] childe Q1] chide Q2].
[xxxiv] Moth. Q1]
[xxxv] Moth. Q1]
[xxxvi] Moth. Q1]
[xxxvii] Moth. Q1]
[xxxviii] Moth. Q1]
[xxxix] Moth. Q1]
[xl] Moth. Q1]
[xli] Moth. Q1]
[xlii] Moth. Q1]
[xliii] Marry . . . whom I hate] two lines in Q1; lineation after Hubard (followed by Erne and Halio).
[xliv] Moth. Q1]
[xlv] But . . . to it] one line in Q1; lineation from Hubbars 1924 (followed by Erne 2007 and Halio 2008).
[xlvi] Moth. Q1]
[xlvii] What . . . proud] one line in Q1; lineation after Hubbard (followed by Erne and Halio).
[xlviii] Moth. Q1]
[xlix] To say . . . me] one line in Q1; lineation after Hubbard 1924 (followed by Levenson, Erne 2007 and Halio 2008).
[l] Moth. Q1]
[li] O . . . you] 2 lines in Q1 (and Hubbard). Erne and Halio follow Levenson in making three ierregular lines (. . . gentleman / . . . him
/ . . . you).
[lii] As for . . . dead / . . . him Q1]. Lineation after Hubbard (followed by Erne and Halio).
[liii] Paris. Q1]
[liv] Moth. Q1]
[lv] Moth. Q1]
[lvi] Moth. Q1]
[lvii] Moth. Q1]
[lviii] Moth. Q1]
[lix] Moth. Q1]
[lx] Moth. Q1]
[lxi] Moth. Q1]
[lxii] Moth. Q1]
[lxiii] Moth. Q1]
[lxiv] Mother. Q1]
[lxv] Moth. Q1]
[lxvi] Old man. Q1]
[lxvii] Moth. Q1]
[lxviii] Mother. Q1]
[lxix] Moth. Q1]
[lxx] Moth. Q1]
[lxxi] Old man. Q1]
[lxxii] Moth. Q1]
[lxxiii] Cap. Q1] Hubbard emends into Paris (followed by Erne 2007). For a discussion of this passage within the overall lamentation scene
see Giorgio Melchiori. 2007. “The Music of Words. From Madrigal to Drama and Beyond: Shakespeare Foreshadowing an Operatic
Technique.” In Italian Culture in the Drama of Shakespeare & his Contemporaries, edited by Michele Marrapodi, 241-50. Aldershot:
Ashgate.
[lxxiv] Moth. Q1]
[lxxv] Pardon . . . tidings] one line in Q1; lineation after Hubbard (followed by Levenson and Erne).
[lxxvi] Put . . . along / Under . . . ground] two lines in Q1. Lineation from Hubbard (followed by Levenson, Erne, Halio).
[lxxvii] Boy Q1]
[lxxviii] Boy Q1]
[lxxix] was Q1]
[lxxx] Boy Q1]
[lxxxi] Did . . . married / Juliet . . . it so Q1]. Lineation after Hubbard (followed by Levenson, Erne, Halio).
[lxxxii] Man. Q1]
[lxxxiii] Man. Q1]
[lxxxiv] Man. Q1]
[lxxxv] Man. Q1]
[lxxxvi] Man. Q1]
[lxxxvii] No SH in Q1.
[lxxxviii] Reference to a different watchman, indicated below by the SH Cap. / Capt. (Captain, after Hubbard –
followed by Levenson, Erne and Halio).
[lxxxix] Moth. Q1]
[xc] Boy Q1]
[xci] Come . . . hence / To have . . . things Q1]. Lineation after Hubbard (followed by Levenson and Erne).
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