Romeo and Juliet Quotes
Act I
- “What, drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word,
As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee” (Act I, page 4)
Speaker- Tybalt
Meaning/interpretation- Tybalt is trying to counter Bonvolio’s efforts on stopping the fight between the servants. Tybalt is angered by the fact they have taken swords and they trying to assert on the need of peace. For him he does not like the term peace as well as Montague and he believes they should go ahead and fight instead.
Importance to the story- Tybalt’s violent trait is revealed as a person that loves to fight over peace. The statement highlights the relationship of hostility that exists between Benvolio and Tybalt.
Literary device- Foreshadow
- “Examine other beauties” (Act 1, page 6)
Speaker- Benvolio
Meaning/interpretation- While trying to comfort Romeo after Rosaline rejected him, Benvolio attempts to make the suggestion that to forget to get over the heart break and eventually get over Rosaline he should try to see other females.
Importance to the story- The statement is important in highlighting the tragedy of Romeo’s romantic life.
Literary device- Imagery
Act II
- “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.
Romeo, doff thy name, and for that name
Which is no part of thee take all myself” (Act II, page 1)
Speaker- Juliet
Meaning/interpretation- The statement means that the thing that matters most is the actual nature of something rather than its name. In other words, a sweet name does not necessary imply that something is as sweet.
Importance to the story- The quote is important as it helps the reader to understand that the name of someone or something does not determine the character. People are not always as they seem and should not be judged based on their names or appearance.
Literary device- Metaphor
- “Hence will I to my ghostly father’s cell,
His help to crave and my dear hap to tell” (Act II, page 3)
Speaker- Romeo
Meaning/interpretation- When Juliet fell asleep Romeo then turn to Lawrence Friar his favorite minister. Frair is the holiest man in throughout the play and he means well for both Romeo and Juliet but in return is subjected to the blame based on the tragic ending for the two lovers.
Importance to the story- Romeo and Friar are trying to fight on the plan for the wedding between Romeo and Juliet. Friar tries to warn Romeo about his fate urging him to love in a moderate manner but he does not listen. It is rather ironic that while Frair is intention are good and all he wants is to help the two lovers he fails at reconciling them and he is blamed as the source of miscommunication between the two leading to the tragic ending.
Literary device- Irony
ACT III
- “Methinks I see thee,
As one dead in the bottom of a tomb:
Either my eyesight fails or thou look’st pale.” (Act III, page 6)
Speaker- Juliet
Meaning/interpretation- Juliet foresees a tragic ending for them. She sees a dead body but she questions whether her eyes have let her down. In general, Romeo on the other hand believes that their life together is likely to be particularly sweet.
Importance to the story- The quote is important as Juliet foreshadow a tragic death that of Romeo. Juliet of course foresees how would see Romeo for the last time at the bottom of the tomb.
Literary device- Foreshadow
- “Hang thee young baggage! Disobedient wretch!
I tell thee what: get thee to church o’ Thursday,
Or never after look me in the face.” (Act III, page 7)
Speaker- Capulet
Meaning/interpretation- Juliet’s dad is angered by his daughter’s decision not to get married to Paris. He treats Juliet as a property which he can conveniently sell to another man.
Importance to the story- Juliet’s father originally believed that she should get married for love but when she refuses to marry Paris he threatens her that she should never face her. The quote represents the masculinity of men where women are considered as inferior and men’s property.
Literary device- Metaphor
Act IV
- “What if this mixture do not work at all?
what if it be a poison, which the friar hath subtly
hath minister’d to have me dead, lest in this marriage he
should be dishonour’d?” (Act IV, page 2)
Speaker- Juliet
Meaning/interpretation- Juliet is afraid that Frair’s portion might not actually work and might a poison that is aimed at killing her. She fears that he might be afraid of being disgraced if she decided to get married to Paris even after he had already married her to her lover Romeo.
Importance to the story- The quote is important because while Juliet doubts the portion she still trusts Frair by highlighting that he is a holy man. In her thoughts he foreshadows nothing but struggle and darkness, which illustrates that something tragic, is likely to occur.
Literary device- Foreshadow
- “Heaven and yourself had part in this fair maid;
Now heaven hath all, and all the better it is for the maid.” (Act IV, page 3)
Speaker- Friar Lawrence
Meaning/interpretation- As the blame is being rained on Julie as they wind up, Frair adds a positive statement by holding that she is in a much better place. When they all wanted her to make the right choice with regard to marriage and move to a higher class, as a heaven for her, the external life is the heaven that was meant for her.
Importance to the story- The quote is metaphoric in nature as it represent the contrast between the heaven in which her father wished for her and the external one that turns to be her fate. The ending is tragic because she does not enjoy happiness but to Frair the external life is a safe place for her.
Literary device- Metaphor
Act V
- “I could not send it, nor get a messenger to bring it thee,
so fearful were they of infection.” (Act V, page 2)
Speaker-Friar John
Meaning/interpretation- Friar blames the tragic luck for blocking Romeo from receiving a message explaining that Juliet was not actually dead.
Importance to the story- The statement is important as it demonstrates how miscommunication resulted in the tragic dead of Romeo thus hindering the two lovers from enjoying a happy life.
Literary device- Metaphor
- “Good gentle youth, tempt not a desperate man!” (Act V, page 3)
Speaker- Romeo
Meaning/interpretation- Romeo refers to himself as a desperate man and considers Paris as a gentle youth. When Paris tries to confront him after opening the tomb where he had come to see his beloved Juliet he warns him not to dare a desperate man.
Importance to the story- The quotation demonstrates that Romeo will stop at nothing to achieve his goal which is to commit suicide to be with his lover. Romeo comes to the realization that unlike Paris he cannot live without Juliet and therefore decides to take the portion.
Literary device- Metaphor
