Romeo And Juliet Important Quotes

“This love that thou has shown doth add more grief to too much of my own. Love is a smoke made with a fume of sighs; being purged a fire sparkling in lovers eyes being vexed, a sea nourished with loving tears” Romeo says this, when he is talking to Benvolio about the one he loves. Romeo means that love is depressing.
“By giving liberty unto thine eyes. Examine other beauties.” Benvolio says this to Romeo when he is said about Rosaline. Benvolio is telling Romeo that love is replaceable, and that he should find another girl to love.
“One pain is lessened by another’s anguish. Turn giddy and be helped by backward turning.” Benvolio says this to Romeo. It means: If you feel a pain somewhere and it hurts, if you soon have another pain, then you will forget about the first pain. (Benvolio is talking about girls.
“Younger than she are happy mother’s made” Paris says this to Capulet when he gets his permission to marry Juliet. Paris is eager to marry and age is not an issue.
“And too soon marred are those so early made” Capulet is responding to Paris when he asks for permission to marry Juliet. Capulet is saying: Those who get married young grow up too soon.
“But woo her gentle Paris, get her heart; my will to her consent is but a part” Capulet says this to Paris when they are talking about marriage. Capulet gives Paris his permission to marry Juliet, as long as she is happy.
“It is an honor that I dream not of” Juliet is talking to lady Capulet about marriage. Juliet is young and innocent, and loves the fact that she doesn’t even have to think about marriage.
“I’ll look like if looking liking move. But no more deep will I endart mine eye than your consent gives strength to make it fly.” Juliet is responding to lady Capulet, when she asks her if she can like Paris. Juliet says she will try to like him if she thinks he’s likable, but she won’t like him anymore than her moms permission allows her to do.
“Well think of marriage now. Younger than you were in Verona, ladies of esteem are made already mothers. By my count I was you mother upon these years that you are now a maid. Thus then in brief: The valiant Paris seeks you for love.” Lady Capulet is telling Juliet to start thinking about marriage. She also says that ladies younger than her are already mothers, and she was a mother younger than Juliet, and Juliet is not even married.
“No less? Nay bigger. Woman grow by men” The nurse says this to lady Capulet and Juliet. She means that woman grow by men by getting them pregnant.
“If love be rough with you, be rough with love” Mercutio says this to Romeo at the ball, when Romeo is hiding behind a torch. Mercutio means that if love is hard fight back and don’t give up.
“If I profane with my unworthiest hand/this holy shrine” Romeo says this to Juliet. This is said after the big feast when the two lovers had just met. Romeo feels that Juliet is too good for him, and it would be disrespectful to touch or kiss her. Romeo calls Juliet a “holy shrine”, meaning that she is like a sacred object. This is a metaphor, because Juliet is the holy shrine.
“From ancient grudge break to new mutiny.” This is the third line of the prologue, before the story begins. The narrator says this to the reader. The line means that there is permanent hatred between the two families, that erupts into new violence. The prologue is and iambic pentameter.
“I hate the word/as I hate hell” Tybalt says this mainly to Benvolio, but the citizens of Verona, lady Capulet, and Capulet, are present when this quote is said. This quote is said when everyone is in the town square, and the Capulets and Montagues are fighting. Tybalt is saying he hates the word peace, just like he hates hell and all Montagues. This quote shows Tybalt’s true personality. He’s a hot-headed fighter. The literary device in this quote is characterization.
“It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night/As a rich jewel” Romeo says this mainly to Tybalt at the party/feast. The literary device used in the quote is a simile, because Romeo is comparing Juliet to a Jewel in an African’s ear. Romeo means that Juliet stands out in the dark like a bright jeweled earring against an African’s cheek. This means that Juliet is one of a kind, like nothing else.
“But he that hath the steerage of my course/Direct my sail” Romeo says this to Benvolio at the party. Romeo is saying whoever is in charge of where his life’s going, can steer him wherever he wants.
“This precious book of love, this unbound cover,/To beautify him only lacks a cover.” Lady Capulet says this to Juliet, but the nurse is present and keeps budding in. Lady Capulet is talking about Paris and marriage. She is saying that Paris is single, and the only thing he lacks is a bride to make him complete. Juliet doesn’t even know Paris (well), and Lady Capulet is asking her to consider marrying him! This shows what life was like, and it was normal to marry at 13.
“Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health” Romeo says this to Benvolio, when they are talking about love. Romeo is telling Benvolio that he is not loved back (Rosaline). Romeo is saying that love is heavy and light, bright and dark, hot and cold, and healthy and sick. Shakespeare used juxtaposition and an oxymoron in this quote. The quote also shows what Romeo really thinks of love. There is also a theme of love coexisting with hate and death that is echoed in Shakespeare’s writing.
“Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out/and makes himself an artificial night.” Montague says this to Benvolio, when they are talking about Romeo. Montague is telling Benvolio that his son is sad, and won’t tell him why, so he asks Benvolio to find out the cause of his sadness. Montague is saying that Romeo locks himself up in his room, shuts the windows, so no light gets in, and he makes himself an artificial night. This quote shows that Montague really cares about his son, and he wants to know what the cause of his sadness is.
“You are a lover. Borrow Cupid’s wings/ And soar with them above a common bound” Mercutio says this to Romeo when their at the party, and Romeo is hiding behind a torch. Mercutio tells Romeo to borrow cupids wings and fly higher than the average man. This is a cliché, because it’s based off of the idea that love gives you wings.
“Can I go forward when my heart is here? Turn back, dull earth and find thy center out.” Romeo says this to Benvolio and Mercutio, but before they can respond he climbs the orchard wall into Capulet’s garden to see Juliet. Romeo is asking if he can go, while his heart stays where he is. Romeo says that he has to go back to where his heart is.
“He jests at scars that never felt a wound” Romeo says this to himself. Romeo means that it’s easy for someone to joke about scars if they have never been cut. Romeo doesn’t mean this literately, because he is talking about Benvolio and Mercutio. He’s saying it’s easy for them to make fun of him, because they’ve never been in love.
“O Romeo, Romeo, Wherefore art thou Romeo?Deny thy father and refuse thy name, or wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I’ll no longer be a Capulet.” Juliet says this to herself (unaware that Romeo can hear her). Juliet is saying: Why do you have to be Romeo? Forget about your father and change your name. Or if you don’t want to change your name, swear you love me, and I’ll stop being a Capulet. Juliet is in the window.
“What’s in a name? That which we call a roseBy any other word would smell as sweet.So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,” Juliet says this to herself (unaware Romeo can hear her). Juliet is saying: The thing we call a rose would be just as sweet, if it weren’t called a rose. Juliet is talking about Romeo not roses, and she says Romeo would be just as perfect if he wasn’t called Romeo (not from the Montagues)
“Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptized.Henceforth I never will be Romeo.” Romeo says this to Juliet, when she was talking to herself, and didn’t realize Romeo was listening. He says that he trusts Juliet, and if she calls him her love, then he will take a new name. From now on he will never be Romeo again.
“A thousand times the worse to want thy light.Love goes toward love as schoolboys from their books,But love from love, toward school with heavy looks.” Romeo says this to Juliet when she is in the window. Romeo means that: leaving Juliet is so much worse than being near you. A lover goes toward his beloved as enthusiastically as a schoolboy leaving his books, but when he leaves his girlfriend, he feels as miserable as the schoolboy on his way to school.
“For this alliance may so happy proveTo turn your households’ rancor to pure love.” Friar Lawrence says this to Romeo, when he goes to see if Friar Lawrence will marry him and Juliet. Friar Lawrence says that the marriage between Romeo and Juliet, might be lucky enough to turn the hatred between the two families into love.
“Why, is not this better now than groaning for love? Now art thou sociable. Now art thou Romeo. Now art thou what thou art—” Mercutio says this to Romeo, but Benvolio interrupts them. Mercutio is saying: Why, isn’t all this joking better than groaning about love? Now you’re sociable. Now you’re Romeo. Now you are what you’ve learned to be and what you are naturally.
“These violent delights have violent ends” Friar Lawrence says this to Romeo. He means that sudden joys have sudden endings, and he’s talking about Romeo and Juliet.
August 12, 2019