for Scholars:
for Everyone Else:
At a Hall in Capulet's House.
Musicians waiting.
Enter Servingmen
with napkins
FIRST SERVANT
Where's Potpan, that he helps not
to take away? He shift a
trencher! he scrape a trencher!
SECOND SERVANT
When good manners shall lie all
in one or two men's hands and
they unwashed too, 'tis a
foul thing.
FIRST SERVANT
Away with the joint-stools, remove
the court-cupboard, look to the
plate. Good thou, save me a
piece of marchpane; and, as thou
lovest me, let the porter let in
Susan Grindstone and Nell.
Antony, and Potpan!
SECOND SERVANT
Ay, boy, ready.
FIRST SERVANT
You are looked for and called for, asked for and
sought for, in the great chamber.
SECOND SERVANT
We cannot be here and there too. Cheerly, boys; be
brisk awhile, and the longer liver take all.
Enter CAPULET, with JULIET and
others of his house, meeting the
Guests and Maskers
Inside the Capulet's, the
servants are rushing around,
the party is going full
swing, and the servants
are arguing.
Apparently, a servant named "Potpan" has stolen a "trencher," which is a kind of a dish. This is absolutely outrageous. Imagine. A servant named "Potpan."
According to the "scholars," (who pretend to know everything), this opening bit involving the servants was probably humorous because of some type of "physical comedy." I guess you had to be there...
Of course, it is also possible that the scholars are just making excuses...
Welcome, gentlemen! ladies that have their toes
Unplagued with corns will have a bout with you.
Ah ha, my mistresses! which of you all
Will now deny to dance? she that makes dainty,
She, I'll swear, hath corns; am I come near ye now?
Welcome, gentlemen! I have seen the day
That I have worn a visor and could tell
A whispering tale in a fair lady's ear,
Such as would please: 'tis gone, 'tis gone, 'tis gone:
You are welcome, gentlemen! come, musicians, play.
A hall, a hall! give room! and foot it, girls.
Music plays, and they dance
More light, you knaves; and turn the tables up,
And quench the fire, the room is grown too hot.
Capulet is trying to persuade the ladies that they should dance, and he threatens to spread the rumor that they have "corns" on their feet, if they do not.
Ah, sirrah, this unlook'd-for sport comes well.
Nay, sit, nay, sit, good cousin Capulet;
For you and I are past our dancing days:
How long is't now since last yourself and I
Were in a mask?
SECOND CAPULET
By'r lady, thirty years.
CAPULET
What, man! 'tis not so much, 'tis not so much:
'Tis since the nuptials of Lucentio,
Come pentecost as quickly as it will,
Some five and twenty years; and then we mask'd.
SECOND CAPULET
'Tis more, 'tis more, his son is elder, sir;
His son is thirty.
CAPULET
Will you tell me that?
His son was but a ward two years ago.
[To a Servingman]
What lady is that, which doth
enrich the hand
Of yonder knight?
SERVANT
I know not, sir.
Meanwhile, Romeo is looking for his love, Rosaline. Instead, he sees Juliet for the first time. Romeo is struck "dumb," but only in the sense that he begins to talk to himself, once again. Many would consider that pretty "dumb," indeed.
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.
Romeo has instantly fallen in love. He describes Juliet as a "dove trooping with crows." He also says, "I ne'er saw true beauty till this night" (line 54). Now, as I recall, he earlier claimed that he would NEVER find another girl more beautiful than his beloved Rosaline. Can you say "irony," boys and girls?
This, by his voice, should be a Montague.
Fetch me my rapier, boy. What dares the slave
Come hither, cover'd with an antic face,
To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?
Now, by the stock and honour of my kin,
To strike him dead, I hold it not a sin.
CAPULET
Why, how now, kinsman! wherefore storm you so?
TYBALT
Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe,
A villain that is hither come in spite,
To scorn at our solemnity this night.
CAPULET
Young Romeo is it?
TYBALT
'Tis he, that villain Romeo.
Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone;
He bears him like a portly gentleman;
And, to say truth, Verona brags of him
To be a virtuous and well-govern'd youth:
I would not for the wealth of all the town
Here in my house do him disparagement:
Therefore be patient, take no note of him:
It is my will, the which if thou respect,
Show a fair presence and put off these frowns,
And ill-beseeming semblance for a feast.
TYBALT
It fits, when such a villain is a guest:
I'll not endure him.
CAPULET
He shall be endured:
What, goodman boy! I say, he shall: go to;
Am I the master here, or you? go to.
You'll not endure him! God shall mend my soul!
You'll make a mutiny among my guests!
You will set cock-a-hoop! you'll be the man!
TYBALT
Why, uncle, 'tis a shame.
CAPULET
Go to, go to;
You are a saucy boy: is't so, indeed?
This trick may chance to scathe you, I know what:
You must contrary me! marry, 'tis time.
Well said, my hearts! You are a princox; go:
Be quiet, or--More light, more light! For shame!
I'll make you quiet. What, cheerly, my hearts!
Finally, Capulet insists and reminds Tybalt that he is the boss, here. When Tybalt still protests, Capulet calls him a "saucy boy." That is Shakespearean for, um, a "saucy boy."
Reluctantly, Tybalt backs down.
Patience perforce with wilful choler meeting
Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting.
I will withdraw: but this intrusion shall
Now seeming sweet convert to bitter gall.
Exit
[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 asks Juliet for a kiss. She refuses him (is she playing coy? Hard to get? Is it his breath?)
Juliet calls Romeo "pilgrim." He may be dressed this way, for the masquerade. Or, she may hinting that his ways are a bit "prudish."
Or, perhaps, both...
Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.
Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged.
(He kisses her.)
JULIET
Then have my lips the sin that they have took.
ROMEO
Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
Give me my sin again.
(He kisses her again.)
JULIET
You kiss by the book.
He claims that a kiss will "purge his sins... Okay, guys: how many of you have used that line before? Hmmmm? Come on, be honest.
Actually, he kisses her twice.
Her reaction? She says, "You kiss by the book," (line 116).
Madam, your mother craves a word with you.
(to the Nurse.)
What is her mother?
NURSE
Marry, bachelor,
Her mother is the lady of the house,
And a good lady, and a wise and virtuous
I nursed her daughter, that you talk'd withal;
I tell you, he that can lay hold of her
Shall have the chinks.
ROMEO
Is she a Capulet?
O dear account! my life is my foe's debt.
Away, begone; the sport is at the best.
ROMEO
Ay, so I fear; the more is my unrest.
CAPULET
Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to be gone;
We have a trifling foolish banquet towards.
(They whisper an excuse.)
Is it e'en so? why, then, I thank you all
I thank you, honest gentlemen; good night.
More torches here! Come on then, let's to bed.
Ah, sirrah, by my fay, it waxes late:
I'll to my rest.
Exeunt all but JULIET and Nurse
Come hither, nurse. What is yond gentleman?
NURSE
The son and heir of old Tiberio.
JULIET
What's he that now is going out of door?
NURSE
Marry, that, I think, be young Petrucio.
JULIET
What's he that follows there, that would not dance?
NURSE
I know not.
JULIET
Go ask his name: if he be married.
My grave is like to be my wedding bed.
His name is Romeo, and a Montague;
The only son of your great enemy.
JULIET
My only love sprung from my only hate!
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
Prodigious birth of love it is to me,
That I must love a loathed enemy.
NURSE
What's this? what's this?
JULIET
A rhyme I learn'd even now
Of one I danced withal.
One calls within 'Juliet.'
NURSE
Anon, anon!
Come, let's away; the strangers all are gone.
Exeunt