| “Tybalt the reason that I have to love thee doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting. Villain am I none. Therefor farewell I see thou knowest me not.” | Speaker: Romeo Spoken to: TybaltContext: Tybalt and Mercutio are challenging each other in the streets of Verona, and it’s right before the fight breaks out. Meaning/Significance: Romeo is saying even though he doesn’t like Tybalt, he has too, because he’s Juliet’s cousin. Tybalt doesn’t know that Romeo and Juliet are married. |
| “Believe me, love, it was the nightingale.” | Speaker: JulietSpoken to: RomeoContext: It was the morning after Romeo and Juliet’s wedding night, and they are arguing whether they heard the chirping of a lark or nightingale. Literary device: The literary device used in this quote is symbolism, because the lark symbolizes the day, and the nightingale symbolizes the night. Meaning/Significance: Juliet insists that it was the nightingale chirping in the tree, not the lark.The nightingale is out at night and the lark is out in the morning. Juliet wants it to be the nightingale so badly, because when morning comes, she knows that Romeo will have to leave Verona, or else he faces death. Juliet is having a hard time facing reality. |
| “I will not marry yet, and yet if I do I swear it shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate, rather than Paris” | Speaker: JulietSpoken to: Lady CapuletContext: Juliet was telling Lady Capulet how said she was about Tybalt’s death. Lady Capulet tries to cheer Juliet up by telling her (doesn’t ask her this time) that she will be marrying County Paris Thursday morning.Literary device: The literary device used in the quote is verbal irony, because Juliet makes her mom think that she hates Romeo, but she would still rather marry him, than Paris. Juliet also tells her mother she is not married, but she is married to Romeo. Meaning/Significance: Juliet feels very strongly about not marrying Paris, because her true love/husband is Romeo. Juliet tells her mom she would rather marry Romeo than Paris. Juliet is married to Romeo, but her mom doesn’t know that. Lady Capulet thinks that Juliet HATES Romeo, because he killed her dear cousin, Tybalt. When Juliet says she would rather marry Romeo, it shows her mom how much she does not want to marry Paris, since she makes her mother believe that she hates Romeo. |
| “Where I have learned me to repent the sin of disobedient opposition To you and your behests, and am enjoined by holy Lawrence to fall prostrate here to beg your pardon. Pardon, I beseech you! Henceforward I am ever ruled by you.” | Speaker: JulietSpoken to: CapuletContext: Juliet has just come back from Friar’s cell, where he tells her the plan. Juliet tells her father that she will marry Paris. Literary device: NoneMeaning/Significance: Juliet says that she went to Friar’s cell, and she learned that it’s a sin to be disobedient to your father. She says that Friar told her to beg on her knees for forgiveness. Juliet doesn’t mean a word she said, she is just following Friar’s plan. Juliet is “sucking up to her father” or “groveling”, because her father needs to forgive her for not wanting to marry Paris, in order for the plan to work. |
| “Love give me strength, and strength shall help afford.” | Speaker: JulietSpoken to: Friar LawrenceContext: Juliet is about to drink the potion, that will make her look like she is dead, so the wedding will be canceled, and so she can run off with Romeo. Literary device: NoneMeaning/Significance: Juliet is saying that her love for Romeo will give her strength, and strength will help her accomplish her plan (taking the potion, and faking her death). The quote reminds me of Mama, in A Raisin In The Sun, because Mama’s plant gives her strength to keep going. |
| “There is thy gold, worse poison to men’s souls, Doing more murder in this loathsome world, Than these poor compounds that thou mayst not sell.” | Speaker: RomeoSpoken to: The apothecaryContext: Romeo is trying to convince the apothecary to sell him poison, so he can kill himself. Romeo is very persuasive, while talking to the apothecary. Literary device: The literary device used in this quote is personification, because gold is being personified. It means that gold (money) has caused more damage in the world, than the poison Romeo is buying. Meaning/Significance: Romeo is saying that money is a worse poison, than the poison the apothecary won’t sell him. Romeo tells the apothecary that he has sold him poison, but the apothecary hasn’t sold him anything. Romeo says that money is the root of all evil. |
| “Is it e’en so? Then I defy you, stars! Thou know’st my lodging. Get me ink and paper, And hire post horses. I will hence tonight.” | Speaker: RomeoSpoken to: Balthasar Context: Balthasar (Romeo’s servingman) has brought news from Verona. He tells Romeo that Juliet has died. Literary device: The literary device used in the quote is characterization, because Romeo’s personality determines his fate. The word “stars”, also shows up a lot in the book, therefore it’s a motif. Meaning/Significance: When Balthasar tells Romeo the “horrible” news about Juliet, he gets very angry and upset. Romeo asks Balthasar if the news is true, and then he says he will rebel against the stars (stars meaning fate). Romeo is supposed to stay in Mantua, because he’s been banished from Verona, so by rebelling against the stars, it means that he will be breaking the rules. Romeo will be going against fate, because he will be joining Juliet in death. Romeo tells Balthasar to immediately get ink, paper, and horses to ride, and he says he will leave for Verno that night. |
| “My heart is wondrous light since this same wayward girl is so reclaimed.” | Speaker: Capulet Spoken To: Himself Context: Juliet has told Capulet that she will marry Paris, and lady Capulet, nurse, and Capulet are talking about the about the wedding. Everyone has left, and Capulet is just talking to himself. Meaning/significance: Capulet is saying that his heart is happy, because his troubled daughter had been taken back by Paris, and will be married. The quote shows Capulet’s excitement, towards Juliet marrying Paris, and he now believes in her and trusts her. Poetic Device: The poetic device in the quote is a metaphor, because Capulet’s heart is not actually a “wondrous light” |
| “Romeo is banished. To speak that word is father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet, all slain, all dead. Romeo is banished.” | Speaker: Juliet Spoken To: NurseContext: The nurse has just told Juliet that Romeo has been banished, and Tybalt has been killed. Juliet is in her private chamber, when the nurse tells her the awful news. Meaning/significance: Juliet is saying that Romeo being banished, is as bad as Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet, Lady Capulet, Capulet, and Juliet, all dead. The quote shows how much Juliet loves Romeo, and what his banishment is equivalent to. Poetic Device: The quote is a hyperbole, because Juliet is exaggerating, and being overly dramatic. |
| “There is no world without Verona walls, but purgatory, torture, hell itself. Hence banished is banished from the world, and world’s exile is death. Then banished is death mis determined.” | Speaker: Romeo Spoken To: Friar LawrenceContext: Romeo is hiding out in Friar’s cell after he had killed Tybalt. Romeo asks what the prince’s punishment is, and the Friar tells him that he has been banished. Meaning/significance: Romeo is saying that outside Verona, life doesn’t exist, except hell and torture. He says that being banished from Verona is like being banished from the world, and being banished from the world is death. The quote shows how strongly Romeo feels about Verona, and how he would feel without it. Poetic Device: The quote is a hyperbole, because Romeo is exaggerating, and being overly dramatic. |
| “Heaven and yourself had part in this fair maid. Now heaven hath all, and all the better for the maid.” | Speaker: Friar LawrenceSpoken To: Capulet, Lady Capulet, Nurse, and ParisContext: Everybody is yelling and crying over the “death” of Juliet. Meaning/significance: Friar is saying that Lady Capulet and Capulet had Juliet with the help of heaven, and now heaven had her. Friar knows that Juliet is not really dead, and he is just trying to make the situation better, by comforting Juliet’s family. |
| “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.” | Speaker: JulietSpoken To: RomeoContext: Romeo is climbing down the ladder from Juliet’s chamber, and it is the last goodbye they will have. Meaning/significance: Juliet is saying that she has a soul that predicts evil things. She also says, that when Romeo is at the bottom of the ladder, he looks like a dead, pale, person, in a tomb stone. Juliet is foreshadowing Romeo’s death. |
| “Do not deny to him that you love me” | Speaker: Paris Spoken To: Juliet Context: Juliet is talking to Paris about the marriage on Thursday. Meaning/significance: Paris is telling Juliet not to fib, by telling the father that she doesn’t love Paris. Paris is very full of himself and arrogant. He expects Juliet to love him, because he thinks he is so perfect. Poetic Device: The literary device in the quote is characterization, because is shows Paris’s personality, and how he can’t get enough of himself. |
| “A glooming peace this morning with it brings” | Speaker: PrinceSpoken To: Citizens of VeronaContext: The prince is reflecting on the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, and he makes a speech to the townspeople. Meaning/significance: The prince says that some people will be punished and others will be pardoned. He says that there was never a sadder story, than the story of Romeo and Juliet, and “A glooming peace”, means that the fighting between the Motagues and the Capulets is over, but there was no happy ending, because it resulted in the death of the two lovers. Poetic Device: This quote is personification, because the sun can’t have a head. |
| O serpent heart hid with a flow’ring face! Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave? Beautiful tyrant, fiend angelical! Dove-feathered raven, wolvish-ravening lamb! | Speaker: Juliet Spoken To: Nurse Context: The nurse has just told Juliet the horrible news, that Romeo killed Tybalt and He’s banished. Meaning/ significance: Juliet is so mad at Romeo for killing Tybalt, so she calls him a bunch of mean names. Poetic Device: Juliet uses oxymoron’s to describe Romeo, because she is mad at him, but at the same time she is deeply in love with him. |
| And in his wisdom hastes our marriage/to stop the inundation of her tears | Speaker: ParisSpoken to: Friar LawrenceContext: Paris is talking to Friar about the marriage on Thursday. Meaning/significance: Paris is telling Friar that he thinks it’s smart, that Capulet is rushing the marriage, because it will stop Juliet from crying so much. Paris is telling Friar why the marriage is so rushed, and that it’s not up to him, it’s up to Capulet. |
| Thou detestable maw, thou womb of death/Gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth/Thus I enforce thy rotten jaws to open,/And in despite I’ll cram thee with more food. | Speaker:Spoken to:Context:Meaning/significance:Poetic device: |
| Now, Tybalt, take the “villain” back again that late thou gavest me, for Mercutio’s soul is but a little way above our heads, staying for thine to keep him company. | Speaker: RomeoSpoken to: MercutioContext: Tybalt has just killed Mercutio, and Romeo gets really mad, and wants to get revenge on TybaltMeaning/significance: Romeo is telling Tybalt that Mercutio is floating above their heads, and that he’s waiting for Tybalt to join him on the way to heaven. Romeo is stirring up trouble, and asking for a fight. Poetic device: Romeo is foreshadowing either the death of himself, or Tybalt. |
| And I will do it without fear or doubt, to live an unsustainable wife to my sweet love. | Speaker: JulietSpoken to: Friar LawrenceContext: Friar Lawrence is talking to Juliet about what to do with the marriage situation. He is about to tell Juliet his plan, when he realizes how desperate she is. Meaning/significance: Juliet lists a bunch of horrible actions that she would rather do than marry Paris. She says she will do the actions fearless, in order to be a loyal, pure, wife. It shows how far Juliet will go, to stay faithful to Romeo. |
| Venus smiles not in a house of tears. | Speaker: ParisSpoken to: Friar LawrenceContext: Paris is talking to Friar Lawrence about the wedding on Thursday. Meaning/significance: Paris is saying that romantic love can’t happen, when people are mourning. He’s saying that he hasn’t had a chance to be romantic with Juliet, because she has been mourning over the death of Tybalt. Poetic device: The quote is an allusion, because the text is talking about Venus, that’s not the true meaning. |
| Oh, happy dagger | Speaker: JulietSpoken to: HerselfContext: Juliet wakes up from her “death”, and sees Romeo lying dead next to her on the floor. Meaning/significance: When Juliet wakes up and sees Romeo dead, she looks for something to kill herself, because she could not bear to be alive without Romeo. It shows how passionate she feels about him. rrePoetic device: |
| This day’s black fate on more days doth depend. This but begins the woe others must end | Speaker: RomeoSpoken to: BenvolioContext: Mercutio has just been killed, and Romeo finds out about his death. Meaning/significance: Romeo is saying that the future will be affected by the events that happened that day. He says that today marks the terror that will last many days. Poetic device: Romeo is foreshadowing Tybalt’s death. |
| Proud can I never be of what I hate | Speaker: JulietSpoken to: CapuletContext: Juliet has just told Capulet that she refuses to marry the county Paris. Meaning/significance: Juliet is saying that she can’t be proud of marrying someone she hates, but she is thankful that her father was trying to help, and he meant well. |
| This is thy sheath; there rest, and let me die. | Speaker: JulietSpoken to: HerselfContext: Juliet wakes up from her “death”, and sees Romeo lying dead next to her on the floor. Meaning/significance: Juliet is saying that her body will be Romeo’s covering. She says that her body will rust (decay over time) and she will die alongside dead Romeo. |
| I will confess to you that I love him. | Speaker: JulietSpoken to: ParisContext: Juliet and Paris are talking about their love for each other, and their wedding on Thursday.Meaning/significance: When Juliet says, “I will confess to you that I love him.”, she is talking about Romeo not Paris. Poetic device: The literary device used in the quote is irony, because it’s ironic that Juliet loves Romeo, but she’s telling Paris that she loves the Friar. |
| ” My poverty, but not my will, consents.” | Speaker: ApothecarySpoken to: RomeoContext: Romeo is trying to convince the apothecary to sell him poison. Meaning/significance: The apothecary decides to let Romeo buy poison from him, because he’s poor, but not because he wants to. The apothecary is trying to tell himself that it’s alright, if he lets Romeo buy poison from him. |
| “Well thou hast comforted me marvelous much” | Speaker: JulietSpoken to: NurseContext: The nurse has just betrayed Juliet, and told her that she doesn’t even need Romeo, and that she should just marry Paris. Meaning/significance: Juliet does not mean what she says the slightest bit. Juliet says what she says just to satisfy the nurse, and so she can end the conversation. Poetic device: irony |
| “Romeo’s a dishclout to him. An eagle, madam,Hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eyeAs Paris hath.” | Speaker:Spoken to:Context:Meaning/significance:Poetic device: |
| “Good gentle youth, tempt not a desperate man.” | Speaker:Spoken to:Context:Meaning/significance: Don’t fight with a desperate manPoetic device: |
Romeo and Juliet Acts 3-5 Quotes
September 11, 2019