Romeo and Juliet quotations Flashcards
Romeo
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“Verona brags of him”. This suggests that Romeo is well-known to both the Capulets and the Montagues despite them being enemies.
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“Now art thou sociable; now art thou Romeo”. This suggests that through Juliet, Romeo has found true love and has found himself.
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“I will stay with thee”. This suggests that Romeo is committed to his relationship with Juliet.
Juliet
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“She doth teach the torches to burn bright”. This shows that Romeo and Juliet have fallen in love for each other. Romeo feels more in love for Juliet than he did for Rosaline.
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“O Romeo, Romeo wherefore thou art Romeo”? This suggests that Juliet wants to see Romeo.
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“What’s in a name? That which we call Rose”. This suggests that despite Romeo and Juliet being from two different families, they can still love each other and the name doesn’t matter.
Mercutio
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“You have dancing shoes with nimble soles”. Mercutio is taking the mick out of Romeo being sensitive about love and being a Petrarchan lover.
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Peace, peace Mercutio! Thou talk’st of nothing”. Romeo wants Mercutio to be quiet.
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“Tybalt you rat-catcher you will walk” - Mercutio’s mood can change dramatically and he is quick to draw his sword. He is keen to provoke the Capulets and fight.
The Nurse
“Seek happy nights to happy days” - The Nurse often references sexual innuendo and sexual banter. She doesn’t have a problem with letting Romeo sleep with Juliet on their wedding night.
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“good nurse” - The Nurse is fickle when it comes to Romeo as she finds ways to criticise him when she realises the wedding with Paris will go ahead.
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“o most wicked friend” - The Nurse thinks that Juliet is committing a sinful act by suggesting that she marries Paris when she is already married.
Plot Summary:
Act 1 Scene 1 - Scene 2
There is a street fight and Romeo has been rejected by Rosaline causing him to hide in his bedroom. Paris asks Capulet if he can marry Juliet. Romeo and Benvolio go to the masked ball and Tybalt tries to start a fight with Romeo. Romeo and Juliet meet and they fall in love instantly. Romeo climbs into the garden of Juliet’s house and they talk about love.
Act 2 scene 3 - Act 2 scene 6
Romeo asks the Friar if he will marry him and Juliet. Romeo hears that Tybalt wants to fight him and sends a message to Juliet asking her to go to the Friar’s cell. Juliet hurries there and the lovers leave for the secret wedding.
Act 3 scene 1 - Act 3 scene 4
Tybalt kills Mercutio in a fight and in revenge Romeo kills Tybalt. The prince banishes Romeo as a punishment. Juliet learns of Tybalt’s death and is desperate to see Romeo and the Nurse promises to find him. Romeo tries to kill himself but is stopped by the Friar. The Friar advises Romeo to spend the night with Juliet before leaving for Mantua. Capulet tells Paris he can marry Juliet.
Act 3 scene 5 - Act 4 scene 1
Romeo leaves for Mantua and Juliet refuses to marry Paris. The Friar gives her a potion that will make it look like she is dead and therefore prevent the wedding.
Act 4 scene 2 - Act 5 scene 1
The wedding of Juliet and Paris is brought forward to Wednesday and Juliet takes the potion. in the morning, the Nurse discovers that Juliet is ‘dead’. Friar Lawrence tells the Capulets to bring the corpse for burial and Romeo is informed that Juliet is ‘dead’. Romeo prepares to go back to Verona.
Act 5 Scene 2 - Act V scene 3
Friar Lawrence learns that Romeo is convinced that Romeo thinks Juliet is dead and he rushes to the tomb. Romeo kills Paris by the tomb and Romeo takes the potion before Juliet. Juliet then stabs herself.
Love
There are many types of love in this play. When we first meet Romeo he is displaying Petrarchan love. Also, sexual love is portrayed in this play.
“seek happy nights to happy days”
Fate and Free Will
Fate is a huge factor in this play from the beginning of the play. The prologue presents Romeo and Juliet as a pair of “star-crossed lovers”. Both characters experience feelings of foreboding however neither of them change their actions.
Death and Life
Life seems to be held cheaply at times in the play. The young men of Verona are quick to draw their swords and bloodshed ensues. This then leads to the death of Mercutio, Tybalt, Paris, Romeo, Lady Montague and Juliet.
Context: Patriarchal Society
At the time of the setting of the book, men were meant to be the leader of the house. Capulet typifies this in the play because he has control over his wife and daughter. The male head would hold all wealth and land. This is exemplified in the way Capulet orders Lady Capulet and Juliet.
The Family Feud
We learn that Romeo and Juliet come from warring families. However, we never learn why the families are at war but we do learn that the feud is enough for Tybalt to be prepared to fight a Capulet. The instant love and attraction plunges them into the family feud.
Young Love
Juliet is fourteen and Romeo is a couple of years older and this was rather young to be getting married at this time. Paris’s interest in Juliet adds a dramatic purpose to the play and gives urgency to the story.
Development of characters:
Romeo
Romeo starts off as a timid Petrarchan lover who can’t express his feelings for Rosaline and he locks himself away in his bedroom. However when he meets Juliet he transforms into a enthusiastic sexual lover that finds it hard not to express his feelings. He soon forgets about Rosaline and the feud and becomes obsessed by Juliet. This leads to his banishment and eventually his death along with Juliet.
“Under love’s heavy burden do I sink” - Page 21
“It is the east and Juliet is the sun” - Page 33
“Well Juliet I will lie with thee tonight” - Page 106
Juliet
Juliet starts off as a timid subservient girl who obeys her parents’ every command and won’t marry without their approval. However, that changes when she meets Romeo because she changes into a impulsive lover that is enamoured with their lover. She is devastated when she learns of Romeo’s banishment and she is more despondent about Romeo’s banishment than Tybalt’s death. She plays along with Paris’s plans to disguise her love for Romeo and she even fakes her own death for Romeo.
“Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride” {Page 19}
“My only love sprung from my only hate” - {Page 30}
“It is too rash.. too sudden/ too like the lightning” {Page 38}
Mercutio
Mercutio throughout the play is presented as this humorous character that is always up for a good time. He is Romeo’s best friend and encourages Romeo to go the masked ball and he encourages Romeo to rid himself of his Petrarchan tendencies. He often makes bawdy and sexual jokes in the play to poke fun at Romeo’s struggles with and in love. However, he is also quite hot-headed and quick tempered. He is keen and eager to uphold the Montague tradition in Verona. His anger grows as Romeo declines and refuses to duel with Tybalt. Mercutio does eventually die in battle.
“You have dancing shoes with nimble soles” {Page 14-15}
“Peace Peace Mercutio” {Page 97 - 98}
“If love be rough with you, be rough with love”
The Nurse
The Nurse has brought Juliet up and is her confidante.
Key points:
- Involved in the discussions about Juliet marrying Paris.
- Is sent to Romeo to organise the marriage ceremony.
- Arranges for Romeo to come to Juliet.
- Discovers the apparently dead body of Juliet.
Key quotes:
- “Seek happy nights to happy nights”.
- “A good nurse”.
- “O most wicked friend”.
Friar Laurence
Friar Laurence is a holy man. He is Romeo’s friend and advisor. He is respected by Romeo and he hopes that the marriage between Romeo and Juliet will end the conflict between the Montagues and the Capulets.
- He agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet.
- He shelters Romeo.
- He conceives a plan to help the lovers to reunite.
- Gives Juliet a drug that makes it seem as if she is dead.
- Is unable to stop Juliet from killing herself.
Benvolio
He is part of the Montague family and is mild-mannered. He is often engaged in acts of kindness or peace making. He tries to avoid conflict.
- tries to stop the first street fight.
- Tries to help Lady Montague.
- Listens to Romeo.
Tybalt
He is the fiery cousin of Juliet. He often feels angered by the Montague family. He is set on fighting.
- He insists on fighting.
- He overhears Romeo at the ball. He has to be stopped from challenging Romeo.
- He challenges Romeo in the street. He fights Mercutio instead.
- He kills Mercutio and is in revenge, killed by Romeo.
Key quotes:
- “As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee”.
- “Peace and hell”.
When writing about Tybalt, you could contrast him with Romeo and Benvolio.
Lord and Lady Capulet
Lord Capulet:
He is Juliet’s father and at first, he appears concerned and caring. However, he can be domineering and gives orders.
- He discusses the possibility of Paris marrying Juliet.
- Invites Paris to his party.
- Insists that Juliet marry Paris and arranges the wedding for the same week.
Lady Capulet:
He is supposedly much younger than Lord Capulet. She spends much less time with Juliet than she does with the Nurse.
- Speaks to Juliet about Paris.
- Informs Juliet of her marriage to Paris.
- Is grief stricken at Juliet’s “death”.
