Speaker
"A plague o' both your houses!/They have made worms' meat of me"
Mercutio
"I met the youthful lord at Laurence' cell,/And gave him what becomèd love I might,/Not stepping o'er the bounds of modesty."
Lord Capulet
"Go you to Juliet ere you go to bed;/Prepare her, wife, against this wedding day."
Capulet is preparing for Juliet's and Paris's wedding. He orders his wife to make sure Juliet is ready for it.
"To help me after. I will kiss thy lips./Haply some poison yet doth hang on them/To make me die with a restorative."
It shows how much Juliet loves Romeo. That she is willing to die to be with him, just as he did for her. It shows the idea of the star crossed lovers. And how the family feud led to both of their children dying for each other because of it.
"Unhappy fortune. By my brotherhood,/The letter was not nice but full of charge/Of dear import, and the neglecting it/May do much danger."
Speaker: Friar Lawrence
Speaking to: Friar John
What is happening: Friar John didn't give the letter to Romeo about the plan because he was quarantined. Friar Lawrence is trying to express how important that letter was and that Romeo needs to get it quick.
Significance: It is foreshadowing, as due to Romeo not getting this letter, it is what led to both Romeo and Juliet's death. It also shows how because of this feud, it is what leads people going to extreme lengths just for Romeo and Juliet to be together. It also shows the idea of star crossed lovers, as despite them trying everything, it still leads to their death.
"What if it be a poison which the friar/Subtly hath ministered to have me dead"
Juliet
"Welcome from Mantua. What says Romeo?/Or if his mind be writ, give me his letter."
Friar John
"Come, cordial and not poison, go with me/To Juliet's grave, for there must I use thee."
Romeo just bought poison from the apothecary. He plans to use it to kill himself and lie beside Juliet.
"Monday! Ha, ha! Well, Wednesday is too soon./A Thursday let it be. A Thursday, tell her,/She shall be married to this noble earl."
It shows the patriarchal society of the play. As it shows how controlling Capulet is of his daughter now and even his wife. And it shows irony from how before, he wanted this to be her choice and the wedding being in a few days compares to how quick Romeo and Juliet got married too.
"Now, sir, her father counts it dangerous/That she doth give her sorrow so much sway,/And in his wisdom hastes our marriage/To stop the inundation of her tears"
Speaker: Paris
Speaking to: Friar Lawrence
What is happening: Paris is asking Friar Lawrence to marry him and Juliet quickly. Him and Capulet believe this will help her mourning her cousin.
Significance: There is much irony here, as Friar Lawrence is once again, trying to slow down a relationship with Juliet. However, this time he tries to do it because Juliet is already married to Romeo - a wedding that also happened quickly. It also demonstrates how controlling Capulet became because before it was supposed to be Juliet's choice. It also shows Paris's dismissive feelings on Juliet, as he is just doing what her father is asking, rather than seeing her feelings.
"This is that banished haughty Montague,/That murdered my love's cousin, with which grief"
Paris
"O deadly sin, O rude unthankfulness!/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.’/This is dear mercy and thou seest it not."
Romeo
"O serpent heart hid with a flow'ring face!/Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?"
Juliet just found out that Romeo killed Tybalt. Juliet feels momentarily betrayed by Romeo.
"O look! Methinks I see my cousin's ghost/Seeking out Romeo, that did spit his body/Upon a rapier's point. Stay, Tybalt, stay!/Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here’s drink — I drink to thee."
This shows how much Juliet is willing to do for Romeo, as she wishes to protect him from Tybalt's ghost. It shows that despite Juliet's fears about the potion, she is still willing to take it for love. This compares to Romeo going into the Capulet ball anyways, despite his fears. It shows how much they test fate for love, but it still leads to their death.
"Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?"
Speaker: Juliet
Speaking to: The Nurse
What is happening: Juliet just found out Romeo killed Tybalt. However, she still chooses her husband's side.
Significance: It is ironic, as Juliet was insulting Romeo just before this, because of what happened. How only Juliet can speak on her husband, as when the Nurse does, she gets defensive. It also shows despite Romeo killing her cousin, she still chooses his side because he is her husband. This could also explore Juliet's character, as knowing Romeo would have a valid reason for doing it, yet also just dismissing his actions just because he is her husband.
"Hang thee, young baggage. Disobedient wretch!/I tell thee what. Get thee to church a Thursday,/Or never after look me in the face"
Lord Capulet
"Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die"
Himself/Juliet
"Go waken Juliet, go and trim her up;/I'll go and chat with Paris. Hie, make haste"
Capulet is quickly making sure the wedding is ready, due to the quick change of date. He instructs the Nurse to wake Juliet up to start getting ready.
"And trust me, love, in my eye so do you./Dry sorrow drinks our blood. Adieu, adieu!"
It shows dramatic irony, as this is the last lines that Romeo says to Juliet and the last time they will see each other. It also compares to Juliet drinking the potion and Romeo drinking the poison, which both lead to them dying. It highlights the idea of star crossed lovers by sharing them wanting a future together but never getting a chance to have it.
"But I can give thee more./For I will ray her statue in pure gold;/That while Verona by that name is known,/There shall no figure at such rate be set/As that of true and faithful Juliet."
Speaker: Lord Montague
Speaking to: Lord Capulet
What is happening: Lord Montague is offering to build a gold statue of Juliet, after Capulet offered to give him Juliet's dowry. They are trying to honour both children.
Significance: This shows how it took both of their children to die for them to end their feud. It also shows how it took their death for them to see and respect their love for each other. It shows they recognize their errors, and are willing to honour each other's children because of it. And it shows how the play is still a love story, because they are now together in death.
"Hold, get you gone; be strong and prosperous/In this resolve. I'll send a friar with speed/To Mantua with my letters to thy lord."
Friar Lawrence
"I hear thou must, and nothing may prorogue it,/On Thursday next be married to this County."
Juliet
"Suspecting that we both were in a house/Where the infectious pestilence did reign,/Sealed up the doors and would not let us forth,/So that my speed to Mantua there was stayed."
Friar John explains that he was quarantined due to passing through a town that had the plague. He was not able to deliver the letter to Romeo because of this.
"All things that we ordainèd festival,/Turn from their office to black funeral"
It shows irony by turning all of the arrangements for the wedding to use for Juliet's 'funeral.' It also is foreshadowing, as it compares to Romeo and Juliet getting married in secret is what leads to both of their deaths. The irony also here is that Juliet is not actually dead, and because of the feud and her controlling father, these are the lengths she has to go through to get out of the wedding with Paris and be with Romeo.
"Go, counselor;/Thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain./I'll to the friar, to know his remedy./If all else fail, myself have power to die."
Speaker: Juliet
Speaking to: Herself
What is happening: Juliet is being forced to marry Paris from her father. Even the Nurse is not on her side anymore so she is seeking Friar Lawrence's help.
Significance: This shows how controlling her father is, as he is forcing her to marry someone who was supposed to be her choice. It also shows the Nurse just submitting to the system, because she feels there is no other option. It also shows how desperate Juliet wants to be with Romeo because she is willing to die if she can't. This also foreshadows both of their deaths.