Playing ShakespeareRomeo + Juliet

Romeo

He jests at scars that never felt a wound.

Enter JULIET, coming to her window-balcony above.  ROMEO, below, sees the light at the window, then realises it is JULIET.

– 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
As daylight doth a lamp. Her eyes in heaven (20)
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,
That I might touch that cheek!

Juliet

Ay me!

Romeo

(Aside) She speaks. (25)
O speak again, bright angel! – For thou art
As glorious to this night, being o’er my head,
As is a wingèd messenger of heaven
Unto the white-upturnèd wondering eyes
Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him (30)
When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds,
And sails upon the bosom of the air.

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 (35)
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.

Romeo

(Aside) Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

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, (40)
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
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 call'd, (45)
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name –
And for that name, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself.

Romeo

I take thee at thy word.
Call me but love, and I’ll be new-baptised: (50)
Henceforth, I never will be Romeo.

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 (55)
Because it is an enemy to thee.
Had I it written, I would tear the word.

Juliet

My ears have yet not drunk a hundred words
Of thy tongue’s uttering, yet I know the sound.
Art thou Romeo, and a Montague? (60)

Romeo

Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike.

Juliet

How cam’st 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. (65)

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.

Juliet

If they do see thee, they will murder thee. (70)

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,(75)
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.

Juliet

By whose direction found’st thou out this place?

Romeo

By love, that first did prompt me to enquire. (80)
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.

Juliet

Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face,(85)
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’, (90)
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 think I am too quickly won, (95)
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 ’haviour light,
But trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove more true (100)
Than those that have more cunning 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 (105)
Which the dark night hath so discoverèd.

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, (110)
Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

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,
And I’ll believe thee.

Romeo

If my heart’s dear love – (115)

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 –
Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be
Ere one can say ‘It lightens’. Sweet, good night. (120)
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
Come to thy heart as that within my breast.

Romeo

O wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied? (125)

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 –
And yet I would it were to give again.

Romeo

Would’st thou withdraw it? For what purpose, love? (130)

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,
My love as deep. The more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite. (135)

The NURSE is heard calling from inside the house.

I hear some noise within. Dear love, adieu!
– Anon, good Nurse! – Sweet Montague, be true.
Stay but a little: I will come again.

She goes from the window.

Romeo

O blessèd, blessèd night! I am afeard,
Being in night, all this but a dream, (140)
Too flattering-sweet to be substantial.

JULIET returns above.

Juliet

Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed.
If that thy bent of love be honourable,
Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow
By one that I’ll procure to come to thee, (145)
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.

Nurse

(From inside the house) Madam!

Juliet

I come! Anon! – But if thou mean’st not well, (150)
I do beseech thee –

Nurse

(Calling again) Madam!

Juliet

By and by! I come!
– To cease thy suit, and leave me to my grief.
Tomorrow will I send.

Romeo

So thrive my soul, –

Juliet

A thousand times good night!

She goes again.

Romeo

A thousand times the worse, to want thy light.(155)
Love goes toward love as schoolboys from their books,
But love from love, toward school with heavy looks.