Notes – Romeo and Juliet
Act II Notes
Chorus – p. 64
 Romeo’s old affection (Rosaline) is now gone
 Romeo’s new love (Juliet) is here now
o Difference – love is reciprocated – Juliet loves him back
o May not have access to Juliet, since he is her family’s enemy
o She is in love, but she has very little freedom to meet him
 Passion will give them power
Scene i – Romeo is alone in the Capulet’s orchard
 Romeo
o Jumps the wall and hides until his friends leave
o Doesn’t want to leave the Capulet’s house because he’s in love with Juliet
 Mercutio
o Pretends he is conjuring Romeo (making him appear magically)
o Says he’ll conjure up an image of Rosaline so Romeo will appear
o Speaks of how much Romeo loves Rosaline (doesn’t know yet about Juliet)
Scene ii – Capulet’s orchard
 Romeo
o Speaks of his love for Juliet
 Compares her to the sun
 Says she is the fairest of stars in the heaves
 Wishes he were a glove upon her hand (she is leaning on her hand)
 Juliet
o Speaks of her love for Romeo
o Asks that he deny his father (change his name); if he will not, she will change
hers
o She says he is Romeo, regardless of his name
o She hears Romeo speaking – who is there?
 Romeo – admits he is there – tells her that his name is hateful to him
 Juliet
o Asks how he got in
o Worries that he will be killed if her relatives find him
 Romeo – says love will keep him safe – says that he would rather die than not to be loved
by Juliet
 Juliet
o Says she is embarrassed - she is blushing
o Asks whether Romeo truly loves her – be honest
 Romeo says that he swears by the moon that he loves her
 Juliet
o Says the moon changes too much; swear by your name
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o Says things are going too quickly – good night
Romeo says don’t leave me; I need to know that you love me
Juliet says she loves him deeper than the sea
Romeo asks whether this is a dream
Juliet
o Says that if Romeo is truly serious in his love, then he should marry her
o She will let him know where and when to meet  they will marry, and she will
be faithful to him forever
o If he is not serious, he should tell the messenger that he is not serious
o She wishes Romeo was a little bird she could hold in her hand  he agrees
o If he were a bird, she might kill him with her love
Romeo says he will go to the priest’s cell to ask for help to arrange marriage
Scene iii – Friar Lawrence’s cell (apartment)
 Friar Lawrence is picking plants
o He says that some are good and some are bad
 Romeo goes to see Friar Lawrence
o Friar Lawrence asks why Romeo is up so early/late – wonders if he has been with
Rosaline
o Romeo tells the Friar about Juliet
o Friar Lawrence wonders whether this is real love – says that young men fall in
love with their eyes
Scene iv – A street
 Benvolio and Mercutio wonder where Romeo is
 They say that Tybalt has sent a letter to Romeo, challenging him to a duel
 Romeo shows up, and they chat
 The nurse shows up, and the young men make fun of him
 Romeo tells the nurse that his servant will bring her a rope ladder
Scene v – Capulet’s orchard
 Juliet, alone, is waiting – she is very anxious because the nurse is late
 The nurse comes in and delays telling Juliet her news – is having fun with her
o Says she wants to rest
o Says she is out of breath
o Says that Romeo is so handsome
 The nurse finally tells Juliet that Romeo is ready to marry her at Friar Lawrence’s cell
o Also, the nurse will get a ladder so that Romeo can climb to her room
Scene vi – Friar Lawrence’s cell
 Friar Lawrence asks that heaven smile upon the marriage so that sorrow will not come
later (foreshadowing)
 Romeo says that one minute of Juliet will give him pleasure
 Friar Lawrence – “Violent passions have violent ends” – foreshadowing
 Juliet comes in – Romeo and Juliet express love for each other
 Friar Lawrence marries the young couple
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