Speech
Arden 3 | 2012

JULIET
Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face,  [85]
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.
Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny
What I have spoke; but farewell, compliment.
Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say ‘Ay’,  [90]
And I will take thy word; yet, if thou swear’st,
Thou mayst prove false. At lovers’ perjuries,
They say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully,
Or if thou think’st I am too quickly won,  [95]
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 therefore thou mayst think my haviour light.
But trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove more true  [100]
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,  [105]
Which the dark night hath so discovered.

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Words and Pronunciation +
Arden 3 | 2012

Words

mask:  (Weis)

maiden: sw

blush: tir

bepaint: f

have I: have I had (Weis)

would: 3. a. Denoting expression (usually authoritative) of a wish or intention: Determine, decree, ordain, enjoin, give order (that something be done). Obs. (OED)

Jesu: not yet banned at this date and, outside RJ, used exclusively in the history plays, particularly in the Henry IVs (Weis)

stay the circumstance: wait for the detail (see without circumstance, 5.3.181) (Weis)

circumstance: special argument, detailed explanation (SW); circumlocution, verbiage, unnecessary detail (SW): pageantry, ceremony, spectacle (SW)

simple: foolish; Nurse picks up Juliet’s formal dichotomy of good and bad while ignoring the substance of her question. (Weis); foolish, silly, stupid (SW)

flower of courtesy: effectively a non sequitur after flower of courtesy since gentleness could be thought to be part of courtesy; ‘as gentle as a lamb’ is proverbial (Dent, L34). (Weis)

go thy ways: ‘Lucky you!’ ways: well done (SW), carry on, go ahead (SW); get along, be off (SW)

wench:  a term of endearment for a young woman (OED sb. c) (Weis)

serve God: ‘Be good.’ (Weis)

dined: had your midday meal (Weis)

as: as if (Weis, re: line 49)

beshrew your heart: a mild and humorous imprecation on Juliet’s romantic heart for sending Nurse on this ‘back-breaking’ trip (cf. MA 5.1.55) (Weis)

beshrew: blame, censure, take to task, wish mischief on (SW); curse, devil take, evil befall (SW)

jauncing: prancing about (cited under OED jaunce v.)(Weis); jaunce: jaunt, trudge about, run around (SW); jaunt, fatiguing journey (SW)

honest: honourable (Weis); honourable, respectable, upright (SW); genuine, real, true (SW); innocent, well-intentioned, innocuous (SW)

warrant: assure, promise, guarantee, confirm (SW)

oddly: unequally, unevenly; or unusually, in a peculiar way (SW)

O God’s Lady: ‘by the Virgin Mary’ (Weis)

hot: eager, with a teasing intimation of unbecoming sexual passion (Weis); active, vigourous (SW); hot-tempered, angry, passionate (SW); fast, hasty (SW); lecherous, lustful, hot-blooded (SW); amorous, sexually eager, ardent, appetent (Partridge)

marry come up: a proverbial expression of indignant or amused surprise (Dent, M699.2) (Weis); expression of (real or playful) impatience (SW)

marry: [exclamation] by Mary (SW)

I trow: here meaning ‘surely’ (OED v. 4b glosses ‘I suppose’) (Weis); trow: (I) wonder, (I) ask you (SW); think, expect, believe (SW); believe, give credence to, accept as true (SW); hope, trust, suppose (SW); think, be sure (SW); know, guess, imagine (SW)

poultice: soothing dressing (Shakespeare’s only usage of the word) (Weis);1. A moist, usually heated mass of a substance with a soft, pasty consistency, applied to the skin, usually by means of a bandage or dressing, in order to promote healing, reduce swelling, relieve pain, etc.; a fomentation, a cataplasm. Also figurative. (OED)

coil: ado, fuss; cf. ‘I am not worth this coil that’s made for me’ (KJ 2.1.165).(Weis); turmoil, disturbance, fuss (SW); 1. Noisy disturbance, ‘row’; ‘tumult, turmoil, bustle, stir, hurry, confusion’ (Johnson).2. Confused noise of inanimate things; clutter, rattle, confused din. 3. Fuss, ado; a ‘business’.  4.a. to keep a coil: to keep up a disturbance; make a fuss, bustle, much ado.

shrift:  confession (Leung, SW); absolution (SW); confessional, place for hearing confession (SW)

hie: hasten, go quickly (also at 72, 77, 78) (Weis); hasten, hurry, speed (SW)

cell: small, humble dwelling (SW)

stays: waits (Leung); stay: stay in hiding, remain hidden (SW); staying, remaining, continued presence (SW); remain, continue, endure (SW); wait (for), await (SW)

wanton blood: Juliet is starting to blush (Weis)

blood: spirit, vigour, mettle (SW); anger, temper, passion (SW); colouring, healthy complexion, blushing (SW); hot blood, the blood as affected by sexual passion (Partridge, 67)

wanton: feminine; or: childlike (SW); lascivious, lewd, obscene (SW); carefree, lighthearted, frolicsome, playful (SW)

climb: to climb a woman’s legs (as though they were the limb of a tree) and then enjoy her (Partridge, 80)

bird’s nest: i.e. Juliet’s bedroom; the idiom ‘to climb a bird’s nest’ may have been proverbial (Dent, N124.1). (Weis) pudend and pubic hair (Partridge, 66)

at any: hasten, go quickly (also at 72, 77, 78) (Weis)

drudge and toil in your delight: ‘I am a mean labourer and hack, and I labour for your pleasure.’ (Weis)

drudge: slave, serf, lackey (SW)

bear the burden: assume responsibility for what will ensue; but also suggesting that Juliet will experience the weight of Romeo’s body during love-making (cf. AC 1.5.22).(Weis); bear: to bear children; to bear, support, a superincumbent man (Partridge, 63)

soon at night: tonight (proverbial; Dent, S639.1) (Weis); quickly, in a short time (SW)

hie to high fortune: Wish me luck. (No Fear Shakespeare Translation)

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Pronunciation +

lookest: possibly “look’st” (Leung, also: Arden CWRE, 1998)

shamest: (line 23) Q2–3; sham’st Q4, F; not in Q1 (Weis)

Jesu: (line 29) jeez-yoo or jee-zoo; jayz-yoo or jay-zoo

you: (line 29) The more formal pronoun is used consistently by Nurse when addressing Juliet, while the 13-year-old uses the familiar thou, thee, thy to her servant, in conformity with the etiquette of the day in which social class overrides age. (Weis)

marry: (line 62) mah-ree (UK); meh-ree (US) (OED)

trow: (line 62) tr-ah-oo (UK); tr-oh (US) (OED)

hie: (line 68) hah-ee

wanton: (line 70) want-en or want-in

+prose: (lines 38-45) The nurse switches to prose for this speech.

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Translation
No Fear Shakespeare

JULIET
You can’t see my face because it’s dark out. Otherwise, you’d see me blushing about the things you’ve heard me say tonight. I would be happy to keep up good manners and deny the things I said. But forget about good manners. Do you love me? I know you’ll say “yes,” and I’ll believe you. But if you swear you love me, you might turn out to be lying. They say Jove laughs when lovers lie to each other. Oh Romeo, if you really love me, say it truly. Or if you think it’s too easy and quick to win my heart, I’ll frown and play hard-to-get, as long as that will make you try to win me, but otherwise I wouldn’t act that way for anything. In truth, handsome Montague, I like you too much, so you may think my behavior is loose. But trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove myself more faithful than girls who act coy and play hard-to-get. I should have been more standoffish, I confess, but you overheard me talking about the love in my heart when I didn’t know you were there. So excuse me, and do not assume that because you made me love you so easily my love isn’t serious.

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Assonance
Arden 3 | 2012

JULIET
Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face,  [85]
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.
Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny
What I have spoke; but farewell, compliment.
Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say ‘Ay’,  [90]
And I will take thy word; yet, if thou swear’st,
Thou mayst prove false. At lovers’ perjuries,
They say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully,
Or if thou think’st I am too quickly won,  [95]
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 therefore thou mayst think my haviour light.
But trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove more true  [100]
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,  [105]
Which the dark night hath so discovered.

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Pronunciation +

shamest: (line 23) Q2–3; sham’st Q4, F; not in Q1 (Weis)

Jesu: (line 29) jeez-yoo or jee-zoo; jayz-yoo or jay-zoo

you: (line 29) The more formal pronoun is used consistently by Nurse when addressing Juliet, while the 13-year-old uses the familiar thou, thee, thy to her servant, in conformity with the etiquette of the day in which social class overrides age. (Weis)

marry: (line 62) mah-ree (UK); meh-ree (US) (OED)

trow: (line 62) tr-ah-oo (UK); tr-oh (US) (OED)

hie: (line 68) hah-ee

wanton: (line 70) want-en or want-in

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Alliteration
Arden 3 | 2012

JULIET
Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face,  [85]
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.
Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny
What I have spoke; but farewell, compliment.
Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say ‘Ay’,  [90]
And I will take thy word; yet, if thou swear’st,
Thou mayst prove false. At lovers’ perjuries,
They say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully,
Or if thou think’st I am too quickly won,  [95]
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 therefore thou mayst think my haviour light.
But trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove more true  [100]
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,  [105]
Which the dark night hath so discovered.

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Consonance
Arden 3 | 2012

JULIET
Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face,  [85]
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.
Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny
What I have spoke; but farewell, compliment.
Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say ‘Ay’,  [90]
And I will take thy word; yet, if thou swear’st,
Thou mayst prove false. At lovers’ perjuries,
They say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully,
Or if thou think’st I am too quickly won,  [95]
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 therefore thou mayst think my haviour light.
But trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove more true  [100]
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,  [105]
Which the dark night hath so discovered.

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Thoughts
Arden 3 | 2012

JULIET
1. Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face,  [85]
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.
2. Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny
What I have spoke; 2b. but farewell, compliment.
3. Dost thou love me? 4. I know thou wilt say ‘Ay’,  [90]
And I will take thy word; 4b. yet, if thou swear’st,
Thou mayst prove false. 5. At lovers’ perjuries,
They say, Jove laughs. 6. O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully,
Or if thou think’st I am too quickly won,  [95]
I’ll frown and be perverse and say thee nay,
So thou wilt woo, but else not for the world.
7. In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond,
And therefore thou mayst think my haviour light.
8. But trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove more true  [100]
Than those that have more cunning to be strange.
9. I should have been more strange, I must confess,
But that thou overheard’st, ere I was ware,
My true-love passion. 10. Therefore pardon me,
And not impute this yielding to light love,  [105]
Which the dark night hath so discovered.

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Thought Count
Arden 3 | 2012

JULIET

Long: 1
Medium: 7 | 5
Short: 2 | 6
Total: 10 | 12

Complex: 2 (2,2)

End stopped: 6
Midline: 4 | 6

Period: 9
Exclamation: 0
Question: 1
Dash: 0

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Rhythm
Arden 3 | 2012

JULIET
Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face, [85] (10R | 11)
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek (10)
For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.(10R)
Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny (10)
What I have spoke; but farewell, compliment. (10R)
Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say ‘Ay’,  [90](10R | 10)
And I will take thy word; yet, if thou swear’st, (10R | 10)
Thou mayst prove false. At lovers’ perjuries, (10R)
They say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo, (10R)
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully, (10R | 10)
Or if thou think’st I am too quickly won,  [95] (10R | 10)
I’ll frown and be perverse and say thee nay, (10R)
So thou wilt woo, but else not for the world. (10)
In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond, (10R | 10)
And therefore thou mayst think my haviour light. (10R)
But trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove more true [100](10R | 10)
Than those that have more cunning to be strange. (10R)
I should have been more strange, I must confess, (10R  10)
But that thou overheard’st, ere I was ware, (10R)
My true-love passion. Therefore pardon me, (10R)
And not impute this yielding to light love,  [105] (10R | 10)
Which the dark night hath so discoverèd. (10)

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Pacing
Arden 3 | 2012

JULIET
Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face,  [85]
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.
Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny
What I have spoke; but farewell, compliment.
Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say ‘Ay’,  [90]
And I will take thy word; yet, if thou swear’st,
Thou mayst prove false. At lovers’ perjuries,
They say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully,
Or if thou think’st I am too quickly won,  [95]
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 therefore thou mayst think my haviour light.
But trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove more true  [100]
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,  [105]
Which the dark night hath so discovered.

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Beats
Arden 3 | 2012

JULIET
Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face,  [85]
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.
Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny
What I have spoke; but farewell, compliment.

decision

---

Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say ‘Ay’,  [90]
And I will take thy word; yet, if thou swear’st,
Thou mayst prove false. At lovers’ perjuries,
They say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully,
Or if thou think’st I am too quickly won,  [95]
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 therefore thou mayst think my haviour light.
But trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove more true  [100]
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,  [105]
Which the dark night hath so discovered.

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Pronunciation +

shamest: (line 23) Q2–3; sham’st Q4, F; not in Q1 (Weis)

Jesu: (line 29) jeez-yoo or jee-zoo; jayz-yoo or jay-zoo

you: (line 29) The more formal pronoun is used consistently by Nurse when addressing Juliet, while the 13-year-old uses the familiar thou, thee, thy to her servant, in conformity with the etiquette of the day in which social class overrides age. (Weis)

marry: (line 62) mah-ree (UK); meh-ree (US) (OED)

trow: (line 62) tr-ah-oo (UK); tr-oh (US) (OED)

hie: (line 68) hah-ee

wanton: (line 70) want-en or want-in

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Rhetoric
Arden 3 | 2012

JULIET
Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face,  [85]
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.
Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny
What I have spoke; but farewell, compliment.
Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say ‘Ay’,  [90]
And I will take thy word; yet, if thou swear’st,
Thou mayst prove false. At lovers’ perjuries,
They say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully,
Or if thou think’st I am too quickly won,  [95]
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 therefore thou mayst think my haviour light.
But trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove more true  [100]
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,  [105]
Which the dark night hath so discovered.

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Scene
Arden 3 | 2012 | 185-200

[ 2.2 ]

ROMEO [Comes forward.]
He jests at scars that never felt a wound.
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,
5Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou her maid art far more fair than she.
Be not her maid, since she is envious;
Her vestal livery is but sick and green,
And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off.

[Enter Juliet aloft.]

10It is my lady, O, it is my love!
O, that she knew she were!
She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that?
Her eye discourses, I will answer it.
I am too bold, ’tis not to me she speaks.
15Two 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 in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars
20As 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,
25That I might touch that cheek!

JULIET
—————————–25Ay me.

ROMEO
———————————–25She speaks.
O speak again, bright angel, for thou art
As glorious to this night, being o’er my head,
As is a winged messenger of heaven
Unto the white-upturned wondering eyes
30Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him
When he bestrides the lazy-puffing clouds
And sails upon the bosom of the air.

JULIET
O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name,
35Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.

ROMEO
Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

JULIET
’Tis but thy name that is my enemy.
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
40What’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;
45So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for thy name, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself.

ROMEO
—————I take thee at thy word.
50Call 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.
55My 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.
60Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague?

ROMEO
Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike.

JULIET
How cam’st thou hither, tell me, and wherefore?
The orchard walls are high and hard to climb,
And the place death, considering who thou art,
65If any of my kinsmen find thee here.

ROMEO
With love’s light wings did I o’erperch 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
70If they do see thee, they will murder thee.

ROMEO
Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye
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
75I have night’s cloak to hide me from their eyes,
An but thou love me, let them find 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
80By love, that first did prompt me to enquire.
He 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
85Thou 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, fain, fain deny
What I have spoke; but farewell, compliment .
90Dost 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 laughs . O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully,
95Or if thou think’st 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 therefore thou mayst think my haviour light.
100But trust me, gentleman, 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,
105And 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,
110That 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 idolatry,
115And I’ll believe thee.

ROMEO
—————–115If 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 the lightning which doth cease to be
120Ere 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
125O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?

JULIET
What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?

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
130Wouldst thou withdraw it? For what purpose, love?

JULIET
But to be frank 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,
135The more I have, for both are infinite.
I hear some noise within. Dear love, adieu.

[Nurse calls within.]

Anon, good Nurse! – Sweet Montague, be true,
Stay but a little, I will come again.

[Exit.]

ROMEO
O blessed, blessed night! I am afeared,
140Being in night, all this is but a dream,
Too flattering-sweet to be substantial.

[Enter Juliet above.]

JULIET
Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed.
If that thy bent of love be honourable,
Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow
145By one that I’ll procure to come to thee,
Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite,
And all my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay,
And follow thee my lord throughout the world.

NURSE [within]
Madam!

JULIET
150I come, anon! – But if thou meanest not well,
I do beseech thee –

NURSE [within]
——————–Madam!

JULIET
—————————-By and by, I come! –
To cease thy strife and leave me to my grief.
Tomorrow will I send.

ROMEO
So thrive my soul –

JULIET
——————–A thousand times good night.[Exit.]

ROMEO
155A 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.

Enter Juliet again.

JULIET
Hist, Romeo, hist! O, for a falconer’s voice
To lure this tassel-gentle back again –
160Bondage is hoarse and may not speak aloud,
Else would I tear the cave where Echo 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.
165How silver-sweet sound lovers’ tongues by night,
Like softest music to attending ears.

JULIET
Romeo!

ROMEO
——–My nyas?

JULIET
——————What o’clock tomorrow
Shall I send to thee?

ROMEO
——————-By the hour of nine.

JULIET
I will not fail. ’Tis twenty year till then.
170I have forgot why I did 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 still stay to have thee still forget,
175Forgetting any other home but this.

JULIET
’Tis almost morning. I would have thee gone,
And yet no farther than a wanton’s bird,
That lets it hop a little from his hand,
Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves ,
180And with a silken 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 should kill thee with much cherishing.
Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow
185That I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.

Romeo
Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast;
Would I were sleep and peace, so sweet to rest.

[Exit Juliet.]

The grey-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night,
Chequering the eastern clouds with streaks of light,
190And darkness, fleckled , like a drunkard reels
From forth day’s pathway made by Titan’s wheels.
Hence will I to my ghostly sire’s close cell,
His help to crave and my dear hap to tell.

Exit.

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Pronunciation +

shamest: (line 23) Q2–3; sham’st Q4, F; not in Q1 (Weis)

Jesu: (line 29) jeez-yoo or jee-zoo; jayz-yoo or jay-zoo

you: (line 29) The more formal pronoun is used consistently by Nurse when addressing Juliet, while the 13-year-old uses the familiar thou, thee, thy to her servant, in conformity with the etiquette of the day in which social class overrides age. (Weis)

marry: (line 62) mah-ree (UK); meh-ree (US) (OED)

trow: (line 62) tr-ah-oo (UK); tr-oh (US) (OED)

hie: (line 68) hah-ee

wanton: (line 70) want-en or want-in

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