Act 4, Scene 2 — Romeo and Juliet

The argument Capulet prepares the wedding feast while Juliet has gone to Friar Lawrence's cell. When Juliet returns appearing penitent and compliant, Capulet is so delighted that he moves the wedding up a day — from Thursday to Wednesday — putting Juliet's entire plan in jeopardy.

Enter Capulet, Lady Capulet, Nurse and Servants.

CAPULET Speaking

So many guests invite as here are writ.

So many guests invite as hbefore are writ.

so many guests invite as hbefore are writ.

so many guests invite as here are writ.

[_Exit first Servant._]

Sirrah, go hire me twenty cunning cooks.

SECOND SERVANT Speaking

You shall have none ill, sir; for I’ll try if they can lick their

fingers.

You shall have none ill, sir; for I’ll try if they can lick their fingers.

you shall have none ill, sir; for i’ll try if they can lick their fingers.

you shall have none ill, sir; for i’ll try if they can lick

CAPULET Speaking

How canst thou try them so?

How canst you try them so?

how canst you try them so?

how canst thou try them so?

SECOND SERVANT Speaking

Marry, sir, ’tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers;

therefore he that cannot lick his fingers goes not with me.

Marry, sir, ’tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers; thbeforefore he that cannot lick his fingers goes not with me.

marry, sir, ’tis an ill cook that cannot lick his ...

marry, sir, ’tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own finger

CAPULET Speaking

Go, begone.

go, begone.

[_Exit second Servant._]

We shall be much unfurnish’d for this time.

What, is my daughter gone to Friar Lawrence?

NURSE Speaking

Ay, forsooth.

ay, forsooth.

CAPULET ≋ verse Speaking

Well, he may chance to do some good on her.

A peevish self-will’d harlotry it is.

Well, he may chance to do some good on her. A peevish self-will’d harlotry it is.

well, he may chance to do some good on her. a peevish self-will’d harlotry it is.

well, he may chance to do some good on her. a peevish self-w

Enter Juliet.

NURSE Speaking

See where she comes from shrift with merry look.

See whbefore she comes from shrift with merry look.

see whbefore she comes from shrift with merry look.

see where she comes from shrift with merry look.

CAPULET Speaking

How now, my headstrong. Where have you been gadding?

How now, my headstrong. Whbefore have you been gadding?

how now, my headstrong. whbefore have you been gadding?

how now, my headstrong. where have you been gadding?

JULIET ≋ verse Despair; resignation

Where I have learnt me to repent the sin

Of disobedient opposition

To you and your behests; and am enjoin’d

By holy Lawrence to fall prostrate here,

To beg your pardon. Pardon, I beseech you.

Henceforward I am ever rul’d by you.

Whbefore I have learnt me to repent the sin Of disobedient opposition To you and your behests; and am enjoin’d By holy Lawrence to fall prostrate hbefore, To beg your pardon. Pardon, I beseech you. Henceforward I am ever rul’d by you.

whbefore i have learnt me to repent the sin of dis...

where i have learnt me to repent the sin of disobedient oppo

Why it matters Every word of this speech is a performance. Juliet is not repentant — she has just been given a sleeping potion by Friar Lawrence and is now executing her deception with perfect precision. The audience watches in horrified admiration: the same intelligence and courage that fell in love with Romeo is now being used to outmaneuver her parents.

🎭 Dramatic irony Juliet's speech of repentance is a perfect performance. Every word she says is technically true — she did meet Paris at the Friar's cell, she did show him appropriate affection — but every word is also a lie. The audience, who watched Juliet in 4-1, knows exactly what she is doing.

CAPULET ≋ verse Speaking

Send for the County, go tell him of this.

I’ll have this knot knit up tomorrow morning.

Send for the County, go tell him of this. I’ll have this knot knit up tomorrow morning.

send for the county, go tell him of this. i’ll have this knot knit up tomorrow morning.

send for the county, go tell him of this. i’ll have this kno

Why it matters This is the disaster. Capulet's joy moves him to pull the wedding forward by a day — from Thursday to Wednesday. The sleeping potion was calibrated for a Thursday plan: Romeo would be told by Friday, collect Juliet from the vault, and escape. Moving to Wednesday collapses the entire margin.

JULIET ≋ verse Love; passion

I met the youthful lord at Lawrence’ cell,

And gave him what becomed love I might,

Not stepping o’er the bounds of modesty.

I met the youthful lord at Lawrence’ cell, And gave him what becomed love I might, Not stepping o’er the bounds of modesty.

i met the youthful lord at lawrence’ cell, and gav...

i met the youthful lord at lawrence’ cell, and gave him what

CAPULET ≋ verse Speaking

Why, I am glad on’t. This is well. Stand up.

This is as’t should be. Let me see the County.

Ay, marry. Go, I say, and fetch him hither.

Now afore God, this reverend holy Friar,

All our whole city is much bound to him.

Why, I am glad on’t. This is well. Stand up. This is as’t should be. Let me see the County. Ay, marry. Go, I say, and fetch him hither. Now afore God, this revbeforend holy Friar, All our whole city is much bound to him.

why, i am glad on’t. this is well. stand up. this ...

why, i am glad on’t. this is well. stand up. this is as’t sh

Why it matters Capulet's praise of Friar Lawrence — the very man who has just given his daughter a poison — is the scene's sharpest dramatic irony. He credits the Friar with saving his family. He is half right.

↩ Callback to 4-1 Capulet praises Friar Lawrence as the city's saviour — not knowing the Friar has just handed Juliet a sleeping potion.

JULIET ≋ verse Speaking

Nurse, will you go with me into my closet,

To help me sort such needful ornaments

As you think fit to furnish me tomorrow?

Nurse, will you go with me into my closet, To help me sort such needful ornaments As you think fit to furnish me tomorrow?

nurse, will you go with me into my closet, to help...

nurse, will you go with me into my closet, to help me sort s

Why it matters Juliet's request to sort wedding clothes is cover. She is going to her room to drink the potion. The mundane domestic framing — choosing accessories — frames the horror of what is actually about to happen.

LADY CAPULET Speaking

No, not till Thursday. There is time enough.

No, not till Thursday. Thbefore is time enough.

no, not till thursday. thbefore is time enough.

no, not till thursday. there is time enough.

CAPULET Speaking

Go, Nurse, go with her. We’ll to church tomorrow.

go, nurse, go with her. we’ll to church tomorrow.

[_Exeunt Juliet and Nurse._]

LADY CAPULET ≋ verse Speaking

We shall be short in our provision,

’Tis now near night.

We shall be short in our provision, ’Tis now near night.

we shall be short in our provision, ’tis now near night.

CAPULET ≋ verse Speaking

Tush, I will stir about,

And all things shall be well, I warrant thee, wife.

Go thou to Juliet, help to deck up her.

I’ll not to bed tonight, let me alone.

I’ll play the housewife for this once.—What, ho!—

They are all forth: well, I will walk myself

To County Paris, to prepare him up

Against tomorrow. My heart is wondrous light

Since this same wayward girl is so reclaim’d.

Tush, I will stir about, And all things shall be well, I warrant you, wife. Go you to Juliet, help to deck up her. I’ll not to bed tonight, let me alone. I’ll play the housewife for this once.—What, ho!— They are all forth: well, I will walk myself To County Paris, to prepare him up Against tomorrow. My heare is wondrous light Since this same wayward girl is so reclaim’d.

tush, i will stir about, and all things shall be w...

tush, i will stir about, and all things shall be well, i war

Why it matters This speech is almost unbearably cruel in its dramatic irony. Capulet's delight — 'My heart is wondrous light' — is the mirror image of catastrophe. Juliet is not reclaimed. She is about to fake her death. And by moving the wedding to tomorrow, he has just made her plan far more dangerous.

🎭 Dramatic irony Capulet's 'my heart is wondrous light' is the scene's cruelest line. He feels he has won. The audience knows the wedding he's racing to organise will never happen — and that his acceleration has just made everything more dangerous.

[_Exeunt._]

The Reckoning

The wedding preparations are already in motion. Then Juliet walks in with her best performance face on, apologises prettily, and Capulet — overjoyed — accelerates everything. One day earlier. The audience has just watched Juliet receive the sleeping potion plan. Now the clock is running faster than anyone planned. This is the mechanical cruelty of farce turned toward tragedy: the harder the characters try to solve the problem, the worse they make it.

If this happened today…

A father is stress-cooking at midnight for a party he's throwing for his daughter's engagement. He learns she's been out — to see a priest, of all things. Then she comes home, hugs him, says she's sorry and she'll do whatever he wants. He's so relieved he calls the venue and says: 'Can we move it up? Tomorrow works better for me.' He has no idea his daughter just borrowed a vial from the priest.

Continue to 4.3 →