SAM:But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
SAM:He's in the Capulet orchard, he doesn't know which her-- Where she is. I don't think he really What is he–
SAM:I don't think he's thinking, "Right, I'll sneak in and I'll climb up on her balcony and we'll get married and that's what's going to happen." The first, "But soft, What light through yonder window breaks?"
MICHAEL:So, he doesn't know whose window that is.
SAM:Yes, I mean, I think that's a pretty basic although it sounds very beautiful, but it's basically like, "Oh my god! Who's turned that light on?" Or, "What's that light that's coming from that window?"
MICHAEL:Because who could be that light?
SAM:Well it could be a Capulet. Because he's taken the decision to not leave the party with Mercutio and his mates.
SAM:But to sneak into the orchard of the Capulets. So he's sort of compelled–
MICHAEL:To be here.
SAM:To stay. He has to.
SAM:Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon who is already sick and pale with grief, that thou her maid art far more fair than she. Be not her maid, since she is envious.
MICHAEL:I mean, dramatically in the language, the idea of a man looking at an empty balcony and then to be saying to that balcony, "Arise. Come out the sun from that balcony." It's a madness, isn't it?
SAM:Yeah.
It's a crazy fantasy.
SAM:It's crazy, I mean, it's sort of… In a funny way it's kind of safe. Because she isn't there.
MICHAEL:But then when she turns up and then when she turns up he's like, oh my god.
SAM:It is my lady.
SAM:It is my love. O, that she knew she were!
SAM:She speaks.
SAM:Yet she says nothing.
SAM:What of that.
SAM:Her eye discourses. I will answer it.
SAM:I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks.
SAM:Her eyes are talking. Her eyes. Discourse. Her eye discourses. Then he says, "I'll answer her eyes."
MICHAEL:Because maybe they're talking about me.
SAM:Yeah, maybe. And then I say, then he says, "No, I am too bold, of course she's not talking about me."
SAM:Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, having some business, do entreat her eyes to twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
SAM:The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, as daylight doth a lamp.
SAM:It would make the stars look like a lamp next to the sun. That's how beautiful her cheek is.
MICHAEL:Tiny, insignificant in their brightness.
SAM:Yes. As daylight doth a lamp.
SAM:Well he's basically going, god, she's, she's beautiful. But he's still not going to talk to her.
SAM:And I think if Juliet doesn't open her mouth then… Romeo would probably be going back to the orchard every night. And hiding in the bushes and looking at Juliet and…
SAM:Idolising her and creating a fantasy Juliet that isn't real.
SAM:See how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
SAM:O, that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek.
SAM:And then, of course, he hears what she says.
MARIAH:Ay me.
SAM:She speaks!
SAM:Oh speak again.
SAM:He says, "She speaks.
SAM:Oh speak again." I think–
MARIAH:Yeah, yeah.
SAM:He's waiting for her to say something, I think it's funny.
SAM:Bright angel. For thou art as glorious to this night, being o'er my head as is a winged messenger of heaven unto the white-upturned wondering eyes of mortals.
SAM:'So he calls her a bright angel.' Compared to this night, you are glorious. As glorious as a winged messenger of heaven.
MICHAEL:When he looks up at her, up there, on that high balcony, she's framed by not just the light of her room that makes her look like an angel in her silhouette.
SAM:Yeah.
MICHAEL:But also the clouds that are above her. So it actually looks like she's laying on the clouds.
SAM:That fall back to gaze on her as she bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds.
SAM:This is not a planned set poem or image that he's seen before, I think he's actually seeing this in front of him in this moment and it's the most, sort of…
SAM:Extraordinary he gets in this section, before being sort of thumped down to earth. He's literally floating away with the image.
SAM:And floats upon the bosom of the air.
MARIAH:Oh Romeo. LAUGHS
MICHAEL:Oh Romeo.
Sam Troughton discusses how Romeo has no plan once he is discovered in the Capulet garden.
He explores Romeo’s language and how Juliet is compared to sources of light and an angel.
This short film is from the BBC series, Shakespeare Unlocked.
Teacher Notes
This short film offers a clear analysis of how the language of a text can offer insights into a character.
Before watching the workshop, ask your students to write a quick checklist of what we, the audience, already know about Romeo before this scene starts.
Ask them to watch out for additional clues about Romeo's character as this workshop unfolds.
After watching the workshop, ask students to discuss what extra information they discover about Romeo, both in terms of what Romeo actually does and says, and from what the actors and assistant director say about him.
Ask students to look at all the information they have gathered about Romeo;
- What does this tell us about Romeo? For example, he climbs a tall orchard wall – what does that tell us about him?
- That he's strong? Brave? Reckless?
- What picture can they build up of Romeo based on this analysis?
This short film is suitable for teaching GCSE English literature and drama in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and National 4/ 5 in Scotland.
More from Shakespeare Unlocked - Romeo and Juliet
Act 2, Scene 2 - Lovers unite (workshop) video
Romeo puts his life in danger by entering the Capulet orchard. Mariah Gale and Sam Troughton explore differing ways of playing the scene.
Act 2, Scene 2 - Juliet's soliloquy (workshop) video
Mariah Gale and Sam Troughton explore the problem of Romeo’s name and Juliet’s solution.
Act 2, Scene 2 - The Balcony. video
Romeo steals into the Capulet garden to find Juliet on her balcony, talking to herself.
Act 3, Scene 1 - Death of Mercutio (workshop) video
Michael Fentiman discusses ambiguity in Shakespeare’s text. Does Tybalt intend to kill Mercutio?
Act 3, Scene 1 - Spoiling for a fight (workshop) video
The company discuss Shakespeare’s language and the reason for the fight.
Act 3, Scene 1 - The Fight. video
Young men from the Montague and Capulet families fight with tragic consequences.
Act 3, Scene 5 - Juliet is abandoned (workshop) video
The actors look at how Juliet becomes isolated from her mother, her father and her nurse.
About the 2011 RSC production. video
The cast discuss acting, directing and prop choices for this production.
