I chose lines 55-67 in Capulet's orchard where the nurse comes back after visiting Romeo. Juliet is waiting for her to come back from Friar Laurence's cell with news, but she is too, "out of breath," to tell her right away. This scene seems to be like a comedy because Juliet keeps prodding her to simply answer her question, and the nurse takes the entire scene to finally tell her what they told her.
In line's 55 through 57,
JULIET I' faith, I am sorry that thou art not well. 55
Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse, tell me, what says my love?
Nurse Your love says, like an honest gentleman, and a
courteous, and a kind, and a handsome, and, I
warrant, a virtuous,--Where is your mother?
JULIET Where is my mother! why, she is within; 60
Where should she be? How oddly thou repliest!
'Your love says, like an honest gentleman,
Where is your mother?'
Nurse O God's lady dear!
Are you so hot? marry, come up, I trow; 65
Is this the poultice for my aching bones?
Henceforward do your messages yourself.
I was particularly interested in this passage because it is so funny! Juliet's impatience has shown throughout the past lines, but I think she knows the nurse well enough to know that getting angry will only prolong the wait. Instead, Juliet chooses to encouraging language to persuade her, "I'faith, I am sorry that thou art not well. Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse, tell me, what says my love?" When the nurse is finally about to answer her question, going on and on about how nicely he said it, she gets distracted by her own running thoughts, asking, "Where is your mother?" Shakespeare seems to be teasing Juliet in this passage through the character of the nurse.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Romeo and Juliet in-class writing
Written by Lyza at 5:12 AM
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