Annotations, These lines are taken from the play “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare.

 

Annotations

These lines are taken from the play “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare.

Act I:  

 "Two households, both alike in dignity, / In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, / From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, / Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean."

   - Who said it: The Chorus (in the Prologue)

   - - This is the opening of the play and immediately establishes the setting, the central conflict (the feud), and foreshadows the violence that will follow. It sets a tone of inevitable tragedy.

 

      "O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! / It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night / As a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear..."

   - Who said it: Romeo (Act 1, Scene 5)

   - -  This is Romeo's first reaction upon seeing Juliet. It immediately establishes his overwhelming love at first sight, using vivid light imagery that will become a recurring motif throughout the play to describe Juliet's beauty and influence.

 

 "My only love sprung from my only hate! / Too early seen unknown, and known too late!"

   - Who said it: Juliet (Act 1, Scene 5)

   - - It’s said after Juliet discovers Romeo's identity. This poignant couplet perfectly encapsulates the central tragic irony of the play – their love is born directly from the very thing that forbids it, and this realization comes too late to prevent their powerful attraction.

 

  "O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? / Deny thy father and refuse thy name; / Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, / And I'll no longer be a Capulet."

   -  Who said it: Juliet (Act 2, Scene 2 – The Balcony Scene)

- -  This iconic line expresses Juliet's profound desire to separate Romeo from his Montague identity, recognizing that his name, not his person, is the barrier to their love. It demonstrates her willingness to abandon her family for him.

 

 "What's in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other word would smell as sweet."

   - Who said it: Juliet (Act 2, Scene 2 – The Balcony Scene)

   - -   A powerful philosophical statement about identity and convention. Juliet argues that names are arbitrary labels and don't define the essence of a thing or person, further emphasizing her wish to transcend the family feud.

 

  "These violent delights have violent ends / And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, / Which as they kiss consume."

   - Who said it: Friar Laurence (Act 2, Scene 6)

   - -  Why it's important: This is a crucial piece of foreshadowing. The Friar, observing the intensity of Romeo and Juliet's love, warns against the dangers of extreme passion, directly predicting their fiery, destructive end. It highlights his role as a cautious, yet ultimately enabling, figure.

  "A plague o' both your houses! / They have made worms' meat of me."

   - Who said it: Mercutio (Act 3, Scene 1)

   - - Said as Mercutio is dying from Tybalt's wound, this curse encapsulates the tragic cost of the feud. It points the blame directly at both families, showing that even neutral parties (Mercutio is a kinsman to the Prince, not strictly Montague or Capulet) are caught in its destructive path.

 

  "O, I am fortune's fool!"

   - Who said it: Romeo (Act 3, Scene 1)

   - - Why it's important: Romeo utters this after killing Tybalt, realizing the devastating consequences of his impulsive action. It speaks to the theme of fate and his perception of himself as a helpless victim of circumstance, though his own free will played a large part.

 

   "Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds, / Towards Phoebus' lodging! Such a waggoner / As Phaëton would whip you to the west, / And bring in cloudy night immediately."

   - Who said it: Juliet (Act 3, Scene 2)

   - - This soliloquy reveals Juliet's intense longing for the night and for Romeo to come to her. It vividly portrays her passionate desire and impatience for their wedding night, juxtaposed tragically against the violence that has just occurred.

 

  "Hang thee, young baggage! Disobedient wretch! / I tell thee what: get thee to church o' Thursday, / Or never after look me in the face."

   - Who said it: Lord Capulet (Act 3, Scene 5)

   - - This harsh outburst reveals Lord Capulet's tyrannical side. It marks a dramatic shift in his character from a seemingly caring father to one who demands absolute obedience, isolating Juliet and pushing her to desperate measures.

 

  "O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris, / From off the battlements of yonder tower... / Or bid me go into a new-made grave, / And hide me with a dead man in his shroud..."

   - Who said it: Juliet (Act 4, Scene 1)

   - - Why it's important: Juliet's fervent plea to Friar Laurence highlights her extreme desperation and her unwavering commitment to Romeo. She would rather face terrifying dangers, even death, than be unfaithful to her husband, setting the stage for the potion plan.

  "Farewell! 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."

   - Who said it: Juliet (Act 4, Scene 3)

   - - Said before Juliet drinks the potion, this soliloquy reveals her profound terror and courage. It showcases her vulnerability while emphasizing her resolve to face this terrifying ordeal for love, filled with ominous foreshadowing.

 

  "Then I defy you, stars!"

   - Who said it: Romeo (Act 5, Scene 1)

- - Upon hearing of Juliet's "death," Romeo rejects the notion of fate that has seemingly toyed with him. This defiant cry signifies his decision to take control of his own destiny, even if it means dying to reunite with Juliet. However, it also leads him down a path of fatal error.

 

  "There is thy gold, worse poison to men's souls, / Doing more murder in this loathsome world, / Than these poor compounds that thou mayst not sell."

   - Who said it: Romeo (Act 5, Scene 1)

  - - Why it's important: Romeo says this to the Apothecary, highlighting his cynicism and bitterness about the corrupting power of money, which forces the poor man to break the law and sell him the poison. It's a social commentary embedded in his desperate act.

 

  "O true apothecary! / Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die."

   - Who said it: Romeo (Act 5, Scene 3)

- - Romeo's final words, spoken as he consumes the poison. They underscore his acceptance of death as the only way to be with Juliet, embodying the play's theme of love conquering all, even life itself, in a tragic sense.

 

"O happy dagger! / This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die."

   - Who said it: Juliet (Act 5, Scene 3)

   - - Juliet's final words, as she discovers Romeo's body and takes his dagger. The oxymoron "happy dagger" shows her relief that she has found a means to join Romeo in death. It's a powerful and final act of devotion and despair.

 

  "For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."

   - Who said it: Prince Escalus (Act 5, Scene 3)

   - - Why it's important: The play's concluding couplet. It provides a final, somber judgment on the tragedy, emphasizing the profound sorrow and loss caused by the feud and the specific fate of the lovers. It leaves the audience with the lasting impression of an unparalleled tragedy.

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