Romeo and Juliet key quotes

• The sworn enemies


  Romeo and Juliet
• Romeo and Juliet


  • Young
  • Mature
  • Secretive
• Juliet


  The female protagonist of the play
• The protagonist can be perceived as the anomaly in me play, as she is the only character that attempt to reject the societal pressures she faces at the insists on marrying for love and takes action against circumstances.
• Juliet's relationship with the nurse

  Contrasts how distant she is with her mother, reflecting how upper class women did not raise their children
• Nurse


  Carries out the role of a 'traditional' mother, giving Juliet advice and looking after her
• Juliet's relationship with the nurse is more naturally maternal than with lady Capulet
• Juliet: '"my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay'"'
• "my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay'"


  Juliet is expressing her willingness to give up everything she has for Romeo, showing her devotion and willingness to prioritise their relationship above all else
• Juliet: '"I must love a loathed enemy"'
• "I must love a loathed enemy"


  Juliet is expressing deep disappointment and sadness at the fact that fate has written into the stars that she's going to fall in love with the sworn enemy
• Juliet: '"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art though Romeo?"'
• "O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art though Romeo?"


  Juliet is pondering where is Romeo? and how are they going to solve this issue, because she is in love with someone who's the sworn enemy
• Juliet: '"deny thy father I'll no longer be a capulet
• "deny thy father I'll no longer be a capulet"


  Juliet is willing to give up her Capulet identity if it means they can be together, showing her love and commitment to Romeo
• Romeo


  • Starts as a love sick youth infatuated with Rosaline, but quickly falls deeply in love with Juliet
• Romeo: '"O Loving hate!"'
• "O Loving hate!"


  Romeo is expressing the paradoxical nature of love and hate, highlighting the conflicting emotions he is experiencing
• Romeo: '"I ne'er saw true beauty till this night’
• "I ne'er saw true beauty till this night"

  Romeo exaggerates by claiming he has never seen true beauty before encountering Juliet, emphasizing the profound impact Juliet's beauty has on him
• Romeo: '"winged messenger of heaven"'
• "winged messenger of heaven"


  Romeo associates Juliet with heavenly messengers, emphasizing her spiritual and transcendent nature
• Romeo and Juliet's fatal flaws are their impulsiveness, which ultimately leads to their tragic ending
• The extract displays a sonnet with an ABAB rhyme scheme, suggesting gradual growth of attraction or perhaps 'love' between Romeo and Juliet, and also challenging 16th century ideals of love
• Nurse: '"though wast the prettiest babe that l'er nursed"'
• "though wast the prettiest babe that l'er nursed"


  The Nurse's maternal approach towards Juliet, talking to her like a mother more than Lady Capulet does
• Nurse: '"If you should lead her in a fools paradise."'
• "If you should lead her in a fools paradise."

  The Nurse is threatening Romeo and saying he better be honest with his intentions and not make Juliet feel stupid, showing her concern for Juliet's well-being
• Nurse: '"Shame came to Romeo!"'
• "Shame came to Romeo!"


  The Nurse is expressing her disapproval of Romeo's actions and behaviour
• Nurse: '"Help! Help! My lady's dead"'
• "Help! Help! My lady's dead"


  The Nurse's exclamatory sentence shows her distress and deep affection and loyalty towards Juliet
• Mercutio: '"If love be rough with you be rough with love."'
• "If love be rough with you be rough with love."


  Mercutio sees love as a form of weakness and suggests treating love the same way it treats you
• Mercutio: '"If love be blind, love cannot hit the mark."'
• "If love be blind, love cannot hit the mark."


  Mercutio makes a shocking sexual comment, showing his cynical view of love and women
• Tybalt: '"talk of peace? I hate the word"'
• "talk of peace? I hate the word"


  Tybalt's rejection of peace and preference for conflict and violence, foreshadowing the continued violence and ultimately his own demise
• Tybalt: '"This instension shall now seeming sweet, convert to bitterest gall"'
• "This instension shall now seeming sweet, convert to bitterest gall"


  Tybalt's shift from delight to intense bitterness, emphasizing the depth of his negative feelings towards Romeo