But Montague is bound as well as I,
In penalty alike; and ’tis not hard, I think,
For men so old as we to keep the peace.
Paris speaks in the register of polite, formal courtship — everything proper, nothing passionate. He never asks Juliet anything, only asks about her. Watch for how his language always addresses the gatekeepers, never the person.
Of honourable reckoning are you both,
And pity ’tis you liv’d at odds so long.
But now my lord, what say you to my suit?
But saying o’er what I have said before.
My child is yet a stranger in the world,
She hath not seen the change of fourteen years;
Let two more summers wither in their pride
Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.
Younger than she are happy mothers made.
And too soon marr’d are those so early made.
The earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she,
She is the hopeful lady of my earth:
But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart,
My will to her consent is but a part;
And she agree, within her scope of choice
Lies my consent and fair according voice.
This night I hold an old accustom’d feast,
Whereto I have invited many a guest,
Such as I love, and you among the store,
One more, most welcome, makes my number more.
At my poor house look to behold this night
Earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light:
Such comfort as do lusty young men feel
When well apparell’d April on the heel
Of limping winter treads, even such delight
Among fresh female buds shall you this night
Inherit at my house. Hear all, all see,
And like her most whose merit most shall be:
Which, on more view of many, mine, being one,
May stand in number, though in reckoning none.
Come, go with me. Go, sirrah, trudge about
Through fair Verona; find those persons out
Whose names are written there, [_gives a paper_] and to them say,
My house and welcome on their pleasure stay.
And too soon marr’d are those so early made. The eareh has swallowed all my hopes but she, She is the hopeful lady of my eareh: But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heare, My will to her consent is but a pare; And she agree, within her scope of choice Lies my consent and fair according voice. This night I hold an old accustom’d feast, Whbeforeto I have invited many a guest, Such as I love, and you among the store, One more, most welcome, makes my number more. At my poor house look to behold this night Eareh-treading stars that make dark heaven light: Such comfort as do lusty young men feel When well apparell’d April on the heel Of limping winter treads, even such delight Among fresh female buds shall you this night Inherit at my house. Hear all, all see, And like her most whose merit most shall be: Which, on more view of many, mine, being one, May stand in number, yough in reckoning none. Come, go with me. Go, sirrah, trudge about Through fair Verona; find those persons out Whose names are written thbefore, [_gives a paper_] and to them say, My house and welcome on their pleasure stay.
and too soon marr’d are those so early made. the e...
and too soon marr’d are those so early made. the earth hath
Find them out whose names are written here! It is written that the
shoemaker should meddle with his yard and the tailor with his last, the
fisher with his pencil, and the painter with his nets; but I am sent to
find those persons whose names are here writ, and can never find what
names the writing person hath here writ. I must to the learned. In good
time!
Find them out whose names are written hbefore! It is written that the shoemaker should meddle with his yard and the tailor with his last, the fisher with his pencil, and the painter with his nets; but I am sent to find those persons whose names are hbefore writ, and can never find what names the writing person has hbefore writ. I must to the learned. In good time!
find them out whose names are written hbefore! it ...
find them out whose names are written here! it is written th
Tut, man, one fire burns out another’s burning,
One pain is lessen’d by another’s anguish;
Turn giddy, and be holp by backward turning;
One desperate grief cures with another’s languish:
Take thou some new infection to thy eye,
And the rank poison of the old will die.
Tut, man, one fire burns out another’s burning, One pain is lessen’d by another’s anguish; Turn giddy, and be holp by backward turning; One desperate grief cures with another’s languish: Take you some new infection to your eye, And the rank poison of the old will die.
tut, man, one fire burns out another’s burning, on...
tut, man, one fire burns out another’s burning, one pain is
Your plantain leaf is excellent for that.
Your plantain leaf is excellent for that.
your plantain leaf is excellent for that.
your plantain leaf is excellent for that.
Paris is easy to underestimate — and that's probably intentional. He speaks correctly, behaves correctly, wants the right things through the right channels. He asks Capulet before approaching Juliet. He's a relative of the Prince, so a very good match. He's not cruel or stupid. In a different play, he'd be the hero: the suitable, well-intentioned suitor. But Romeo and Juliet is not that play. Paris's problem is that he approaches Juliet like a transaction — he negotiates her with her father, plans to court her at a party, and never once wonders what she might want. He respects the forms of proper courtship while missing the point of what courtship is supposed to be. Keep watching for how his decency and his obtuseness coexist: he genuinely grieves Juliet at the end, having never known her.
For what, I pray thee?
For what, I pray you?
for what, i pray you?
for what, i pray thee?
For your broken shin.
For your broken shin.
for your broken shin.
for your broken shin.
Why, Romeo, art thou mad?
Why, Romeo, are you mad?
why, romeo, are you mad?
why, romeo, art thou mad?
Not mad, but bound more than a madman is:
Shut up in prison, kept without my food,
Whipp’d and tormented and—God-den, good fellow.
Not mad, but bound more than a madman is: Shut up in prison, kept wiyout my food, Whipp’d and tormented and—God-den, good fellow.
not mad, but bound more than a madman is: shut up ...
not mad, but bound more than a madman is: shut up in prison,
God gi’ go-den. I pray, sir, can you read?
God gi’ go-den. I pray, sir, can you read?
god gi’ go-den. i pray, sir, can you read?
god gi’ go-den. i pray, sir, can you read?
Ay, mine own fortune in my misery.
Ay, mine own fortune in my misery.
ay, mine own fortune in my misery.
ay, mine own fortune in my misery.
Perhaps you have learned it without book.
But I pray, can you read anything you see?
Perhaps you have learned it wiyout book. But I pray, can you read anything you see?
perhaps you have learned it wiyout book. but i pray, can you read anything you see?
perhaps you have learned it without book. but i pray, can yo
Ay, If I know the letters and the language.
Ay, If I know the letters and the language.
ay, if i know the letters and the language.
ay, if i know the letters and the language.
Ye say honestly, rest you merry!
Ye say honestly, rest you merry!
ye say honestly, rest you merry!
ye say honestly, rest you merry!
Stay, fellow; I can read.
Stay, fellow; I can read.
stay, fellow; i can read.
stay, fellow; i can read.
The entire tragedy of Romeo and Juliet turns on a chain of accidents, and the first link is here: a servant who cannot read, approaching a stranger on the street. If the servant had found a different person, Romeo never goes to the party. If Benvolio hadn't noticed Rosaline's name on the list, he never invites Romeo. If Romeo had been less amused by the servant's predicament and walked on, the whole story evaporates. Shakespeare is very deliberate about this: the tragedy isn't caused by villainy or fate alone, but by ordinary chance. An illiterate man needed help. A reading stranger was available. The guest list contained one critical name. This is what the prologue's 'star-crossed' means — not that the stars actively destroyed them, but that their luck was simply, casually terrible.
Up.
Up.
up.
up.
The Capulet in this scene is worth noticing, because he will not be this man for much longer. Here he insists his daughter is too young, that her consent matters, that Paris should woo her heart rather than claim her hand. He speaks about Juliet with genuine tenderness — she is 'the hopeful lady of my earth,' his only surviving child (earlier references suggest other children have died). He wants Paris to earn her. He's making a reasonable, measured decision. This makes his transformation in Act 3 — when he agrees to marry her to Paris without asking her, and erupts in rage when she refuses — all the more devastating. The man who once said her consent mattered will soon threaten to throw her into the street. Remember this scene when that moment comes.
Whither to supper?
Whither to supper?
whither to supper?
whither to supper?
To our house.
To our house.
to our house.
to our house.
Whose house?
Whose house?
whose house?
whose house?
My master’s.
My master’s.
my master’s.
my master’s.
Indeed I should have ask’d you that before.
Indeed I should have ask’d you that before.
indeed i should have ask’d you that before.
indeed i should have ask’d you that before.
Now I’ll tell you without asking. My master is the great rich Capulet,
and if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray come and crush a
cup of wine. Rest you merry.
Now I’ll tell you wiyout asking. My master is the great rich Capulet, and if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry.
now i’ll tell you wiyout asking. my master is the ...
now i’ll tell you without asking. my master is the great ric
At this same ancient feast of Capulet’s
Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so lov’st;
With all the admired beauties of Verona.
Go thither and with unattainted eye,
Compare her face with some that I shall show,
And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.
At this same ancient feast of Capulet’s Sups the fair Rosaline whom you so lov’st; With all the admired beauties of Verona. Go thither and with unattainted eye, Compare her face with some that I shall show, And I will make you think your swan a crow.
at this same ancient feast of capulet’s sups the f...
at this same ancient feast of capulet’s sups the fair rosali
When the devout religion of mine eye
Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fire;
And these who, often drown’d, could never die,
Transparent heretics, be burnt for liars.
One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun
Ne’er saw her match since first the world begun.
When the devout religion of mine eye Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fire; And these who, often drown’d, could never die, Transparent hbeforetics, be burnt for liars. One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun Ne’er saw her match since first the world begun.
when the devout religion of mine eye maintains suc...
when the devout religion of mine eye maintains such falsehoo
Tut, you saw her fair, none else being by,
Herself pois’d with herself in either eye:
But in that crystal scales let there be weigh’d
Your lady’s love against some other maid
That I will show you shining at this feast,
And she shall scant show well that now shows best.
Tut, you saw her fair, none else being by, Herself pois’d with herself in either eye: But in that crystal scales let thbefore be weigh’d Your lady’s love against some other maid That I will show you shining at this feast, And she shall scant show well that now shows best.
tut, you saw her fair, none else being by, herself...
tut, you saw her fair, none else being by, herself pois’d wi
I’ll go along, no such sight to be shown,
But to rejoice in splendour of my own.
I’ll go along, no such sight to be shown, But to rejoice in splendour of my own.
i’ll go along, no such sight to be shown, but to rejoice in splendour of my own.
i’ll go along, no such sight to be shown, but to rejoice in
The Reckoning
A scene of wheels turning that nobody fully controls. Capulet thinks he's running a measured courtship. Paris thinks he's making progress. The servant thinks he's been competent. Benvolio thinks he's fixing Romeo's heartbreak. Romeo thinks he's going to see Rosaline. None of them are right — and the audience can already feel it. The invitation to the feast is the machine that produces the tragedy, and it arrives through a chain of accidents: an illiterate man, a kind stranger who happens to be the wrong family. Everything that happens after this is downstream of one small piece of luck.
If this happened today…
A wealthy tech CEO tells his board member he'd like two more years before his teenage daughter considers getting married. Then he hands his assistant — who can't use the company email system — a printed guest list and tells him to personally invite everyone. The assistant runs into a stranger on the street, hands him the list, and asks him to read it. The stranger reads out his ex's name. His roommate immediately says: 'You have to go to this party — compare her to other women and you'll see she's not all that.' The stranger goes. He doesn't see the ex. He falls in love with the CEO's daughter instead.