I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire.The day is hot; the Capulets, abroad;And if we meet we shall not ‘scape a brawl,For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring. | Benvolio- Begging Mercutiuo to leave the streets so they don’t get in a fight with the Capulets. |
By my head, here comes the Capulets. | Benvolio- He sees the Capulets approaching and he’s worried there will be a fight. |
And but one word with one of us? Couple it with something. Make it a word and a blow. | Mercutio- He’s mocking Tybalt and provoking a fight with a double entendre. |
Consort? What, dost thou make us minstrels? An thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords. Here’s my fiddlestick. Here’s that shall make you dance. Zounds, “consort”! | Mercutio- Turns Tybalts innocent words into an insult and invitation to fight. |
We talk here in the public haunt of men.Either withdraw unto some private place,And reason coldly of your grievances,Or else depart. Here all eyes gaze on us. | Benvolio- Trying to encourage Tybalt and Mercutio to be calm or go home because they are in public and could be put to death. |
Men’s eyes were made to look and let them gaze.I will not budge for no man’s pleasure, I. | Mercutio- Stubbornly refuses to back away from the fight with Tybalt. |
Romeo, the love I bear thee can affordNo better term than this: thou art a villain. | Tybalt- Confronts Romeo and insults him. |
Tybalt, the reason that I have to love theeDoth much excuse the appertaining rageTo such a greeting. Villain am I none.Therefore, farewell. I see thou know’st me not. | Romeo- Refuses Tybalt’s challenge and subtly hints that they are no family. |
Boy, this shall not excuse the injuriesThat thou hast done me. Therefore turn and draw. | Tybalt- Tybalt will not accept Romeo’s peace offering. |
I do protest I never injured thee,But love thee better than thou canst devise,Till thou shalt know the reason of my love.And so, good Capulet—which name I tenderAs dearly as my own—be satisfied. | Romeo- Is begging Tybalt at this point not to fight. Again hints that they are now related. |
I am hurt.A plague o’ both your houses! I am sped…Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch. Marry, ’tis enough…tis not so deep as a well nor so wide as a church-door, but ’tis enough, ’twill serve. Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man…A plague o’ both your houses! | Mercutio- Fatally wounded, but trying to shake it off as a joke, but he know’s he’s a dead man. |
Now, Tybalt, take the “villain” back againThat late thou gavest me, for Mercutio’s soulIs but a little way above our heads,Staying for thine to keep him company.Either thou or I, or both, must go with him. | Romeo- Furiously seeking revenge for the death of Mercutio, and now accepts Tybalt’s challange to a duel to the death. |
Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him hereShalt with him hence. | Tybalt- Accepts Romeo’s challenge and promises that Romeo will be killed and soon join Mercutio. |
Romeo, away, be gone!The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain.Stand not amazed. The Prince will doom thee deathIf thou art taken. Hence, be gone, away! | Benvolio- Begging Romeo to flee the scene of the murder before the prince arrives. |
Oh, I am fortune’s fool! | Romeo- Regrets the killing of Tybalt, realizes he’s a fool, yet blames luck rather than himself. |
Where are the vile beginners of this fray? | Prince Escalus- Wants to know who started the fight in the streets. |
…Prince, as thou art true,For blood of ours shed blood of Montague. | Lady Capulet- Demanding that a Montague be put to death for the murder of her nephew, Tybalt. |
Benvolio, who began this bloody fray? | Prince Escalus- Turns to Benvolio for the truth about what led to the fight. |
And, as he fell, did Romeo turn and fly.This is the truth, or let Benvolio die. | Benvolio- Promising the Prince that what he has said about the fight is true, and if it isn’t he is willing to be put to death. |
He is a kinsman to the Montague.Affection makes him false. He speaks not true.Some twenty of them fought in this black strife,And all those twenty could but kill one life.I beg for justice, which thou, Prince, must give.Romeo slew Tybalt. Romeo must not live. | Lady Capulet- Upset that her nephew has been murdered demanding the death of Romeo and even lies about the events of the fight. |
Romeo slew him; he slew Mercutio.Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe? | Prince Escalus-Frustrated that he has two murders and one living murderer to deal with. |
Not Romeo, Prince, he was Mercutio’s friend.His fault concludes but what the law should end,The life of Tybalt. | Lord Montague- Explaining to the prince that Romeo deserves mercy, because Romeo only did what the Prince was going to do: kill Tybalt. |
And for that offenceImmediately we do exile him hence…I will be deaf to pleading and excuses.Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses,Therefore use none. Let Romeo hence in haste,Else, when he’s found, that hour is his last. | Prince Escalus- Exiles Romeo and tells everyone to be silent. |
Give me my Romeo. And when I shall die,Take him and cut him out in little stars,And he will make the face of heaven so fineThat all the world will be in love with nightAnd pay no worship to the garish sun.Oh, I have bought the mansion of a love,But not possessed it, and though I am sold,Not yet enjoyed. So tedious is this dayAs is the night before some festivalTo an impatient child that hath new robesAnd may not wear them. | Juliet- Does not know that Romeo and killed her cousin. She’s impatiently waiting for her honeymoon night with Romeo. |
O serpent heart hid with a flowering face!Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?Beautiful tyrant! Fiend angelical!Dove-feathered raven, wolvish-ravening lamb!Despisèd substance of divinest show,Just opposite to what thou justly seem’st.A damnèd saint, an honorable villain! | Juliet- Furious with Romeo for killing Tybalt. Describes him as a fake and hypocrite. |
There’s no trust,No faith, no honesty in men. All perjured,All forsworn, all naught, all dissemblers.Ah, where’s my man?—Give me some aqua vitae.—These griefs, these woes, these sorrows make me old.Shame come to Romeo! | Nurse- Slams Romeo in front of Juliet for being awful like all men. |
Blistered be thy tongueFor such a wish! He was not born to shame.Upon his brow shame is ashamed to sit…Oh, what a beast was I to chide at him! | Juliet- Scolds the nurse for scolding Romeo and defends her husband. |
Will you speak well of him that killed your cousin? | Nurse- Questions Juliet as to why she would defend Romeo who murdered her cousin Tybalt. |
Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name,When I, thy three hours’ wife, have mangled it? | Juliet- Justifies why she is defending Romeo for slaying Tybalt. |
Hie to your chamber. I’ll find RomeoTo comfort you. I wot well where he is.Hark ye, your Romeo will be here at night.I’ll to him. He is hid at Lawrence’ cell. | Nurse- Tells Juliet to go to her room and prepare for Romeo’s arrival. |
O, find him! Give this ring to my true knight,And bid him come to take his last farewell. | Juliet- Begs the nurse to track down Romeo and give him her ring. |
A gentler judgment vanished from his lips:Not body’s death, but body’s banishment. | Friar Lawrence-Telling Romeo that the Price has banished him in lieu of call for his execution. |
Ha, banishment! Be merciful, say “death,”For exile hath more terror in his look,Much more than death. Do not say “banishment.” | Romeo-Upset that he has been banished. |
There is no world without Verona wallsBut purgatory, torture, hell itself.Hence “banishèd” is banished from the world,And world’s exile is death. Then “banishèd,”Is death mistermed. Calling death “banishment,”Thou cutt’st my head off with a golden axAnd smilest upon the stroke that murders me. | Romeo- Whining ungratefully that he has been banished instead of put to death. |
O deadly sin! O rude unthankfulness!Thy fault our law calls death, but the kind Prince,Taking thy part, hath rushed aside the law,And turned that black word “death” to “banishment.”This is dear mercy, and thou seest it not. | Friar Lawrence- Scolds Romeo for being ungrateful for the Prince’s mercy. |
O holy Friar, O, tell me, holy Friar,Where is my lady’s lord? Where’s Romeo? | Nurse- Asking Friar Lawrence where she can find Romeo. |
Hold thy desperate hand.Art thou a man?..Thou hast amazed me……rouse thee, man! Thy Juliet is alive,For whose dear sake thou wast but lately dead—There art thou happy. Tybalt would kill thee,But thou slew’st Tybalt—there art thou happy.The law that threatened death becomes thy friendAnd turns it to exile—there art thou happy.A pack of blessings light upon thy back,But, like a misbehaved and sullen wench,Thou pout’st upon thy fortune and thy love.Take heed, take heed, for such die miserable. | Friar Lawrence- Stops Romeo from killing himself and chews out Romeo for being an impulsive fool. |
Go, get thee to thy love, as was decreed.Ascend her chamber, hence, and comfort her.But look thou stay not till the watch be set,For then thou canst not pass to Mantua,Where thou shalt live, till we can find a timeTo blaze your marriage, reconcile your friends,Beg pardon of the Prince, and call thee backWith twenty hundred thousand times more joyThan thou went’st forth in lamentation.— | Friar Lawrence- Tells Romeo to comfort Juliet, but leave for Mantua before the sun rises. |
These times of woe afford no time to woo.Madam, good night. Commend me to your daughter. | Paris- Disappointed that he can’t see Juliet. Thinks Juliet is upset over the death of Tybalt. |
Sir Paris, I will make a desperate tenderOf my child’s love. I think she will be ruledIn all respects by me. Nay, more, I doubt it not.—Wife, go you to her ere you go to bed.Acquaint her here of my son Paris’ love,And bid her, mark you me, on Wednesday next—…O’ Thursday let it be.—O’ Thursday, tell her,She shall be married to this noble earl.— | Lord Capulet- Tells Paris that he will rush his marriage to Juliet. |
My lord, I would that Thursday were tomorrow. | Paris- So happy that he gets to marry Juliet that he wishes Thursday were the next day. |
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. | Juliet- Begging Romeo to stay in bed, trying to convince Romeo that it’s not the morning yet. |
Yon light is not daylight, I know it, I.It is some meteor that the sun exhalesTo be to thee this night a torchbearer,And light thee on thy way to Mantua.Therefore stay yet. Thou need’st not to be gone. | Juliet- Trying to convince Romeo that it’s still evening so he doesn’t have to leave. |
hot romeo | hot romeo |
Oh, think’st thou we shall ever meet again? | Juliet- Wonders if she will ever see Romeo again. |
O God, I have an ill-divining soul.Methinks I see thee now, thou art so lowAs one dead in the bottom of a tomb.Either my eyesight fails, or thou look’st pale. | Juliet- Notices that Romeo is so sad that he looks pale, so pale that he looks dead (Foreshadowing!!!). |
We will have vengeance for it, fear thou not.Then weep no more. I’ll send to one in Mantua,Where that same banished runagate doth live,Shall give him such an unaccustomed dramThat he shall soon keep Tybalt company.And then, I hope, thou wilt be satisfied. | Lady Capulet- Promising Juliet that she will hire someone to kill Romeo in Mantua for killing Tybalt. |
Well, well, thou hast a careful father, child.One who, to put thee from thy heaviness,Hath sorted out a sudden day of joyThat thou expect’st not, nor I looked not for…Marry, my child, early next Thursday morn,The gallant, young, and noble gentleman,The County Paris, at Saint Peter’s Church,Shall happily make thee there a joyful bride. | Lady Capulet- Telling Juliet that she has a wise and loving father that has decided to rush her marriage to Paris. |
Now, by Saint Peter’s Church and Peter too,He shall not make me there a joyful bride…I pray you, tell my lord and father, madam,I will not marry yet. And when I do, I swearIt shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate,Rather than Paris. These are news indeed! | Juliet- Furious that her father wants to marry her to Paris and refuses her father’s offer. |
—How now, wife?Have you delivered to her our decree? | Lord Capulet- Asking Lady Capulet if she has told Juliet the “good news.” |
How, will she none? Doth she not give us thanks?Is she not proud? Doth she not count her blessed,Unworthy as she is, that we have wroughtSo worthy a gentleman to be her bride? | Lord Capulet- Fruious that Juliet refuses to marry Paris, even though Paris is a good catch. |
Hang thee, young baggage! Disobedient wretch!I tell thee what: get thee to church o’ Thursday,Or never after look me in the face.Speak not. Reply not. Do not answer me.My fingers itch.-Wife, we scarce thought us blestThat God had lent us but this only child,But now I see this one is one too muchAnd that we have a curse in having her. | Lord Capulet- Furious with Juliet and threatns banishment if she does not marry Paris. |
O sweet my mother, cast me not away!Delay this marriage for a month, a week.Or, if you do not, make the bridal bedIn that dim monument where Tybalt lies. | Juliet- Turns to the mother for help in delaying her marriage to Paris, and threatens suicide. |
Talk not to me, for I’ll not speak a word.Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee. | Lady Capulet- Refuses to help Juliet and ignores her threat of suicide. |
O God!—O Nurse, how shall this be prevented?..What sayst thou? Hast thou not a word of joy?Some comfort, Nurse. | Juliet- Turns to the nurse for guidance and help. |
I think it best you married with the county.Oh, he’s a lovely gentleman.Romeo’s a dishclout to him…I think you are happy in this second match,For it excels your first. Or if it did not,Your first is dead, or ’twere as good he were,As living here and you no use of him. | Nurse-Encourages Juliet to marry Paris, and tells her to abandon her husband. |
Well, thou hast comforted me marvelous much.Go in, and tell my lady I am gone,Having displeased my father, to Lawrence’s cellTo make confession and to be absolved. | Juliet- Sarcasticly thanks the nurse for her advice and tells her that she is going to see Friar Lawrence to make confession. |
Let me be ta’en. Let me be put to death.I am content, so thou wilt have it so…I have more care to stay than will to go.Come, death, and welcome! Juliet wills it so.—How is ‘t, my soul? Let’s talk. It is not day. | Romeo- Jokingly says he’s willing to die if it means he can stay with Juliet. |
Why does Tybalt want to fight Romeo? | Romeo went to the Capulet party without an invitation. Tybalt felt this was insulting and he needed to get him back. |
What is Romeo’s reason for not fighting Tybalt? | Romeo doesn’t want to fight Tybalt because he is now related to him (due to his marriage to Juliet). Romeo “loves him” like a relative. Tybalt doesn’t know that Romeo has married Juliet.Romeo says …I do protest I never injured thee,But love thee better than thou canst devise. (3.1.65-66) |
how is Romeo involved in Mercutio’s death. | Romeo gets between Mercutio and Tybalt. Tybalt reaches through and stabs Mercutio. |
What literary device is used in the following lines from Mercutio?”A plague a’both houses! I am sped” | It is an example of foreshadowing. It foretells the terrible price that both families will pay for this feud. |
What does Mercutio mean by the following:”Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man.” | Mercutio makes a pun on the word grave. Grave can mean serious but in this case, Mercutio knows he is dying so he means he will be in a grave. |
Romeo blames Juliet’s beauty for the death of Mercutio. Explain why. | Romeo says that Juliet’s beauty made her weak so he couldn’t kill Mercutio, her cousin. It made him “effeminate” or like a woman and soft. |
Who kills Tybalt? | Romeo |
Why is Romeo “fortune’s fool?” Why is this significant? | When Romeo calls himself “fortune’s fool” he means that he is unlucky and at the mercy of fate. He is not responsible for his actions and blames fate for controlling him (robbing him of his free will).As we know, fate has played a significant role in the play so far and will continue to do so. |
What is Romeo’s punishment for killing Tybalt? | Romeo’s punishment for killing Tybalt is that he is banished (exiled) from Verona. |
In Act 1, the Prince said that anyone who disturbed the peace again would be sentenced to death. Why doesn’t the Prince sentence Romeo to death? | Romeo wasn’t sentenced to death for a couple of reasons. Romeo killed Tybalt but Tybalt had killed Mercutio. Mercutio was related to the Prince. The sentence was reduced due to these circumstances. |
What does Juliet mean by the following:Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds,Toward Phoebus’ lodging. Such a wagonerAs Phaeton would whip you to the westAnd bring in cloudy night immediately.Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night,That runaways’ eyes may wink, and RomeoLeap to these arms, untalked of and unseen. | Juliet wants the day to leave and the night to come. Notice that Romeo and Juliet’s relationship takes place at night.They met at a party at night and they sneak around at night. It is almost like their relationship is like a dream that takes place at night.This also speaks to the light and dark imagery that runs throughout the play. |
The Nurse brings tragic news to Juliet but there is a misunderstanding- What? | When the Nurse brings the tragic news to Juliet, there is a misunderstanding. Juliet thinks that Romeo is dead and then thinks that both Romeo and Tybalt are dead. It is only after the Nurse speaks plainly (“Tybalt is gone and Romeo banished”) that Juliet understands that Romeo killed Tybalt and has been exiled. |
When Juliet realizes that Romeo killed Tybalt and that Romeo is exiled, she pronounces a list of oxymorons. Who reacted this way before? | – dragon in a fair cave (3.2.74)- beautiful tyrant (3.2.75)-fiend angelical (2.3.75)-dove-feather’d raven (3.2.76)-wolfish lamb (3.2.76)-honourable villain (3.2.79)Juliet is saying that Romeo fooled her. He appeared noble and good, but in reality he was wicked and cruel.Romeo reacted much the same way (with listing all these oxymorons) when he described how tormented he was when Rosaline didn’t love him back. |
Juliet soon changes her mind about Romeo. Juliet says “O what beast was I to chide at him.” Why does Juliet change her mind? | When the Nurse says “Shame come to Romeo,” Juliet reconsiders immediately. She says that Romeo is her husband and she must support him. If Romeo didn’t kill Tybalt, then Tybalt would have killed Romeo. So Romeo didn’t have a choice.Juliet seems quite grown up and logical. |
When Juliet tries to defend Romeo, what does the Nurse mean when she says the following to Juliet …”Will you speak well of him that kill’d your cousin?” | When the Nurse hears Juliet defend Romeo, she asks Juliet how she can say nice things about Romeo when it is Romeo that killed your cousin Tybalt?This further shows that the relationship between the Nurse and Juliet is breaking down a bit. At the beginning, they seemed to be very close. However, when the Nurse kept stalling when Juliet wanted to know about the plan with Romeo, it was clear that Juliet was quite frustrated with the Nurse. This shows that Juliet is maturing and moving away from her childhood relationship with her nurse. |
What does the Nurse offer to do for Juliet at the end of Act 3 Scene 2? What does Juliet give the Nurse? | The Nurse offers to go see Romeo at Friar Laurence’s cell. Juliet gives the Nurse a ring to pass on to Romeo. Juliet wants Romeo to come to her to say a last farewell. |
In Act 3 Scene 3, Friar Lawrence tells Romeo about his punishment (remember Romeo ran away so he didn’t know what happened). What is Romeo’s response? Why does he respond in this way? | Romeo is very upset when he learns that he is exiled. He says he would rather be dead because he won’t be able to see Juliet.For exile hath more terror in his look,Much more than death. Do not say ‘banishment”! |
Romeo says he envies cats, dogs, mice, and even carrion flies. Why? | Cats, dogs, mice and flies are not banished from Verona. They can see Juliet but Romeo cannot because he is banished. |
What does Friar Lawrence mean when he says …”O then I see that mad men have no ears.” | It means that mad men cannot listen to good advice. The Friar is trying to reason with Romeo saying that banishment is better than death.But Romeo tells Friar Lawrence that he cannot possibly understand his pain. He is not young like Romeo and Romeo has only been married no more than an hour and he has just killed a man. |
When the Nurse sees Romeo, she says “O woeful sympathy!” What does she mean? | When the Nurse says “O woeful sympathy!” she means that both Romeo and Juliet are lying down and crying (Romeo on the ground and Juliet in her room on her bed). |
The Friar prevents Romeo from stabbing himself and tells him he has plenty of reasons to be happy. What are they? | The Friar tells Romeo he has many reasons to live. Juliet is alive and still loves him and the Prince could have had him executed but didn’t. |
What does the Friar suggest Romeo do? | The Friar suggests that Romeo go to Juliet and climb the ladder and comfort her. Then Romeo should go to Mantua and stay there until things get straightened out. |
In Act 3 Scene 4, Juliet’s father makes an important decision. What is it? | Juliet’s father decides that Juliet will marry Paris on Thursday. |
“Should I stay or should I go now?”Who wants Romeo to stay, and who wants him to go? How are their roles reversed? | At first Juliet wants Romeo to stay and Romeo says he must go. Juliet says it is not yet morning and Romeo says fine and he will stay and get caught and killed. Then Juliet says it is morning and Romeo should go. |
What does Romeo mean when he says …”More light and light, more dark and dark our woes!” | When Romeo says “More light and light, more dark and dark our woes!” he means that with daylight coming, all of their dark troubles come back.This reinforces the fact that Romeo and Juliet’s relationship is only safe in the dark. |
Like Romeo earlier in the play, Juliet has a foreboding sense of death-How | When Juliet looks down on Romeo descending down the ladder, he looks like he is going into a tomb and is pale. |
Lady Capulet has a plan for getting rid of Romeo- What is the plan? | Lady Capulet will send a man to Mantua with poison for Romeo. |
How will Juliet “help” with Lady Capulet’s plan to send a man to Mantua to poison Romeo? | Juliet tells her mother that she wants to add something to the poison to make sure Romeo is killed. Of course, the audience knows that Juliet is trying to protect Romeo so she will probably exchange the poison for something else. |
What is the irony in this exchange between Juliet and her mother in Act 3 Scene 5? | Lady Capulet thinks that Juliet is saying bad things about Romeo and that she hates him but really Juliet is trying to be ambiguous and find a way to defend Romeo. |
Why does Lord Capulet become angry with Juliet? | Lord Capulet becomes angry with Juliet because she refuses to marry Paris. Lord Capulet insults her and calls her “green-sickness carrion” and “baggage.” He says if she doesn’t marry Paris that she is banned from his house and disowned.This shows a very different side of Lord Capulet who just a little while ago was saying that it was Juliet’s decision whether she got married or not. Perhaps with Tybalt’s death, he feels they need some hope.Are you surprised at this? What side do you think the audience would take? |
What is the Nurse’s advice to Juliet in Act 3 Scene 5? | The Nurse tells Juliet she should marry Paris and forget about Romeo. |
What does Juliet decide to do at the end of Act 3 Scene 5? | Juliet decides to go to Friar Lawrence for advice. She tells the Nurse to tell her parents she is going to confession. Juliet decides that if all else fails, she will kill herself. |
What does Capulet tell his wife to say to Juliet? | Capulet tells his wife to tell Juliet she is to be married to Paris on Thursday. |
As Romeo is preparing to leave Juliet, what argument does she use to convince him to stay? | It’s not day yet and the nightingale had not sang yet. |
Later, why does Juliet think Romeo should leave? | He doesn’t want him to die because of her. |
Just as Romeo is about to descend the rope ladder and leave Juliet, what does Juliet say about the way Romeo looks? | Romeo looks dead like he is in a tomb |
Why does Lady Capulet think Juliet is crying? | Juliet misses Tybalt because he is dead |
When Lady Capulet threatens to send someone to Mantua to poison Romeo, what does Juliet say? | Find someone that will get the poison and she herself will personally mix it and give it to Romeo |
After Lady Capulet breaks the news about Paris, what is Juliet’s response? | Really angry, she’d rather die or marry romeo, whom her mother thinks she hates |
If Juliet’s mother does not arrange to delay the marriage, what will Juliet do? | She threatens to kill herself. |
What is Capulet’s reactions to Juliet’s threats? | Upset, he worked hard to find juliet a suitable husband, threatens to disown her |
What is the Nurse’s advice to Juliet? | Forget about Romeo and marry Paris |
How does Juliet’s attitude toward the Nurse change? | betrayed, never trust her again |
What “scheme” does Juliet devise to get rid of the Nurse and to get out of the house? | She is going to confession to confess her sins. |
Romeo and Juliet Act 3
September 7, 2019