Romeo and Juliet, Act IV, Scene 4

Romeo and Juliet
Act IV, Scene 4

[previous scene] [Romeo and Juliet page] [next scene]

You can listen to some
music as you read.
Click on the icon above.
(You can also shut if off,
if you find it annoying.)

Shakespeare
for Scholars: Shakespeare
for Everyone Else:

Hall in Capulet's house.
Enter LADY CAPULET and Nurse

LADY CAPULET
Hold, take these keys, and fetch more spices, nurse.

NURSE
They call for dates and quinces in the pastry.

Enter CAPULET

This scene is meant to be comic relief, but don’t let that fool you. The best thing about it is that it is short. Very short.

CAPULET
Come, stir, stir, stir! the second cock hath crow'd,
The curfew-bell hath rung, 'tis three o'clock:
Look to the baked meats, good Angelica:
Spare not for the cost.

NURSE
Go, you cot-quean, go,
Get you to bed; faith, You'll be sick to-morrow
For this night's watching.

CAPULET
No, not a whit: what! I have watch'd ere now
All night for lesser cause, and ne'er been sick.

It is very early the next morning (day four, for those keeping track). Capulet checks his Timex, and notices that it is now 3 o'clock in the morning. Capulet is trying to help out in the wedding preparations, but he is really just getting in the way.

LADY CAPULET
Ay, you have been a mouse-hunt in your time;
But I will watch you from such watching now.

Exeunt LADY CAPULET and Nurse

CAPULET
A jealous hood, a jealous hood!

The Nurse calls Capulet a "cot queen," and a "mouse hunt." Both terms imply that Capulet has done his share of late night carousing.

(Enter three or four Servingmen,
with spits, logs, and baskets)
CAPULET
Now, fellow,
What's there?

FIRST SERVANT
Things for the cook, sir; but I know not what.

CAPULET
Make haste, make haste.
Exit First Servant
Sirrah, fetch drier logs:
Call Peter, he will show thee where they are.

SECOND SERVANT
I have a head, sir, that will find out logs,
.And never trouble Peter for the matter.

Exit

Next, three or four Servingmen come in. They are carrying "spits, logs, and baskets." The logs are probably in the baskets. Shakespeare does not say where the spit is.
Then, Capulet and the servants begin to crack a few really bad puns.

CAPULET
Mass, and well said; a merry whoreson, ha!
Thou shalt be logger-head. Good faith, 'tis day:
The County will be here with music straight,
For so he said he would: I hear him near.
Capulet remembers that the "County" is supposed to show up soon. The "County," of course, is Count Paris.

(Music within)
CAPULET
Nurse! Wife! What, ho! What, nurse, I say!

(Re-enter Nurse)

Capulet hears some music, and he realizes that Paris, the groom, has arrived.

Go waken Juliet, go and trim her up;
I'll go and chat with Paris: hie, make haste,
Make haste; the bridegroom he is come already:
Make haste, I say.

Exeunt

Capulet tells the Nurse it is time to go upstairs and wake Juliet up.
Go and "trim her up," he says. Capulet wants her looking like a Christmas tree.

The summaries provided
herein are protected by copyright.

Do not reproduce without
permission of the author.

	You can listen to some music as you read. Click on the icon above. (You can also shut if off, if you find it annoying.)
Shakespeare for Scholars:	Shakespeare for Everyone Else:
Hall in Capulet's house. Enter LADY CAPULET and Nurse LADY CAPULET Hold, take these keys, and fetch more spices, nurse. NURSE They call for dates and quinces in the pastry. Enter CAPULET	This scene is meant to be comic relief, but don’t let that fool you. The best thing about it is that it is short. Very short.
CAPULET Come, stir, stir, stir! the second cock hath crow'd, The curfew-bell hath rung, 'tis three o'clock: Look to the baked meats, good Angelica: Spare not for the cost. NURSE Go, you cot-quean, go, Get you to bed; faith, You'll be sick to-morrow For this night's watching. CAPULET No, not a whit: what! I have watch'd ere now All night for lesser cause, and ne'er been sick.	It is very early the next morning (day four, for those keeping track). Capulet checks his Timex, and notices that it is now 3 o'clock in the morning. Capulet is trying to help out in the wedding preparations, but he is really just getting in the way.
LADY CAPULET Ay, you have been a mouse-hunt in your time; But I will watch you from such watching now. Exeunt LADY CAPULET and Nurse CAPULET A jealous hood, a jealous hood!	The Nurse calls Capulet a "cot queen," and a "mouse hunt." Both terms imply that Capulet has done his share of late night carousing.
(Enter three or four Servingmen, with spits, logs, and baskets) CAPULET Now, fellow, What's there? FIRST SERVANT Things for the cook, sir; but I know not what. CAPULET Make haste, make haste. Exit First Servant Sirrah, fetch drier logs: Call Peter, he will show thee where they are. SECOND SERVANT I have a head, sir, that will find out logs, .And never trouble Peter for the matter. Exit	Next, three or four Servingmen come in. They are carrying "spits, logs, and baskets." The logs are probably in the baskets. Shakespeare does not say where the spit is. Then, Capulet and the servants begin to crack a few really bad puns.
CAPULET Mass, and well said; a merry whoreson, ha! Thou shalt be logger-head. Good faith, 'tis day: The County will be here with music straight, For so he said he would: I hear him near.	Capulet remembers that the "County" is supposed to show up soon. The "County," of course, is Count Paris.
(Music within) CAPULET Nurse! Wife! What, ho! What, nurse, I say! (Re-enter Nurse)	Capulet hears some music, and he realizes that Paris, the groom, has arrived.
Go waken Juliet, go and trim her up; I'll go and chat with Paris: hie, make haste, Make haste; the bridegroom he is come already: Make haste, I say. Exeunt	Capulet tells the Nurse it is time to go upstairs and wake Juliet up. Go and "trim her up," he says. Capulet wants her looking like a Christmas tree.