Romeo and Juliet Act 4 - Important lines

Question 1

“All things we ordained festival
Turn from their office to black funeral.
Our instruments to melancholy bells,
Our wedding cheer to a sad burial feast;
Our solemn hymns to sullen dire change,
Our bridal flowers serve for a burried corse”

Answer 1

Capulet to Friar Laurence - He is saying that the joy of the upcoming wedding has turned to
sorrow because now they are going to the church for Juliet’s funeral instead of her marriage.

Question 2

“Dry up your tears and stick your rosemary

on this fair corse”

Answer 2

Friar Laurence to Capulet - He is telling Capulet to take the rosemary (which they had for the wedding) and put it on Juliet’s body for her funeral. (Corse means corpse).

Question 3

“Death is my son-in-law; Death is my heir”

Answer 3

Capulet to Paris - Capulet is saying he will never have any heirs (grandchildren) because
Juliet, his only child, died before she marries Paris.

Question 4

“Romeo, Romeo, Romeo, here’s drink! I drink to thee.”

Answer 4

Juliet - Juliet’s last words before she drinks the sleeping potion. When she wakes up, she will
be with Romeo.

Question 5

“Send for the County. Go tell him of this.

I’ll have this knot knit up tomorrow morning.”

Answer 5

Capulet to Juliet - When Juliet agrees to marry Paris, (after Friar Laurence has given her the
sleeping potion), Capulet advances the marriage by one day.

Question 6

“Be not so long to speak. I long to die

If what thou speakest speak not of remedy.”

Answer 6

Juliet to Friar Laurence - Juliet threatens to stab herself if Friar Laurence can’t find a solution to
her problem. (She is to marry Paris on Thursday)

Question 7

“What must be shall be.”

Answer 7

Juliet to Friar Laurence - Juliet is resigned to what is happening. It expresses the tragic
inevitability that occurs throughout the play.