romeo & juliet: act 2

“Can I go forward when my heart is here?” 

• speaker: Romeo
• context: talking to himself about Juliet after the party; says he can’t move on b/c his heart is stuck on Juliet
• importance: knows they are from opposing families, but he loves her too much to care; also has moved on from Rosaline

 “It is the east and Juliet is the sun”

• speaker: Romeo
• context: is talking under Juliet’s window and is comparing her to the sun
• importance: light/dark idea, Juliet’s beauty is the light in Romeo’s life

“Deny thy father and refuse thy name”

• speaker: Juliet
• context: Juliet is talking to herself and wants Romeo to give up his name
• importance: connects to theme of identity, their family names keeping them apart; if they give it up, they can be together

“What’s in a name?  That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet”

• speaker: Juliet
• context: questioning the importance of a family name, says a rose would be the same no matter what name we call it
• importance: shows how their family names mean too much to society; shouldn’t matter b/c they are the same people no matter what

“It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden”

• speaker: Juliet
• context: Juliet is talking to Romeo, says that their relationship is moving too quickly
• importance: says they are rushing, but wants to get married → she’s indecisive; knows they are moving quickly, but they love each other too much

 “My bounty is as boundless as the sea”

• speaker: Juliet
• context: simile - comparison to the sea; says that she loves him endlessly
• importance: shows how strong and deep their connection is even though they just met

 “With baleful weeds and precious-juiced flowers” 

• speaker: Friar Lawrence
• context: says that he will collect poisonous weeds and “precious” flowers
• importance: Juxtaposition - contrasting ideas of poisonous and precious; anything can be good, but also bad; people can be good, but also have evil in them

“Within thy help and holy physic lies”

• speaker: Romeo
• context: talking to Friar Lawrence about how he wants to marry Juliet
• importance: believes that marrying Juliet will be the remedy to the quarrel between the two families

“Young men’s love then lies not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes”

• speaker: Friar Lawrence
• context: talking to Romeo, says that Romeo loves with his eyes and not his heart
• importance:
  • reality of R&J’s relationship
  • only love each other for their appearance, not their personalities
  • sign of immaturity → connection to Romeo thinking dreams are based in reality

“I will bite thee by the ear for that jest”

• speaker: Mercutio
• context: joking around w/ Benvolio and Romeo
• importance: shows Mercutio’s joking spirit, helps characterize a comfortable relationship between Mercutio, Benvolio, and Romeo
  • Mercutio and Romeo → foils of one another
  • M = light-hearted
  • R = more serious

“My mistress is the sweetest lady”

• speaker: nurse
• context: convo between Romeo and nurse about the marriage plan
• importance: shows how much nurse cares for Juliet, she wants Romeo to care the same way

“In half an hour she promised to return”

• speaker: Juliet
• context: waiting for nurse to get back with a messege from Romeo
• importance: characterizes Juliet as impatient and young spirited, nervous to hear the news

“Then hie you hence to Friar Lawrence’s cell; There stays a husband to make you a wife”

• speaker: nurse
• context: nurse is telling Juliet where to go to get married
• importance: marriage = risky but fun; shows that the marriage is actually going to happen

“That after-hours with sorrow chide us not”

• speaker: friar lawrence
• context: romeo is about to marry juliet
• importance: Friar Lawrence hopes that this marriage doesn’t cause him or the kids too much trouble

“But come what sorrow can”

• speaker: romeo
• context: romeo is about to marry Juliet
• importance: doesn’t care about the negatives that come with marrying Juliet b/c he loves her so much → wants to be with her no matter what

“Then love-devouring death do what he dare” 

• speaker: Romeo
• context: romeo is about to marry Juliet
• importance: He doesn’t care what negatives come with the marriage - he just wants to be with her no matter what

“These violent delights have violent ends”  

• speaker: Friar Lawrence
• context: Friar Lawrence is about to help Romeo and Juliet get married
• importance: says that they shouldn’t love too intensely b/c that will come with trouble from two families

“Therefore love moderately.  Long love doth so” 

• speaker: Friar Lawrence
• context: Friar is about to help R&J get married
• importance: he tells R to love her forever, but love her moderately to avoid trouble - don’t love her too intensely
  • foreshadows them killing themselves for the other

light/dark motif in 2.1 when Romeo is searching for Juliet

• love = brightness
• whole scene is during the night (darkness), which sets up the next scene

what does Romeo compare Juliet to when talking to himself in 2.2?

the sun

How does Romeo personify the night and the moon? How does it compare to Juliet? (2.2)

• the moon is sick - given human characteristics of being pale and sick
• juliet is more beautiful than the moon

What is a theme that is connected to Juliet’s speech about their family names?

Theme: Labels - which are made by society - don’t reflect on one’s integrity or true personality.

Why does Romeo, agreeing with Juliet, say the two can’t be together? (2.2)

He says that they can’t be together b/c their family will split them apart.

What does Romeo credit to helping him find Juliet? (2.2)

Romeo credits the love he feels for Juliet b/c apperantly it help climb over the wall.

What is their plan after R&J meet at Juliet’s balcony? (2.2)

Juliet wants Romeo to give a marriage proposal tomorrow.

How are Romeo’s friends insulting Nurse? (2.4)

They are teasing and making fun of her. Nurse doesn’t like the way they are making fun of her, so she starts doubting why Romeo is friends with people like them.

What is Nurse going to go back and tell Juliet? (2.4)

• Nurse will tell Juliet to meet Romeo at Friar Lawrence’s cell to marry him
• Romeo gave Nurse a ladder to help Romeo sneak in at night

what is characterization?

author describes a character looking at a character’s speech, thoughts, effects on others, actions and looks.

What adjectives can be used to describe Juliet’s tone when criticizing the nurse after meeting romeo?

• she was criticizing the nurse for not being fast enough
• she was speaking in a annoyed, anxious, frustrated, and impatient tone

tone

the author’s attitude towards a piece of work

violent

• physical force intended to hurt, brutal
• intensity

conceit

pride in oneself

chide

to scold

wanton

uncontrollable, unrestrained, rebellious

Why would Friar Lawrence ask the heavens not to chide them all for the wedding?

• he knows that the society/their families won’t be happy with their marriage
• hopes that it doesn’t bring too much trouble

What is the tone in:

“these violent (intense) delights have violent (brutal) ends”

the tone is negative and scared, which foresahdows the death of Romeo and Juliet

fair

beautiful

discourse

speech, communication, speaking

wilt

won’t

bescreened

to shelter, conceal, hide

kinsmen

relative

enmity

hatred

fain

with pleasure

perjuries

lying

repose

to lie or rest

substantial

real

strife

lack of agreement

motif

recurring images, quotes, or concepts that take on a figurative or symbolic meaning throughout the story