Romeo And Juliet - Key Quotations

Question 1

“Put up your swords, you know not what you do.” - Benvolio: Act 1, Scene 1

Answer 1

Allusion to Jesus stopping people being violent. He is a peacekeeper (aptronym)

Question 2

“That quench the fire of your pernicious rage With purple fountains issuing from your veins” - Prince: Act 1, Scene 1

Answer 2

They deal with all their rage by fighting each other

Question 3

“Is the day so young?” - Romeo: Act 1, Scene 1

Answer 3

Romeo’s first use of anti-labe in the play

Question 4

“Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms, Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health” - Romeo: Act 1, Scene 1

Answer 4

Oxymorons show his anguish. Blank verse shows that his love for Rosaline is not as genuine as his love for Juliet.

Question 5

“A choking gall” - Romeo: Act 1, Scene 1

Answer 5

Foreshadowing of the poison which kills him

Question 6

“Devout religion of mine eye” - Romeo: Act 1, Scene 2

Answer 6

Shows that Romeo loves Rosaline similarly to worshipping her. Juliet later calls Romeo “the God of my idolatry.”

Question 7

“By having him, making yourself no less.” Lady Capulet- Act 1, Scene 3

Answer 7

She only cares about the fact that marrying Paris will increase Juliet’s status

Question 8

“If love be rough with you, be rough with love: Prick love for pricking” - Mercutio: Act 1, Scene 4

Answer 8

Shows Mercutio’s more bold and reckless attitude to love, and shows that he is more focused on the sexual aspects than the emotional aspects

Question 9

“I talk of dreams … more inconsistent that the wind” - Mercutio: Act 1, Scene 4

Answer 9

Foreshadows how Romeo’s love for Rosaline will be equally inconsistent

Question 10

“But He that hath the steerage of my course Direct my sail!“ - Romeo: Act 1, Scene 5

Answer 10

The nautical imagery suggests fate, as fate is represented by stars, and stars were used to direct ships. The exclamation mark shows Romeo’s willingness to blindly follow his fate.