ACT III, SCENE II

LINES 1-31

Juliet's in the Capulets' orchard. Completely unaware of what's happened, she's busy making plans for her wedding-night. Losing her virginity is a serious thing to Juliet, but she's more than ready to sleep with Romeo.

NOTE:

Again, we see that Romeo represents light to her. He is her "day in night," and she fantasizes that when he dies, Romeo could be cut up into stars and put in the sky. Then everyone could be in love with night.

Here, we get a glimpse of a young girl growing up. She will soon be a matron herself, but as yet, she is "an impatient child that hath new robes / and may not wear them."

LINES 32-143

The Nurse arrives with news of the fight. As she did earlier that morning, she wrings her hands, and looks sad; again Juliet pleads for the news. This time, the Nurse garbles the message, leading Juliet to believe first that Romeo has been killed, then that Romeo has committed suicide; then that Romeo and Tybalt are both dead, and finally that Romeo has killed Tybalt.

Juliet is stunned. She can't believe Tybalt is dead, and she calls Romeo "a damned saint and an honorable villain." But when the Nurse cries, "Shame come to Romeo!" Juliet jumps to his defense. She knew of Tybalt's temper, and says "that villain cousin would have killed my husband." Her loyalty is no longer with her family, but with her husband. She cries that Romeo's banishment is worse than 10,000 slain Tybalts:

"Romeo is banished"- to speak that word Is father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet, All slain, all dead. (III, ii, 123-24)

Juliet then says this means that she is married to the death; we know that this is truer than she realizes.

The Nurse finally tells Juliet the news she should have told her at the beginning: Romeo is hiding in Friar Lawrence's cell, and can come to her that night. Juliet gives the Nurse one of her rings to give to Romeo, and sends her off right away.

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