romeo and juliet act 3

Quotes

Character(s)

Explanation

“for now, these hot days, mad blood stirring”

Benvolio to Mercutio

Benvolio is being cautious as he is aware that the feud is being exacerbated by the exchanges between Romeo and Juliet, and other parties involved in their romantic exchange. Moreover, with Romeo’s recent sighting at the ball, Tybalt was especially agitated, hence this quote effectively foreshadows the events occuring in A3S1 and onwards.

“hot a Jack in thy mood as any in Italy”

Mercutio to Benvolio

Mercutio is suggesting that Benvolio is hot-blooded when he is angry, which foreshadows that an event is about to occur that will anger him. Shows us about Benvolio’s character.

“moved to be moody, and as soon moody to be moved”

Mercutio to Benvolio

Soon, suggesting that in a short time, something that will cause anger and distress among the people is going to occur. Also shows us about Benvolio’s character.

“we should have none shortly, for one would kill the other”

Mercutio to Benvolio

Immense foreshadowing, where two people die in this scene

“Thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more or a hair less than thou hast … with a man for cracking nuts, no other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes … with a man for coughing in the street, because he hath wakened thy dog that hath lain asleep in the sun … fall out with a tailor for wearing his new doublet before Easter … with another for tying his new shoes with old riband”

Mercutio to Benvolio

Mercutio suggests that Benvolio is a very hateful person who engages in quarrels with people for any and all reasons. This is especially ironic as later in the scene, it is Mercutio who agitates Tybalt and eventually causes the bloody brawl.

“Thy head is as full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat, and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarrelling”

Mercutio to Benvolio

Mercutio suggests that Benvolio is a very hateful person and all he can think about is fighting with other people. This is especially ironic as later in the scene, it is Mercutio who agitates Tybalt and eventually causes the bloody brawl.

“make it a word and a blow”

Mercutio to Tybalt

Mercutio is heavily driven by rage towards the Capulets, and sees their every interaction as an opportunity to engage in a brawl.

“Consort? What, dost thou make us minstrels? … here’s my fiddlestick, here’s that shall make you dance”

Mercutio to Tybalt

Mercutio deliberately misunderstands and twists Tybalt’s word to make it seem like Tybalt has insulted him, and he can therefore have a reason to challenge Tybalt

“thou art a villain”

Tybalt to Romeo

Tybalt blatantly calls Romeo a villain here, which shows his hatred towards Romeo.

“Doth much excuse the appertaining rage”

Romeo to Tybalt

Romeo acknowledges the fiery anger between the two.

“Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me, therefore turn and draw”

Tybalt to Romeo

Tybalt holds a grudge against Romeo for the wrong-doings of his past, and calls him “boy”, which is insulting in an era and society whereby social hierachy and status was important. He is consumed by anger here.

“O calm, dishonourable, vile submission”

Mercutio to Tybalt

Mercutio is enraged hearing the exchange between Romeo and Tybalt. He is fed up and continuously picks a fight with Tybalt.

“A plague o both houses!”

Mercutio

Mercutio repeats this three times before he dies. This shows the rage between the two households will present itself as a curse, possibly foreshadowing Romeo and Juliet’s deaths.

“fire-eyed fury be my conduct now”

Romeo to Tybalt

Romeo is guided by his rage in attacking Tybalt.

Quotes

Character(s)

Explanation

"Tybalt …”

Romeo to Tybalt

Romeo is seen directly addressing Tybalt, which shows Romeo’s respect for Tybalt despite Tybalt addressing Romeo with lack of respect, showing his reason with Tybalt.

“The reason that I have to love thee”

Romeo to Tybalt

Even when Tybalt challenges Romeo and continuously jabs at him, provoking an argument / brawl, Romeo still reasons with Tybalt.

“Therefore farewell, I see thou knowest me not”

Romeo to Tybalt

As Romeo was now Tybalt’s cousin, but Tybalt does not know that as the marriage occured in secret, Romeo reasons with Tybalt, giving him the benefit of doubt that if he knew about their newly formed relation, Tybalt would not challenge Romeo as such. Despite it being hurtful to his pride, Romeo refuses to attack Tybalt back, and puts Juliet and her feelings before his desires and feelings.

“this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me, therefore turn and draw”

Tybalt to Romeo

Despite Romeo insisting not to fight, Tybalt who is known as the representation of anger due to his fiery nature, is driven by his passion for brawl. He does not think about the implications that the fight may have on him or the Capulets.

“I do protest I never injured thee, but love thee better than thou canst devise”

Romeo to Tybalt

Romeo reasons with Tybalt, and puts aside his own “name-clearing” to pursue his agenda on keeping peace within the households due to his relations with Juliet.

“Till thou shalt know the reason of my love”

Romeo to Tybalt

While Tybalt is enraged at Romeo, Romeo still tries to reason with Tybalt as much as possible. While he cannot directly disclose the terms of his relations to the Capulets, he still hints to Tybalt that theres a major underlying cause for his peaceful nature, prompting Tybalt to also keep the peace.

“And so good Capulet, which name I tender as dearly as my own, be satisfied”

Romeo to Tybalt

Romeo suggests that he now has respect for the Capulets, which stems from his relationship with Juliet. He calls Tybalt good Capulet, trying to appease Tybalt to prevent any further escalation.

“Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage”

Romeo to Mercutio, Tybalt, Benvolio

Romeo is seen practising reasoning in his interactions with his peers, by being mature and choosing to avoid conflict rather than impulsively engaging in it in the spur of the moment.

“Tybalt, Mercutio, the Prince expressly hath forbid this bandying in Verona streets”

Romeo to Mercutio, Tybalt

Romeo reminds his peers (who are also older than him) of the Prince’s rule and asks them to practice reasoning - for if they did fight, they will be severely punished. Hence, he tells not to fight.

“Away to heaven respective lenity, and fire-eyed fury be my conduct now”

Romeo to Tybalt / Romeo’s commentary

Romeo, now taken over by his rage for Tybalt as he had just slain his friend, gives into his passion (his anger) and rushes to retaliate and attack Tybalt.

“His fault concludes but what the law should end - the life of Tybalt”

Montague to Prince

Montague reasons with the Prince that Romeo should not be punished for following the law, by killing Tybalt (therefore carrying out the death sentence) for killing Mercutio, as rightfully would had been done eventually.

“I will be deaf to pleading and excuses, nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses”

Prince to all

The Prince clearly states that his decision will be influenced by reasoning and rationality, rather than bribery and passion.

“Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill”

Prince to all

The Prince reasons with both households and acknowledges that Mercutio being slain was Tybalt’s fault, and Romeo had acted in retaliation, but rightfully recognises Romeo’s course of action as murder and not a lawful act. Therefore, he issues Romeo a sentence that is lighter than the death sentence - banishment.

Quotes

Character(s)

Explanation

“Bring in cloudy night immediately”

Juliet

Juliet cannot wait for the day to end and for night to come as Romeo can only come to visit her at night, showing her longing love.

“Spread thy close curtain, love performing night”

Juliet

Close curtain, love performing - implying sexual contact, and desire

“Romeo leap to these arms, untalked of and unseen”

Juliet

Juliet wants physical contact with Romeo desperately, as highlighted by her usage of the verb “leap”, which shows her burning love for Romeo. However, we also see how much Juliet practices rationality and care in her love as she doesn’t want Romeo to get punished for sneaking in and meeting Juliet, hence wishing upon his appearance to be “untalked of and unseen”.

“Lovers can see to do their amorous rites, by their own beauties; or if love be blind, it best agrees with night”

Juliet

Love best agreeing with night suggests that Juliet cares for Romeo and only meets him at night so that he isn’t discovered so that their love can continue.

“And learn me how to lose a winning match”

Juliet

“Hood my unmanned blood, bating in my cheeks, with thy black mantle, till strange love grow bold, think true love acted simple modesty”

Juliet

Juliet expresses her emotions through sickeningly sweet acts of love such as “blood bating in (her) cheeks” implying that Romeo makes her blush. Moreover, “black mantle” refers to Romeo creeping in the dark to pursue this love. Juliet is amused by it and likes the secrecy of their relationship, as seen by her reference of their love to “strange love”.

“Come night, come Romeo, come thou day in night”

Juliet

Romeo equates to night. Whenever night comes, Juliet only thinks of her loving relationship with Romeo.

“For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night, whiter than snow upon a raven’s back”

Juliet

Romeo represents purity to her. She sees Romeo as light in the darkness, and we see the idolization / glorification of Romeo through the manner by which Juliet presents Romeo to the audience.

“Give me my Romeo”

Juliet

We see her desperation. She is eager to have Romeo, and she refers to him as her belonging of sort, which shows her possessive love. Throughout this segment, we see the different layers of love Juliet possesses for Romeo - possessive, rational, caring, desperate, strange, etc etc.

“When he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine”

Juliet

Juliet suggests that Romeo is beautiful alive or dead, and she constantly wants to see him no matter what. She refers to him like light in the dark night sky - which could also represent her relationship with Romeo as her levity at night. When she sees Romeo visiting her at night, her mood lifts and her day improves.

“All the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun”

Juliet

She calls the sun “garish” because it exposes Romeo. When she sees the sun, she only can think of the fact that Romeo can’t see her now because it is not night. Hence, when Romeo becomes the stars in the sky, she implies that the rest of the world would share the same love she has for night time.

“I have bought the mansion of a love, but not possessed it”

Juliet

She is wedded to Romeo but has not truly experienced this love - she is longing.

“Though I am sold, not yet enjoyed”

Juliet

Sexual implication - She has not had her virginity taken by Romeo. In the time’s context, this was an important milestone in relationships and required immense love and trust between the pair. This shows Juliet’s devotion to Romeo.

“So tedious is this day as is the night before some festival”

Juliet

The night before a festival is filled with excitement, filled with counting down of the hours, minutes, seconds before the event. That is the feeling of deep desire and longing, Juliet really wants Romeo and she finds the day tedious because she is stuck in a period of waiting and can’t wait for Romeo to arrive.

“An impatient child that hath new robes and may not wear them”

Juliet

Children are known for their impatient tendencies. They are more emotionally fragile than adults. Hence, by comparing herself to an impatient child, we can see that her love has stretched beyond love, and grown into a love driven by raw, heightened emotions.

“Romeo’s name speaks heavenly eloquence”

Juliet

Juliet is so in love with Romeo that she spares heavy significance just for his name alone. She highly regards him, showing her pure love. This could also be foreshadowing that Romeo is not as pure as we think he is.

“Blistered by thy tongue for such a wish.”

Juliet

“He was not born to shame”

Juliet

“Romeo banished. That ‘banished’ , that one word ‘banished’, hath slain ten thousand Tybalts”

Juliet

“‘Romeo is banished’ — to speak that word is father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet, all slain, all dead”

Juliet

““‘Romeo is banished’. There is no end, no limit, measure, bound, In that word’s death; no words can that woe sound”

Juliet

“(My tears) shall be spent, when theirs are dry, for Romeo’s banishment”

Juliet

“I’ll find Romeo to comfort you”

Nurse

“Hark ye, your Romeo will be here at night”

Nurse

Quotes

Character(s)

Explanation

“For who is living, if these two are gone?”

Juliet

“O Serpent heart, hid with a flow’ring face”

Juliet

“Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?”

Juliet

“Beautiful tyrant, fiend angelical”

Juliet

“Dove-feathered raven”

Juliet

“Wolvish ravening lamb”

Juliet

“Despised substance of divinest show”

Juliet

“Just opposite to what thou justly seem’st”

Juliet

“A damned saint, an honourable villain!”

Juliet

“Spirit of a fiend in mortal paradise of such sweet flesh?”

Juliet

“Was ever a book containing such vile matter so fairly bound?”

Juliet

“O deceit should dwell in such a gorgeous palace!”

Juliet

“No trust, no faith, no honesty in men”

Nurse

“Give me some aqua vitae. These griefs, these woes, these sorrows make me old”

Nurse

“Shame come to Romeo!”

Nurse

“O what a beast I was to chide at him!”

Juliet

“Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?”

Juliet

“What tongue shall smooth thy name when I thy three-hours’ wife have mangled it?”

Juliet

“But wherefore, villain, didst thou kill my cousin?”

Juliet

“That villain cousin would have killed my husband”

Juliet

“My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain, and Tybalt’s dead, that would have slain my husband”

Juliet

“Like damned guilty deeds to sinners’ minds”

Juliet

Quotes

Character(s)

Explanation

“Affliction is enamoured of thy parts”

Friar Lawrence to Romeo

“Thou art wedded to calamity”

Friar Lawrence to Romeo

“A gentler judgement vanished from his lips”

Friar Lawrence to Romeo

“Not body’s death, but body’s banishment”

Friar Lawrence to Romeo

“Be merciful, say death”

Romeo to Friar Lawrence

“For exile hath more terror in his look, much more than death”

Romeo to Friar Lawrence

“Be patient, for the world is broad and wide”

Friar to Romeo

“There is no world without Verona walls, but purgatory, torture, hell itself”

Romeo to Friar

“banished is banished from the world”

Romeo to Friar

“World’s exile is death. Then ‘banished’ is death mis-termed”

Romeo to Friar

“Calling death ‘banished’, they cut’st my head off with a golden axe, and smilest upon the stroke that murders me.”

Romeo to Friar

“O deadly sin! O rude unthankfulness!”

Friar to Romeo

“Thy fault our law calls death, but the kind Prince taking thy part hath rushed aside the law, and turned that black word ‘death’ to ‘banishment’”

Friar to Romeo

“This is dear mercy, and thou seest it not”

Friar to Romeo

“‘Tis torture and not mercy”

“More validity, more honourable state, more courtship lives in carrison flies than Romeo”

“Flies may do this, but I from this must fly”

“They are free men, but I am banished”

“And say’st thou yet that exile is not death?”

“Hadst thou no poison mixed, no sharp-ground knife, no sudden mean of death, though ne’er so mean, but ‘banished’ to kill me?”

“O friar, the damned use that word in hell”

“How hast thou the heart, being a divine, a ghostly confessor, a sin-absolver, and my friend professed, to mangle me with that word banished?”

“Thou fond mad man”

“Hear me a little speak”

“I’ll give thee armour to keep off that word”

Friar

“Adversity’s sweet milk, philosophy, to comfort thee though thou art banished”

“Hang up philosophy!”

Romeo

“Displant a town, reverse a prince’s doom, it helps not , it prevails not. Talk no more.”

Romeo

“madmen have no ears”

Friar

“wise men have no eyes”

Romeo

“Let me dispute with thee of thy estate”

Friar

“Thou canst not speak of that thou dost not feel”

Romeo

“Wert thou as young as I, Juliet thy love, an hour but married, Tybalt murdered, doting like me, and like me banished, then mightst thou speak, then mightst thou tear thy hair, and fall upon the ground … taking the measure of an unmade grave”

Romeo

“good Romeo, hide thyself”

“Thou wilt be taken … Run to my study”

“There on the ground, with his own tears made drunk”

“O tell me friar, tell me, in what vile part of this anatomy doth my name lodge?”

Romeo

“Tell me, that I may sack the hateful mansion”

Romeo

“Hold thy desperate hand”

“Art thou a man? Thy form cries out thou art.”

“Thy tears are womanish”

“Thy wild acts denote the unreasonable fury of a beast”

“Unseemingly woman in a seeming man”

“Wilt thou slay thyself, and slay thy lady that in thy lives, by doing damned hate upon thyself?

“Thy noble shape is but a form of wax, digressing from the valour of a man”

“Thy dear love sworn but a holy perjury”

“Killing that love which thou hast vowed to cherish”

“Thy wit, that ornament to shape and love misshapen in the conduct of them both”

“Like powder in a skilless soldier’s flask is set afire by thine own ignorance”

“thou dismembered with thine own defence”

“thy Juliet is alive, for whose dear sake thou wast but lately dead”

“There art thou happy, Tybalt would kill thee, but thou slewest Tybalt; there art thou happy too”

“law that threatened death becomes thy friend”

“turns it to exile; there are thou happy”

“a pack of blessings light upon thy back”

“happiness courts thee in her best array”

“Romeo is coming”

“good counsel … O what learning is!”

Quote

Character(s)

Explanation

“Heaven is here, where Juliet lives, and every cat and dog, and little mouse, every unworthy thing, live here in heaven and may look on her, but Romeo may not”

Romeo

“They may sieze on the white wonder of dear Juliet’s hand, and steal immortal blessing from her lips, who even in pure and vestal modesty still blush, as thinking their own kisses sin. But Romeo may not, he is banished”

Romeo

“Unless philosophy can make a Juliet”

Romeo

“Spakest thou of Juliet?”

Romeo

"Doth not she think me an old murderer …”

Romeo

“I have stained the childhood of our joy with blood removed but little from her own?”

Romeo

“What says my concealed lady to our cancelled love?”

Romeo

“How well my comfort is revived by this”

Romeo

“But that a joy past joy calls out on me”

Romeo

Quotes

Character(s)

Explanation

“know her mind early tomorrow; tonight, she’s mewed up to her heaviness”

“I think she will be ruled in all respects by me”

Dominating love. Not a very pretty one.

“She shall be married to this noble earl.”

“Go you to Juliet ere you to go bed”

Quotes

Character(s)

Explanation

“Commend me to your daughter”

“I would that Thursday were tomorrow”

Quotes

Character(s)

Explanation

“I must be gone and live, or stay and die”

“…not daylight, … to be to thee this night a torch-bearer”

Juliet

“Therefore stay yet, thou need’st not to be gone”

Juliet

“I have more care to stay than will to go”

“Let’s talk; it is not day”

“Some say the lark makes sweet division; This doth not so, for she divideth us”

“Hunting thee hence with hunt’s-up to the day. O now be gone; more light and light it grows”

“more dark and dark our woes”

“window let day in, and let life out”

“one kiss, and I’ll descend”

“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”

“I shall be much in years, ere I again behold my Romeo”

“all these woes shall serve for sweet discourses in our times to come”

“dry sorrow drinks our blood. adieu, adieu”

“I will not marry yet, and when I do, I swear it shall be Romeo”

Quotes

Character(s)

Explanation

“So shall you feel the loss, but not the friend which you weep for”

“weep no more… I hope thou wilt be satisfied”

“a careful father child, … hath sorted out a sudden day of joy”

“Paris… shall happily make thee there a joyful bride”

“Doth she not count her blest, unworthy as she is, that we have wrought so worthy a gentleman to be her bride?”

“Thankful that you have”

“go with Paris … or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither”

“green-sickness carrion, … tallow-face”

“what, are you mad?”

“hang thee young baggage, disobedient wretch!”

“or never after look me in the face”

“speak not, reply not, do not answer me”

“My fingers itch”

“Wife, we scarce thought us blest that God had lent us but this only child”

“this one is one too much, … curse in having her”

“hilding!”

“day, night, hour, tide, time, work, play, alone, in company, still my care hath been to heave her matched”

“provided a gentleman of noble parentage, fair demesnes, youthful and nobly trained, stuffed … with honourable parts, proportioned as one’s thought would wish a man”

“an you be mine, I’ll give you to my friend; an you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, for by my soul, I’ll ne’er acknowledge thee”

Quotes

Character(s)

Explanation

“comfort me, counsel me”

Juliet

“Romeo is banished, and all the world to nothing”

Nurse

“I think it best you married with the County”

Nurse

“O he’s a lovely gentleman! Romeo’s a dishclout to him; an eagle, madam, hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eye as Paris hath”

Nurse

“I think you are happy in this second match”

Nurse

“Your first is dead … you no use of him”

Nurse

“thou hast comforted me marvellous much”

Juliet

“this is wisely done”

Nurse

“is it more sin to wish me thus forsworn, or to dispraise my lord with that same tongue which she hath praised him with above compare so many thousand times?”

Juliet

“If all else fail, myself have power to die”

Juliet