English Quotes

What does the prologue say about stars?

“a pair of star-crossed lovers take their lives” FORESHADOWS

ASTROLOGICAL ALLUSION

What does the prologue say about death?

“death-marked love”

• love is marked by death from the beginning.

• doomed love

• FORESHADOWS

What does the prologue say about grudges?

“From ancient grudge break to new mutiny”

• signifies a sudden eruption of conflict

• ”ancient” how ingrained the hatred is

  FORESHADOWS

What does the prolgoue say about civil?

“Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean”

• “civil blood” SYMBOLIZES the bloodshed and violence caused by the feud

• FORESHADOWS- indicated that the feud will lead to further conflict

• the use of the word “civil” is IRONIC- because the feud is anything but civil; its destructive and irrational

Who are the innocent people in the play and why?

Benvolio and Friar Lawrence

• not directly involved in the feuding between the Montagues and Capulet- don’t actively contribute to the violence.

• Their actions and intentions are driven by peace and reconciliation

What does Juliet say about a dagger?

“O happy dagger”

• reflects Juliet’s desperation to reunite with Romeo through death

• phrase is IRONIC because a dagger SYMBOL of death and violence is JUXTAPOSED with the description of happy

What does Romeo say about the sun?

“Juliet is the sun”- Romeo

• METAPHOR- emphasizing the profound impact Juliet has on him

• idealization

• elevates Juliet to a heavenly, radiant status

What does Romeo say about Juliet’s cheek?

“the brightness of her cheek would shame those stars”

• Context: when Romeo first sees Juliet

• HYPERBOLIC- Romeo suggests that Juliet’s beauty surpasses even the radiance of the stars

What does Juliet say about denying names?

“Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or, it thou wilt not… And I’ll no longer be a Capulet”- Juliet

• she wants Romeo to give up his name to be with her, and of he will not, she will give up her name

• SYMBOLIZES the idea that love can transcend the constraints imposed by one’s family

What does Romeo say about fortune?

“O, I am fortune’s fool!”- Romeo

• Romeo utters this line after he has killed Tybalt in a fit of anger and realises that his actions have brought about his own downfall.

• is Romeo’s way of saying that he has made a mistake that has brought misfortune upon himself.

• He believes that he has acted impulsively and that his fate is now controlled by luck or destiny

What does Romeo say about defying?

“Then I defy you, stars”- Romeo

• ASTROLOGICAL ALLUSION

• rebelling against the idea that controlls his and Juliet’s destiny (constraints of fate)

• desire to take control of his own destiny

What does the Romeo say about walls?

“With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls/For stony limits cannot hold love out”

• PERSONIFIES love, suggesting that it has the power to overcome obstacles

• Highlights the force and determination of love

What does Juliet say about parting?

“Parting is such sweet sorrow”- Juliet

• OXYMORON- describes the bittersweet nature of their parting

What does Benvolio say about Rosaline?

“At this same ancient feast of Capulet’s

Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so lovest"

• Context: Benvolio is telling Romeo that Rosaline, whom he loves, is also attending the Capulet's feast.

• This highlights the theme of unrequited love because Rosaline does not share the same romantic feelings for Romeo, which ultimately leads him to fall in love with Juliet later in the play.

What does Romeo say about Cupid and Dian?

“"she'll not be hit / With Cupid's arrow. She hath Dian's wit, /And, in strong proof of chastity well armed, / From love's weak childish bow she lives uncharmed." - Romeo

• ALLUSION- By comparing Rosaline to Diana (the goddess of chastity) and describing her as immune to Cupid's arrows, Romeo emphasizes that Rosaline is not interested in romantic love.

What does Romeo say about the two sides of love?

"Alas, that love, so gentle in his view, / Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof!"- Romeo

• expresses his frustration about the challenges of unrequited love.

• He sees love as gentle in theory but experiences it as tyrannical and rough in reality.

What does Lady Capulet say about marriage?

"Tell me, daughter Juliet, / How stands your disposition to be married?"- Lady Capulet

• expresses her desire to discuss Juliet's disposition regarding marriage, showing her concern for Juliet's future and happiness.

What does Lord Capulet say about J?

“She's the hopeful lady of my earth."- Lord Capulet

• indicating his affection and care for his daughter. He values her greatly.

What does Lady Montague say about where Romeo is?

"O, where is Romeo? Saw you him today? / Right glad I am he was not at this fray."- Lady Montague

• expresses relief that Romeo was not present during the street brawl between the families , underscoring her concern for his well-being.

What does Nurse say about nursing?

"Thou wast the prettiest babe that e'er I nursed. / And I might live to see thee married once"- Nurse

• The Nurse fondly reminisces about caring for Juliet as a baby and expresses her desire to see Juliet married, highlighting her deep affection for Juliet.

What does Nurse say about marriage?

"I think it best you married with the County"- Nurse

• wanting the best for Juliet, and future, she believes that Juliet should marry Paris.

What does the prince say about joy?

“See what a scourge is laid upon your hate, that heaven finds means to kill your joys with love”- prince

• Context: end of play

• conveying his disapproval of the feuding families and the tragic consequences of their hatred.

• emphasizing the IRONY that their hatred has “killed” their joys (meaning their children’s happiness and love)

What does Friar say about eyes?

“Young men’s love, then lies / Not truly in their hearts but in their eyes”- Friar

• suggesting that the love of young men is often more superficial and based on physical attraction rather than deep emotional connection

• impulsive and fickle nature of young love

What does Romeo say about true beauty?

“Did my heart love till now? For i ne’er saw true beauty till this night”- Romeo

• love at first sight

• immediate and intense infatuation

• HYPERBOLE by exaggerating the intensity of Romeo’s feelings

• idealization

What does the prince say about peace?

“If ever you disturb our streets again/Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace”- Prince

• warning- making it clear that further disturbances will result in severe consequences

• FORESHADOWS- the ongoing violence and conflict that willl be central to the plays’s plot

What does Juliet say about her grave?

“My grave is like to be my wedding bed”- Juliet

• FORESHADOWING- she predicts that her love for Romeo will lead to her early death

• SIMILE

• DRAMATIC IRONY

What does Romeo say about love and hate juxtaposed?

“O brawling love, O loving hate”- Romeo

• OXYMORON- convey the complexity of Romeo’s emotions of his unreciprocated love for Rosaline

What does Romeo say about love being tender?

“Is love a tender thing? It is too rough/Too rude, too boist’rous, and it pricks like a thorn”- Romeo

• OXYMORONS- emphasize the conflicting nature of love

• suggests that their love will not be smooth but rather marked by challenges, pain and conflict.

What does Mercutio say about love being rough?

“If love be rough with you, be rough with love, prick love for pricking and beat love down”- Mercutio

• Mercutio’s advice- when faced with the pain of love is to hurt love right back

• punning on the word “prick” as a slang term for “penis”- contrast on the two views of love

• RESPONSE TO LOVE IS TENDER

What does Friar say about alliance?

“For this alliance may so happy prove/To turn your households’ rancour to pure love”- Friar

• Optimism- for the potential for Romeo and Juliet’s love to bring about positive change

• IRONY- as audience knows that the play ultimately ends in tragedy rather than reconciliation.

• Role of friar to advocate for peace

What does Juliet say about love sprung from hate?

“My only love sprung from my only hate/Too early seen unknown, and known too late!”- Juliet

• PARADOX, emphasizes the IRONY that her true love comes from the family she has been raised to hate

• that they met “too early” and recognized“too late”- this timing adds to the tragic nature of their love story

What does Romeo say about love being muffled?

“Alas that love, whose view is muffled still/Should without eyes see pathways to his will”- Romeo

• PERSONFIES love, even when “muffled”, can still find “pathways” to achieve its desires. Emphasizes the idea that love is powerful and acts in unexpected ways.

What does Juliet say about too?

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

• acknowledges of the hastiness of their love

• FORESHADOWS- the impulsive nature of their love

What does Friar say about stumbling?

“Wisely and slow, they stumble that run fast”- Friar

• advising Romeo to not rush and be patient in matters of love

• FORESHADOWS- the impulsive nature of their love

What does Lord Capulet say about stranger?

“My child is yet a stranger in the world”- Lord Capulet

• acknowledges that she is still young and inexperienced

• shows Juliet’s youth and naivety

What does Friar say about violence?

“These violent delights have violent ends”- Friar

• “have violent ends” FORESHADOWS

• warns how that intensity can lead to tragic consequences

• their love is described as “violent” because it’s intense, incredibly powerful and all-consuming

What does Tybalt say about death?

“Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death”- Tybalt

• underscores the deep-seated feud- challenging Benvolio, and essentially threatening to kill him.

• quick to resort to violence

What does Tybalt say about sin?

“Now by the stock and honour of my kin to strike him dead I hold it not a sin”- Tybalt

• emphasizes his loyalty to his family- believes its his duty to protect the family’s reputation and honor

What does Benvolio say about blood?

“I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire.. these hot days is the mad blood stirring”- Benvolio

• Benvolio wants to maintain peace and avoid conflict

• PATHETIC FALLACY- “hot days” symbol of the heightened tension and aggression in the air

What does Romeo say about his identity?

“Henceforth I never will be Romeo”

• prepared to change identity, because he feels constrained

What does Romeo say before dying?

“Here’s to my love”

• symbol of the enduring and unwavering nature of his love for Romeo

• TRAGIC IRONY

• impulsive- driven by emotion