Immortal phrases from Shakespeare:

Part III

Compiled by Amal HEWAVISSENTI

The story continued from last week...

Juliet’s nurse secretly tells her what happened. At first, Juliet hates Romeo for killing her cousin. But soon she becomes greatly disappointed at Romeo’s banishment. Romeo reveals everything to the Friar. He advises Romeo to secretly meet his wife and then leave for Mantua. The Friar says “Stay in Mantua until I call for you”. The lovers’ wedding night turns to be a bitter experience. They sadly part with each other and Romeo leaves for Mantua. They do not know when they would meet again. Meanwhile, Count Paris, a noble young man formally comes to marry Juliet. Capulets give their consent to the marriage. Juliet is deeply frustrated to learn this. She rejects Count Paris and is blamed by her parents for doing so. Juliet nearly goes mad because she has nobody to console her. She secretly meets the Friar. She declares that she would commit suicide rather than marry Count Paris.

The Friar advises her “go home and tell your parents that you’ve prepared to marry the Count. Don’t be afraid. On the night before the wedding, drink this potion. This will keep you unconscious for about 42 hours. Everybody will think you’re dead. Your family will take you to the cemetery vault. I’ll send a massage to Romeo telling him everything. When you wake up, you’ll see Romeo”. Juliet goes home and acts in exactly the same way as the Friar asked her to do. She was somewhat doubtful about the potion but she drank it off on the night before the day of marriage. Lady Capulet thinks Juliet is dead and breaks into loud wailing. The Capulets believe that Juliet has taken poison because of the death of her cousin Tybalt. She is then placed in the Capulet’s vault. (a place where dead bodies of noble families are kept)

(When Juliet learns that Tybalt, her cousin, has been killed by Romeo in the fight. She blames Romeo.)

Juliet: O’ serpent heart, hid with a flowering face!

Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?

Beautiful tyrant! Fiend angelical!

Dove-feathered raven! Wolvish-ravening lamb!

Despised substance of divinest show!

Just opposite to what thou justly seemest!

A damned saint, an honourable villain!

O nature, what hadst thou to do in hell,

When thou didst bower the spirit of a fiend,

In mortal paradise of such sweet flesh?

(In current English)

“Oh (Romeo), you have a snake’s heart covered by a beautiful face!

How did ugly dragons guard the caves filled with beautiful gems! (A dragon was supposed to guard over treasure in a cave)

You’re a dangerous king! You are satan in an angel’s appearance!

You’re a black crow with dove’s feathers! A hungry wolf with sheep’s appearance!

The worst man with an angel’s look!

In wardly you’re completely different from what you show outwardly!

You are a disgusting saint, and a wicked man with outward honour!

O, man creating god, what business did you have in the hell,

When you inserted the horrible devil’s soul into a beautiful man in human world (earth)?”

(Juliet says Romeo has a devil’s heart to have killed her cousin Tybalt)

(Juliet at once regrets blaming Romeo for killing Tybalt. She is happy because Romeo is living)

Juliet: Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?

Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name

When I, thy three-hours wife, have mangled it?

But wherefore, villain, didst thou kill by cousin?

That villain cousin would have killed my husband.

Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring!

Your tributary drops belong to woe,

Which you, mistaking, offer up to joy.

My husband lives, that Tybalt could have slain;

And Tybalt’s dead, that could have slain my husband

All this is comfort. Wherefore weep I then?

(In current English)

“How can I blame him who is my husband?

O my innocent husband, who will praise your name

When I (who married you three-hours ago) have damaged your name?

But why my sweet wicked man, did you kill my cousin?

(Never mind) That wicked cousin could have killed my husband.

O’ my foolish tears! Go back to your springs behind my eyes!

O’ the springs of tears, your teardrops belong to sadness.

By mistake, you send your teardrops when I’m happy.

I’m happy because my husband lives. He could have been killed by Tybalt.

Now Tybalt is dead. It is a lucky thing. He could have killed by husband.

All this is happy news. Why should I cry then?”

(Friar Lawrence consoles Romeo when Romeo is expelled from Verona)

Friar: I’ll give thee armour to keep off that word -

Adversity’s sweet milk, philosophy,

To comfort thee, though thou art banished.

(In current English)

“I’ll make up your mind to forget that word (banishment) -

By giving you Philosophical advice. It is the best thing when someone in trouble.

I’ll console you even if you’re expelled from the city.”

(Romeo cries for having to depart from Juliet. The Friar blames him for crying. Romeo is angry.)

Romeo: Thou canst speak of that thou dost not feel.

Wert thou as young as I, Juliet thy love,

An hour but married, Tybalt murdered,

Doting like me, and like me banished,

Then mightest thou speak; then mightst thou tear thy hair,

and fall upon the ground, as I do now.

(In current English)

“How can you speak about (my feelings) when you don’t feel them yourself?

If you were as young as I’m and Juliet were your loving wife,

Married only an hour ago, and suppose you killed Tybalt,

Suppose you are loving and are banished at once,

Then you also cry aloud like me. You’ll ruffle your hair,

And fall unconscious on the ground as I do now.”

(The Friar blames Romeo for his irresponsible behaviour)

Friar: Art thou a man? Thy form cries out thou art.

Thy tears are womanish. Thy wild acts denote

The unreasonable fury of a beast.

Unseemly woman in a seeming man!

And ill-be seeming beast in seeming both!

Thou hast amazed me. By my holy order,

I thought thy disposition better tempered.

Hast thou Slain Tybalt? Wilt thou slay thyself?

And slay thy lady that in thy life lives,

By doing damned hate upon thyself?

Why railest thou on thy birth, the heaven, and earth?

(In current English)

“Are you a man? Your appearance tells that you’re a man.

You are crying like a woman. Your violent behaviour is like that of a meaningless anger of a wild animal.

Ugly womanhood is hidden in your beautiful man’s shape!

Your behaviour has surprised me! As far as I’m concerned,

I thought that your qualities are sober.

Did you kill Tybalt? And likewise are you going to kill yourself?

By that, are you going to kill Juliet whose life depends on your life?

Why the hell do you hate yourself?

Why do you blame your birth, the sky and the earth?”

(Romeo departs from Juliet. He has spent the night with her in her chamber. Now Romeo is going to leave for Mantua.)

Juliet: Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day.

It was the nightingale, and not the lark

That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear.

Nightly she sings on yon pomegranate tree.

Believe me, my love, it was the nightingale.

Romeo: It was the lark, the herald of the morn;

No nightingale. Look. love, what envious streaks

Do lace the severing clouds in yonder East.

Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day,

Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.

(In current English)

Juliet: “Are you leaving me? Dawn has not come yet,

It was the call of nightingale, not the call of skylark.

That came into your ear. (You’re afraid to stay here)

Every night the female nightingale sing on that pomegranate tree,

I’m telling you truth, my love, it was surely the nightingale.

Romeo: No. If was the call of skylark. It is the messenger of morning.

Not the call of a nightingale. Look! What angry rays are there twisting,

The splitting clouds in the East.

Stars have put out their light.

The happy day is awaiting on the foggy mountain tops.”