| 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 –> MercutioExplication: I’m begging you, good Mercutio, let’s call it a day. It’s hot outside, and the Capulets are wandering around. If we bump into them, we’ll certainly get into a fight. When it’s hot outside, people become angry and hot-blooded.Importance: Characterizes Benvolio and Mercutio, explains the family feud between Montagues and Capulets |
| 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 –> Mercutio & TybaltExplication: We’re talking here in a public place. Either go someplace private, or talk it over rationally, or else just go away. Out here everybody can see us.Importance: Characterizes Benvolio, describes family feud |
| Romeo, the love I bear thee can affordNo better term than this: thou art a villain. | Tybalt –> RomeoExplication: Romeo, there’s only one thing I can call you. You’re a villain.Importance: Shows Tybalt’s rage and his perspective of the Montagues |
| 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 –> TybaltExplication: Tybalt, I have a reason to love you that lets me put aside the rage I should feel and excuse that insult. I am no villain. So, goodbye. I can tell that you don’t know who I am.Importance: Romeo’s underlying feelings about Juliet allow him to put aside their family problems |
| 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 –> TybaltExplication: I disagree. I’ve never done you harm. I love you more than you can understand until you know the reason why I love you. And so, good Capulet—which is a name I love like my own name—you should be satisfied with what I say.Importance: Romeo does not want a fight, he wants to make peace with Tybalt, he hints at his love for Juliet |
| Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm. | Mercutio –> RomeoExplication: Why the hell did you come in between us? He struck me from under your arm.Importance: Mercutio does not like the way that Romeo intervened because he wants to fight Tybalt |
| I am hurt.A plague o’ both your houses! I am sped. | Mercutio –> Romeo & BenvolioExplication: I’ve been hurt. May a plague curse both your families. I’m finished.Importance: Mercutio’s final words as his life comes to an end, overcomes feud and wishes harm on both families |
| Come, gentle night, come, loving, black-browed night,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. | Juliet –> herselfExplication: Come, gentle night. Come, loving, dark night. Give me my Romeo. And when I die, turn him into stars and form a constellation in his image. His face will make the heavens so beautiful that the world will fall in love with the night and forget about the garish sun.Importance: Contrast between day and night/dark and light, imagery |
| Ah, welladay! He’s dead, he’s dead, he’s dead!We are undone, lady, we are undone!Alack the day! He’s gone, he’s killed, he’s dead! | Nurse –> JulietExplication: Oh, it’s a sad day! He’s dead. He’s dead. He’s dead! We’re ruined, lady, we’re ruined! What an awful day! He’s gone. He’s been killed. He’s dead!Importance: Nurse shouts about someone being dead, which get Juliet worried about Romeo |
| What storm is this that blows so contrary? Is Romeo slaughtered, and is Tybalt dead? | Juliet –> NurseExplication: What disaster is this? Has Romeo been killed, and is Tybalt dead too?Importance: Juliet worries that Romeo is dead with Tybalt |
| There is no world without Verona wallsBut purgatory, torture, hell itself.Hence “banishèd” is banished from the world,And world’s exile is death. | Romeo –> Friar LawrenceExplication: There is no world for me outside the walls of Verona, except purgatory, torture, and hell itself. So to be banished from Verona is like being banished from the world, and being banished from the world is death.Importance: Romeo alludes to death and being without Juliet |
| Yet “banishèd”? 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. | Romeo –> Friar LawrenceExplication: You’re still talking about “banished?” Forget about philosophy! Unless philosophy can create a Juliet, or pick up a town and put it somewhere else, or reverse a prince’s punishment, it doesn’t do me any good. Don’t say anything else.Importance: Romeo believes he has nothing without Juliet |
| Thou canst not speak of that thou dost not feel.Wert thou as young as I, Juliet thy love,An hour but married, Tybalt murderèd,Doting like me, and like me banishèd,Then mightst thou speak | Romeo –> Friar LawrenceExplication: You can’t talk about something that you don’t feel. If you were as young as I am, if you were in love with Juliet, if you had just married her an hour ago, if then you murdered Tybalt, if you were lovesick like me, and if you were banished, then you might talk about it.Importance: Romeo is in such a state that he blocks out the ones who want to help |
| 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 –> Nurse & RomeoExplication: Go be with your love, as it was decided at your wedding. Climb up to her bedroom and comfort her. But get out of there before the night watchmen take their positions. Then you will escape to the city of Mantua, where you’ll live until we can make your marriage public and make peace between your families. We’ll ask the Prince to pardon you. Then we’ll welcome you back with twenty thousand times more joy than you’ll have when you leave this town cryingImportance: Friar Lawrence has a plan to wed Romeo and Juliet that could end all family feud and sadness |
| I think she will be ruledIn all respects by me. Nay, more, I doubt it not.— | Capulet –> ParisExplication: I think she’ll do whatever I say. No, I think she’ll do all that and more. I have no doubt about itImportance: Capulet is unaware of Romeo and Juliet and is sure that she will obey him, when in reality she is in love with Romeo |
| These times of woe afford no time to woo. | Paris –> CapuletExplication: These times of pain are bad times for romance. Importance: After the death of Tybalt, it is not the best time to flirt up Juliet |
| Monday! Ha, ha. Well, Wednesday is too soon,O’ Thursday let it be.—O’ Thursday, tell her,She shall be married to this noble earl.— | Paris –> CapuletExplication: Monday! Ha, ha! Well, Wednesday is too soon. Let it be on Thursday. On Thursday, tell her, she’ll be married to this noble earl.Importance: IRONY (Paris plans their wedding while Romeo and Juliet have already been wedded) |
| 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. | Juliet –>RomeoExplication: Are you going? It’s still a long time until daybreak. Don’t be afraid. That sound you heard was the NIGHTINGALE, not the lark.Importance: Contrast between light and day |
| Art thou gone so, love, lord? Ay, husband, friend,I must hear from thee every day in the hour,For in a minute there are many days. | Juliet –> RomeoExplication: Are you gone like that, my love, my lord? Yes, my husband, my friend! I must hear from you every day in the hour. In a minute there are many daysImportance: Juliet apart from Romeo (develops) |
| 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 –> RomeoExplication: Oh God, I have a soul that predicts evil things! Now that you are down there, you look like someone dead in the bottom of a tomb. Either my eyesight is failing me, or you look pale.Importance: Juliet sees bad things in the future…FORESHADOWING |
| Be fickle, fortune,For then, I hope, thou wilt not keep him long,But send him back. | Juliet –> Lady CapuletExplication: Change your mind, luck. I hope maybe then you’ll send him back home soon.Importance: Juliet longs for Romeo’s return |
| 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 –> JulietExplication: We’ll have revenge for it. Don’t worry about that. Stop crying. I’ll send a man to Mantua, where that exiled rogue is living. Our man will poison Romeo’s drink, and Romeo will join Tybalt in death. And then, I hope, you’ll be satisfied.Importance: Juliet is crying about Romeo’s exile, which makes them give him a bigger punishment THE DEATH SENTENCE |
| Indeed, I never shall be satisfiedWith Romeo, till I behold him—dead—Is my poor heart for a kinsman vexed. | Juliet –> Lady CapuletExplication: I’ll never be satisfied with Romeo until I see him . . . dead—dead is how my poor heart feels when I think about my poor cousin.Importance: Juliet schemes with Friar Lawrence about their plans |
| 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. | Capulet –> JulietExplication: Forget about you, you worthless girl! You disobedient wretch! I’ll tell you what. Go to church on Thursday or never look me in the face again. Don’t say anything. Don’t reply. Don’t talk back to me.Importance: |
| Talk not to me, for I’ll not speak a word.Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee. | Lady Capulet –> JulietExplication: Don’t talk to me, because I won’t say a word. Do as you please, because I’m done worrying about you.Importance: |
| I think it best you married with the county.Oh, he’s a lovely gentleman.Romeo’s a dishclout to him. An eagle, madam,Hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eyeAs Paris hath. Beshrew my very heart,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 –> JulietExplication: I think the best thing to do is to marry the count. Oh, he’s a lovely gentleman! Romeo’s a dishcloth compared to him. Madam, an eagle does not have eyes as green, as quick, and as fair as the eyes of Paris. Curse my very heart, but I think you should be happy in this second marriage, because it’s better than your first. Even if it’s not better, your first marriage is over. Or if Romeo is as good as Paris, Romeo doesn’t live here, so you don’t get to enjoy him.Importance: |
| Well, thou hast comforted me marvelous much. | Juliet –> NurseExplication: Well, you have given me great comfort.Importance: |
Romeo and Juliet: Act III Important Quotes
July 29, 2019