Romeo and Juliet: Essay Points and Quotes

Juliet is a weak character, who is controlled by feelings, not logic

"My Grave is like to be my wedding bed" shows that she'd rather die unmarried than marry someone that she doesnt want to.

"I lent him eyes" is said by Romeo in reference to Cupid being blindfolded, and love not following reason. She does not object to this, but agrees they should be together, despite the countless objections from almost everyone.

"this bloody knife shall play the umpire" shows that she will irrationally kill herself over marrying Paris. She doesn't think ahead.

Juliet doesn't conform to societal expectations

"My grave is like to be my wedding bed" - most women relied on a man to make money, whule they stayed home. This means that she would be willing to not marry and work, something only done by poor people.

"pronounce it faithfully" - she isn't fazed by Romeos attempts at treating love like a game. She thanks it needs to be declared straight and formally, rather than through haikus and sonnets.

"Send me word tomorrow" shows that she proposes marriage, not Romeo. It was normally the man who proposed or suggested it, rather than the woman.

Juliet's irrational behaviour means that characters are sidelined away from the main story in order to keep her with Romeo

"Blistered be thy tongue" is the first instance that Juliet goes against the Nurse, meaning that she is more loyal to Romeo than she is her maternal figure.

"Not proud of you" shows she objects to her fathers handling of Paris and her relation, which eventually leads to her father bing pushed out of the main focus of the story.

"This is thy sheath" eventually leads to Juliet pushing herself out of the picture to be with Romeo, showing she will go to any legth for him.

Romeo is presented as being impulsive and childish.

"If I profane... effect I take" is a Sonnet, and the first lines each characters speak to each other. This shows how quickly he has got over Rosaline.

"For doting, not loving" is said by the Friar to show that Romeos love was too powerful, moved too quickly and consumed him. This shows his impulsively.

"Thy love did read by rote" is aslo said by the Friar, again showing that he doesn't believe that he is truely in love after the speed of his recovery over Rosaline.

Romeo abuses his position to get what he wants.

"famine upon thy cheeks" referrs to the Apothecary's poor living standards, and Romeos wealth.

"read by rote and could not spell" suggests that Romeo shouldn't be married to Juliet (by the Friar), but Romeo's family position makes him change his mind.

"Mercy by murder, pardoning those that kill" is said by the Prince, saying that Romeo got off lightly due to him getting revenge on Tybalt for killing Mercutio.

Romeo is presented as being unintelligent, blaming his mistakes on fate.

"I am fortunes fool" he thinks fate is playing with him, and therefore he is absolving himself of any wrongdoing.

"wedded to calamity" is said by the Friar, and shows that he believe that their misfortune is brough upon by their marriage, but Romeo disagrees with him and ignores his wise words.

"How oft when are at the point of death have they been merry" shows that Romeo is not fussed by Paris' deaht due to most peoples being happy when they die.

The Nurse is a key character of comedy.

"A sail!" is repeated by Mercutio as he mocks her lare size. He and the Nurse are comedial characters, and both work together to bring a lighter side to the story.

"how my bones ache" is the Nurses playful way of witholding information from Juliet.

"Do you not see that I am out of breath" is also said by the Nurse only a few lines down from the last quote, showing she and Juliet have a good relationship, and therefore the jokes are fine to be made.

The Nurse sides with Juliet, but also has a sense of realism and caution.

"There stays a husband to make you a wife" shows that the Nurse agrees with Juliet to get married to Romeo at the beginning.

"Blistered by thy tongue" is the Nurse cursing Romeo for killing Tybalt, something that Juliet is angry over.

"O' he is a lovely gentlemen" shows that the Nurse is siding with the Capulet family to get Juliet to marry Paris, showing her sense of realism and long-term affection for Juliet is not controlled by her impulsivness.

The Nurse's sense of humor and direction is gory and crude.

"Thou wilt fall backwards" shows that the Nurse jokes about sex and Juliets chaste.

"A piteos corpse" shows that the Nurse is emphasising the aftermath of Romeo's rampage on Tybalt to sway Juliets view.

"very weak dealing" suggests that the Nurse is willing to fight Romeo if anyhting bad came to Juliet, showing her lack of gender conformity and her protection of Juliet.

The Friar is a man of wisdom.

"We will make short work" shows that he wants the wedding done, as it may be found out about if they are too slow.

"Wisely and slow, they stumble that run fast" Is said by him to get Romeo to stop being impulsive.

"Unseemly woman in a seemly man" referrs to Romeo's attempt at suicide infront of him. This voices his anger against him in which he wants Romeo to take just descisions.

The Friar is Shakespeares mouthpiece.

"wisely and slow, they stumble that rnu fast" is Shakespeares way of saying that you shouldn't rush into things.

"Thou hast amazed me" reflects Shakespeares view on becoming surrounded by emotion.

"be strong and prosperous" shows that Shakespears is a man who speaks of strong and resilient characters.

The Friar is a man of God, and wouldn't change that.

"my dear son" shows that he sees others as family members, something that he doesn't have due to his position.

"O deadly sin" shows tat he does not appreciate anyhing that brings negativity upon others.

"Cure lives not in these confusions shows that he doesn't appreciate panic, as this results in death, upon holy ground.

Tybalt is a man who keeps alliances close.

"Wretched boy" shows his instant disregard to Romeo's position, moking him.

"this is a Montague; our foe" shows he will do anything to keep the Capulet line intact.

"(drawing) shows he is willing to kill anyone who is associated with the Montagues, including those related to the Prince.

Tybalt is a man of violence.

"I am for you" shows he will kill any Montague, includiing those not related to them, but merely just close.

"Have at thee" -- he would rather have death than peace.

"A challenge, on my life" shows he challenges peoples to fight, instigating the feud.

Tybalt wants to protect the Capulet honour, but only knows to fight, mixing his intentions.

"On my life" -- he challenges Montagues to fights to kill them.

"I cannot endure" -- he is willing to fight at any costs.

"Tybalt slain" -- Tybalt died doing what he loved, showing that "violent delights have violent ends".

Benvolio wishes to keep the peace.

"be gone" -- he doesn't want Romeo to die.

"Put up thy sword" -- he doesn't want things to over-escalate.

"and gladly shunned" shows he won't speak to people who are angry or want to cause harm.

Benvolio is a trusted friend of Romeo.

"On my life" is said by Benvolio, not Romeo. This shows that he is targeted to break Romeo.

"So please you, step aside" shows that he carries out most of the work.

"importuned him by any means" shows that he partly fills the gap left by his parents.

Benvolio has a good amount of common sense.

"Part, fools" -- He knows that the violence will solve nothing.

"forget to think of her" -- He knows that there are others out there better than Rosaline.

"die in debt" -- if Romeo does not change he will regret it.

Mercutio is a charcter that drives humor.

"Farewelll ancient lady" -- He makes fun of the Nurse's age and looks, made funnier by the Nurse being played at the time by a man.

"Tis but a scratch" -- His last words are humorous

"exit" shows that his death marks the end of comedy in the play.

Mercutio is presented as being spontaneously angry.

"A curse on both your houses" -- he blames Romeo for his downfall.

"find me a grave man" he knows he will die, and is angry because of their mistakes.

"I care not" is anger to Tyblat is instant, and shows his irrationality.

Mercutio is abolved from the feud, but still dies.

"A plague on both your houses" shows that he blames both families for his death.

"I care not" he knows he has no business with Tybalt, and wishes to absolve himself from the situation.

"They have made worms meat of me" -- "they" put the balme on Romeo as well as Tybalt.

Love is only shown as being rushed and immature.

"kiss again" is something that should only happen afte a long time together, not at first sight.

"much cherishing" shows they they love eachother too much, and foreshadows bad things to come.

"the length of Act 2 Scene 6"  Shows that the marriage is rushed and not very mature.

Love is also shown through maternal/paternal love.

"good son" shows that the Friar has a close relationship with Romeo.

"how my head aches" is said by the nurse to show that her and the Juliet are close enough to be playful and joke with each other.

"She's not fourteen" shows that Lady Capulet is not a good mother to Juliet.

Love is used by Shakespeare to reflect current events, and the ludicrousness of them.

"Wisely and slow" -- reflects the tone of the failed English armarda, which was sent out very quickly and failed.

"My only love sprung from my only hate" mirrors the relationship of Mary I and Phillip of Spain, and that of Elizabeth I and Phillip of Spain.

"send me word tomorrow" the quickness of their marriage can reflect the ruling of Lady Jane Grey, the Queen before Elizabeth I, who ruled for 9 days.

The death of Mercutio marks the end of comedy.

"Tis but a scratch" is the last piece of comedy we see, as he is carried away.

"A curse on both your houses" shows that Mercutio is wishing death and dismay. He gets his wish at the end of the play.

"grave man" even in death Mercutio is making puns.

The main characters use the threat of death to get what they want.

"drawing his dagger" shows that he doesn't care about the complications this could have on others, including Juliet.

"stabs herself" She kills herself to be with Romeo.

"Here's to my love" Romeo kills himself to be with Juliet, despite her not being dead.

Death is the resolution to the feud.

"but their childrens end, nought could remove" shows that Juliet and Romeos death could only stop the feud, something we know in the first scene.

"All are punished" shows that the Prince, and the heads of each house aknowledge how silly their feud was.

"give me thy hand" shows that they know it is time to reconsile.

Fate is a scapegoat for the characters.

"O I am fortunes fool" shows that the characters do not take responsibility for their actions.

"the heaven finds means" shows that the Prince believe fate has found a way to ounish them.

"A greater power" is the Friar referring to God, but can be interpreted as fate.

Fate is something that can't be changed.

"liquor drink thou" shows that the Friar is trying to stop fate by "killing" Juliet.

"I could not send it" is fate trying to stop things going smoothly. It stops Friar John sending messages.

"star-cross'd" tells us from the start that the efforts of the characters are futile.

Fate warns characters through dreams.

"dreamed a dream" shows that his dreams may come true if things don't change.

"Queen Mab" is used by Mercutio to show Romeo that fate isn't real.

"dreamers often lie" further reinorces the belief that his dreams mean nothing.