Original Text |
Translated Text |
| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library |
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Romeo comes forward. ROMEO
He jests at scars that never felt a wound. Enter Juliet above. But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the East, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief 5
That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.
Be not her maid since she is envious.
Her vestal livery is but sick and green,
And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off.
It is my lady. O, it is my love! 10
O, that she knew she were!
She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that?
Her eye discourses; I will answer it.
I am too bold. ’Tis not to me she speaks.
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, 15
Having some business, do entreat her eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those
stars 20
As daylight doth a lamp; her eye in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.
See how she leans her cheek upon her hand.
O, that I were a glove upon that hand, 25
That I might touch that cheek! | Here it is, Shmoopsters—the famous balcony scene! Romeo is wandering aimlessly around the Capulet backyard when you-know-who appears on the balcony. Romeo gasps, and then launches into a paragraph's worth of great pick up lines. "You shine like the sun." "Your eyes sparkle like stars." "I wish I could be the glove you have on your hand so you would lean your cheek against me that way." It's some seriously good stuff, especially since it was written in the late 16th century, before most of that stuff had been said a gajillion times. |
JULIET Ay me. ROMEO, aside She speaks.
O, speak again, bright angel, for thou art
As glorious to this night, being o’er my head, 30
As is a wingèd messenger of heaven
Unto the white-upturnèd wond’ring eyes
Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him
When he bestrides the lazy puffing clouds
And sails upon the bosom of the air. 35 | Juliet sighs, and Romeo loses it all over again. |
JULIET
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. | Juliet wonders aloud, "Why does the guy I love have to be a Montague?" She wishes he could give up his name—or she could give up hers. |
ROMEO, aside
Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this? 40 JULIET
’Tis but thy name that is my enemy.
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What’s Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face. O, be some other name
Belonging to a man. 45
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet.
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, 50
And, for thy name, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself. | Romeo's tempted to jump out and speak right away, but he waits long enough to hear Juliet gush about him. She ponders the meaning of names and decides they don't really matter. You can call a rose a skunk, but it's still going to smell good. And Romeo would still be absolute perfection, whether his last name was Montague, Baggins, or Potter. In fact, Juliet thinks he should trade in his last name and take her instead. |
ROMEO I take thee at thy word.
Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptized.
Henceforth I never will be Romeo. 55 JULIET
What man art thou that, thus bescreened in night,
So stumblest on my counsel? ROMEO By a name
I know not how to tell thee who I am.
My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself 60
Because it is an enemy to thee.
Had I it written, I would tear the word. | This time Romeo can't hold back. He jumps out of the bushes and yells, "Deal!" But he doesn't want to tell Juliet his name. It's so hateful to him he'd tear it up if he had it written on a piece of paper. |
JULIET
My ears have yet not drunk a hundred words
Of thy tongue’s uttering, yet I know the sound.
Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague? 65 ROMEO
Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike. JULIET
How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore?
The orchard walls are high and hard to climb,
And the place death, considering who thou art,
If any of my kinsmen find thee here. 70 | Juliet doesn't need to hear Romeo's name. She recognizes his voice even though she hasn't heard even a hundred words from him. (Which is totally accurate—good counting, Juliet! Remember, he only spoke 67 words to her before they kissed, and then the Nurse broke it up.) Still, Juliet wants to know how he got over the high walls of the orchard. |
ROMEO
With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls,
For stony limits cannot hold love out,
And what love can do, that dares love attempt.
Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me. | Romeo says he flew over the wall "on the wings of love." |
JULIET
If they do see thee, they will murder thee. 75 ROMEO
Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye
Than twenty of their swords. Look thou but sweet,
And I am proof against their enmity. JULIET
I would not for the world they saw thee here. ROMEO
I have night’s cloak to hide me from their eyes, 80
And, but thou love me, let them find me here.
My life were better ended by their hate
Than death proroguèd, wanting of thy love. | Next, Juliet warns Romeo that he'll be killed if any of her relatives see him. Romeo, slick as ever, says her eyes are more dangerous than swords. Besides, he'd rather be killed now than have to go on living without her love. (If Romeo had lived in the 1980s, he could have made a killing writing pop songs.) |
JULIET
By whose direction found’st thou out this place? ROMEO
By love, that first did prompt me to inquire. 85
He lent me counsel, and I lent him eyes.
I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far
As that vast shore washed with the farthest sea,
I should adventure for such merchandise. | When Juliet asks Romeo how he found his way to her backyard, he says he was guided by love—and he would have traveled much further to get to her if he had to. Over the sea, even. |
JULIET
Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face, 90
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.
Fain would I dwell on form; fain, fain deny
What I have spoke. But farewell compliment.
Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say “Ay,” 95
And I will take thy word. Yet, if thou swear’st,
Thou mayst prove false. At lovers’ perjuries,
They say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully.
Or, if thou thinkest I am too quickly won, 100
I’ll frown and be perverse and say thee nay,
So thou wilt woo, but else not for the world.
In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond,
And therefore thou mayst think my havior light.
But trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove more true 105
Than those that have more coying to be strange.
I should have been more strange, I must confess,
But that thou overheard’st ere I was ware
My true-love passion. Therefore pardon me,
And not impute this yielding to light love, 110
Which the dark night hath so discoverèd. | Juliet is glad it's night so Romeo can't see how embarrassed she is that he overheard her gushing about him. Awkward! Part of her feels like she should put on an act and pretend she's not interested in him, because that's the way girls in her social class are supposed to act. But it's kind of too late for that, and she doesn't want to play games. She wants Romeo to know her love is real, and she wants to know if he feels the same way. |
ROMEO
Lady, by yonder blessèd moon I vow,
That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops— JULIET
O, swear not by the moon, th’ inconstant moon,
That monthly changes in her circled orb, 115
Lest that thy love prove likewise variable. | When Romeo swears on the moon that he loves her, Juliet says, "The moon? You've got to be kidding. The moon changes shape every night. You can't swear by something so unreliable." |
ROMEO
What shall I swear by? JULIET Do not swear at all.
Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,
Which is the god of my idolatry, 120
And I’ll believe thee. ROMEO If my heart’s dear love— JULIET
Well, do not swear. Although I joy in thee,
I have no joy of this contract tonight.
It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden, 125
Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be
Ere one can say “It lightens.” Sweet, good night.
This bud of love, by summer’s ripening breath,
May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.
Good night, good night. As sweet repose and rest 130
Come to thy heart as that within my breast. | Romeo wants to know what he should swear by, but Juliet tells him to slow his roll. There's no need to rush into anything. They should just take their time and see where this goes. (Famous. last. words.) |
ROMEO
O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied? JULIET
What satisfaction canst thou have tonight? ROMEO
Th’ exchange of thy love’s faithful vow for mine. JULIET
I gave thee mine before thou didst request it, 135
And yet I would it were to give again. ROMEO
Wouldst thou withdraw it? For what purpose, love? JULIET
But to be frank and give it thee again.
And yet I wish but for the thing I have.
My bounty is as boundless as the sea, 140
My love as deep. The more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite. Nurse calls from within. I hear some noise within. Dear love, adieu.—
Anon, good nurse.—Sweet Montague, be true.
Stay but a little; I will come again. She exits. 145 ROMEO
O blessèd, blessèd night! I am afeard,
Being in night, all this is but a dream,
Too flattering sweet to be substantial. | Romeo isn't as keen on waiting as Juliet is. He wants her to pledge her love to him (and maybe give him a goodnight kiss) right here, right now. Juliet has to run inside when the Nurse calls, but she tells Romeo not to go too far—she'll be right back. |
Reenter Juliet above. JULIET
Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed.
If that thy bent of love be honorable, 150
Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow,
By one that I’ll procure to come to thee,
Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite,
And all my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay
And follow thee my lord throughout the world. 155 NURSE, within Madam. JULIET
I come anon.—But if thou meanest not well,
I do beseech thee— NURSE, within Madam. JULIET By and by, I come.— 160
To cease thy strife and leave me to my grief.
Tomorrow will I send. ROMEO So thrive my soul— JULIET A thousand times good night. She exits. | Juliet tells Romeo that if he's serious, they should make it official. In other words, if he wants to marry her, he should propose. ASAP. Then she says goodnight and leaves again. |
ROMEO
A thousand times the worse to want thy light. 165
Love goes toward love as schoolboys from their
books,
But love from love, toward school with heavy looks.
Going. | Romeo doesn't want to leave. He feels the same way leaving Juliet as young boys feel about going to school: it's a drag. |
Enter Juliet above again. JULIET
Hist, Romeo, hist! O, for a falc’ner’s voice
To lure this tassel-gentle back again! 170
Bondage is hoarse and may not speak aloud,
Else would I tear the cave where Echo lies
And make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine
With repetition of “My Romeo!” ROMEO
It is my soul that calls upon my name. 175
How silver-sweet sound lovers’ tongues by night,
Like softest music to attending ears. JULIET
Romeo. ROMEO My dear. JULIET What o’clock tomorrow 180
Shall I send to thee? ROMEO By the hour of nine. | Juliet comes rushing back out just as Romeo is starting to leave, and they finalize their messaging plans for tomorrow. |
JULIET
I will not fail. ’Tis twenty year till then.
I have forgot why I did call thee back. ROMEO
Let me stand here till thou remember it. 185 JULIET
I shall forget, to have thee still stand there,
Rememb’ring how I love thy company. ROMEO
And I’ll still stay, to have thee still forget,
Forgetting any other home but this. JULIET
’Tis almost morning. I would have thee gone, 190
And yet no farther than a wanton’s bird,
That lets it hop a little from his hand,
Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves,
And with a silken thread plucks it back again,
So loving-jealous of his liberty. 195 ROMEO
I would I were thy bird. | It's pretty clear at this point that Romeo and Juliet have run out of things to talk about. They start babbling just so they don't have to leave each other—kind of a "You hang up," "No, you hang up," deal. |
JULIET Sweet, so would I.
Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.
Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet
sorrow 200
That I shall say “Good night” till it be morrow. She exits. ROMEO
Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast.
Would I were sleep and peace so sweet to rest.
Hence will I to my ghostly friar’s close cell,
His help to crave, and my dear hap to tell. 205 He exits. | Of course, in Shakespearean terms "You hang up" comes off much more poetically. If this went down 400 years later, these kids would be running off to Vegas together, but this is Shakespeare. Juliet finally drags herself away to bed and Romeo hightails it off to Friar Lawrence, his favorite priest, to figure out the wedding plans. |