Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene 3

Romeo and Juliet
Act II, Scene 3

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Friar Lawrence's cell.
Enter Friar Lawrence, with a basket.
FRIAR LAWRENCE
The grey-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night,
Chequering the eastern clouds with streaks of light,
And flecked darkness like a drunkard reels
From forth day's path and Titan's fiery wheels:
Now, ere the sun advance his burning eye,
The day to cheer and night's dank dew to dry,

It is very early the next morning, and the scene opens at the “cell” of one Friar Lawrence, a Catholic priest.
The Friar is outside, picking plants which he can use in mixing various herbs and medicines.

FRIAR LAWRENCE
I must up-fill this osier cage of ours
With baleful weeds and precious-juiced flowers.
The earth that's nature's mother is her tomb;
What is her burying grave that is her womb,
And from her womb children of divers kind
We sucking on her natural bosom find,
Many for many virtues excellent,
None but for some and yet all different.
Friar Lawrence says he must fill up his "osier cage," or his wicker basket. A long time ago, priests were supposed to be experts at plants and this sort of thing. All alone, the Friar begins to talk to himself (and, of course, to us).

O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies
In herbs, plants, stones, and their true qualities:
For nought so vile that on the earth doth live
But to the earth some special good doth give,
Nor aught so good but strain'd from that fair use
Revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse:
Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied;
And vice sometimes by action dignified.
The Friar says that the plants can be "mickle." Now, I always knew they could be very powerful, but I have never heard them described as "mickle."

Within the infant rind of this small flower
Poison hath residence and medicine power:
For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part;
Being tasted, slays all senses with the heart.
Friar Lawrence picks one plant, and he mentions how it has both poison, and also medicine. If you smell it, it can make you well. If you taste it, it will kill.
One hopes that the Friar can keep his prescriptions straight.

Two such opposed kings encamp them still
In man, as well as herbs -- grace, and rude will;
And where the worser is predominant,
Full soon the canker death eats up that plant.

His soliloquy compares the plants to men, and this alone should qualify him for some of Italy’s better mental facilities.

Enter ROMEO
ROMEO
Good morrow, father.

His task is interrupted with Romeo’s arrival.

FRIAR LAWRENCE
Benedicite!
What early tongue so sweet saluteth me?
Young son, it argues a distemper'd head
So soon to bid good morrow to thy bed:
Care keeps his watch in every old man's eye,
And where care lodges, sleep will never lie;
But where unbruised youth with unstuff'd brain
Doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign:
Therefore thy earliness doth me assure
Thou art up-roused by some distemperature;
Or if not so, then here I hit it right,
Our Romeo hath not been in bed to-night.

ROMEO
That last is true; the sweeter rest was mine.

The Friar is a bit startled to see young Romeo. Friar Lawrence "Benedicites" the young teen. The teen does not "Benedicite" him back, though.
Friar Lawrence is shocked that Romeo is up so early, and then the priest worries that Romeo did not even go to bed last night.

FRIAR LAWRENCE
God pardon sin! wast thou with Rosaline?

Then, Friar Lawrence worries that Romeo did go to bed last night, but that he might not have been alone.

ROMEO
With Rosaline, my ghostly father? no;
I have forgot that name, and that name's woe.

FRIAR LAWRENCE
That's my good son: but where hast thou been, then?

ROMEO

Romeo relieves the Friar’s fears. He explains that the Friar has nothing to worry about, since he has forgotten Rosaline completely.
When Friar Lawrence asks where Romeo has been, Romeo answers in a bit of a riddle.

I'll tell thee, ere thou ask it me again.
I have been feasting with mine enemy,
Where on a sudden one hath wounded me,
That's by me wounded: both our remedies
Some vocabulary help: The word "ere" means "before."

Within thy help and holy physic lies:
I bear no hatred, blessed man, for, lo,
My intercession likewise steads my foe.

FRIAR LAWRENCE
Be plain, good son, and homely in thy drift;
Riddling confession finds but riddling shrift.

The word "physic" means "medicine."

ROMEO
Then plainly know my heart's dear love is set
On the fair daughter of rich Capulet:
As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine;
And all combined, save what thou must combine
By holy marriage: when and where and how
We met, we woo'd and made exchange of vow,
I'll tell thee as we pass; but this I pray,
When Romeo finally
does explain that he has fallen in love with Juliet, he is also a bit less than honest. He promises to tell the Friar all about how they "met and wooed" (or dated) and "made exchange of vows." Did they do any of these things? Is there a scene missing?

ROMEO
That thou consent to marry us to-day.

Romeo continues and explains that he wants to get married. To Juliet. A Capulet. Today.

FRIAR LAWRENCE
Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here!
Is Rosaline, whom thou didst love so dear,
So soon forsaken? young men's love then lies
Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.
Jesu Maria, what a deal of brine
Hath wash'd thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline!
How much salt water thrown away in waste,
To season love, that of it doth not taste!
The sun not yet thy sighs from heaven clears,
Thy old groans ring yet in my ancient ears;
Lo, here upon thy cheek the stain doth sit
Of an old tear that is not wash'd off yet:
If e'er thou wast thyself and these woes thine,
Thou and these woes were all for Rosaline:
And art thou changed? pronounce this sentence then,
Women may fall, when there's no strength in men.
Friar Lawrence is shocked, of course.

Friar Lawrence scolds Romeo for being too quick to jump from girl to girl (or from balcony to balcony?). He reminds Romeo of his former love for Rosaline. Friar Lawrence refuses to perform the marriage.

ROMEO
Thou chid'st me oft for loving Rosaline.

FRIAR LAWRENCE
For doting, not for loving, pupil mine.

ROMEO
And bad'st me bury love.

FRIAR LAWRENCE
Not in a grave,
To lay one in, another out to have.

ROMEO
I pray thee, chide not; she whom I love now
Doth grace for grace and love for love allow;
The other did not so.

FRIAR LAWRENCE
O, she knew well
Thy love did read by rote and could not spell.

Romeo complains that Friar Lawrence used to scold or "chide" him often, for his relationship with Rosaline.
Friar Lawrence points out that he scolded Romeo because he was "doting" over the girl. The Friar is obviously very disturbed over this new relationship with a member of the "enemy's" family.

FRIAR LAWRENCE
But come, young waverer, come, go with me,
In one respect I'll thy assistant be;
For this alliance may so happy prove,
To turn your households' rancour to pure love.

ROMEO
O, let us hence; I stand on sudden haste.

FRIAR LAWRENCE
Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast.
Exeunt

Then, in a curious moment, the Friar has a sudden change of heart. Friar Lawrence explains that this “alliance” might be the one thing which will turn the two families’ “rancour to pure love” (line 97).
The word “rancour” means hatred.
For better or worse, Friar Lawrence has decided to go ahead and perform the marriage...
The plot thickens.

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Shakespeare for Scholars:	Shakespeare for Everyone Else:
Friar Lawrence's cell. Enter Friar Lawrence, with a basket. FRIAR LAWRENCE The grey-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night, Chequering the eastern clouds with streaks of light, And flecked darkness like a drunkard reels From forth day's path and Titan's fiery wheels: Now, ere the sun advance his burning eye, The day to cheer and night's dank dew to dry,	It is very early the next morning, and the scene opens at the “cell” of one Friar Lawrence, a Catholic priest. The Friar is outside, picking plants which he can use in mixing various herbs and medicines.
FRIAR LAWRENCE I must up-fill this osier cage of ours With baleful weeds and precious-juiced flowers. The earth that's nature's mother is her tomb; What is her burying grave that is her womb, And from her womb children of divers kind We sucking on her natural bosom find, Many for many virtues excellent, None but for some and yet all different.	Friar Lawrence says he must fill up his "osier cage," or his wicker basket. A long time ago, priests were supposed to be experts at plants and this sort of thing. All alone, the Friar begins to talk to himself (and, of course, to us).
O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies In herbs, plants, stones, and their true qualities: For nought so vile that on the earth doth live But to the earth some special good doth give, Nor aught so good but strain'd from that fair use Revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse: Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied; And vice sometimes by action dignified.	The Friar says that the plants can be "mickle." Now, I always knew they could be very powerful, but I have never heard them described as "mickle."
Within the infant rind of this small flower Poison hath residence and medicine power: For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part; Being tasted, slays all senses with the heart.	Friar Lawrence picks one plant, and he mentions how it has both poison, and also medicine. If you smell it, it can make you well. If you taste it, it will kill. One hopes that the Friar can keep his prescriptions straight.
Two such opposed kings encamp them still In man, as well as herbs -- grace, and rude will; And where the worser is predominant, Full soon the canker death eats up that plant.	His soliloquy compares the plants to men, and this alone should qualify him for some of Italy’s better mental facilities.
Enter ROMEO ROMEO Good morrow, father.	His task is interrupted with Romeo’s arrival.
FRIAR LAWRENCE Benedicite! What early tongue so sweet saluteth me? Young son, it argues a distemper'd head So soon to bid good morrow to thy bed: Care keeps his watch in every old man's eye, And where care lodges, sleep will never lie; But where unbruised youth with unstuff'd brain Doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign: Therefore thy earliness doth me assure Thou art up-roused by some distemperature; Or if not so, then here I hit it right, Our Romeo hath not been in bed to-night. ROMEO That last is true; the sweeter rest was mine.	The Friar is a bit startled to see young Romeo. Friar Lawrence "Benedicites" the young teen. The teen does not "Benedicite" him back, though. Friar Lawrence is shocked that Romeo is up so early, and then the priest worries that Romeo did not even go to bed last night.
FRIAR LAWRENCE God pardon sin! wast thou with Rosaline?	Then, Friar Lawrence worries that Romeo did go to bed last night, but that he might not have been alone.
ROMEO With Rosaline, my ghostly father? no; I have forgot that name, and that name's woe. FRIAR LAWRENCE That's my good son: but where hast thou been, then? ROMEO	Romeo relieves the Friar’s fears. He explains that the Friar has nothing to worry about, since he has forgotten Rosaline completely. When Friar Lawrence asks where Romeo has been, Romeo answers in a bit of a riddle.
I'll tell thee, ere thou ask it me again. I have been feasting with mine enemy, Where on a sudden one hath wounded me, That's by me wounded: both our remedies	Some vocabulary help: The word "ere" means "before."
Within thy help and holy physic lies: I bear no hatred, blessed man, for, lo, My intercession likewise steads my foe. FRIAR LAWRENCE Be plain, good son, and homely in thy drift; Riddling confession finds but riddling shrift.	The word "physic" means "medicine."
ROMEO Then plainly know my heart's dear love is set On the fair daughter of rich Capulet: As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine; And all combined, save what thou must combine By holy marriage: when and where and how We met, we woo'd and made exchange of vow, I'll tell thee as we pass; but this I pray,	When Romeo finally does explain that he has fallen in love with Juliet, he is also a bit less than honest. He promises to tell the Friar all about how they "met and wooed" (or dated) and "made exchange of vows." Did they do any of these things? Is there a scene missing?
ROMEO That thou consent to marry us to-day.	Romeo continues and explains that he wants to get married. To Juliet. A Capulet. Today.
FRIAR LAWRENCE Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here! Is Rosaline, whom thou didst love so dear, So soon forsaken? young men's love then lies Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes. Jesu Maria, what a deal of brine Hath wash'd thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline! How much salt water thrown away in waste, To season love, that of it doth not taste! The sun not yet thy sighs from heaven clears, Thy old groans ring yet in my ancient ears; Lo, here upon thy cheek the stain doth sit Of an old tear that is not wash'd off yet: If e'er thou wast thyself and these woes thine, Thou and these woes were all for Rosaline: And art thou changed? pronounce this sentence then, Women may fall, when there's no strength in men.	Friar Lawrence is shocked, of course. Friar Lawrence scolds Romeo for being too quick to jump from girl to girl (or from balcony to balcony?). He reminds Romeo of his former love for Rosaline. Friar Lawrence refuses to perform the marriage.
ROMEO Thou chid'st me oft for loving Rosaline. FRIAR LAWRENCE For doting, not for loving, pupil mine. ROMEO And bad'st me bury love. FRIAR LAWRENCE Not in a grave, To lay one in, another out to have. ROMEO I pray thee, chide not; she whom I love now Doth grace for grace and love for love allow; The other did not so. FRIAR LAWRENCE O, she knew well Thy love did read by rote and could not spell.	Romeo complains that Friar Lawrence used to scold or "chide" him often, for his relationship with Rosaline. Friar Lawrence points out that he scolded Romeo because he was "doting" over the girl. The Friar is obviously very disturbed over this new relationship with a member of the "enemy's" family.
FRIAR LAWRENCE But come, young waverer, come, go with me, In one respect I'll thy assistant be; For this alliance may so happy prove, To turn your households' rancour to pure love. ROMEO O, let us hence; I stand on sudden haste. FRIAR LAWRENCE Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast. Exeunt	Then, in a curious moment, the Friar has a sudden change of heart. Friar Lawrence explains that this “alliance” might be the one thing which will turn the two families’ “rancour to pure love” (line 97). The word “rancour” means hatred. For better or worse, Friar Lawrence has decided to go ahead and perform the marriage... The plot thickens.