ROMEO:But soft. What light through yonder window breaks?
ROMEO:It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. 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. Her vestal livery is but sick and green, and none but fools do wear it.
ROMEO:Cast it off! It is my lady. Oh, it is my love. Oh, that she knew she were. She speaks, yet she says nothing.
ROMEO:What of that? Her eye discourses. I will answer it. I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks. Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven having some business do entreat her eyes.
ROMEO:To twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there? They in her head? Brightness of her cheek would shame those stars as daylight doth a lamp. Her eyes in heaven would through the airy region stream so bright, that birds would sing and think it were not night.
ROMEO:See how she leans her cheek upon her hand. Oh, that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek.
JULIET:Ay me!
ROMEO:She speaks!
ROMEO:Oh, speak again, 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 that fall back to gaze on her as she bestrides the lazy, pacing clouds, and floats upon the bosom of the air.
JULIET:Oh, Romeo. Romeo. Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or if thou will not, be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet.
ROMEO:Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?
JULIET:'Tis but thy name that is my enemy. Thou art myself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? 'Tis not hand, nor foot, nor arm, nor face, nor any other part belonging to a man.
JULIET:Be some other name. What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called. Retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title.
JULIET:Romeo. Doff thy name. And for thy name, which is no part of thee, take all myself.
ROMEO:I take thee at thy word! Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized. Henceforth I never will be Romeo.
What man art thou that, thus bescreened in night, so stumblest on my counsel?
ROMEO:By a name, I know not how to tell thee who I am. My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself because it is an enemy to thee. Had I it written, I would tear the word.
JULIET:My ears have no yet drunk a hundred words of thy tongue's utterance yet I know the sound. Art thou not Romeo? And a Montague?
ROMEO:Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike.
JULIET:How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore? The orchard walls are high and hard to climb, with the place death, considering who thou art, if any of my kinsmen find thee here.
ROMEO:With love's light wings did I o'erperch these walls, For stone limits cannot hold love out. And what love can do, that dares love attempt. Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me.
JULIET:If they do see thee they will murder thee.
ROMEO:Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye than 20 of their swords.
JULIET:I would not for the world they saw thee here.
ROMEO:I have night's cloak to hide me from their eyes. And but thou love me, let them find me here. My life were better ended by their hate than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.
JULIET:By whose direction found'st thou out this place?
ROMEO:By love.
JULIET:That first did prompt me to inquire. He lent me counsel, I lent him eyes. I am no pilot. Yet, were thou as far as that vast shore washed with the farthest sea, I should adventure for such… Merchandise.
JULIET:Thou know'st the mask of night is on my face, else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek for that which thou hast heard me speak tonight. Fain would I dwell on form. Fain, fain deny what I have spoke. But, farewell compliment.
JULIET:Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say "Ay." And I will take thy word, yet if thou swear'st thou mayst prove false. At lovers' perjuries they say Jove laughs. Oh gentle Romeo, if thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully.
JULIET:Or, if thou thinkst I am too quickly won, I'll frown and be perverse and say thee nay so thou wilt woo. But else, not for the world. In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond.
JULIET:And therefore thou mayst think my 'haviour light, but trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true than those that have more cunning to be strange, I should have been more strange, I must confess. But that thou overheard'st ere I was 'ware, my true love's passion.
JULIET:Therefore pardon me, and not impute this yielding to light love. Which the dark night hath so discovered.
ROMEO:My lady I swear, by yonder blessed moon, that tips with silver all these fruit–
JULIET:Swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circled orb, lest that thy love prove likewise variable.
ROMEO:What shall I swear by?
JULIET:Do not swear at all. Or if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self, which is the god of my idolatry, and I'll believe thee.
ROMEO:If my heart's dear love–
JULIET: Do not swear. Although I joy in thee, I have no joy of this contract tonight, it's too rash. Too unadvised, too sudden, too like the lightning which doth cease to be ere one can say "it lightens". Sweet. Good night.
JULIET:This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath, may prove a beauteous flower when next we meet. Good night. Good night! As sweet repose and rest come tothy heart as that within my breast.
ROMEO:Oh, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?
JULIET:What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?
ROMEO:The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine.
JULIET:I gave thee mine before thoust didst request it. And yet, I would it were to give again.
ROMEO:Wouldst thou withdraw it? For what purpose, love?
JULIET:But to be frank, and give it thee again, and yet I wish but for the thing I have. My bounty… Is as boundless as the sea. My love as deep. The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are… Infinite.
NURSE:'Juliet.'
JULIET:I hear some noise within. Dear love, adieu.
NURSE:'Juliet?'
JULIET:Anon, good nurse! Sweet Montague, be true. Stay but a little, I will come again.
ROMEO:Oh blessed, blessed night. I am afeared being in night all this is but a dream. Too flattering sweet to be substantial.
Romeo steals into the Capulet garden to find Juliet on her bedroom balcony, talking to herself.
Romeo makes his presence known and overcome with love, they agree to marry, despite the feud between their families.
This short film is from the BBC series, Shakespeare Unlocked.
Teacher Notes
You could show this scene to your students after they've watched the Act 2, Scene 2 workshops, to demonstrate how the learning points translated into the final production.
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 - 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 - 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 - Romeo's soliloquy (workshop) video
Sam Troughton discusses how Romeo has no plan once he is discovered in the Capulet garden.
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.
