Love

Act 1 scene 5:

Act 1, Scene 5 – Romeo noticing Juliet for the first time

ROMEO

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!

It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night

Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;

Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!

So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows,

As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.

The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand,

And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.

Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight!

For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

Explain the key change in Romeo’s feelings here, in this part of the play.

Act 1 Scene 5: Capulet’s Ball

ROMEO

[To JULIET] If I profane with my unworthiest hand

This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:

My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand

To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

JULIET

Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,

Which mannerly devotion shows in this;

For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,

And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.

ROMEO

Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?

JULIET

Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

ROMEO

O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;

They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.

JULIET

Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.

ROMEO

Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.

Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged

Act 2 Scene 2 – Juliet’s Balcony

ROMEO

He jests at scars that never felt a wound.

JULIET appears above at a window

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,

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!

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,

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?

Act 2 Scene 2 – Juliet’s Balcony

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.

'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, 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 name would smell as sweet;

So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,

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 baptized;

Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

How does Romeo describe love?

“Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs; Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes; Being vexed, a sea nourished with loving tears. What is it else? A madness most discreet, A choking gall, and a preserving sweet.”

“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.”

“Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight, For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.”

“Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs; Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes; Being vexed, a sea nourished with loving tears. What is it else? A madness most discreet, A choking gall, and a preserving sweet.”

“Love is heavy and light, bright and dark, hot and cold, sick and healthy, asleep and awake- its everything except what it is!”

“Parting is such sweet sorrow.”

“With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls, For stony limits cannot hold love out.”

“See how she leans her cheek upon her hand, O that I were a glove upon that hand that I might touch that cheek!”

“But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun.”

“One fairer than my love? the all-seeing sun Ne’er saw her match since first the world begun.”

“This bud of love, by summer’s ripening breath, May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.”

“Under love’s heavy burden do I sink.”

“If love be blind, love cannot hit the mark.”

“Don’t waste your love on somebody, who doesn’t value it.”

“Love moderately. Long love doth so. Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.”

“This bud of love by summer’s ripening breath, May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.”

“Alas, that love, so gentle in his view, Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof.”

“Lovers can do their amorous rites by their own beauties.”

Mercutio and love

Act 1 scene 4