sounds like a riddle. Leaving Juliet is like the end of life, of happiness.
Line 43 – ‘love, lord. husband, friend’. The list of roles demonstrates how much Romeo means to Juliet and emphasises that her love is true, not just a young girl’s infatuation.
Line 44 – ‘I must……’ emphatic. Juliet is desperately worried that she won’t see Romeo again.
Note the lexical set of words related to time, ‘every day in the hour
For in a minute there are many days
………………………………..in years’
These words reinforce the feeling that time will drag and the separation will be almost unbearable.
Line 51 – A question which highlights Juliet’s concern that she might never see Romeo again.
Line 52 – 53 Romeo’s language is positive and reassuring. ‘I doubt it not.’
Line 54 – 57 Like a premonition. Juliet seems to sense that something terrible will happen to Romeo.
Line 58- 59 Romeo again reassuring Juliet that all will be well, that it is only the sadness of their parting which is making her so apprehensive.
Line 60 – An appeal to Fate. ‘O Fortune’ Juliet is almost trying to appease the Gods – anyone – anything. It’s almost like a prayer to keep Romeo safe.
Line 61 –70
Look at the number of lines which are questions. This shows how unusual the situation is to all involved.
- Lady Capulet coming to Juliet’s room so early
- Juliet wondering what her mother wants to talk to
her about
Lady Capulet not sure why Juliet is crying
Does this suggest that the mother and daughter’s relationship is not very close?
Line 71 – 80
Notice how Juliet and her mother need to take words from each others lines in order to communicate with each other.
Lady C. ‘Evermore weeping’
Juliet ‘Yet let me weep for such a feeling loss
Lady C. ‘….feel the loss,,,,’
The gap in their relationship enables Juliet to mislead her mother when Lady C. is
explaining how she has arranged to have Romeo murdered.
This allows Juliet to talk at cross purposes with her mother between lines 80 – 102.
Juliet can’t reveal that she loves Romeo but she has to pretend that she wants revenge for Tybalt’s death. Juliet has to be very quick-witted here and has to juggle
Carefully with her words.
Lines 104 – 115 Lady Capulet thinks that she is bringing good news.
Lines 116 – 117 Juliet’s initial reaction an outburst, an emphatic refusal
Lines 118 – 123
Realising that she has done the wrong thing by openly opposing
Her parents’ wishes, Juliet adopts a more cautious and polite approach.
This is a long sentence which twists and turns reflecting Juliet’s quick thiking.
Lines 126 –138
Capulet’s first speech to Juliet contains many references to weather: ‘sun’, ‘dew’,
‘rains’, tempests’, ‘winds’. He thinks he’s bringing good news which will brighten
Juliet up and dry her tears.
In line 124, Lady Capulet had more or less washed her hands of Juliet,
‘tell him so yourself’.
Line 140 reinforces this, and echoes Juliet’s words in Act 1, Scene5, line 134
‘My grave is like to be my wedding bed.’
Notice the bitter irony of these lines.
Line 141 - ‘Soft take me ……’ Is Capulet calm? Notice the questions.
Capulet can’t understand what is happening; the refusal and his daughter going against him.
Lines 146 –148 Juliet is trying to pacify her father. She is showing gratitude but her words are like a riddle.
Lines 149 –152
Capulet is having to repeat Juliet’s words in an effort to make sense of them.
Once her refusal sinks in he becomes furious and stars issuing commands.
Line 158 –159 Juliet begs for her father to listen.
Line 160 –169
Capulet continues to give orders to Juliet and insults her.
His language is very cruel and harsh.
As he continues he seems to force Lady Capulet into supporting him by linking
her to his views with the pronoun ‘we’ . ‘Wife, we scarce…… ….in having her.’
This makes them both sound very disappointed in Juliet.
Line 168 Nurse uses religious language to pray for help.
Line 169 Nurse accuses Capulet.
Line 170 –171 Capulet puts the Nurse in her place using sarcasm.
Line 172 Nurse makes a short, direct statement. Not her usual style – reflects
the gravity of the situation.
Line 173 – 184 Capulet’s fury returns. He is annoyed at women telling him what to do. He tries to explain that he does his best to please them but they’re still not happy. He seems bewildered.
Lines 179 –181 Description of Paris.
Lines185-186 Capulet is repeating and mocking Juliet.
Lines 187 –195 Threats and warnings as to what will happen if Juliet does not do what she is told.
‘I’ll not be forsworn.’ An emphatic statement of power and authority.
Line 196 Juliet pleads with her mother to help her. Notice again the warning/
prophesy , that marriage to Paris means her death.
‘..if you do not, make the bridal bed………..where Tybalt lies.’
Lines 202-203 A rejection. Lady Capulet refuses to help her daughter.
Line 204 In desperation Juliet turns to her Nurse for help. Notice the religious
Overtones in the language.
Line 213 – Nurse’s advice begins ‘Faith…’ as if to reply to Juliet in the same religious vein and to let Juliet know that she is speaking the truth.
Nurse contrasts Romeo unfavourably with Paris in an effort to persuade Juliet to
put him behind her.
Line 226 Question emphasises Juliet’s disbelief; she can’t accept that her best
friend would let her down in this way.
Line227 Nurse tries to convince Juilet that what she has said is for the best.
Line 228 Juliet’s ‘Amen’ short and sharp. Sounds very cold and final. It’s usually
the end of a prayer, what end does it signify here?
Line 229 Nurse’s ‘What?’ Does she sense that Juliet means more than, ‘Thanks,
That’s the end of the discussion’?
Line 230 Juliet’s reply has a hollow, bitter tone.
Line 235. ‘Ancient damnation…..’ Juliet cursing the Nurse (and perhaps the feud)
‘Thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain.’ Their friendship is finished. Juliet feels betrayed.
Juliet is now isolated, has no one but Friar Lawrence to turn to.
Line 242 The final and very chilling line which reveals Juliet’s decision kill herself rather than marry Paris and so betray Romeo.
This act of desperation emphasises the strength of her love and echoes Romeo’s
willingness to face death for Juliet’s sake at the start of the scene.
