Hearing Juliet speak his name, Romeo can no longer control himself and announces to her that he is present.
Juliet realizes that maiden modesty and proper social etiquette demand that she should deny her love and not be “too quickly won” (137). However, she is also too full of passion and admits so to Romeo: “I am too fond” (140). Yet Juliet does not want Romeo to think her rash or fickle and swears that her love is “true” (142). The expression “true love” in the time of the Renaissance meant that the love will last forever. Both Romeo and Juliet have true love for one another (in opposition to the type of love – infatuation – that Romeo had for Rosaline).
Because the night is late and because Juliet is being called by her Nurse, Juliet asks Romeo to send her a message tomorrow if his intentions are honorable and if he wishes to propose marriage to her (lines 185-86). Juliet tells him that she will send her Nurse to collect his message.
Romeo is reluctant to leave Juliet, and she is reluctant to see him leave. However, Romeo cannot safely stay in the Capulet garden; and so they sadly bid each other good night: “parting is such sweet sorrow” (229). Romeo, unable to sleep, then decides to go visit his spiritual advisor, Friar Laurence.
The second scene of this act begins with Friar Laurence, who is Romeo’s spiritual advisor, out early in the morning collecting herbs and other various plants. The Friar uses these plants to make medicines. As he works, Friar Laurence speaks to himself (a soliloquy) regarding the potency of the fluids that resides in these plants. Such fluids can be used to make both harmful poisons and helpful medicine. The speech has a direct foreshadowing on the play, for at the end of the play a fluid intended to resolve the conflicts and a fluid that is poisonous will play major roles in the plot. However, there is also some indirect
foreshadowing as well. The Friar comments …
For naught so vile that on the earth doth live
But to the earth some special good doth give;
Nor aught so good but, strained from that fair use, Revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse.
(17-20)
The word naught means nothing, and aught means anything. Literally, Friar Laurence is declaring that even the most poisonous plants have good qualities: the poison can be used to make medicine. On the other hand, even beneficial plants can be altered and misused to create harmful effects. Symbolically, the Friar is stating that good can come out of bad and that bad can come out of good. At the end of the play, the Friar’s good intentions turn out horribly wrong. Bad will come out of good.
Romeo then appears and interrupts the Friar’s work. Friar Laurence wonders why Romeo is up so very early in the morning and worries that Romeo perhaps has been spending the entire night with Rosaline.
Romeo, though, explains that he is wounded by love for Juliet; and Juliet, in turn, is wounded by her love for him (lines 50-51 and 57-59). Romeo then asks the goodly Friar to perform the wedding for them.
Friar Laurence is shocked by Romeo’s sudden declaration of love for another woman, and he scolds Romeo on being so fickle. The Friar comments that just the previous day Romeo had been crying because of his unrequited love for Rosaline. Friar Laurence then concludes his reproach of Romeo with a maxim (a popular saying or adage):
Women may fall when there’s no strength in men.
(80)
The Friar is expressing the then common belief that men are stronger than women physically, intellectually, and emotionally. But if men are so weak and so fickle in their emotions, then women stand no chance at all in life.
Romeo explains that his feelings for Juliet
are different than his feelings had been for Rosaline.
Where Romeo simply was “doting” on (was infatuated by) Rosaline, he is truly in love with
Juliet.
The Friar is not yet convinced, but he agrees to help Romeo because he believes that some good may result from Romeo’s sudden change:
For this alliance may so happy prove
To turn your households’ rancour to pure love.
(91-92)
Friar Laurence, just like everybody else in Verona, is well aware of the family feud between the Montagues and the Capulets; and he hopes that a marriage between Romeo and Juliet will bring an end to that fighting.
Later that same morning Benvolio and Mercutio are walking down a street. Benvolio informs Mercutio that Tybalt, who is still angry that Romeo had come to the feast at the Capulet household, has sent a letter to Romeo challenging him to a duel. Benvolio is certain that Romeo will accept the challenge, but Mercutio worries that Romeo is in no condition to fight. Romeo, according to his companion, is already “dead” in love, having been shot by Cupid’s arrow (lines 1215). Mercutio then describes Tybalt as having affected or false mannerisms or behavior; but nevertheless Tybalt is also a skilled master of swordsmanship. Mercutio realizes that Romeo will need to be at his best if he is to face Tybalt in a duel.
The pox of such antic, lisping, affecting phantasims, these new tuners of accent! ‘By Jesu, a very good blade, a very tall man, a very good whore!’ Why is not this a lamentable thing, grandsire, that we should be thus afflicted with these strange flies, these fashionmongers, these pardon-me’s’, who stand so much on the new form that they cannot at ease on the old bench? O, their bones, their bones!
(25-31)
Mercutio clearly dislikes Tybalt and his affected manner. He curses Tybalt and all such manner of men by wishing that a “pox” or disease should happen to them. In Mercutio’s opinion (and, perhaps, Shakespeare’s as well) such men are ludicrous, extravagant, and grotesque (“antic”) with their affected behavior and phony lisping voice. They use odd and unnatural verbal expressions (“tuners of accent”), and they dress in outlandishly fancy clothes (“fashion-mongers”). The reference to the “old bench” refers to the old and customary ways of behavior and dress. Mercutio is suggesting that these young men have adapted a “new form” of behavior and speaking that is merely a fad. Such men pretend that they are superior, but to men like Mercutio and Benvolio they are just ridiculous.
Men of the “new form” appear in other Shakespeare plays, where they are likewise ridiculed. For example, in Henry IV, Part 1 (Act I, Scene 3), the character of Hotspur complains about a dandy or “popinjay” who delivers a message from the king to him. And in Hamlet the character of Osric is likewise such a dandy. These type of men appeared in England during Shakespeare’s day (more so than in Verona, Italy, during the Middle Ages). Shakespeare is thus presenting a form of social criticism in this passage.
Romeo, who has not been to sleep that night, encounters his friends. Romeo and Mercutio engage in a battle of wits full of many puns and double entendres. Romeo, who is no longer languishing in lovesickness for Rosaline, is quick and witty. True love has made him lively and energetic, and he is able to defeat Mercutio in their clever and comic debate.
MERCUTIO: Without his roe, like a dried herring. O flesh, flesh, how art thou fishified!
(33-34)
MERCUTIO: Nay, I am the very pink of courtesy.
ROMEO: Pink for flower.
MERCUTIO: Right.
ROMEO: Why, then is my pump well flowered. MERCUTIO: Sure wit, follow me this jest till thou has worn out thy pump, that when the single sole of it is worn, the jest may remain, after the wearing, solely singular.
ROMEO: O single-soled jest, solely singular for the singleness. (51-58)
Mercutio begins his comic battle of wits against Romeo the moment Romeo arrives. Most of the words and phrases he uses have a double meaning. The word roe here actually has a triple meaning: (1) A roe is a type of deer, and Romeo is without his dear one, Rosaline. (2) Romeo without the roe – that is RO-ME-O without the “RO” – is ME-O. “Me, oh” or “Oh, me” is the cry of the unrequited lover. (3) Roe is also the term for eggs in fish, and a herring is a type of fish. An unrequited lover who cannot sleep or eat may look weak and emaciated like a dried herring (the eggs of which have been removed). Of course, the dried herring can also be a reference to the male penis (which is dried because it is unused). Mercutio thus jokes that Romeo is a dried-out fish or unsatisfied lover.
A few lines later Romeo sarcastically tells Mercutio that he is speaking courteously, and Mercutio responds that he is the “very pink of courtesy.” Mercutio means that he is the most courteous of men, but the word pink also refers to a type of flower. Romeo picks up on this meaning, with the pink also symbolizing the female genitalia. Romeo thus jokes that his pump is well-flowered. Again, two meanings are implied: (1) A pump is a type of shoe, and the word flowered indicates that the shoe is fashionably decorated in a courtly (courteous) fashion. (2) The word pump is also slang for the male penis, and “well flowered” would thus indicate that he has been satisfied sexually (as opposed to being the dried herring that he was called earlier).
Mercutio responds that Romeo should chase him (“follow me”) in this race of wits until the sole of his shoe or pump should become worn out. Of course, Mercutio is also suggesting that Romeo’s penis will become worn out and will become sagging and weak. Thus, his penis will be a jest or joke and will be unique (solely “singular”) because it will be so emaciated.
Romeo quips back – still using the pun on shoes and soles – that Mercutio’s joke is thin or weak (single-soled) and that it is uniquely foolish (implied by the word singleness). Romeo thus plays off of Mercutio’s use of the word singular to call Mercutio’s wit foolishness. Mercutio then runs out of puns on shoes and soles; and, so, Romeo wins this battle of wits.
Renaissance humor involves wit and puns and often double-entendres. Renaissance audiences were always ready for such puns and were well aware of the various meanings of the words in such dialogue. Unfortunately, modern audiences no longer are aware of all of the various meanings of these words; and, so, much of the humor is lost on the audiences of today.
The dialogue provides comic relief, but a far more serious scene will soon follow in the third act.
When Juliet’s Nurse arrives, the comic
Mercutio teases her and jokes about her being fat by suggesting she is as big as a ship (at line 89). The Nurse is offended by Mercutio, but she finally speaks to Romeo in private. Romeo arranges to meet Juliet that afternoon to be married, and he also arranges his servant to give the Nurse a rope ladder so that later that night he can climb up to Juliet’s balcony and be with her.
The Nurse comments that Juliet often makes clever sayings or poems mixing the words Romeo and rosemary (a plant used both in cooking and in making perfume). During the Renaissance, rosemary was symbolic of love and a means of remembering a lover. However, on other occasions, rosemary was also symbolic of the dead. Thus, Shakespeare again subtly foreshadows the play’s conclusion in which love and death come together.
Love’s heralds should be thoughts,
Which ten times faster glides than the sun’s beams Driving back shadows over louring hills.
Therefore do nimble-pinioned doves draw Love,
And therefore hath the wind-swift Cupid wings.
(4-8)
Juliet is waiting for the return of her Nurse, and she is upset that the Nurse is taking so long. Naturally, Juliet is anxious. She fears that perhaps Romeo will fail to respond or that the Nurse will be unable to find Romeo. And, so, she worries. Time is different for lovers than for other people. When lovers are apart, time seems to be standing still before the lovers can get together again. Yet, when lovers are together, time hurries far too quickly; and the time for them to separate comes all too soon.
Juliet wants news of Romeo immediately, and thus she exaggerates the amount of time that the Nurse seems to be taking. Juliet comments that the heralds or messengers of love – meaning, in this case, her Nurse – should travel as swiftly as thoughts, which is faster than the speed of light (sun’s beams). Juliet wants the news now, and every second delay is an eternity to her. Continuing with her own sunlight metaphor, Juliet adds that the sun drives away the dark shadows that threaten the hills and countryside with a storm. The dark shadows symbolize the dark thoughts or fears that the message will be negative; yet she hopes that the news will be positive – like a ray of bright light – and drive those dark thoughts away. Juliet then uses Roman mythology to justify that her views on love and time are correct. Venus, the goddess of love and beauty (referred to as Love in line 7), was often depicted as driving a chariot across the skies, and that chariot was pulled by a team of swiftlymoving doves. And Cupid, the Roman god of love, was usually depicted as having wings and thus having the ability to fly. Both the Romans and the Greeks of olden times also felt the need for urgency in love.
Of course, the irony and humor of this depiction is that Juliet’s herald is her old and slow Nurse. The Nurse does eventually return, but she is tired and out of breath and cannot deliver her message right away. This makes Juliet all the more anxious and concerned. To make matters worse for poor Juliet, the Nurse teases her that she has made a foolish choice in selecting Romeo (the word simple means foolish in line 38). And the Nurse also does not seem to be in any hurry at all to deliver her message.
Finally, the Nurse delivers her message and informs Juliet to meet Romeo at Friar Laurence’s residence. And Juliet can then finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Romeo, not surprisingly, is also thinking about love and time. He is with Friar Laurence and waiting for the arrival of Juliet. The Friar worries that the marriage ceremony that he is about to perform might bring disaster to Verona. He is well aware that the Capulets and the Montagues are bitter enemies, and the marriage could provoke even more fighting and bloodshed.
Romeo, on the other hand, has no thoughts or worries of tomorrow or any other time in the future. He can only think about the present day and of his being with Juliet. For the lover, there is no tomorrow. Romeo thus comments – foolishly as a lover is apt to do – that “one short minute” with Juliet will bring him more than enough joy to counteract (or cancel out) any amount of sorrow or trouble that will come later. Romeo believes that true love also is a force strong enough to counter or defy death (line 7). Romeo is declaring that as long as he is in love, he can face any trouble or obstacle – even death – and will be content.
Friar Laurence, though, believes that Romeo is just talking nonsense; and the Friar warns the young lover to control his thoughts and emotions.
These violent delights have violent ends,
And in their triumph die like fire and powder,
Which as they kiss consume. The sweetest honey Is loathsome in his own deliciousness,
And in the taste confounds the appetite.
Therefore love moderately. Long love doth so.
Too swift arrives as tardy too slow. (9-15)
The word violent has two meanings: (1) sudden and intense and (2) aggressive and brutal. The Friar is thus predicting that the sudden and intensely passionate love between Romeo and Juliet will end in a brutally violent conclusion. Friar Laurence then uses a metaphor of fire and powder. When fire kisses (touches) gunpowder, there is a violent explosion. Romeo and Juliet, who are hotly passionate, are like fire and powder – and they will soon be kissing to seal the marriage contract between them.
The Friar then uses another metaphor to suggest to Romeo that he should cool down and control his emotions. This is the honey metaphor. Even the sweetest and most delicious honey can become sickening or loathsome if one eats too much of it. If one eats an excess of honey, one can become sick. Friar Laurence is suggesting that an excess of love and passion will also bring harm. Thus, he tells Romeo to “love moderately.” He is telling Romeo to hold back his feelings