Romeo and Juliet

• Prologue: "A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life."


  Shakespeare gives us the plot of the play before the play even begins. This is interesting and it intrigues the reader as they want to know what the series of events that led up to this could have been.
• Juliet: "O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? / Deny thy father and refuse thy name"


  Juliet, in these lines, declares her willingness to disown her own family if she can be with her true love, who she's known for almost an hour-and-a-half. She calls out to him in desperation as though it is impossible for her to live without him.
• Juliet: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet."


  Juliet still tries to subdue her conscience with this reasoning, claiming that Romeo's name matters not, for he is her true love.
• Juliet: "Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow / That I shall say good night till it be morrow."


  This is an oxymoron, combining contradictory ideas of pleasure and pain. Parting is sorrowful because Juliet longs to remain with Romeo however, parting is also pleasurable, because doing anything with Romeo is pleasurable.See an expert-written answer!We have an expert-written solution to this problem!
• Juliet: "He shall not make me there a joyful bride!"


  This shows how headstrong Juliet is, as she refuses her parents and declares she will not get married to Paris. The use of the exclamation mark heightens Juliet's emotions as she is shouting her refusal.
• Juliet: "Beautiful tyrant! Fiend angelical! / Dove feathered raven!"


  Juliet can't quite wrap her mind around the fact that Romeo has killed her cousin. Shakespeare's brilliant use of oxymorons emphasises Juliet's confused state, and also emphasises her complete infatuation with Romeo as even though he has killed her cousin, she still uses adjectives such as "beautiful" when describing him.
• Juliet: "Love give me strength, and strength shall help afford."


  This shows how calm Juliet is when she makes the decision to fake her own death, not knowing what her future holds. Juliet declares that Romeo's love gives her strength and this fuels her decisions and therefore her decisive nature.
• Juliet: "O happy dagger!"


  This shows how Juliet wants to die so she can be with Romeo in heaven. The use of the adjective 'happy' illustrates how she welcomes her death, and believes that the 'dagger', the instrument of her death, will allow her to be happy with Romeo.

  The use of the exclamation mark heightens Juliet's emotions and makes the audience realise how she is ready for her death. This shows she is passionate and is decisive, as she loves Romeo and will do anything to be with him.
• Romeo: "What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!"


  In Romeo's words of adoration, he compares Juliet to the sun. Juliet hasn't seen Romeo below her window and has no idea Romeo is even on her family's grounds. Throughout the play, Romeo associates Juliet with 'light' imagery. He finds her love to be bright, sunny, warm and guiding. The way in which we depend on the sun reflects the way Romeo depends on Juliet for his 'survival.
• Romeo: "As a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear."


  Romeo proclaims his infatuation for Juliet. He has only seen her for a few seconds and has never spoken with her. He utters this mere hours after uttering similar thoughts about Rosaline. These words give insight into Romeo's instability the way his emotions control him. This simile also emphasises the way that Romeo views Juliet as this image of beauty shining out in the darkness.
• Romeo: "Heaven is here, / Where Juliet lives"


  Romeo falls apart at the news of his banishment.

  Heaven is a recurring symbol in the play. To Shakespeare, Heaven would have been a real place. Romeo is using symbolism and a metaphor to say that Verona is like Heaven because Juliet is there. There is nothing above heaven which reflects the fact that he believes nothing is above Juliet. In his eyes, she is almost like God.
• Romeo: "Ah, dear Juliet, Why art thou yet so fair? Shall I believe / That unsubstantial Death is amorous?"


  This is both a great and very frustrating use of dramatic irony. The audience know that Juliet is alive and yet because of the prologue they know that these lovers do not have a happy ending.
• Romeo: "Henceforth I will never be Romeo."


  Here, Romeo is telling Juliet he will not be Romeo Montague if it displeases her. This shows how passionate he is, as he is prepared to break away from his family and Christian name in order to be with Juliet. As the Montague family are wealthy and reputable, this would have caused great dishonour and therefore illustrates how serious Romeo believes his love is.
• Romeo: "Either thou or I, or both, must go with him."


  This shows that Romeo is prepared to die in order to avenge his best friend's death (although he ends up killing Tybalt). This is the ultimate sacrifice and illustrates how headstrong he is but also how much he values his friendships.
• Prince: "For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."


  This is a way of summarising the whole play and it allows the audience to reflect of Romeo and Juliet's story.
• Friar Lawrence: 'Wisely and slow, they stumble that run fast.'


  Here, Friar Laurence is advising Romeo to think carefully and wisely about his decision to marry Juliet. This shows that Friar Laurence is wise because he is aware of what could happen. This is an example of dramatic irony, as the audience is aware that Romeo will 'stumble' and this will have tragic consequences, resulting in their deaths as the prologue to the play states.
• Friar Lawrence: "Till holy church incorporate two in one."


  This shows Friar Laurence's religious views and how he believes that through marriage the Montague and Capulet households will be united by God. (Good intentions.)
• Lord Capulet: "I tell thee what: get thee to church a' Thursday or never after look me in the face."


  This shows how stubborn Capulet is, as he is telling Juliet that if she doesn't obey him, she will no longer be a part of his family. The use of the "I" illustrates how authoritative Capulet is, as it is only his opinion that matters.
• Lord Capulet: "My child is yet a stranger in the world."


  Some people may think that this shows that actually Lord Capulet does care about Juliet and her feelings on some level. He thinks she is too young and wants her to experience more before getting married. However, others may think that it is because Capulet might be afraid that she, because of her youth, might embarrass the family and bring them to disrepute if she is married too young.
• Lady Capulet: "Talk not to me, for I'll not speak a word, Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee."


  This shows how Lady Capulet is selfish as she is unprepared to listen to Juliet as she cares more about her own safety and her relationship with her husband then she does for her own daughter. Shakespeare has made this speech very short to illustrate Lady Capulet's emotion and how she is not prepared to give Juliet any of her time.
• Lady Capulet: "Nurse, where's my daughter? Call her forth to me."


  The question Lady Capulet directs at the Nurse illustrates how Lady Capulet isn't aware of where her daughter is or how she spends her free time. The use of the word 'daughter' illustrates how their relationship is formal, as she is referring to her as what she is, rather than who she is. It also shows how Lady Capulet is possessive over Juliet, as if Juliet belongs to her.
• Lady Capulet: "Here comes your father; tell him so yourself, And see how he will take it at your hands."


  By telling Juliet to tell her father that she doesn't want to marry to Paris herself, Lady Capulet is distancing herself from Juliet's decision, the situation and Capulet's reaction. This shows that Lady Capulet fears Capulet and is aware of his changing moods. The use of the personal pronouns illustrates how Lady Capulet is emphasising that this is Juliet's decision and she will have to suffer the consequences of Capulet's wrath.
• Tybalt: "Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw."


  This shows Tybalt's anger towards Romeo. The fact that Tybalt is calling Romeo a 'boy' is an insult and illustrates how Tybalt is instigating the conflict, wanting Romeo to react to the insult. Tybalt is also being instructive in this quotation, telling Romeo that he must 'turn and draw.' This also illustrates how Tybalt is passionate and likes to be in control.
• Tybalt: "Why, uncle, 'tis a shame."


  This shows that Tybalt is listening to his Uncle and obeying his orders. The fact that Tybalt says it is a 'shame' illustrates that Tybalt doesn't agree with Lord Capulet's decision to leave Romeo alone, however, because he is loyal towards his family, he will obey.
• Mercutio: "That dreamers often lie."


  This is Mercutio's witty response after Romeo tells him he dreamt of Rosaline. Mercutio understands that Romeo's love for Rosaline isn't true and ridicules him for it, saying openly that Romeo, being the dreamer, can often lie.
• Mercutio: "A plague a both your houses."


  Mercutio as he dies says this to Romeo. It's ironic that Mercutio blames Romeo even though Mercutio instigated the violence as Romeo attempted to stop it. Romeo feels responsible for Mercutio's death and gets his revenge by slaying Tybalt. The curse Mercutio states foreshadows the lovers' suicide.
• Nurse: "Thou wast the prettiest babe that e'er I nursed. An I might live to see thee married once, I have my wish."


  This shows that the nurse loves Juliet very much, as she is openly saying Juliet was the prettiest baby she had ever nursed and therefore looked after. This highlights the true connection that both the Nurse and Juliet have. The fact that it is the Nurse's wish to see Juliet married illustrates how motherly she is towards Juliet.
• Nurse: "I think you are happy in this second match, for it excels your first."


  When Romeo is banished and Capulet organises Juliet's marriage to Paris, the Nurse thinks it would be a good match for Juliet. She is honest with Juliet despite Juliet not wanting to hear it. This shows that the Nurse wants the best for Juliet - she really cares for her and wants her to be happy. Therefore, she tries to be optimistic.