omeo &uliet


One of the greatest love stories ever written by none other than the renown William Shakespeare. 
Out of his array of beautiful works, this was the only piece that I was given an opportunity to 
study in-depth. Albeit I had to sit for an exam, which would have usually (if not all the time) 
killed any interest I had in any subject, studying Romeo and Juliet drew me into a whole new
realm . I learnt to appreciate literature and was very much taken away by the use of imageries 
and captivating words that Shakespeare used, to conjure such strong, almost tangible emotions. 

If I could, I'll love to do it all over again. To savour the story word for word as if 
I'm reading it for the first time. 

Below are the scenes extracted from the play. Mainly of which Romeo and Juliet met. From the 
first time he laid eyes on her at the ball, to the morning where they part, after the consumation 
of their nuptial vows. 

I've added in explanations/interpretations to the best (or worst) of my knowledge with the help
of my text and what I can remember.

I just want to share the joy and wonder I find in reading this particular play. I count myself
lucky in fact, to be given a chance to appreciate the story for what it truly is 
 
For those who haven't read it, I hope you'll get the chance...and for those of you who has,
I hope you enjoyed it as much I did (and still do)..:)

Prologue

Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona where we lay our scene, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; Doth with their death bury their parents strife. The fearful passage of their death-marked love, And tyhe continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children's end, nought could remive, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; The which, if you with patient ears attend What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

Act I; Scene IV


Romeo: O she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
       It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
       As a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear;
       Beauty too rish for use, for earth too dear.
       So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows,
       As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.
       The measure done¹, I'll watch her place of stand,
       And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.
       Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight,
       For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

[Followed by a conversation between Tybalt (Juliet's cousin) and Lady Capulet; 
an impulsive Tybalt who was offended by the presence of an enemy in his house only to be 
appeased by his aunt not to create a scene at the party]

[Taking Juliet's hand]
Romeo: If I profane with my unworthiest hand
       This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:
       My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
       To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

Juliet: Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
	Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
	For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
	And palm to palm is holy palmers'² kiss.

Romeo: Have not saint lips, and holy palmers too?

Juliet: Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

Romeo: O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do:  
       They pray, "Grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."

Juliet: Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.

Romeo: Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.
       Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged.
					[Romeo kisses her]

Juliet: Then have my lips the sin that they have took.

Romeo: Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urged³!
       Give me my sin again.
					[He kisses her again]

Juliet: You kiss by the book.

[Juliet is summon by her mother and leaves]

 "The measure done" - The dancing having finished.
 "palmers'" - Pilgrims to Palestine brought back palm leaves as a sign that they had visited 
               the Christian shrines there, and so were called palmers.
 "urged" - argued.

Act II; Scene I



[Juliet appears above at the window]
Romeo: But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
       It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
       Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
       Who is already sick and pale with grief
       That thou her maid⁴ art far more fair than she.
       But not her maid, since she is envious;
       Her vestal livery is but sick and green,⁵
       And none but fools do wear it;⁶ cast it off.
       It is my lady, O it is my love!
       O that she knew she were!
       She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that?
       Her eyes discourses: I will answer it.
       I am too bold; 't is not to me she speaks.
       Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
       Having some business, do entreat her eyes
       To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
       What if her eyes were there, they were in her head?
       The brightness in her cheek 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.
       See how she leans her cheek upon her hand.
       O that I were a glove upon that hand,
       That I might touch that cheek!

Juliet: Ay me.

Romeo: She speaks.
       O speak again, bright angel, for thou art
       As glorious to this night, being 0'er 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: O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?⁷ 
	Deny thy father and refuse thy name:
        Or if thou wilt not, be sworn my love
        And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

[To himself]
Romeo: Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

Juliet: 'T is but thy name that is my enemy.
        Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
	What's "Montague"? It is nor hand, nor foot,
	Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
	Belonging to a man. O be some other name!
	What's in a name? That which we call a rose
	By any other word would smell as sweet.
	So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,
	Retain that dear perfection which he owes⁸
	Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
	And for that name, which is no part of thee,
	Take all myself.

[To Juliet]
Romeo: I take thee at thy word.
       Call me but "Love", and I'll be new baptized;
       Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

Juliet: What man art thou, that thus bescreened in night,
	So stumblest on my counsel?

Romeo: By a name
       I know not how to tell thee who I am.
       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 yet not drunk a hundred words
	Of thy tongue's uttering, yet I know the sound.
        Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague?

Romeo: Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike.

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 fine thee here.

Romeo: With love's light wings did I o'perch these walls,
       For stony limits cannot hold love out:
       And what love can do, that dares love attempt:
       Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me.

Juliet: If they do see thee, they will murder thee.

Romeo: Alack, there lies more peril in thine eyes
       Than twenty of their swords. Look thou but sweet
       And I am proof against their enmity.

Juliet: I would not for the world they saw thee here.

Romeo: I have night's cloak to hide me from their eyes.
       And but thou love me, let them fine me here;
       My life were better ended by their hate
       Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.

Juliet: By whose direction found'st thou out this place?

Romeo: By love, that first did prompt me to inquire;
       He⁹ lent me counsel, and I lent him eyes.
       I am no pilot, yet wert thou as far
       As that vast shore washed with the farthest sea,
       I should adventure for such merchandise.

Juliet: Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face,
	Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek,
        For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.
        Fain would I dwell on form;¹⁰ fain, fain deny
        What I have spoke: but farewell compliment!
        Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say "Ay",
        And I will take thy word; yet if thou swear'st
        Thou mayst prove false. At lovers' perjuries
        They say "Jove"¹¹ laughs. O gentle Romeo,
        If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully;
        Or if thou think I am too quickly won,
        I'll frown, and be perverse, and say thee nay,
        So thou wilt woo; but else, not for the world
        In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond,
        And thou mayst think my haviour light.
        But trust me, gentlemen, I'll prove more true
        Than those that have more cunning to be strange.
        I should have been more strange, I must confess,
        But that thou overheard'st ere I was ware,
        My true-love passion; therefore pardon me,
        And not impute this yielding to light love,
        Which the dark night hath so discovered.

Romeo: Lady, by yonder blessed moon I vow,
       That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops - 

Juliet: O swear not by the moon, th'inconstant moon,
	That monthly changes in her circled orb,
        Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

Romeo: What shall I swear by?

Juliet: Do not swear at all;
	Or if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,
        Which is the god of my idoltary,
        And I'll believe thee.

Romeo: If my heart's dear Love -

Juliet: Well, do not swear. Although I joy in thee,
        I have no joy of this contract tonight:
	It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden,
        Too like lightning, which doth cease to be
        Ere one can say "It lightens." Sweet, good night.
        This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath,
        May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.
        Good night, good night. As sweet repose and rest
        Come to thy heart as that within my breast.

Romeo: O wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?

Juliet: What satisfaction canst thou have to-night?

Romeo: Th'exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine.

Juliet: I gave thee mine before thou didst request it;
	And yet I would it were to give again.

Romeo: Would'st thou withdraw it? For what purpose, love?

Juliet: But to be frank¹² and give it thee again:
        And yet I wish but for the thing I have.
	My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
        My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
        The more I have, for both are infinite.
[The Nurse calls]
        I hear some noise within. Dear Love, adieu.
[To the Nurse]
        Anon, good Nurse!
[To Romeo]
        Sweet Montague, be true.
        Stay but a little; I will come again.
						[Juliet leaves the window and goes in]

Romeo: O blessed, blessed night! I am afeared,
       Being in night, all this is but a dream,
       Too flattering-sweet to be substantial.

[Juliet returns to the window]
Juliet: Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed.
        If that thy bent of love be honourable,
	Thy purpose marriage, send me word to-morrow
        By one that I'll procure to come to thee,
        Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite;
        And all my fortunes and thy foot I'll lay,
        And follow thee, my lord, throughout the world.

[From inside the house]
Nurse: Madam!

[To the Nurse]
Juliet: I come, anon.

[To Romeo]
        But if thou mean'st not well,
        I do beseech thee - 

Nurse: Madam!

Juliet: By and by, I come - 

[Continuing to Romeo]
	To cease thy suit, and leave me to my grief.
        Tomorrow will I send.

Romeo: So thrive my soul, -

Juliet: A thousand times good night!
						[Juliet goes in]

Romeo: 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 books.
   			           [Romeo starts to walk away as Juliet returns]

Juliet: Hist Romeo, hist! O for a falconer's voice,
	To lure his tassle-gentle back again.¹³
        Bondage is hoarse,¹⁴ and may not speak aloud,
	Else would I tear the cave where Echo¹⁵ lies,
        And make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine
        With repetition of my "Romeo!"

Romeo: It is my soul that calls upon my name.
       How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night,
       Like softest music to attending ears.

Juliet: Romeo!

Romeo: Madam?

Juliet: What o'clock tomorrow 
	Shall I send to thee?

Romeo: By the hour of nine.
	
Juliet: I will not fail. 'T is twenty years till then.
        I have forgot why I call thee back.

Romeo: Let me stand here till thou remember it.

Juliet: I shall forget to have thee still stand there,
        Remembering how I love thy company.

Romeo: And I'll stay, to have thee still forget,  
       Forgetting any other home but this.

Juliet: 'T is almost morning. I would have thee gone,
        And yet no farther than 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 plucks it back again,
        So loving-jealous of his liberty.

Romeo: I would I were thy bird.

Juliet: Sweet, so would I,
	Yet I shold kill thee with much cherishing.
        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 in thy breast. 
       Would I were sleep and peace, so sweet to rest.

   						[Juliet goes in]
       Hence will I to my ghostly sire's close cell,
       His help to crave, and my dear hap to tell.

"maid" - The servants of Diana, the virgin goddess of the moon were unmarried maidens and
Juliet is likened to them for she is unmarried.
"Her vestal livery...green" - Dresses(livery) worn by Diana's servants(vestal) were green
in colour; depticting enviable nature.
"And none but fools do wear it" - Jesters(fools) who were employed in wealthy households were
usually dorn in green; Anyone who decides to stay unmarried
is thus a fool.
"Wherefore...Romeo" - WHY are you Romeo. And not Where are you Romeo.
"owes" - owns.
"He.." - Referring to Winged Cupid who is blind.
"Fain...form" - Gladly, I will behave in the manner conventional lovers should;
Juliet realizes she has spoken her heart aloud and revealed her feelings when
ladies should have been modest by convention.
"Jove" - Jupiter, chief Roman god, was among other things, the god of oaths and promises.
He did not regard oaths of lovers seriously as he knew few of them would be kept.
"frank" - generous; Juliet would take back her declaration of love only for a chance to
give again and again..indefinitely.
"O for a falconer's...again" - Juliet wishes she's a falconer (one who hunts with hawks/
falcons)so that she could recall Romeo, as if he was a
tassle-gentle (the Peregrine, the noblest of the falcons).
"Bondage is hoarse" - Juliet bounded by the danger of revealing her love is unable to
raise her voice.
"Echo" - Echo was a Greek mountain goddess who fell in love with Narcissus but her love was
unrequited. (Narcissus fell in love with his own image) Echo thus wasted away to
nothing, but a voice.

Act II; Scene V


[They meet secretly in the Friar's cell for the nuptial ritual]

Romeo: Ah, Juliet, if the measure of thy joy
       Be heaped like mine, and that thy skill be more
       To blazon it, then sweeten with thy breath
       This neighbour air, and let rich music's tongue
       Unfold the imagined happiness that both
       Receive in either, by this dear encounter.

Juliet: Conceit more rich in matter than in words
	Brags of his substance, not of ornament.¹⁶
	They are but beggars that can count their worth;¹⁷
	But my true love is grown to such excess
	I cannot sum up sum of half my wealth.

[And they the sealed their vows]

 "Conceit if...of ornament" - Imagination (conceit) which is richer in substance (matter)
                               than in words, will only boast (brag) of its true reality 
                               (subtance), not of unimportant details (ornament).
                               Juliet implies that their happiness is too great to put into words.
 "They are...worth" - Those can count/express their love exactly in words are poor lovers.

Act III; Scene V

[On the night the newly weds consummate their marriage]

[Romeo and Juliet standing 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 yond pomegranate tree.	
	Believe me, love, it was the nightingale.

Romeo: It was the lark, the herald of the morn,
       No nightingale. Look, love, what envious streaks¹⁸
       Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east.
       Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day
       Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.
       I must be gone and live, or stay and die.

Juliet: Yond light is not daylight; I know it, I.
	It is some meteor that the sun exhales
	To 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.

Romeo: Let me be ta'en, let me be put to death:
       I am content, so thou wilt have it so.
       I'll say yon grey is not the morning's eye,
       'T is but the pale reflex of Cynthia's brow;¹⁹
       Nor that is not the lark whose notes do beat 
       The vaulty heaven so high above our heads.
       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.

Juliet: It is, it is! Hie hence, be gone 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 she divideth us.
        Some say the lark and loathed toad changed eyes;
        O now I would they had changed voices too,²⁰
        Since arm from arm that voice doth us affray,
        Hunting thee hence with hunt 's-up to the day.
        O now be gone; more light and light it grows.

Romeo: More light and light, more dark and dark our woes.

[Warning from Nurse that Lady Capulet is coming]

Juliet: Then, window, let day in, and let life out.

Romeo: Farewell, farewell. One kiss and I'll descend.
					[Romeo climbs out the window]

Juliet: Art thou gone so, love, lord, ay husband, friend? 
        I must hear from thee everyday in the hour,
        For in a minute there are many days.
        O, by this count I shall be much in years
        Ere, I again behold my Romeo.

Romeo: Farewell. I will omit no opportunity
       That may convey my greetings, love, to thee.

Juliet: O, think'st thou we shall ever meet again?

Romeo: I doubt it not; and all these woes shall serve
       For sweet discourses in out time to come.

Juliet: O God,  I have an ill-divining soul!
        Methinks I see thee, now thou art so low,
        As one dead in the bottom of a tomb;
        Either my eyesight fails, or thou look'st pale.

Romeo: And trust me, love, in my eyes so do you.
       Dry sorrow drinks our blood. Adieu, adieu.
	                             [Romeo leaves]

 "envious streaks" - The morning rays of light were jealous of the lovers thus wishes to part 
                      them.
 "reflex of Cynthia's brow" - reflection of the moon; Cynthia was the goddess of the moon.
 "Some say...voices too" - The toad has fine eyes despite it's general ugliness, and the lark 
                            ugly ones, despite its beauty, so it was said that they have changed 
                            eyes. If they had changed voices then the harsh noise of the lark 
                            would be more suitable as a warning for the lovers to part than 
                            its present song.

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"Romance" by Ludwig Van Beethoven