Paris meets with Friar Lawrence, informing him that the wedding will be held on Thursday in a supposed attempt to soothe Juliet’s grief over murdered Tybalt. Juliet arrives for confession, and Paris attempts to pressure her into confessing her love for him. After Paris leaves, Juliet tells the Friar she is resolved to kill herself if he can offer no solution out of the impending marriage. The Friar offers her a plan: agree to the marriage, but drink a poison the night before that will make her appear dead while in reality leaving her asleep. The Friar will then send word to Romeo, who will return and rescue Juliet once she awakes in the family tomb. Juliet accepts. Show Friar Lawrence’s cell in Verona: Enter Friar Lawrence and County Paris FRIAR LAWRENCEOn Thursday, sir? The time is very soon. PARISMy father Capulet will have it so, And I am nothing slow to stall his haste. FRIAR LAWRENCEYou say you do not know the Lady’s mind? 5Uneven is the course. I like it not. PARISImmoderately she weeps for Tybalt’s death, And therefore have I little talk of love, For Venus[1] smiles not in a house of tears. Now, sir, her father counts it dangerous 10That she doth give her sorrow so much sway; And in his wisdom hastes our marriage[2] overflowing abundance To stop the ° of her tears, Which, too much minded by herself alone, May be put from her by society.[3] 15Now you do know the reason of this haste. FRIAR LAWRENCE[To himself] I would I knew not why it should be slowed.[4] [To PARIS] Look, sir, here comes the lady towards my cell. Enter Juliet PARISHappily met, my lady and my wife. JULIETThat may be, sir, when I may be a wife. PARIS20That “may be” must be, love, on Thursday next. JULIETWhat must be shall be. FRIAR LAWRENCEtruth That’s a certain °. PARISCome you to make confession to this father?[5] JULIETTo answer that, I would confess to you. PARIS25Do not deny to him that you love me. JULIETI will confess to you that I love him.[6] PARISSo will ye – I am sure that you love me. JULIETIf I do so, it will be of more worth Being spoke behind your back than to your face. PARIS30Poor soul, thy face is much abused with tears. JULIETnot much The tears have got ° victory by that, For it was bad enough before their spite.[7] PARISThou wrong’st it more than tears, with that report. JULIETThat is no slander, sir, when it’s a truth, 35And what I said, I said it to my face. PARISThy face is mine, and thou hast slandered it. JULIETIt may be so, for it is not mine own. — Are you at leisure, Holy Father, now, Or shall I come to you at evening Mass? FRIAR LAWRENCE40My leisure serves me, somber daughter, now. My lord, we must ask for this time alone. PARISGod shield I should disturb devotion! Juliet, on Thursday early will I rouse you. Till then, adieu, and keep this holy kiss. He kisses her Exit Paris JULIET45O, shut the door! And when thou hast done so, Come weep with me – past hope, past care, past help. FRIAR LAWRENCEO Juliet, I already know thy grief; It strains me past the compass of my wits. I hear thou must – and nothing may postpone it – 50On Thursday next be married to the County. JULIETTell me not, Friar, that thou hearest of this, Unless thou tell me how I may prevent it: If in thy wisdom thou canst give no help, Do thou but call my resolution wise, 55And with this knife I’ll help it presently. God joined my heart and Romeo’s, thou our hands. And ere this hand – by thee to Romeo sealed – Shall be the label to another deed,[8] Or my true heart with treacherous revolt 60Turn to another, this shall slay them both. Therefore out of thy long-experienced time, Give me some present counsel, or, behold, ‘Twixt my extremes and me this bloody knife Shall play the umpire, arbitrating that, 65Which the commission of thy years and art[9] Could not to this issue true honor bring. Be not so long to speak; I long to die If what thou speak’st speak not of remedy. FRIAR LAWRENCEHold, daughter! I do spy a kind of hope 70Which craves as desperate an execution As that is desperate which we would prevent.[10] If rather than to marry County Paris Thou hast the strength or will to slay thyself, Then it is likely thou wilt undertake 75A thing like death to chide away this shame, That copes with Death himself to ‘scape from it; And, if thou darest, I’ll give thee remedy. JULIETO bid me leap – rather than marry Paris – From off the battlements of any tower, 80Or walk in thievish ways, or bid me lurk Where serpents are; chain me with roaring bears Or hide me nightly in a charnel house,[11] entirely O’ercovered ° with dead men’s rattling bones, With reeky shanks and yellow chapless skulls;[12] 85Or bid me go into a new-made grave And hide me with a dead man in his tomb; Things that, to hear them told, have made me tremble, And I will do it without fear or doubt To keep myself a faithful unstained wife 90To my dear lord, my dearest Romeo. FRIAR LAWRENCEHold then: go home, be merry, give consent To marry Paris. Wednesday is tomorrow. Let not thy nurse lie with thee in thy chamber. And when thou art alone, take thou this vial, 95And this distilling liquor drink thou off, When presently through all thy veins shall run A cold and drowsy humor; for no pulse cease Shall keep his native rhythm but °. No warmth, no breath shall testify thou livest; 100The roses in thy lips and cheeks shall fade To many ashes. Thy eyes’ windows fall Like Death when he shuts up the day of life; Each part, deprived of supple government Shall, stiff and stark and cold, appear like death, 105And in this borrowed likeness of shrunk death Thou shalt continue two and forty hours And then awake, as from a pleasant sleep. Now when the bridegroom in the morning comes To rouse thee from thy bed, there art thou dead; 110Then, as the manner of our country is,[13] coffin In thy best robes uncovered on the ° Be borne to burial in thy kindred’s grave; Thou shall be borne to that same ancient vault Where all the kindred of the Capulets lie. 115In the meantime, by then thou shalt awake, Shall Romeo by my letters know our plan, And hither shall he come, and he and I Will watch thy waking, and that very night Shall Romeo bear thee hence to Mantua. 120And this shall free thee from this present shame, If no inconstant toy nor womanish fear lessen ° thy valor in the acting it. JULIETGive me, give me! O, tell not me of fear! He gives her the vial FRIAR LAWRENCEHold! Get you gone, be strong and prosperous 125In this resolve. I’ll send a Friar with speed To Mantua with my letters to thy lord.[14] JULIETLove give me strength, and strength shall help afford. Farewell, dear Father. Exit all ❖❖❖ Juliet returns to find her family preparing for the wedding. Repentant, she asks for forgiveness and agrees to marry Paris. Lord Capulet, in his excitement, decides to advance the ceremony from Thursday to Wednesday (tomorrow). Ignoring his wife’s protests, he instructs her to be with Juliet while he finishes preparations and sends word to Paris of the changed itinerary. Somewhere within the Capulet estate: Enter Capulet, Lady capulet, Nurse, and Servingmen CAPULETSo many guests invite as here are writ. Gives a list to a SERVANT, who then exits. Sirrah, go hire me twenty cunning cooks. SERVINGMANunskilled You shall have none °, sir, for I’ll test if they will lick their fingers.[15] CAPULETHow canst thou test them so? SERVINGMAN5Marry sir, ‘tis an ill cook that will not lick his own fingers: Therefore he that will not lick his fingers goes not with me. CAPULETGo, be gone. Exit Servingman unprepared We shall be much ° for this time. What, is my daughter gone to Friar Lawrence? NURSE10Aye, . CAPULETWell he may chance to do some good on her. unprincipled behavior A peevish, self-willed ° it is. Enter Juliet LADY CAPULETSee, here she commeth from confession. CAPULETHow now, my headstrong? wandering 15Where have you been °? JULIETWhere I have learnt me to repent the sin Of disobedient opposition compelled To you and your behests, and am ° By holy Lawrence to fall prostrate here [Juliet kneels] 20To beg your pardon. Pardon, I beseech you! Henceforward I am ever ruled by you. CAPULETNow before God, this holy reverend Friar, indebted All our whole city is much ° to him! Send for the County. Go tell him of this. 25I’ll have this knot knit up tomorrow morning.[16] JULIETI met the youthful lord at Lawrence’s cell, And gave him what becomed love I might, Not stepping o’er the bounds of modesty. CAPULETWhy, I am glad on’t. This is well. Stand up. 30This is as’t should be. Let me see the County. Aye, marry, go I say, and fetch him hither. JULIET rises JULIETNurse, will you go with me into my closet To help me sort such needful ornaments As you think fit to furnish me tomorrow? LADY CAPULET35No, not till Thursday. There’s time enough. CAPULETGo, Nurse, go with her. We’ll to church tomorrow. Exit Juliet and Nurse LADY CAPULETMethinks on Thursday would be time enough. CAPULETI say I will have this dispatched tomorrow. LADY CAPULET40I pray, my Lord, let it be Thursday. CAPULETI say tomorrow while she’s in the mood. LADY CAPULETfood and drink We shall be short in our °. ‘Tis now near night. CAPULETTush, I will stir about. 45And all things shall be well, I warrant thee, wife. dress Go thou to Juliet, help to ° her up. I’ll not to bed tonight. Let me alone; I’ll play the housewife [17] for this once.— [calls servants] What ho? gone They are all °.— Well, I will walk myself 50To County Paris, to prepare up him Against tomorrow. My heart is wondrous light Since this same wayward girl is so reclaimed. Exit all ❖❖❖ Juliet sends the nurse and Lady Capulet from her bedroom on the pretext of getting rest. She then experiences a series of doubts about the plan: what if the poison doesn’t work? What if the Friar actually intends to kill her to preserve the sanctity of her first marriage? What if she wakes up too early and suffocates? What if waking in the tomb will drive her insane? She rebuts most of these fears and drinks the poison, falling into a death-like trance. Juliet’s chambers within the Capulet estate: Enter JULIET and NURSE JULIETAye, those attires are best; but gentle Nurse I pray thee leave me to myself tonight prayers For I have need of many ° To move the heavens to smile upon my state, 5Which, well thou know’st, is cross and full of sin. Enter LADY CAPULET LADY CAPULETWhat, are you busy – do you need my help? JULIETselected No, madam, we have ° such necessaries necessary As are ° for our state tomorrow. So please you, let me now be left alone; 10And let the Nurse this night sit up with you, For I am sure you have your hands full all In this so sudden business. LADY CAPULETGoodnight. Get thee to bed and rest, for thou hast need. Exit NURSE and LADY CAPULET JULIET15Farewell: God knows when we shall meet again. I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins, That almost freezes up the heat of life. I’ll call them back again to comfort me.— 20Nurse!—[18] What should she do here? My dismal scene I needs must act alone. Come, vial. Takes out vial. What if this mixture should not work at all? Shall I be married then tomorrow morning? 25No, no, this shall forbid it. Takes out knife. Lie thou there. What if it be a poison, which the Friar Subtly hath ministered to have me dead, Lest in this marriage he should be dishonored, Because he married me before to Romeo? 30I fear it is. And yet methinks it should not, For he hath still been tried a holy man. How, if when I am laid into the tomb, I wake before the time that Romeo Comes to redeem me? There’s a fearful point: suffocated 35Shall I not then be ° in the vault, To whose foul mouth no healthsome air breathes in, And there die strangled ere my Romeo comes? likely Or, if I live, is it not very ° notion; idea The horrible ° of death and night, 40Together with the terror of the place— As in the vault, an ancient receptacle Where for these many hundred years the bones Of all my buried ancestors are packed: Where bloody Tybalt, yet but green in earth,[19] 45Lies festering in his shroud; where, as they say, haunt At some hours in the night spirits °. Alack, alack, is it not like that I In early waking, what with loathsome smells, And shrieks like mandrakes torn out of the earth,[20] 50That living mortals hearing them run mad— O, if I wake, shall I not be distraught, surrounded; buried ° with all these hideous fears, And madly play with my forefathers’ joints? And pluck the mangled Tybalt from his shroud? 55And, in this rage, with some great kinsman’s bone, As with a club, dash out my desperate brains? O look, methinks I see my cousin’s ghost, impale Seeking out Romeo that did ° his body Upon a rapier’s point. Stay, Tybalt, stay! 60Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here’s drink; I drink to thee.[21] She drinks and falls upon her bed within the curtains. ❖❖❖ The Capulets work through the night in preparation. Hearing Paris’ arrival, Lord Capulet tells the Nurse to wake Juliet. Somewhere within the Capulet estate: Enter LADY CAPULET and NURSE LADY CAPULETHold, take these keys and fetch more spices, Nurse. NURSEfruit They call for dates and ° in the pastry.[22] Enter CAPULET CAPULETCome, stir, stir, stir! The second cock hath crowed;[23] The curfew bell hath rung. ‘Tis three o’clock: 5Look to the baked meats, good Angelica,[24] Spare not for cost. NURSEGo, you cotquean,[25] go, Get you to bed. Faith, you’ll be sick tomorrow For this night’s watching. CAPULET10No, not a whit. What! I have watched ere now All night for lesser cause, and ne’er been sick. LADY CAPULETa ladies’ man Aye, you have been a ° in your time, But I will watch you from such watching now. Exit LADY CAPULET and NURSE CAPULETA jealous-hood, a jealous-hood! Now, fellow, what is there? Enter three or four SERVINGMEN with spits, logs, and baskets FELLOW15Things for the cook, sir, but I know not what. CAPULETMake haste, make haste, sirrah! Fetch drier logs. Call Peter; he will show thee where they are. FELLOWI have a head sir, that will find out logs, And never trouble Peter for the matter. CAPULET20Mass,[26] and well said. A merry whoreson,[27] ha! Thou shalt be loggerhead.[28]—Good Father, ‘tis day. Play music The County will be here with music soon, For so he said he would. I hear him near. Nurse! Wife! What ho! What, Nurse, I say! Enter NURSE 25Go waken Juliet, go trim her up, I’ll go and chat with Paris. Hie, make haste, Make haste. The bridegroom: he is come already. Make haste, I say! Exit all but NURSE ❖❖❖ The Nurse enters Juliet’s bedroom, assuming her to be asleep, but then discovers her to be (apparently) dead. Lady Capulet, Lord Capulet, Paris, and Friar Lawrence arrive consecutively and grieve at seeing Juliet in her current state. The Friar reassures the family that Juliet is surely well in heaven and urges them to bring her to church to begin the funeral rites. After they leave, musicians hired for the wedding linger, and, unconcerned by the day’s events, joke and banter about music before making their exit. Juliet’s chambers within the Capulet estate: Enter NURSE NURSEfast asleep Mistress? What, mistress? Juliet? °, I warrant her, she. sleepyhead Why, lamb! Why, lady! Fie, you °! Why, love, I say! Madam, sweetheart! Why, bride! money’s worth What, not a word? You take your ° now, 5Sleep for a week, for the next night I warrant The County Paris hath set up his rest[29] That you shall rest but little.—God forgive me. Marry and Amen! How sound is she asleep. I must needs wake her.—Madam, madam, madam! 10Aye, let the County take you in your bed; He’ll fright you up, i’faith. Will it not be? What, dressed and in your clothes and down again? I must needs wake you. Lady, lady, lady! Alas, alas! Help, help! My lady’s dead! woe the day 15O ° that ever I was born! Some aqua-vitae, ho! My lord, my lady! Enter LADY CAPULET LADY CAPULETWhat noise is here? NURSEO lamentable day! LADY CAPULETWhat is the matter? NURSE20Look, look! O heavy day! LADY CAPULETO me, O me! My child, my only life! Revive, look up, or I will die with thee! Help, help! Call help! Enter CAPULET CAPULETFor shame, bring Juliet forth. Her Lord is come. NURSE25She’s dead, deceased, she’s dead. Alack the day! LADY CAPULETAlack the day! She’s dead, she’s dead, she’s dead. CAPULETHa! Let me see her. Out, alas—she’s cold! Her blood is settled, and her joints are stiff; Life and these lips have long been separated. 30Death lies on her like an untimely frost Upon the sweetest flower of all the field. NURSEO lamentable day! LADY CAPULETO woeful time! CAPULETDeath, that hath ta’en her hence to make me wail, 35Ties up my tongue and will not let me speak. Enter FRIAR LAWRENCE and PARIS with MUSICIANS FRIAR LAWRENCECome, is the bride ready to go to church? CAPULETReady to go, but never to return. O son, the night before thy wedding day Hath Death lain with thy wife. There she lies, 40Flower as she was, deflowered by him. Death is my son-in-law; Death is my heir. My daughter he hath wedded. I will die And leave him all life living. All is Death’s. PARISHave I thought long to see this morning’s face, 45And doth it give me such a sight as this? LADY CAPULETAccursed, unhappy, wretched, hateful day! Most miserable hour that e’er time saw In lasting labor of his pilgrimage.[30] But one, poor one, one poor and loving child, 50But one thing to rejoice and solace in, And cruel Death hath catched it from my sight. NURSEO woe, O woeful, woeful, woeful day! Most lamentable day, most woeful day That ever, ever I did yet behold. 55O day, O day, O day, O hateful day, Never was seen so black a day as this: O woeful day, O woeful day! PARISBeguiled, divorcèd, wrongèd, spited, slain! Most detestable Death, by thee beguiled, 60By cruel, cruel thee quite overthrown. O love, O life; not life, but love in death. CAPULETDespised, distressèd, hated, martyred, killed! Uncomfortable time, why cam’st thou now To murder, murder our solemnity? 65O child, O child, my soul and not my child! Dead art thou! Alack, my child is dead, And with my child, my joys are burièd. FRIAR LAWRENCEPeace, ho! For shame! Confusion’s cares lives not yelling; commotion In these °. Heaven and yourself 70Had part in this fair maid.[31] Now heaven hath all, And all the better it is for the maid. Your part in her, you could not keep from Death, But heaven keeps his part in eternal life. The most you sought was her promotion, 75For ‘twas your heaven she should be advanced. And weep ye now, seeing she is advanced Above the clouds, as high as heaven itself? O in this love, you love your child so ill That you run mad seeing that she is well. 80She’s not well married that lives married long, But she’s best married that dies married young. Dry up your tears and stick your rosemary[32] On this fair corpse, and, as the custom is, attire In all her best ° bear her to Church. 85For though some nature bids us all lament, Yet nature’s tears are reason’s merriment. CAPULETAll things that we ordained festival Turn from their office to black funeral. Our instruments to melancholy bells, 90Our wedding cheer to sad burial feast, songs of lamentation Our solemn hymns to sullen ° change, Our bridal flowers serve for a buried corpse, And all things change them to the contrary. FRIAR LAWRENCESir, go you in, and madam, go with him; 95And go, sir Paris. Every one prepare To follow this fair corpse unto her grave. The heavens do frown upon you for some ill; Move them no more, by crossing their high will. Exit all but NURSE and MUSICIANS FIRST MUSICIANFaith, we may put up our pipes[33] and be gone. NURSE100Honest good fellows, ah, put up, put up! For well you know, this is a pitiful case. FIRST MUSICIANAye, by my troth, the case may be amended.[34] Exit NURSE Enter PETER PETERMusicians, O musicians! “Heart’s Ease,” “Heart’s Ease.”[35] O, and you will have me live, play “Heart’s Ease.” FIRST MUSICIAN105Why “Heart’s Ease?” PETERO musicians, because my heart itself plays “My heart is full of sad song woe.” O play me some merry ° to comfort me. FIRST MUSICIANNot a dump, no—’tis no time to play now. PETERYou will not then? FIRST MUSICIAN110No. PETERI will then give it to you soundly. FIRST MUSICIANWhat will you give us? PETERname insult No money, on my faith, but the °. I will ° you the minstrel.[36] FIRST MUSICIAN115Then will I give you the serving-creature.[37] PETERhead Then will I lay the serving-creature’s daggers on your °. I will a musical note carry no °; I’ll re you, I’ll fa you.[38] Do you note me? FIRST MUSICIANIf you re us and you fa us, you’ll note us. SECOND MUSICIANPray you put up your dagger, and put out your wit. Then have at 120you with my wit. PETERthrash I will ° you with an iron wit and put up my iron dagger. Answer me like men: [Sings] When griping griefs the heart doth wound, And doleful dumps the mind oppress, 125 Then music with her silver sound— Why “silver sound?” Why “music with her silver sound?” What say you, Simon Catling?[39] FIRST MUSICIANMarry, sir, because silver hath a sweet sound. PETERa stupid answer °! What say you, Hugh Rebeck?[40] SECOND MUSICIAN130I say “silver sound” because musicians sound for silver.[41] PETERPrates too! What say you, James Sound-Post?[42] THIRD MUSICIANFaith, I know not what to say. PETERO, I cry you mercy![43] You are the singer. I will say for you: It is “music with her silver sound” because musicians have no gold for 135sounding. [Sings] Then Music with her silver sound relief With speedy help doth lend °. Farewell, fiddlers! Farewell! Exit PETER FIRST MUSICIANWhat a pestilent knave is this man! SECOND MUSICIAN140Hang him,[44] Jack. Come, we’ll be in here, tarry for the mourners, and stay dinner.[45] Exit all How does Friar Laurence comfort the Capulets who are grieving over Juliet's death?Eventually, Friar Laurence, who knows that Juliet is not actually dead, tells everyone to calm down. He reminds them that everyone dies at some point anyway and that Juliet, now in heaven, is in the best place she could possibly be.
What is Friar Lawrence's advice to Juliet's grieving parents?Friar Laurence has a solution: she should go along with her father's plan, but when it's time to marry Paris, Juliet will take a potion that mimics death.
What is Friar Laurence's reaction to the Capulets cries of grief?What is Friar Laurence's reaction to the Capulet's cries of grief? He tells them Juliet is in a better place. Who first discovers Juliet's body on the morning of her planned wedding to Paris?
What does Friar Laurence offer after the deaths of Romeo and Juliet?Paris then leaves, and Juliet begs the Friar for a solution to her tragic dilemma because she fears that death is her only option. The Friar offers Juliet a remedy — a sleeping potion that she is to take on Wednesday night, the evening before the wedding.
|