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ЧилЯЪиЛДА.

Уильям Шекспир
Ромео
T^OAlAMA/KJUL

и Джульетта
Адаптация текста, предисловие,
комментарий, упражнения и словарь
Г. И. Бардиной

Москва

ы АЙРИС ПРЕСС

2009
УДК 811.111(075)
ББК 81.2Англ-93
Ш41

Серия «Английский клуб» включает книги и учебные посо­

бия, рассчитанные на пять этапов изучения английского
языка: Elementary (для начинающих), Pre-Interm ediate
(для продолжающих первого уровня), Intermediate (для
продолжающих второго уровня), Upper Intermediate (для
продолжающих третьего уровня) и Advanced (для совер­
шенствующихся) .

Серийное оформление А. М. Драгового

Шекспир, У.
Ш41 Ромео и Джульетта / Уильям Ш експир; адаптация текста,
предисловие, комментарий, упраж нения, словарь Г. И. Бар­
диной. — М.: Айрис-пресс, 2009. — 80 с.: ил. — (Английский
клуб). — (Домашнее чтение).
ISBN 978-5-8112-3548-3

Трагедия «Ромео и Джульетта» была написана Уильямом Шекспиром

в 1595 году. В основе ее сюжета лежит старинная итальянская народная
легенда, в которую великий английский драматург вдохнул новую жизнь.
События, описанные в пьесе, длятся всего около двух недель, но для Ромео
и Джульетты — это целая жизнь. Трагизм их судьбы — не в простой случай­
ности событий. Злая судьба Ромео и Джульетты —окружающий их жестокий
мир. И своей трагедией У. Шекспир выразил вечное противоречие между
гуманистическими идеалами и действительностью.
Текст книги адаптирован, снабжен лексико-грамматическим коммен­
тарием, переводом трудных слов, а также упражнениями, направленными
на отработку и закрепление навыков речевой деятельности.
Книга рассчитана на учащихся школ, гимназий, лицеев, а также на
широкий круг лиц, изучающих английский язык самостоятельно.
ББК 81.2Англ-93
УДК 811.111(075)

© ООО «Издательство «АЙРИС

ISBN 978-5-8112-3548-3 пресс», 2009
 Предисловие
Л етом 2008 года б р и тан ски е археологи обнаруж и ли вблизи
Л ондона остатки средневекового театра, построенного в 1576 году,
где, по их м нению , и была впервы е поставлена трагедия У. Ш ек с­
пира «Ромео и Джульетта», а не в театре Globe в С трэдфорде, как это
считалось ранее.
В средние века театр сущ ественно отличался от театра наш его
времени. Во времена Ш експира у актерских трупп не было своих
театральны х пом ещ ений. Д ля своих представлений они их сним али.
Труппы были невелики. О бы чно ядро составляли 6—8 актеров, а для
исполнения второстепенных ролей нанимались дополнительные акте­
ры. В расш иренном составе труппы играли только в Л ондоне. А ктрис
во времена Ш експира тоже не было. Все ж енские роли исполняли
м альчики-актеры , проходивш ие такую подготовку, что становились
прекрасны м и исполнителям и ж енских ролей. К ак известно, в вос­
точном театре многих стран и по сей день ж енские роли исполняю тся
мужчинами.
А ктерская профессия в тот период была сравнительно новой. В
средние века проф ессионалам и были только клоуны и ж он глеры -ак­
робаты. Однако в стране существовал такой порядок, что люди любого
звания долж ны были входить в состав каких-то общ ественны х групп
или сословий. В противном случае они оказы вались в полож ении
бродяг, которы х преследовали и подвергали всяким наказаниям . И
актеры вынуждены были искать покровителей.
Трагедия «Ромео и Джульетта» была н ап исан а У ильямом Ш ек ­
спиром в 1595 году. В основе ее сюжета леж ит старинная итальянская
народная легенда. И по сей день в Вероне туристам показы ваю т л е ­
гендарную «гробницу Джульетты». Но великий английский драматург
вдохнул в нее новую жизнь. Собы тия, описанны е в пьесе, длятся всего
около двух недель, но для Ромео и Джульетты — это целая жизнь. Тра­
гизм судьбы Ромео и Джульетты — не в простой случайности событий.
К онечная причина гибели главных героев этой трагедии не в том, что
посланны й в М антую монах задерж ался в дороге и з-за карантина, и
не в том , что брат Л оренцо на несколько минут опоздал на кладбищ е.
Если бы даже Ромео удалось похитить из гробницы живую Джульетту
и увезти ее в М антую, все равно беспощ адная месть леди Капулетти
настигла бы их и там. Злая судьба Ромео и Джульетты — окруж аю щ ий
их ж естокий мир. И своей трагедией «Ромео и Джульетта» У. Ш експир
выразил вечное противоречие между гуманистическими идеалами и
действительностью .
 Characters

CHORUS
ESCALUS — Prince o f \ferona
PARIS — a young count, kinsm an to the Prince
MONTAGUE
CAPULET
An old man o f the Capulet family
ROMEO — son Montague
MERCUTIO — kinsman to the Prince and friend to Romeo
BENVOLIO — nephew to Montague and friend to Romeo
TYBALT — nephew to Lady Capulet
FRIAR LAWRENCE
FRIAR JOHN } Franciscans

BALTHASAR — servant to Romeo

SAMPSON
J servants to Capulet
GREGORY
PETER — servant to Juliet’s nurse
ABRAM — servant to Montague
An APOTHECARY
Three MUSICIANS
An OFFICER
LADY MONTAGUE - wife to Montague
LADY CAPULET - wife to Capulet
JULIET — daughter to Capulet
N U RSE to Juliet
Citizens of \ferona, Gentlemen and Gentlewomen of both houses, Maskers,
Torchbearers, Pages, Guards, Watchmen, Servants and Attendants
Scene: \ferona; Mantua
 THE PROLOGUE

(Enter Chorus)

CHORUS
Two households, bo th o f the sam e rank,
In fair Verona, w here we set o u r scene,
F ro m an old grudge, break out again in violence
A nd civil blood dirties civil hands.
F ro m these two fam ilies
A p air o f star-crossed lovers com e to life;
And th eir piteous m isadventure
W ill bury th e ir p a re n ts’ hatred w ith th e ir deaths.
T h e fearful passage o f th e ir d ea th -m ark ed love,
A nd the co n tin u an c e o f th e ir p a re n ts’ rage,
W hich only th e ir c h ild re n ’s death will rem ove,
Is now the business o f this play.
(Exit)
 ACT I

Scene I
(\ferona. A public place)

(Enter Sampson and Gregory with swords and small shields, o f the house o f
Capulet)

SAMPSON G regory, on m y word, w e’ll not en d u re insults.

GREGORY N o , for th e n w e’d be as low as colliers.
SAMPSON I m ean , if we are angry, w e’ll draw o u r swords.
GREGORY Ay, an d w hile you live, draw your neck out o f the collar.
SAMPSON I strike quickly w hen I’m m oved.
GREGO RY But you are no t quickly m oved to strike.
SAMPSON A dog o f the house o f M ontague moves m e.
GREGORY To move is to go, and to be courageous is to stay w here you
are. T h erefore, if you are m oved, you run away.
6
SAMPSON A dog o f th a t house shall move m e to stay.
GREGORY T h e quarrel is betw een o u r m asters an d us th e ir m en.
(Enter two other Servingmen, Abram and Balthasar)

SAMPSON M y naked w eapon is out. Q uarrel! I will back you.

GREGORY H ow ? T urn your back an d run?
SAMPSON D o n ’t w orry ab o u t me.
GREGORY N o , marry. 1 am worried!
SAMPSON We m ust be in th e right. Let th em start it.
GREGORY I will frow n as I pass by, and they can take it as th ey like.
SAMPSON T h ey can take it as they dare! I will bite my thumb at them.
T h e y ’ll be disgraced if they stand for that.
ABRAM D o you bite your th u m b at us, sir?
SAMPSON I do bite m y th u m b , sir.
ABRAM D o you bite your th u m b at us, sir?
SAMPSON (Aside to Gregory) A re we in th e right if 1 say yes?
GREGORY (Aside to Sampson) N o.
SAMPSON N o , sir, I do not bite m y th u m b at you, sir; bu t I bite m y
th u m b , sir.
G REG ORY D o you q uarrel, sir?
ABRAM Q u arrel, sir? N o , sir.
SAMPSON But if you do, sir, I am for you. I serve as good a m an as you.
ABRAM N o better.
(Enter Benvolio)

G REGORY Say “b e tte r” . H ere com es one o f my m aster’s kinsm en.

SAMPSON Yes, better, sir.
ABRAM You lie.
SAMPSON D raw if you be m en. (They fight)
BENVOLIO Part, fools! P ut away your swords. You d o n ’t know w hat
you are doing.

(Enter Tybalt)

TYBALT W hat, have you draw n y our sword am ong these cow ardly rus­
tics? T u rn , Benvolio, and look upon your death.
BENVOLIO I ’m only keeping the peace. P ut away your sword, o r use
it to part these m en w ith m e.
7
TYBALT W hat, w ith your sword draw n you talk o f peace? I hate the
w ord, as I hate hell, all M ontagues and you. C om e o n , you coward!
(They fight)
(Enter an Officer and three or four Citizens with clubs or partisans)

O FFIC ER C lubs a n d partisans! Strike! Beat th em down! D ow n w ith

the C apulets! D ow n w ith the M ontagues!
(Enter old Capulet in his gown with his Wife)

CAPULET W hat noise is this? G ive m e m y long sword, ho!

LADY CAPULET A cru tc h , a crutch! W hy call you for a sword?
CAPULET M y sword 1 say! Old M ontague has com e an d flourishes his
blade to dely m e.
(Enter old Montague and his Wife)

MONTAGUE You villain, C apulet! D o n ’t hold m e back; let m e go.

LADY M ONTAGUE You shall not move one step to go after an enemy.
(Enter Prince Escalus with his Train)

PR IN C E R ebellious subjects, en e m ie s to peace. W on’t th ey listen?

W hat, ho! You m en , you beasts th at q u en ch the fire o f your rage with
blood! O n p ain o f to rtu re, throw your m istem pered w eapons to the
g ro u n d and h ear th e sentence o f your P rince. T hree civil brawls, by
you old C apulet an d M ontague, have thrice disturbed th e quiet o f o u r
streets and forced V erona’s an cien t and dignitied citizens to take up
th eir w eapons to separate your hatred. If ever you disturb o u r streets
again, y o u r lives shall pay the price o f peace. F o r now, go, all o f you.
You, C ap u let, shall com e along w ith m e; an d M ontague, you com e
this aftern o o n , to h e a r m e speak fu rth er o n this. O nce m ore, o n pain
o f d eath , all m en d epart.
( Exeunt all but Montague, his Wife and Benvolio)

M ONTAGUE W ho stirred up this old quarrel again? Speak, nephew,

were you here w h en it began?
BENVOLIO H ere were the servants o f your adversary and yours, fighting
closely w h en I arrived. I drew m y sword to p art them . In th a t in stan t
fiery Tybalt cam e, w ith his sword prepared; w hich, as he defied m e

8
 an d m y ex p lan atio ns, he sw ung about his head an d cu t the air, w ho,
n o t b ein g h u rt hissed at him in scorn. W hile we were exchanging
th rusts and blow s, m ore and m ore m en arrived and fought o n eith er
side, until th e P rince cam e a n d p arted all.
LADY M ONTAGUE O, w here is R om eo? Have you seen him today?
I ’m so glad he was not in this braw l.
BENVOLIO M ad am , an h o u r before daw n, I could no longer sleep and
so w ent to walk about outside. A nd u n d e r the grove o f sycam ores, o n
th e west side o f this city, I saw y our son walking. I m ade to go tow ards
h im , b u t he saw m e, a n d stole into the w ood. I und ersto o d he w anted
to be alo n e and so I gladly left him to him self.
M ONTAGUE M any m ornings he has been seen, adding to the fresh
m o rn in g dew w ith his tears an d adding clouds to clouds w ith his deep
sighs. But as soon as the a ll-ch eerin g sun begins to rise in the east, m y
m elan ch o ly son steals hom e, and shuts h im self up in his ch a m b e r and
locks o u t th e fair daylight, m aking h im self an artificial night. Black
an d u n fo rtu n a te will this m ood prove to be, unless we can rem ove it
w ith som e good advice.
BENVOLIO M y noble u n cle, d o you know the cause?
M ONTAGUE I n eith er know it n o r will he tell m e.
BENVOLIO Have you pressed him ?
M ONTAGUE B oth I and m any o th e r friends have pressed him to tell
us, but he is his own counsellor and keeps his affections secret. If we
co uld o nly learn from w here his sorrow s grow, we would as willingly
cu re th e m as seek to know.
(Enter Romeo)

BENVOLIO See w here he com es. Please step aside. I ’ll do w hatever
I ca n to find o u t w hat troubles him .
MONTAGUE I hope you will be lucky and find the cause o f his u n h a p ­
piness. C o m e, m adam , le t’s away. (Exeunt Montague and Wife)
BENVOLIO G o o d m orning, cousin.
ROMEO Is th e day so young?
BENVOLIO I t ’s ju st struck nine.
ROMEO A h me! Sad hours seem long. Was th at m y father going away
so fast?

2 Ромео н Джульетта 9
BENVOLIO I t was. W hat sadness lengthens R o m e o ’s hours?
ROMEO N o t having th at w hich m akes th e m short.
BENVOLIO In love?
ROMEO O ut
BENVOLIO O f love?
ROMEO O u t o f h er favour w here I am in love.
BENVOLIO Alas th a t love, w ho seem s so gende, should prove to be
su ch a tyrant!
ROMEO Alas th a t love, w ho is always blindfolded, should see pathways
to his will w ith o u t eyes! W here shall we dine? О me! W hat fray was
here? Yet tell m e n o t, for I have h ea rd it all. H e re ’s m u ch to do w ith
h ate, b u t m ore w ith love. W hy th en , О braw ling love, О loving hate,
О heavy lightness, m isshaped chaos o f w ell-seem ing forms! T his love
feel I, th at feel n o love in this. D o you n o t laugh?
BENVOLIO N o , coz, I weep.
ROMEO G o o d heart, at w hat?
BENVOLIO At y o u r good hearts oppression.
ROMEO Why, th a t’s th e transgression o f love. G riefs o f m y ow n lie
heavy in m y breast, an d you will increase th em by adding m ore o f
your own. T his love th a t you have show n m e adds m ore sorrow to m y
heart. Love is a sm oke m ade w ith th e fum e o f sighs; being puig ed , a
fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes; being vexed, a sea n ou rish ed w ith loving
tears. W hat else is it? A m adness! Farewell, m y coz.
BENVOLIO Wait, I will com e w ith you. You can n o t leave m e like this.
ROMEO Tut! I have lost m yselfThis is not Romeo, he is somewhere else.
BENVOLIO Tell m e seriouslv, w ho is it th at you love?
ROMEO W hat, shall I groan an d tell you?
BENVOLIO G ro a n ? W hy no. But tell m e seriously w ho.
ROMEO Seriously cousin, I love a w om an.
BENVOLIO I guessed th a t w hen I supposed you loved.
ROMEO Wfell, sh e’ll no t be hit w ith C u p id ’s arrow. She has th e cunning
o f Diana, an d is w ell-arm ed w ith chastity against love’s bow. N e ith e r
loving w ords o r looks can ch arm her.
BENVOLIO H as she sworn th a t she will always live chaste?
ROMEO She has, an d it is such a waste. F o r beauty starved w ith h er se­
verity, cuts beauty off from all posterity. She has sworn never to love.
10
BENVOLIO L isten to m e, forget about her.
ROMEO H ow can I forget ab o u t her?
BENVOLIO By th in k in g ab o u t o th e r beauties.
ROM EO B ut th in k in g o f o th e r b ea u tie s o n ly brings h e r b e a u ty to
m ind.
BENVOLIO I ’ll teach you to forget her, if it’s th e last thing I do. (E x­
eunt)

Scene II
(A street)

(Enter Capulet, Count Paris, and the clown, his servant)

CAPULET B ut M o ntague is b o u n d by this penalty, as well as I, a n d I

do n o t th in k it is hard for m en as old as us to keep th e peace.
PARIS You are b o th o f hon o u rab le re p u ta tio n , a n d it is a pity th a t you
have b een at odds for so long. B ut now, m y lo rd , w hat d o you say to
m y request?
CAPULET I say w hat I have said before. M y child is still a stranger in
th e world, an d is scarcely fourteen. Let two m ore sum m ers pass b e ­
fore she is m arried.
PARIS G irls still younger th a n h er have becom e happy m others.
CAPULET A nd th ey have o ften becom e u n h ap p y as a result. T h e e a rth
has swallowed all m y ch ild ren except for her, an d she is m y only heir.
But woo her, gentle Paris an d get h er heart; if she agrees, th e n you
will have m y co nsent. T his night I hold a feast, as is m y custom , and
I have invited m any guests to it. If you jo in us, you will be m ost w el­
com e. At m y p o o r house you will see this night Earth-treading stars
th a t m ake dark heaven light. H e ar all, see all, a n d like h er m ost, w ho
m ost deserves to be liked. In seeing so m any beautiful girls, m ine m ay
n o lo n g er seem so special.
(To servant, giving him a paper) G o , sirrah, walk about th ro u g h fair
\ferona, find those persons, w hose nam es are w ritten there a n d tell
th em th ey are w elcom e to m y house.
(Exit with Paris)

11
SERVANT F in d th o se persons w hose n am es are w ritten here? B ut I
c a n ’t read! I m ust find som eone m ore learned, an d quickly!
(Enter Benvolio and Romeo)

BENVOLIO Tut, m an , one fire burns out a n o th e r’s burning; o n e pain

is lessened by th e anguish o f another. Take som e new infection to
your eye, an d th e rank poison o f the old will die. C om e, R om eo, you
are m ad.
ROMEO N o t m ad , but b o u n d m ore th an a m adm an is; w hipped and
to rm en ted a n d — G o o d evening, good fellow.
SERVANT G o o d evening. I pray you, sir, ca n you read?
ROMEO Ay, m y ow n fortune in m y misery.
SERVANT Perhaps you learned th at w ith o u t books. B ut, I pray, can
you read anything you see?
ROMEO Yes, fellow, I can read. (He reads the letter)
“ S ignor M artin o an d his wife an d daughters;
C o u n ty A nselm an d his beauteous sisters;
T h e lady w idow o f Vitruvio;
Signor P lacen tio an d his lovely nieces;
M ercu tio an d his b ro th e r Valentine;
M y uncle C ap u let, his wife an d daughters;
M y fair niece R osaline; Livia;
S ignor Valentio an d his cousin Tybalt;
L ucio an d th e lively H e le n a .”
A fair assembly. W here should they com e?
SERVANT U p.
ROMEO W here? To supper?
SERVANT To o u r house.
ROMEO W hose house?
SERVANT M y m a ste r’s.
ROMEO In d eed I should have asked you th a t before.
SERVANT N ow I’ll tell you w ithout asking. M y m aster is the great rich
C apulet; an d if you are n o t o f the house o f M ontagues, I pray, com e
an d have a d rin k o f w ine. M ay G o d keep you merry.
BENVOLIO At this sam e feast o f C ap u let’s sups the fair R osaline, w hom
you so love, w ith all the adm ired beauties o f Verona. L et’s go. You can

12
 co m p are h e r to som e o th ers th a t I will show A nd I will m ake your
swan seem like a crow.
ROMEO W hen m y eyes lie to m e so falsely, th e n m ay m y tears tu rn
to fires! O n e fairer th a n m y love? T h e all-seeing sun never saw h er
m atch since th e world was first begun. I ’ll com e w ith you, no t fairer
beau ties to be show n, bu t ra th e r to rejoice in th e sp len d o u r o f m y
ow n. (Exeunt)

Scene III
(A room in C a p u le t’s house)

(Enter Capulet’s Wife and Nurse)

LADY CAPULET N urse, w h e re’s my daughter? C all h er forth to m e.

N U R SE I ju st now told het com e. W hat, lamb! W hat, ladybird! G od
forbid w here is m at girl? W hat, Juliet!
(Enter Juliet)

JU L IE T H ow now? W ho calls?
NU R SE Your m other.
JU L IE T M ad am , I am here. W hat is your will?
LADY CAPU LET T his is th e m a tte r— N urse, leave us a w hile, we m ust
talk in secret. N o , w ait, com e back again. You shall h ear o u r counsel.
You know m y d au g h ter is o f a good age.
NURSE I know h e r age to th e hour.
LADY CAPULET S h e’s not fourteen.
N U R SE I ’d sw ear by fo u rteen o f m y te e th — an d yet, to m y sorrow,
I ’ve o n ly got four — S h e’s not fourteen. H ow long is it now to Lam-
mastide?
LADY CAPU LET A fortnight an d a few days.
NU R SE Wfell, com e Lam m as Eve at night she shall be fourteen. Susan
an d she were o f th e sam e age. Wfell, Susan is w ith G o d ; she was too
good for m e. B ut as I said, o n Lam m as Eve at night she shall be four­
teen . Eleven years have passed now since th e earthquake, an d she was
w eaned, I shall never forget it, o f all th e days o f th e year, on th at day.
For I had put wormwood on my dug, sitting in the sun u n d e r th e dove-

13
 house wall. M y lord an d you were b o th at M antua. But as I said, she
tasted th e w orm w ood on th e nipple, an d was so tetchy, the pretty fool.
A nd th en th e dovehouse began to shake, an d th ere was no need to tell
m e to run for it! A nd since th at tim e eleven years have passed, for she
co uld walk ab out by herself. In d eed she fell an d cut h e r head.
LADY CAPULET E n ough o f this. I pray you be quiet.
N U R SE Peace, I ’ve finished. B ut I sw ear you were th e prettiest baby I
ever nursed, an d I hope I m ight live to see you m arried.
LADY CAPULET Marry, th a t “ m arry ” is the very th em e I cam e to talk
of. Tell m e, d au g h ter Juliet, are you inclined to be m arried?
JU L IE T It is a n h o n o u r I dream n o t of.
NURSE An h o n o u r? I f I h a d n ’t b een your only nurse, I ’d say you’d
sucked wisdom from the breast.
LADY CAPULET Well, th in k o f m arriage now. G irls younger th a n you,
here in Verona, have already becom e m others. I was a m o th er m yself
at y o u r age. In brief, th e valiant Paris seeks you for his love.
N U R SE A m an , young lady! Lady, such a m a n as all the w orld — why
h e ’s a fine figure o f a m an.
LADY CAPULET V erona’s su m m er has n o t a flower m ore beautiful
th a n he.
N U R SE O h h e ’s a flower, all right, a real flower.
LADY CAPULET W hat do you say? C an you love the g en tlem an ? T his
n ight you will see him at o u r feast. Look at his face an d see delight
w ritten th ere w ith b ea u ty ’s pen. E xam ine every h arm o n io u s lin ea­
m en t, an d w hat you c a n n o t read th ere , read it in the dep th s o f his
eyes. T his lover needs only a wife to beautify him still m ore. A nd you
shall share all th a t he possesses. Speak briefly, can you be favourable
to Paris’s love?
JU L IE T I ’ll look to be favourable, if looking can move m y favour, but
I will look n o d eep er th a n your perm ission grants.
(Enter Servingman)

SERV INGM A N M ad am , th e guests have arrived, su p p er is served,

you are called, a n d m y young lady asked for, th e nurse cu rsed 8 in the
k itch en an d everything is in extrem ity. I m ust go and serve, I beseech
you to com e im m ediately. (Exit)

14
LADY CAPULET W r e com ing. Ju liet, th e C o u n t is w aiting for you.
NURSE G o , girl, seek happy nights to hap p y days. (Exeunt)

Scene IV
(A street)

Romeo, Benvolio and Mercutio, together with five or six other men wearing masks
go along the street to Capulet’s house. Benvolio and Mercutio are in high spirits
thinking o f the feast and the dancing, but Romeo is sad. He says he doesn’t want
to dance but will carry a torch and watch. He is also worried, as he has a feeling
that this night will bring him bad luck.

Scene V
(A hall in C a p u le t’s house)

(Servingmen come forth with napkins)

FIRST SERV ING M A N W h e re’s P o tp an ? H e ’s not help in g to clea r

away!
SECOND SERVINGM AN I t ’s a foul thing w hen good m an n ers lie all
in o n e o r two m e n ’s hands, an d th e y ’re unw ashed too.
FIRST SERVINGM AN Away w ith the stools, rem ove th e plates. Save
m e a piece o f m arzipan an d if you love m e, tell the p o rter to let in
Susan G rin d sto n e an d N ell. A n th o n y an d Potpan!
SECO ND SERVINGM AN Ay, boy, ready.
FIRST SERVINGM AN You are looked for an d called for, asked fo r and
sought for, in th e great cham ber.
T H IR D SERVINGM AN We ca n n o t be here an d there at the sam e tim e.
C om e o n , boys, look lively!
(Exeunt. Enter Capulet, his Wife, Juliet, Tybalt, Nurse and all the guests and
Gentlewomen to the Maskers)

CA PU LET Wfelcome, gentlem en! T he ladies th a t have n o co rn s on

th e ir to es will d ance a tu rn w ith you. A h, m y m istresses, w ho o f you
all will refuse to dance? She w ho hesitates I ’ll swear has corns. Wel­
com e gentlem en! T here was a tim e w hen 1 w ould w ear a m ask an d

15
 tell a w hispering tale in a fair lady’s ear. ’T isg o n e, ’tisg o n e , ’tisg o n e.
You are w elcom e, gentlem en! C om e, m usicians, play.
(Music plays and they dance)

C lear th e floor, m ake room ! C om e d an ce, girls. N ow sit dow n, good

cousin C apulet; fo r you an d I are past o u r dancing days. H ow long is
it now since we were last in masks?
ROMEO (To a servingman) W ho is th at lady, w ho enriches th e h an d o f
th a t knight over there?
SERVINGM AN I know n o t, sir.
ROMEO O h, she teaches th e torches to b u m bright! It seem s she hangs
upon th e cheek o f night like a rich jewel in an E th io p ian ’s ear. A m ong
h e r fellows she is like a snow y dove am o n g crows. W hen th e d ance is
over I will go to h er an d I will bless m y h an d by to u ch in g hers. D id
m y heart love till now? D eny it m y sight! F or 1 never saw tru e beauty
till this night.
TYBALT T his, by his voice, sounds like a M ontague. F etch m e m y ra­
pier, boy. W hat! D oes th e slave dare to com e here in a m ask, to je e r
i
an d sco m at o u r festivity? Now, by th e h o n o u r o f my kin, to strike
him dead w ould not be a sin.
CAPULET Why, w h a t’s th e m atter, kinsm an? W hy do you storm so?
TYBALT U n cle, th is is a M ontague, o u r foe, a villain th at has com e
h ere in spite, to sco rn at o u r festivity this night.
CAPULET Young R om eo, is it?
TYBALT I t ’s him , th a t villain R om eo.
CAPULET Be co n ten t, gentle coz, leave him alone. H e seem s to behave
well, an d to speak th e tru th , Vfcrona brags o f him to be a virtuous and
w ell-governed youth. I w ould not, for all th e w ealth o f this tow n, do
him w rong here in m y house. T herefore be patient. Take no notice
o f him . It is m y will, an d if you respect th a t, stop frow ning. T h a t’s an
ugly look for a feast.
TYBALT I t’s a suitable look w hen such a villain is a guest. I’ll n o t e n ­
d u re him .
CAPULET H e shall be e n su re d . W hat, g oodm an boy! I say he shall.
G o to! A m I th e m aster here o r you? G o to! You’ll no t en d u re him ,
indeed! You’ll m ake a disturbance am ong m y guests!

16
TYBALT W hy u n cle ’tis a sham e.
CAPULET G o to , go to! You are an im pudent boy. T his trick m ay bring
h arm to you. D o you c o n tra d ict m e? M arry, it’s tim e — Ntell said, m y
hearts! — You are a n im p u d en t youngster — go! Be quiet o r — M ore
light, m ore light! — F o r sham e! I ’ll m ake you quiet! — C heerly, m y
hearts!
TYBALT F o rce d p atien c e m eetin g w ith eager an g e r m ake m y flesh
trem b le. I will w ithdraw , bu t this in tru sio n shall, th o u g h it seem s
sweet, tu rn to bitterest gall. (Exit)
ROMEO If I p rofane w ith m y unw orthiest h a n d this holy shrine, it is
th e sin o f w ell-bred people. M y lips stand ready, like two blushing
pilgrims, to sm o o th th at rough to u ch w ith a kiss.
JU LIE T G o o d pilgrim , you treat your hand badly, for saints have hands
th at pilgrim s’ hands do to u ch , and palm to palm is holy palm ers kiss.
ROMEO D o n ’t saints have lips an d holy palm ers too?
JU L IE T Ay, pilgrim , lips th a t th ey m ust use in prayer.
ROMEO O h th e n , d ear saint, let lips do w h at h ands do! T hey pray;
g ran t m e th is, in case m y faith should tu rn to despair.
J U LI ET Saints do n o t move, though they g rant for prayers’ sake.
ROMEO T h e n d o n ’t m ove, w hile my prayer’s effect I take. T h u s from
m y lips, by yours m y sin is purged. (He kisses her)
JU L IE T T h en have m y lips taken the sin from yours.
ROMEO Sin from m y lips? O h th e n you m ust give it back to m e. (He
kisses her)
JU L IE T You kiss by the book.
N U R SE M ad am , y o ur m o th er w ants to speak w ith you.
ROMEO W ho is h er m other?
N U R SE G o o d n ess m e, bachelor, h er m o th e r is th e lady o f th e house,
an d a good lady, b o th wise a n d virtuous. I nursed h e r d au g h ter th at
you spoke to ju st now. I tell you, he th at shall get her, shall have plenty
o f gold.
ROMEO Is she a C ap ulet? O h no. m y foe now ow ns m y life.
BENVOLIO Away, le t’s go, th e sport is at th e best.
ROMEO Ay, so I fear; an d it gives m e m ore unrest.
CAPULET Nay, gen tlem en, d o n ’t leave now ; we w anted to prepare a
little ban q u et. D o you insist on leaving? Wfell th en , I th an k you all. I
17
 th a n k you h o n est gentlem en. G o o d night. M ore to rch es here! C om e
o n th en ; le t’s to bed. By m y faith it’s getting late. (Exit all but Juliet
and Nurse)
JU L IE T C om e here, nurse. W ho is th a t g en tlem an over there?
N U R SE T h e son an d h eir o f old Tiberio.
JU L IE T A nd th a t o n e going o u t o f th e door?
N U R SE Why, I th in k th a t’s young P etruchio.
JU L IE T W ho is th e o n e follow ing h im , th a t w ould n o t dance?
N U R SE I d o n ’t know.
JU L IE T G o an d ask his n a m e .—If he is m arried, m y grave is likely to
be m y w edding bed.
N U R SE H is n am e is R om eo an d h e ’s a M ontague, th e only son o f
y o u r great enemy.
JU L rE T M y only love sprung from my only hate! I saw you top soon
w ith o u t know ing you, an d w hen I knew you it was too late! Prodigious
b irth o f love it is to m e th a t I m ust love a loathed enemy.
N U R SE W h at’s this? W h at’s this?
JU L IE T A rhym e I learned ju st now, from one I d anced w ith. (Someone
calls from within) “Ju lie t.”
N U R SE W e’re com ing! C om e, le t’s go. T he strangers have all gone
hom e. (Exeunt)

Helpful Words & Notes

I will bite my thumb at them. — Я покажу им кукиш. (Жест, выражающий
презрение.)
adversary п — противник, враг
he is his own counsellor — он молчит
fray n — ссора
Diana — Диана; в древнеримской мифологии олицетворение Луны, бо­
гиня охоты и природы, давшая обет девственности
chaste adj — целомудренный, не состоящий в браке, девственный
cuts beauty from all posterity — не будет иметь детей, которые бы унасле­
довали ее красоту
Earth-treading stars — зд. красивые женщины (букв, звезды, ходящие по
Земле)

18
Lammastide — Лугнасад или Ламмас (1-ое августа); один из самых зна­
чимых кельтских праздников, происходящий с разнообразными иг­
рищами, песнями и плясками. Назван в честь кельтского бога Луга,
покровителя земледелия и ремесел,
earthquake п — землетрясение
For I had put wormwood on my dug — Кормилица положила горькую траву
на свой сосок, чтобы Джульетта больше не сосала ее грудь,
sucked wisdom from the breast — зд. впитала мудрость с молоком (К ор­
милица намекает на то, что Джульетта пошла такая умная в нее, ее
кормилицу.)
beseech v — просить, умолять
foe п — враг
brag v — хвастаться, кичиться, бахвалиться
pilgrim п — пилигрим; странник или паломник, ходящий по святым
местам
You kiss by the book. — зд. Ты понимаешь слишком буквально, чтобы меня
еще раз поцеловать.
My only love sprung from my hate! — зд. Я полюбила того, кого должна н е­
навидеть!

Activities

1 Answer the pre-reading questions.

1) Have you seen any o f th e film versions o f R om eo an d Juliet?

W hat do you th in k o f them ?
2) D o you th in k a m o d ern audience w ould appreciate th e play
in a different way from an E lizabethan audience? W hy?

2 Read Act I and answer the questions.

i) W here is th e scene set?

2) W hat do we learn about th e two houses: C apulet an d M o n ­
tague?
3) W hat sort o f person is Tybalt?
4) W hy is R o m eo sad at th e beginning?
5) W hat does C o u n ty Paris ask old C apulet?
6) W hy does th e servant need R o m eo ’s help?

19
7) W hat new s does Lady C apulet have for Juliet?
8) W hy is old C apulet angry w ith Tybalt during the feast?
9) W hat h ap p en s to R o m e o ’s m o o d w hen he sees Juliet at the
feast?
10) W hy d o es Juliet say, “ M y only love sprung from m y only
h a te ”?

Say whether the statement is true or false. If it is false, give the right an­
swer.

1) M ercu tio a n d B envolio are R o m e o ’s friends.

2) B envolio tells R om eo to ask R osaline to m arry him .
3) Ju liet is eager to m arry Paris.
4) Ju lie t’s n urse th in k s C o u n ty Paris w ould be a great husband.
5) T h e nurse is very intelligent.
6) R o m eo d o e sn ’t w ant to d an ce at the feast.
7) R om eo kisses Juliet.
8) Juliet is sad w hen she discovers R o m eo is a M ontague.

Match the words in the left-hand column with the definitions in the right
one.

1) grudge a)
2) m isadventure b)
3) earthquake c)
4) adversary d)
5) grove e)
6) fray t) frustrated
7) vexed g)
8) m oan h)
9) beseech i) small group o f trees
10) kin j)
j) trem o r o f convulsion o f the earth surface

Match the two halves of the sentences adapted from the text.

1) I f ever you disturb o u r streets again,

2) I f we are angry,
3) T h ey ’ll be disgraced,

20
 4) If we co uld only learn from w here his sorrow s grow,
5) I ’ll te a c h you to forget her,
6) I f she agrees to m arry you,
7) If I h a d n ’t b een y o u r on ly nurse,

a) I’d say y o u ’d sucked w isdom from th e breast.

b) y o u r lives shall pay the p rice o f peace.
c) th e n you will have m y consent.
d) if th ey stan d fo r th at.
e) w e’ll draw o u r swords.
f) if it’s th e last th in g I do.
g) we w ould willingly cure th em .

6 Give a name to each scene of Act I. Explain jour choice.

7 Say as much as you can about the following characters from Act I;

1) Tybalt
2) M o n tag u e
3) C apulet
4) Benvolio
5) R om eo
6) Lady C apulet
7) N u rse
8) Juliet
 ACT II

Prologue
(Enter Chorus)

CHORUS
N o w old desire does in his d eathbed lie,
A nd th e new affection is eager to be his heir.
T h at fair o ne, for w hom love groaned an d would die,
C o m p ared to te n d e r Juliet seem s no longer fair.
N o w R o m eo is loved and loves in retu rn ,
A nd b o th are bew itched by die ch arm o f looks;
But to his foe m ust R om eo m ake love,
A nd she steal love’s sweet bait from fearful hooks.
Being a foe, he may not have access
To breathe such vows as lovers usually swear,
22
 A nd she, as m u ch in love, is even less able
To m eet h er new beloved anyw here;
But passion lends th e m power, tim e m eans to m eet,
M aking th e ir difficulties extrem ely sweet.
(Exit)

Scene I
(N e a r C a p u le t’s o rch ard )
(Enter Romeo alone)

ROMEO C an I go away w hen m y heart is here? Turn back and find her.

(Enter Benvolio with Mercutio. Romeo retires)

BENVOLIO Rom eo! M y cousin Rom eo! Rom eo!

M ERCU TIO H e is wise, a n d I sw ear he has gone hom e to bed.
BENVOLIO H e ran this way an d leapt over the o rch ard wall. C all, good
M ercu tio .
M ERCU TIO R om eo! M adm an! Passion! Lover! A ppear in the likeness
o f a sigh; speak ju st o n e rhym e an d I ’ll be satisfied! Just cry “Ah m e!” ,
on ly say “ love” . I conjure you by R osaline’s bright eyes, by h er high
forehead an d h er scarlet lips, by h er fine foot, straight leg an d quiver­
ing thigh, th at you should ap p e a r to us!
BENVOLIO If he hears you, h e ’ll be angry C om e, he has hidden him self
am o n g th ese trees. H is love is b lind a n d suits th e d ark best.
M ERCU TIO If love is blind, love ca n n o t hit the m ark. N ow he will sit
u n d e r a m ed lar tree an d wish his m istress w ere th a t kind o f fruit th at
m aids call m edlars w hen they laugh alone. R om eo, goodnight. I ’m
o ff to m y bed. C o m e, shall we go?
BENVOLIO G o th en , for we shall not find him if he d o e sn ’t w ant to be
found. (Exit with others)

Scene II
(C a p u le t’s orchard)

ROMEO (Comingforward) H e never felt a w ound, yet laughs at m y scars.

( Enter Juliet at a window)
23
 But soft! W hat light th ro u g h yonder w indow breaks?
It is th e East and Juliet is the sun!
Arise, fair sun, an d kill the envious m o o n ,
W ho is already sick and pale w ith g rief
T h at you, h er maid are m ore fair th a n she.
D o not be her m aid, since she is envious.
H e r virginity is but sick and green,
A nd only fools w ear it. C ast it off.
It is m y lady! O h , it is m y love!
O h, if only she knew she were!
She speaks, yet she says nothing. W hat o f that?
H e r eye speaks for her; I will answ er it.
I am to o bold; ‘tis n o t to m e she speaks.
Two o f th e fairest stars in all the heaven,
H aving som e business, en tre at h er eyes
To tw inkle in th eir orbits till they return.
W hat if h er eyes were th ere, being in h er head?
T h e brightness o f h e r cheek would sham e those stars,
As daylight does a lam p; h er eyes in heaven
W buld th ro u g h th e airy region stream so bright
T h at birds would sing and th in k it were not night.
See how she leans h er cheek u p o n h er hand!
O h, th at I were a glove u p o n th at h an d ,
T h a t I m ight to u ch th a t cheek!
JU LIE T Ah me!
ROMEO She speaks. O h , speak ag ain b rig h t an g el, fo r you are as
g lo rio u s to th is n ig h t, being over m y h e a d , as a w inged m essen g er
from h eav en is to th e w h ite, u p tu rn e d eyes o f m o rtals w h o gaze
at him .
JU L IE T O h R om eo, Rom eo! W hy are you called R om eo? Deny your
father and refuse your name; o r if you will not, swear to be m y love
an d I’ll no longer be a C apulet.
ROMEO Shall I wait to h ea r m ore, o r shall I speak?
JU LIE T It is only your nam e th at is m y enemy. You are yourself, even if
you were n o t a M ontague. W hat’s a M ontague? It is n o t a h an d , n o r
foot, n o r arm , n o r face. O h, have som e o th er nam e. W hat’s in a nam e?
 T h at w h ich we call a rose, by any o th e r w ord w ould sm ell as sweet. So
R om eo, if he were n o t called R om eo, would keep th at d ear perfection
w hich he owns. R om eo, take o ff your nam e, a n d take all o f me.
ROMEO I take you at your word. O nly call m e love an d I’ll be baptized
again. F ro m now o n , I’ll never be R om eo.
JU L IE T W ho are you th a t com e hidden in th e dark an d h ea r m y se­
crets?
ROMEO I hardly know how to tell you m y nam e. My nam e, d ear saint,
is hateful to m e, because it is your enemy. If I had it w ritten dow n I
w ould te a r th e word.
JU L IE T M y ears have not yet heard a h u n d red words spoken by you,
and yet I know th e sound. Are you not R om eo, an d a M ontague?
ROMEO I am neither, d ear m aid, if eith er displeases you.
JU L IE T H ow did you com e here, and why? T he orch ard walls are high
and h ard to clim b, an d , considering w ho you are, this place is d eath
to you if any o f m y kinsm en find you.
ROMEO I flew over these walls w ith love’s light wings; for stony barriers
ca n n o t keep love o u t, an d love dares to try anything. T herefore your
kinsm en c a n n o t stop m e.
JU LIE T I f th ey see you they will m u rd er you.
ROMEO Alas, there is m ore danger in your eyes than in tw enty o f th e ir
swords! L ook at m e sweetly, an d I will be pro tected against th e ir e n ­
mity.
JU L IE T I w o u ld n ’t have th em see you for th e world.
ROMEO I have n ig h t’s cloak to hide m e from th eir eyes, an d if only you
will love m e, let th em find m e here. I w ould rath er have m y life ended
by th e ir h ate, th a n pu t d eath o ff by forgoing your love.
JU LIE T W ho told you how to find this place?
ROMEO Love did. H e told m e w here to go, and I lent him m y eyes.
I am n o pilot, yet if you were as far as th at vast shore washed by the
furthest sea, I would risk th e jo u rn ey for such a prize.
JU LIE T You know th e m ask o f night is o n m y face; o r you w ould see
m e b lu sh fo r th a t w h ich you have h ea rd m e say. I w ould d en y eve­
ryth in g , b u t c a n n o t. D o you love m e? I know you will say “A y” , an d
I will believe you. But you m ay prove false. T h ey say Jove laughs
a t lovers’ lies. O h , g en tle R o m eo , if you love m e, tell m e faithfully.

3 Ромео и Джульетта 25
 O r if you th in k I am to o easily w on. I ’ll frow n a n d be perverse and
say “ n o ” to you. T h e tru th is, fair M o n tag u e, th a t I am to o a f­
fe c tio n a te , a n d you m ay th in k m y b e h a v io u r light. B ut tru st m e,
g e n tle m a n , I ’ll prove m ore tru e th a n th o se w ho are m o re cu n n in g
an d re m a in aloof. I w ould have b een m o re a lo o f w ith you, b u t you
h ea rd m y p assio n ate sp eech before I was aw are o f you. T h erefo re,
p a rd o n m e, a n d d o n ’t attrib u te m y yielding to a light love, revealed
by th e d ark night.
ROMEO Lady, I swear by the blessed m o o n , that tips all these fruit-tree
to p s w ith silver—
JU L IE T O h, d o n ’t sw ear by th e m o o n , th a t in co n stan t m o o n , th at
ch anges every m o n th in h er orbit, in case your love should prove
equally unreliable.
ROMEO W hat shall 1 swear by?
JU L IE T D o not swear at all, o r if you will, swear by your gracious self,
w hich is m y god, an d I ’ll believe you.
ROMEO If m y h e a rt’s d ea r love—
JU L IE T Wfell, do not swear. A lthough you bring m e joy, I have n o jo y in
this co n tract tonight. It is too rash, to o unadvised, to o sudden; to o like
th e lightning, w hich ceases to be before we can say it lightens. Sweet,
good night! T his bud o f love, by sum m er’s ripening breath, may prove a
beautiful flower w hen we next m eet. G o o d night, good night! As sweet
repose an d rest com e to your h eart, as th at w ithin m y breast.
ROMEO O h, will you leave m e so unsatisfied?
JU L IE T W hat satisfaction c a n you have tonight?
ROMEO T h e exchange o f your love’s faithful vow for m ine.
JU L IE T I gave you m ine before you asked for it. A nd I wish it were
m ine again.
ROMEO Would you take it away? F or w hat purpose, love?
JU L IE T To give it to you again. I w ould give you anything. M y love is
as deep as th e sea. T h e m ore I give to you, th e m ore I have. I h ear
som e noise w ithin. D e ar love, goodbye!

(Nurse calls from within)

I ’m com ing good nurse! Sweet M ontague, be true. Whit a little and
I ’ll com e straight back. (Exit)

26
ROMEO O h, blessed, blessed night. I am afraid, it being night, th a t this
is but a d ream , to o sweet to be true.
(Enter Juliet again)

JU LIET T h ree w ords, good R om eo, and g oodnight indeed. I f your love
is h o n o u rab le, an d you aim at m arriage, send m e w ord to m o rro w by
a m essenger th at I will send to you, and tell m e w here an d w hen you
will perfo rm th e rite. A nd 1 will lay all m y fortunes at your feet and
follow you, m y lord, th ro u g h o u t the world.
NURSE (Within) M adam !
JU L IE T I ’m com ing! — B ut if you are no t true, I beseech you—
NU R SE (W ithin) M adam !
JU LIET At once! — to cease your efforts and leave m e to m y grief. I will
send to you tom orrow . A th o u san d tim es g oodnight. (Exit)
ROMEO A th o u san d tim es the worse, for lack o f your light!
(Enter Juliet again)

JU L IE T Hist! R o m eo , hist! O h for a fa lc o n er’s voice to lure this haw k

back again. I dare n o t cry aloud.
ROMEO It is m y soul th at calls m y nam e. H ow silver-sw eet sound lov­
ers’ to n g u es by n ight, like softest m usic to attentive ears!
JU LIE T R om eo!
ROMEO M y sweet?
JU LIE T W hat tim e shall I send th e m essenger tom orrow ?
ROMEO By nine o ’clock.
JU LIE T I will not fail. It seem s like tw enty years rill th en . I have forgot­
te n w hy I called you back.
ROMEO L et m e stan d here until you rem em ber.
JU L IE T I shall forget on purpose to m ake you stand th ere , re m e m b er­
ing how I love y o u r com pany.
ROMEO A nd I shall stay to m ake you forget, forgetting any o th er hom e
but this.
JU L IE T It is alm ost m orning. I w ould have you go, and yet no fu rth er
th a n a capricio u s child will let a bird hop a little from his h an d and
th e n pulls it back w ith a silken th read , so loving-jealous o f its lib­
erty.
ROM EO I w ish I w ere your bird.
27
JU L IE T Sweet, so do I. Yet I w ould kill you w ith to o m u ch loving.
G o o d night, goodnight! Parting is such sweet sorrow, th at I could say
g oodnight until the m orrow. (Exit)
ROMEO Sleep fill your eyes, peace your breast! I f only I were sleep and
peace, so sweetly to rest! I will go to m y ghostly friar’s cell, to ask his
help and m y good fortune to tell. (Exit)

Scene III
(F ria r L aw rence’s cell)

(Enter Friar Lawrence alone with a basket)

FRIAR T h e g rey-eyed m o rn in g sm iles at th e frow ning n ig h t, cover­

ing th e E astern clo u d s w ith streaks o f light. N o w before th e sun
ad v an ces his b u rn in g eye, to c h e e r th e day an d nights d a n k dew to
dry, I m ust fill up this willow basket o f ours, w ith p o iso n o u s weeds
an d p re cio u s-ju iced flowers. T h e ea rth th a t is n a tu re ’s m o th e r is
also h e r tom b. H e r grave is h e r w om b: a n d m an y kinds o f ch ild ren
spring from it. M an y have excellent virtues an d yet all are different.
M u ch g race lies in p lan ts, herbs a n d stones. F o r th e re is n o th in g so
vile th a t lives o n th e e a rth , th a t does n o t do th e ea rth som e good,
n o r an y th in g so g o o d , th a t, w hen used for evil p u rp o ses does n o t do
h arm . V irtue beco m es vice, if m isapplied, an d vice can som etim es
be dignified.

(Enter Romeo)

W ithin the te n d e r skin o f this weak flower, there is bo th poison and

m edicinal power. W hen sm elled, this flower will stim ulate every part.
I f ea te n , it kills all senses w ith the heart. In herbs as well as in m an
th ere is b oth grace an d rude will. And w hen th e w orse o f these is p re ­
d o m in an t, soon th e ca n k er d eath will eat th at plant.
ROMEO G o o d m orning, father.
FRIAR Bless you! W hat early tongue salutes m e so sweetly? Young
so n , you m ust be troubled in your m ind to be up at this hour. Every
old m an is full o f cares, an d w here care lodges sleep ca n n o t lie. But

28
 w hen a yo u th w ith an u n tro u b led brain lies dow n, there sleep reigns.
T herefo re I th in k you m ust have som e trouble, young R om eo, to be
up so early, an d yet 1 th in k you have no t b een to bed at all.
ROMEO You are right an d m y rest was sw eeter for it.
FRIAR G o d p ard o n sin! Wfere you w ith R osaline?
ROMEO N o , father, I have forgotten the n am e o f R osaline.
FRIAR T h a t’s good, m y son, bu t w here have you been then?
ROMEO I ’ll tell you straightaway. I have been feasting w ith m y enem y,
and th ere I was w ounded by o n e th a t’s w ounded by m e. You can help
b o th o f us w ith y o ur holy m edicine. I feel no h atre d , for you see I
4 plead also for m y foe.
FRIAR Speak plainly, m y son. You are speaking in riddles.
ROMEO T h en let m e tell you th at m y heart is set o n th e d au g h ter o f
rich C apulet. A nd hers is set o n m e. A nd we are u n ited , except by
m arriage, w hich you m ust perform . W hen and w here an d how we
m et, w ooed an d exchanged o u r vows, I’ll tell you as we go; b u t this I
pray, th a t you co n sen t to m arry us today.
FRIAR H oly S aint Francis! W hat a change is here! Have you forsaken
R osaline so soon? Young m e n ’s love lies in th eir eyes, no t in th e ir
hearts. Jesu M aria! What a lot o f brine washed your sallow cheeks for
Rosaline! W hat a w aste o f salt water! Look, here o n your cheek there
is th e stain o f a n old tear. H ow changed you are. N o w onder w om en
are fickle w hen m en are so inconstant.
ROMEO But you often reproved m e for loving R osaline.
FRIAR F o r do tin g o n her, not for loving her.
ROMEO A nd you to ld m e to bury love.
FRIAR But n o t to lay o n e in th e grave an d have a n o th e r ou t straig h ta­
way.
ROMEO I pray you, d o n ’t chide m e. T he o n e I love now loves m e too.
T h e o th e r did not.
FRIAR B ecause she knew you d id n ’t know th e m eaning o f the w ord
“ love” . But com e w ith m e, young waverer, com e w ith m e. In one
respect I will be your assistant. F or this alliance m ay so happy prove,
th a t it tu rn ’s y o u r fam ilies’ h atred to love.
ROMEO O h let us go! M ake haste!
FRIAR Wisely an d slowly. T hey stum ble th a t run fast. (Exeunt)

29
 Scene IV
(A street)

(Enter Benvolio andMerculio)

Mercutio and Benvolio are still looking fo r Romeo. They think that Rosaline is
the cause o f his trouble and say she will drive him mad. They also say that Tybalt
has sent a letter to Romeo's fath er’s house, challenging him to a duel. Mercutio
mocks Tybalt, saying that he is a very fashionable, precise kind o f swordsman
Romeo arrives. His friends are happy to discover that he has recovered his gooa
humour, andMercutio and he joke together fo r some time. Then the Nurse ar­
rives with her servingman, Peter.

N U R SE Peter!
PETER C om ing.
N U R SE M y fan, Peter.
M ERCUTIO G o o d Peter, to hide h er face, for h er fan ’s better-looking.
N U R SE G o o d m o rning, gentlem en.
M ERCU TIO G o o d aftern o o n , fair gentlew om an.
N U R SE Is it aftern o on?
M ERCU TIO W hy yes, for the bawdy hand of the clock is now upon the
prick of noon.
N U R SE How dare you! W hat a rude m an you are!
ROMEO O ne, gentlew om an, th a t G o d has m ade to ruin him self.
N U R SE Wfell said. G e n tlem e n , can any o f you tell m e w here I m ight
find young R om eo?
ROMEO I can tell you; bu t young R om eo will be older w hen you have
found him th an he was w hen you sought him . I am th e youngest o f
th a t n am e, for want of a worse.
N U R SE You say well.
M ERCUTIO Is th e worst well? \fery well understood, by m y faith! Vfery
wise!
NURSE If you be he, sir, I desire som e confidence w ith you.
BENVOLIO She will indite him to supper.
M ERCUTIO A baw d, a baw d, a bawd! R om eo, are you com ing to your
fa th e r’s? We’re going to d in n e r there.
ROMEO I will follow you.
M ERCUTIO Farewell, an cien t lady. Farewell.

30
N URSE I pray you, sir, w hat saucy m erc h an t was th at, th at was so full
o f rascally talk?
ROMEO A g en tlem an , nurse, th a t loves to h e a r h im self talk, an d will
speak m o re in a m in u te th a n he will do in a m o n th .
N URSE If he says anything against m e I will knock him dow n, even if
he were bigger th an he is, an d tw enty such Jacks. A nd if I c a n ’t, I ’ll
find those th at can. Scurvy knave! I ’m no flirty w ench. I ’m n o harlot.
A nd you stan d by and see every knave tre a t m e at his pleasure.
PETER I saw no m an use you at his pleasure. If I had, m y w eapon would
have b een o u t, I assure you. I dare to draw as soon as any o th e r m an,
if I see th e reason and the law is o n m y side.
NU R SE Now, before G o d , I am so vexed th at every part o f m e quivers.
Scurvy knave! Pray you, sir, a w ord; and, as I told you, m y young lady
to ld m e to com e and find you. W hat she told m e to say I will keep to
myself; b u t let m e first tell you, th at if you should try to seduce her, it
would be terrible o f you; for th e gentlew om an is young; and therefore,
if you should deal double w ith her, truly it w ould be a bad thing, and
very u n m an ly behaviour.
ROMEO N u rse, co m m en d m e to you lady a n d m istress. I protest —
N U R SE G o o d heart, an d in faith I will tell h er as m uch. L ord, L ord,
she will be a joyful w om an.
ROMEO W hat will you tell her, nurse? You are not listening to m e.
NURSE I will tell her, sir, th at you protest, w hich I take to be a g en ­
tlem an lik e offer.
ROMEO Tell h er to go to confession this afte rn o o n , an d th e n to m eet
m e at F ria r L aw rence’s cell, w here we shall be m arried. H ere, th is is
for y o u r trouble.
NURSE N o , truly, sir, not a p en n y
ROMEO G o to! I say you shall.
N U R SE T his aftern o o n , sir? Wfell, she shall be there.
ROMEO A nd wait, good nurse, behind th e abbey wall. My m an shall
be w ith you w ithin this h o u r and will bring you a rope ladder, w hich
to th e peak o f m y jo y in the secret night m ust be m y conveyance.
Farewell. Be faithful, and I ’ll reward you for your trouble. Farewell.
C o m m e n d m e to y our mistress.
NU R SE N ow G o d in heaven bless you! L isten, sir.

31
ROMEO W hat is it, d e a r nurse?
N U R SE C an your m an be trusted? S om etim es i t ’s b e tte r for only two
to have a secret together.
ROMEO I prom ise you, m y m an is as tru e as steel.
N U R SE Wfell, sir, m y m istress is the sw eetest lady. L ord, Lord! W hen
she was a little ch a tte rin g thing — O h, th ere is a n o blem an in tow n,
a certain Paris, th a t would like to have a slice o f her; but she, good
soul, w ould ra th e r see a toad th a n him . I an g er h er som etim es and
tell h er th at Paris is the b etter m an; bu t 1 prom ise you th at w hen 1 do,
she looks as w hite as any sheet in the universe.
ROMEO C o m m e n d m e to your lady.
N U R SE Ay, a th o u san d tim es. (Exit Romeo) Peter!
PETER C om ing.
N U R SE G o o n a h e ad o f m e. (Exit, after Peter)

Scene V
(C a p u le t’s o rch ard )
(Enter Juliet)

JU L IE T T h e clock stru ck nine w hen I sent the nurse. She prom ised to
be back in h alf an hour. Perhaps she could n o t find him . T h a t’s not
so. O h, she is lam e! Love’s m essengers should be like thoughts that
glide ten tim es faster th an the su n ’s beam s drive shadows back over the
bills. I t’s n o o n an d from nine to twelve are th ree long hours, yet she
still h asn ’t com e back. If she had affections and w arm youthful blood,
she would be as swift in m o tio n as a ball. M y w ords w ould speed h er
to m y love, and his to m e. But m any old folks move ab o u t as if they
w ere alm ost dead — clumsy, slow, heavy an d pale as lead.
(Enter Nurse and Peter)

O h G o d , she com es! O h honey nurse, w hat news? H ave you seen
him ? Send your m an away.
N U RSE Peter, wait at th e gate. (Exit Peter)
JU L IE T Now, go o d , sweet nurse — O h L ord, w hy do you look so sad?
If the news is bad, yet tell it merrily. If it’s good, then you sham e the
m usic o f sweet new s, by playing to m e w ith such a sour face.
32
NURSE I am weary. Let me rest aw hile. O h, how m y bones ache! W hat
a long w alk I ’ve had.
JU L IE T I wish you had m y bones and I had your news. Nay, co m e, I
pray you speak. G o o d , good nurse, speak.
N URSE Jesu, w hat haste! C a n ’t you wait a while. C a n ’t you see I ’m
ou t o f b reath?
JU L IE T H ow can you be o u t o f b reath w hen y o u ’ve got breath enough
to tell m e you are o u t o f breath? Your excuse is longer th a n th e tale
you have to tell. Is your new s good o r bad? A nsw er that. Say eith er
and I ’ll w ait for th e rest. Let m e be satisfied, is it good o r bad?
N URSE Well, you have m ade a foolish choice. You d o n ’t know how to
choose a m an. R om eo? N o not he. T hough his face is b e tte r th an any
m a n ’s, an d his leg excels any o th e r I know. Yes, his body is past c o m ­
pare. H e is n o t the flower o f courtesy, but yet he is gentle as a lam b.
G o an d serve G o d , w ench. W hat, have you dined at hom e?
JU L IE T N o , no. But I knew all this before. W hat did he say about o u r
m arriage? W hat o f th at?
NURSE L ord, how my head aches! It beats as if it w ould fall in tw enty
pieces. A nd m y back is hurting. F or sham e, how could you send m e
ab out to catch my d eath w ith running up an d dow n?
JU L IE T In faith, I ’m sorry you are not well. Sweet, sweet nurse, tell
m e, w hat does my love say?
NURSE Your love says, like an honest g en tlem an , and a courteous,
and a kind and a h an dsom e, and I ’m sure a virtuous — W here is your
m o th er?
JU L IE T M y m o th er? Why she is indoors? W here should she be? How
oddly you reply! ‘Your love says like an honest g en tlem an , “ W here is
your m o th e r? ” ’
NURSE O h goodness me! Are you so angry? C om e now, is this the
cu re for m y ach in g bones? F rom now o n you can take your ow n
m essages.
JU L IE T O h , w hat a fuss! C om e, w hat did R om eo say?
NURSE Have you got leave to go to confession today?
JU L IE T I have.
N U R SE T h en go to F riar L aw rence’s cell; there a husband w aits to
m ake you a wife. N ow you blush! Your cheeks are quite scarlet. G o
33
 to ch u rch ; I m ust go a n o th e r way, to fetch a ladder, by w hich your
love m ust clim b a b ird ’s nest soon w hen it is dark. I am the drudge
and work hard for your delight; but you shall b ear the b u rd en soon at
night. G o ; I ’m going to dinner; go to the cell.
JU L IE T O h w hat good fortune! H onest nurse, farewell. (Exeunt)

Scene VI
(F ria r L aw rence’s cell)

(Enter Friar Lawrence and Romeo)

FRIAR M ay the heavens sm ile upon this holy act, so th a t we m ay not

be sorry afterwards.
ROMEO A m en, am en! But w hatever sorrow may com e, it c a n n o t equal
th e jo y th at o ne short m inute in h er sight gives m e. If you will only join
o u r h ands w ith holy w ords, th en let love-devouring death do w hat he
dares. It will be en o u g h for m e to be able to call h er m ine.
FRIAR T hese v iolent delights have violent ends and die in th eir tri­
u m p h , like fire and gun powder, w hich are consum ed as they kiss.
T h erefo re, love m o derately long love is like that. Too fast a love c o n ­
sum es itself to o quickly.

(Enter Juliet)

H ere com es the lady. A h, so light a foot will never w ear o u t these
stones. A lover m ay walk across cobwebs suspended in air w ithout
falling, for vanity is light.
JU LIET G o o d evening to m y holy confessor.
FRIAR R om eo will th a n k you, daughter, for us both.
ROMEO A h, Juliet, if your jo y is as great as m ine, and you are b e tte r
able th a n I to express it, th en sweeten th e air w ith thy breath and let
m e h ea r th e m usic o f your words as you speak o f the happiness o f
this m eeting.
JU L IE T True u n d erstanding o f joy, needs no words and m y love has
grow n to o m uch to be described.
FRIAR C o m e, com e w ith m e, and w e’ll m ake short work o f this. F or
you two shall n o t be alone, until the H oly C h u rch has m ade you one.
(Exeunt)
34
 Helpful Words & Notes

he may not have access to breathe such vows — он не может дать такую клятву
maid п — служанка; зд. Луна — богиня целомудрия и девственности Диана,
а Джульетта — ее служанка
Deny your father and refuse your name — Откажись от своего отца и от свое­
го имени
I take you at your word. — Словлю тебя на слове.
Jove — Яхве; Бог-отец, царь великий над всеми богами
friar п — монах нищенствующего ордена
Speak plainly... you are speaking in ridlles. — Говори яснее... ты говоришь
загадками.
What a lot of brine washed your sallow cheeks for Rosaline! — Как много слез
ты пролил по Розалине!
the brawdy hand of the clock is now upon the prick of noon — жестокая стрелка
часов указывает на полдень
for want of a worse — зд. искаженное выражение “for want o f a better” — за
неимением лучшего. Ромео считает свое имя своим врагом,
confidence л — уверенность, доверие; зд. Кормилица подразумевает слово
“con feren ce” — разговор
indite v — писать, требовать, командовать; зд. Бенволио подразумевает
слово “invite” — приглашать
Jack — зд. нахал
Iiave you got leave ... ? — Тебе разрешили ... ?

Activities

1 Answer the pre-reading questions.

1) H ow will R om eo m anage to see Ju liet again?

2) Will th e nurse approve o f Ju lie t’s love for R om eo?

2 Read Act П. Answer the questions.

1) W hy does Ju liet feel em barassed w hen R om eo hears h er talk ­

ing on th e balcony?
2) W hy do they bo th w ant to change th e ir nam es?
3) Why does Friar Lawrence think that R om eo has some trouble?
4) W hat does F riar Law rence say w hen R om eo tells him o f his
love for Ju liet?
5) W hat m essage does R om eo send to Juliet?
6) W ho m arries th em an d w here?

Read Romeo’s monologue at the beginning o f Act II, scene II.

1) H ow does he speak o f his love?

2) W hy does R om eo say th at th e m o o n is envious?
3) W hy does h e say he w ants to be a glove?

Agree or disagree with the following statem ents. Give your comments.

1) W here care lodges, sleep ca n n o t lie.

2) T h ey stum ble th at ru n fast.
3) Love m o d erately long love is like th at. Too fast a love c o n ­
sum es itself to o fast.
4) T rue u n d erstan d in g o f jo y needs n o words.
5) V irtue beco m es vice if m isapplied an d vice ca n som etim es be
dignified.

Who said it and in connection with what?

1) I f love is b lind, love ca n n o t hit th e m ark.

2) H e never felt a w ound, yet laughs at m y scars.
3) D eny your fath er an d refuse your nam e.
4) Parting is such sweet sorrow, th at I could say good night u ntil
th e morrow.
5) Young m e n ’s love lies in th eir eyes, n o t in th e ir hearts.
6) Love’s m essengers should be like thoughts th at glide ten
tim es faster th a n the su n ’s beam s drive shadow s b ack over
th e hills.
7) If you will only jo in o u r h ands w ith holy words, th e n let love-
devouring d eath do w hat he dares.

Act out Romeo’s monologue.

Act out Romeo and Juliet’s dialogue, starting with the words:

“ B ut soft! W hat light through y onder w indow breaks?..”

8 Act out Juliet’s monologue, starting with the words:

“ O h , R om eo, Rom eo! W hy are you called R o m eo ?..”

9Act out Juliet and Romeo’s dialogue, starting with the words:

“ I tak e you at y o ur w ord. O nly call m e love, an d I ’ll be b ap tized

a g ain ...”
 ACT III

Scene I
(A public place)

Mercutio, Benvolio and their men are in the street, Benvolio wisely says they should
go home, as he has heard that bait is in town, but Mercutio laughs at him. Tybalt
and his men arrive and he and Mercutio begin to argue about Romeo. Romeo
arrives and Tybalt calls him a villain, but Romeo attempts to make peace.

ROMEO Tybalt, th e reason I have to love you excuses any rage I m ight
feel at such a greeting. I am no villain. T herefore farewell. I see you
do not know me.
TYBALT Boy, th ere is no excuse for th e insults you have given m e.
T herefo re tu rn and draw your sword.
ROMEO I p ro te s t I nev er in su lte d y o u , a n d I love you b e tte r th a n
y ou c a n im a g in e , u n til you le a rn th e re a so n fo r m y love; a n d
38
 so, g o o d C a p u le t, w h ic h n a m e I value as d e a rly as m y o w n , be
satisfied .
M ERCUTIO O h, d ishonourable calm , vile subm ission. T h at fop is g et­
ting away w ith it. Tybalt, you ratcatcher, will you step aside?
TYBALT W hat do you w ant w ith m e?
M ERCUTIO N o th in g but your life, w hich I m ean to take. Will you draw
your sword? M ake haste, before you find m ine about your ears.
TYBALT I am for you. (He draws his sword)
ROMEO G en tle M ercu tio , put away your rapier.
M ERCUTIO C o m e, sir. Let m e see you lunge.
(They fight)

ROMEO Draw, B envolio; beat dow n th eir w eapons. G e n tlem e n for

sham e! S to p this outrage! Tybalt, M ercu tio , th e P rince has expressly
forbidden this braw ling in V erona’s streets. H o ld , Tybalt! G o o d M e r­
cutio!
(Tybalt under Romeo’s arm, strikes Mercutio and runs away)

M ERCUTIO I am hurt! A plague on both houses, I am w ounded. H as

he gone w ith o u t a scratch?
BENVOLIO W hat, are you hurt?
M ERCUTIO Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch. It is enough. W here is m y page?
G o , villain an d fetch a surgeon. (Exit page)
ROMEO C o urage, m an, it c a n ’t be that bad.
M ERCUTIO N o , it’s no t very deep, but it is enough. It will serve. Ask
for m e to m o rro w an d you will find m e a grave m an. It is a death-blow ,
I ’m sure. A plague o n b o th your houses! G o d , a dog, a rat, a m ouse, a
cat to scratch a m an to death! A braggart, a rogue, a villain th at fights
by form al rules! W hy the devil did you com e betw een us? I was hu rt
u n d e r your arm .
ROMEO I th o u g h t it was for the best.
M ER CU TIO H e lp m e in to som e house, B envolio, o r I shall faint.
A plague o n b o th your houses! T hey have m ade w orm s’ m eat o f m e.
I am dead. Your houses! (Exit Mercutio and Benvolio)
ROMEO T his gentlem an, the P rin ce’s close relative, m y true friend, has
been m ortally h urt on m y b eh a lf — m y re p u ta tio n has been stained
w ith T ybalt’s slander — Tybalt, th at has been m y cousin for an hour.

39
 O h sweet Juliet, y o u r beauty has m ade m e effem inate and softened
th e valorous parts o f my character!
( Enter Benvolio)

BENVOLIO O h R o m eo, R om eo, brave M ercu tio is dead! T h at gallant

spirit has clim bed to th e clouds to o early.
ROMEO T his day’s black fate will hang over o th er days. This episode
only begins th e woe others m ust end.
(Enter Tybalt)

BENVOLIO H ere com es the furious Tybalt back again.

ROM EO Alive in triu m p h and M ercu tio dead? Away w ith you, m erci­
fulness, and fire-eyed fury be m y co n d u c t now! N ow Tybalt, I’ll call
you villain as you ju st now called m e; for M ercu tio ’s soul is ju st a little
way above o u r heads, waiting for your to keep him co m p an y E ith er
you o r I o r b o th m ust go w ith him .
TYBALT Your w retched boy th at kept co m p an y wim him here, shall
do so there.
ROMEO We shall see.
(They fight. Tybalt falls)

BENVOLIO R om eo away, be gone! T he citizens are up an d Tybalt is

slain. D o n ’t stand th ere staring. T he Prince will condem n you to death
if you are taken. Be gone, away!
ROMEO O h , I am fortune’s fool.
BENVOLIO W hat are you waiting for?
(Exit Romeo. Enter citizens)

C IT IZ EN W hich way did M ercu tio ’s m u rd erer run?

BENVOLIO Tybalt is lying there.
C IT IZ E N U p , sir, go w itii m e. 1 charge you in the P rin c e ’s n am e,
obey.
(Enter Prince, Old Montague, Capulet, their Wives and all)

PR IN C E W here are th o se vile m en th a t began this fray?

BENVOLIO O h noble P rince, I can reveal the w hole unlucky course o f
this fatal brawl. T here lies the m an , slain by young R om eo, th at killed
your kinsm an, brave M ercutio.
40
LADY CAPULET Tybalt, m y cousin! O h m y b ro th e r’s child! O h Prince!
O h husband! O h m y d e a r k in sm an ’s blood is spilled. O h P rin c e , as
you are tru e, for blood o f ours, shed blood o f M ontague. O h cousin,
cousin!
PR IN C E Benvolio, w ho began this bloody fray?
BENVOLIO Tybalt here, killed by R om eo. R om eo spoke fairly to him
and urged him to th in k how trivial the q u arrel was a n d rem inded
him o f y o u r displeasure. All this — said calm ly a n d hum bly — could
n o t move Tybalt’s bad tem per, for he was deaf to peace, and he thrust
w ith piercing steel at bold M ercu tio ’s breast. M ercutio, as angry as
he, retu rn ed blow fo r blow. R o m eo cried ‘H o ld , friends, p art!’ and
faster th a n his to n g u e, his agile arm beat th e ir w eapons dow n and
he ru shed betw een th em . But u n d e r his arm , Tybalt struck M ercutio
and fled. T h en , after a w hile, he cam e back to R o m eo , w ho had ju st
decided o n revenge, an d they w ent to it like lightning. For, before I
could part th e m , Tybalt was slain; and as he fell, R om eo tu rn ed and
fled. T his is th e tru th o r let B envolio die.
LADY C APULET H e is a kinsm an to the M o n tag u es a n d affection
m akes him false. H e does no t speak the tru th . Som e tw enty o f th em
fought in this black strife, an d all those tw enty could only take one
life. I beg for ju stice, w hich you, P rin ce, m ust give. R o m eo killed
Tybalt; R o m eo m u st n o t live.
PR IN C E R om eo killed him ; he killed M ercutio. W ho now owes the
price o f his d e a r blood?
CAPULET N o t R o m e o , P rin c e ; h e was M e r c u tio ’s friend. H is fault
co n c lu d e s w h a t o n ly th e law sh o u ld have e n d e d , th e life o f Ty­
b alt.
PRIN C E A nd for th a t offence we do im m ediately exile him . I have an
in terest in y o u r h a te ’s proceeding, m y kinsm an, for your rough brawl
lies bleeding. B ut I shall p unish you w ith so heavy a fine, th at you will
rep en t th e loss o f m ine. I will be d e a f to pleading an d excuses. N o
tears o r prayers shall purchase o u r abuses. T h erefo re, use none. Let
R om eo be gone in haste, o r w hen he is found, th at h o u r shall be his
last. Take th is body away an d respect o u r will. M ercy only m urders,
w h en it p ard o n s th ose th a t kill.

(Exeunt)

41
 Scene II
(C ap u let’s o rch ard )

(Enter Juliet alone)

JU LIET C o m e, su n , set. S pread your c u rta in , love-perform ing n ight,

th a t eyes m ay sh u t a n d R o m eo leap in to th ese arm s u n ta lk e d o f
a n d u n see n . Lovers c a n see to d o th e ir am o ro u s rites by th e light
o f th e ir ow n beauty. C o m e, n ig h t, w ith y o u r black clo ak , h id e th e
b lo o d flu tte rin g in m y ch eek s, u n til u n fa m ilia r love grow s bold.
C o m e n ig h t, c o m e R o m eo , a n d , w h en I shall die, tak e h im an d
c u t h im o u t in little stars, a n d lie will m ake th e face o f h eaven so
fin e, th a t all th e w orld will b e in love w ith n ig h t a n d pay n o w o r­
sh ip to th e g arish sun. О , I have b o u g h t a m an sio n o f love, b u t n o t
possessed it. A n d , th o u g h Г am sold, I have n o t yet b een enjoyed.
T h is d ay is as te d io u s as th e n ig h t b efo re som e festival to an im p a ­
tie n t ch ild th a t h as new clo th e s a n d m ay n o t w ear th e m . O h , h ere
co m es m y nu rse.

(Enter Nurse with cords)

A nd she brings news; and every tongue th at only m entions R o m eo ’s

nam e speaks heavenly eloquence. Now, nurse, w hat news? W hat have
you th ere? T h e rope th a t R om eo told you to fetch?
N U R SE Ay, ay, th e rope.
JU L IE T Ay, me! W h at’s the news? W hy are you w ringing your hands?
N U R SE Ah alas! H e ’s dead, h e ’s d ead, h e ’s dead! We are undone, lady,
we are undone! Alas the day! H e ’s gone, h e ’s killed, h e ’s dead!
JU L IE T C an heaven be so envious?
N U R SE R om eo can , though heaven cannot. O h R om eo, Romeo! W ho
ever w ould have th o u g h t it? Rom eo!
JU L IE T W hat devil are you to to rm e n t m e in this way? T his to rtu re
should be roared in dism al hell. H as R om eo killed him self? If you
say ‘Ay’, th ere will be m ore p oison in th at ‘Ay’ th a n in th e eye o f a
cockatrice.
N U R SE I saw th e w ound. I saw it w ith m y eyes, th ere o n his m anly
breast. A piteous corpse; pale, pale as ashes, all covered in blood.
I fainted at the sight.

42
JU LIE T O h , b reak m y heart! Poor b an k ru p t, break at once! To prison,
eyes; never look at liberty! Vile body, retu rn to earth; en d m o tio n here
an d you and R om eo fill one heavy coffin.
N U R SE O h Tybalt, Tybalt, th e best friend I had! O h co u rteo u s Tybalt!
H o n est gentlem an! T h at I should ever live to see you dead!
JU LIET W hat storm is this that changes direction so? Are Rom eo a n d ly -
balt dead? M y dearest cousin and m y dearer lord? T h en dreadful tru m ­
pet sound for Doomsday, for w ho should live if those two are dead?
NURSE Tybalt is dead an d R om eo banished. R om eo th a t killed him ,
he is banished.
JU L IE T O h G od! D id R o m eo ’s h an d shed Tybalts blood?
NURSE It did, it did! Alas th e day, it did!
JU L IE T O h serp en t h eart, h id d en beh in d a flow ering face! D id any
drag o n ever have such a beautiful cave? B eautiful tyrant! A ngelic
fiend! D ove-feathered raven! You are the opposite to w hat you seem ed.
A d am n ed saint, an h onourable villain! D id ever a book w ith such vile
co n ten ts have such a beautiful cover? O h, th at deceit should live in
such a beautiful palace!
NURSE T h e re ’s no trust, no faith, no honesty in m en. T hey are all
n othing. G ive m e som e aqua vitae. These griefs, these woes, these
sorrow s m ake m e old. S ham e com e to Romeo!
JU L IE T M ay your tongue blister for saying such a thing! H e was no t
b o m to sham e. Oh w hat a beast I was to chide at him .
NURSE Will you speak well o f the m a n who killed your cousin?
JU LIE T Shall I speak badly o f m y husband? A h, m y p o o r lord, w hat
tongue shall sm o o th your n am e, w hen I, only th ree hours your wife,
have m istreated it? But why did you kill m y cousin, villain? Back, fool­
ish tears. Your drops belong to w oe, not to joy. M y husband lives, an d
Tybalt w ould have slain him ; an d Tybalt’s dead, th at w anted to kill m y
husband. All this is com fort; so w hy am I w eeping? T here was a w ord,
worse th a n Tybalts death. I w ould prefer to forget it, bu t it presses o n
m y m em ory, as guilty acts press on sin n ers’ m inds. ‘Tybalt is dead,
an d R om eo — b an ish ed .’ T h at ‘b an ish ed ’, th at one w ord ‘b an ish ed ’,
has killed ten th o u sand Tybalts. T ybalt’s death was terrible enough by
itself; ‘R om eo b an ished’ is like having Tybalt, m other, father, R om eo,
Ju liet all d ead , all slain. W here are m y fath er a n d m other, nurse?
NU R SE W eeping and wailing over Tybalts corpse. Will you go to them ?
Г will take you there.
JU LIE T D o they wash his w ounds w ith tears? I will use m ine, w hen
th eirs are dry, for R o m eo ’s b anishm ent. Take up those cords. Poor
ropes you have been ch eated , b o th you an d I, for R om eo has been
exiled. H e m ade you for a highway to m y bed, but Г shall die a m aid.
C o m e, cords, com e nurse. I ’ll go to m y bed. And d ea th , no t R om eo,
take m y m aidenhead!
N U R SE G o to your cham ber. I ’ll find R om eo to com fort you. I know
w here he is. Listen, your R om eo will be here at night. I’ll go to him .
H e is h id d en at L aw rence’s cell.
JU L IE T O h find him! G ive him this ring an d tell him to com e and say
his last farewell.
(Exit with Nurse)

Scene III
(F ria r L aw rence’s cell)

(Enter Friar Lawrence)

FRIAR C om e forth, com e forth, you frightened m an. Trouble is in love

with you and you are wedded to calamity.
(Enter Romeo)

ROMEO Father, w h at news? W hat is the P rin c e ’s decision? W hat sor­

rows await m e? H as he decided u p o n my death?
FRIAR A gentler judgement escaped his lips — not body’s death, but
body’s banishment.
ROMEO H a, b a n is h m e n t? Be m erc ifu l, say ‘d e a th ’; fo r exile has
m o re te rro r in his look. M uch m ore th a n death. D o n o t say ‘b a n ­
ish m e n t’.
FRIAR You are b an ish ed from Verona. B ut be p a tien t, th e w orld is
bro ad and wide.
ROMEO T h ere is no world beyond V erona’s walls, but purgatory, to r­
tu re, hell itself. So ‘b an ish ed ’, is banished from the w orld, and the
w orld’s exile is d eath. ‘B anished’ is only an o th e r word for death.
44
FRIAR O h d eadly sin! O h ru d e unthankfulness! Your sin is punishable
by d eath acco rd in g to the law; bu t the kind P rin ce, taking your part,
has pu sh ed aside th e law, a n d tu rn ed th a t black w ord ‘d e a th ’ to ‘b a n ­
ish m e n t’. T h is is d ear m ercy and you do n o t see it.
ROMEO T his is to rtu re, n o t m erc y H eaven is here, w here Ju liet lives;
an d every cat an d dog and little m ouse, every unw orthy thing lives
here in heaven and m ay look o n her; bu t R om eo m ay not. T h ere is
m ore value in carrio n flies th a n in R om eo. T hey m ay rest on the w hite
w o n d er o f Ju lie t’s h an d o r steal im m ortal blessings from h er lips th at
blush w hen they to u ch each other. But R om eo m ay no t, h e is b a n ­
ished. H o w do you have the h ea rt, being a holy m an an d m y friend,
to h u rt m e w ith th a t w ord, ‘b an ish ed ’?
FRIAR You foolish, m ad m an. Listen to m e.
ROMEO O h, you will speak o f banishm ent.
FRIAR I ’ll give you a rm o u r to keep o ff th at w ord; philosophy, to c o m ­
fort you, th o u g h you have been banished.
ROMEO A gain ‘b an ish ed ’? H ang philosophy! U nless philosophy can
m ake a Ju liet, m ove a tow n and reverse a P rin c e ’s decision, it c a n n o t
h elp m e. Talk n o m ore.
FRIAR O h , th e n I see th a t m ad m en have no ears. Let m e discuss the
situ atio n w ith you.
ROMEO You c a n n o t discuss w hat you ca n n o t feel. Were you as young
as I, Ju liet your love, an d h ad you been m arried just an h o u r ago an d
th e n been b an ish ed , th e n you m ight speak. T h en you m ight te a r out
your h air a n d fall u pon the g ro u n d , as I d o now.
(Nurse enters and knocks)

FRIAR G e t up. S om eone is knocking at the door.

ROMEO N o t I. (Knock)
FRIAR H e ar how they knock! W h o ’s there? R om eo, arise; you will be
tak en — get up! (Knock) R un to m y s tu d y —ju st a m om ent! — G o d ’s
will, w hat foolishness is this? - I ’m com ing, I ’m coining! (Knock) W ho
knocks so hard? W here do you com e from ? W hat do you w ant?
(Enter Nurse)

NURSE Let m e com e in an d you shall know m y errand. I com e from

Lady Juliet.

45
FRIAR W elcom e th en .
N U R SE O h, holy friar, oh tell m e, w here is my lady’s lord, w h e re’s
R om eo?
FRIAR T h ere o n th e g round, d ru n k w ith his ow n tears.
N U R SE O h, m y m istress is just the sam e. O h, w hat a piteous predica­
ment! She lies ju st the sam e, blubbering an d w eeping. S tand up, stand
up! S tan d , if you are a m an. F o r Juliets sake, rise and stand! W hy
should you fall in to such a fit o f m oaning?
ROMEO ( Rises) N u rse —
N U R SE Ah sir, ah sir! D e a th ’s th e en d o f all.
ROMEO D id you n o t speak o f Juliet? H ow is she? D oes she not th in k
m e an old m urderer, now th at I have stained th e child h o o d o f o u r joy
w ith blood so close to h er ow n? W here is she? A nd how is she? W hat
does she say to o u r cancelled love?
N U R SE O h , she says nothing, sir, but weeps and weeps an d falls on
h er bed an d th e n starts up again. S om etim es she calls ‘T ybalt’, and
som etim es ‘R o m e o ’, an d th e n falls dow n again.
ROMEO As if th a t n am e, shot from the deadly aim o f a gun, h ad m u r­
dered her, as th a t n a m e ’s cursed h an d m u rd ered h er kinsm an. O h
tell m e, friar, tell m e, in w hat vile part o f m y body does th a t n am e
lodge? Tell m e, th a t I m ay p lu n d er th e hateful m ansion. (He tries to
stab himself, and Nurse snatches the dagger away)
FRIAR H old your desperate hand. Are you a m an? You look like a m an,
b u t your tears are w om anish, your wild acts are like those o f a beast.
T his is in ap p ro p riate behaviour. You have am azed m e. By m y holy
order, I th o u g h t b etter o f your character. Have you killed Tybalt? A nd
will you kill yourself? A nd kill your lady th at lives in your life, by doing
d am n atio n o n yourself? W hy do you ciy o u t so? F ie, fie, you sham e
your shape, y o u r love an d your wit. Your noble shape is but a form o f
wax, w ith o u t m anly qualities. Your dear love sworn, is but an em pty
lie, killing th at love w hich you have vowed to cherish. Your w it, like
pow der in a so ld ier’s flask, is set afire by your ow n ignorance. W hat,
get up man! Your Juliet is alive; in th a t at least you are fortunate. T h e
law th at th rea ten ed d eath , becom es your friend and tu rn s it to exile;
in th at you are fortunate. Tybalt w anted to kill you, but you killed him ;
in th at you are fo rtunate. You have a pack o f blessings u pon your back!
46
 G o to your love, as was p lan n ed . C lim b to h er c h a m b e r and com fort
her. But be careful no t to stay u n til th e w atch is set, o r you will not
be able to go to M an tu a, w here you shall live till we can find a way to
an n o u n c e your m arriage, reconcile your friends, beg pardon o f die
P rince, and call you back w ith tw enty hu n d red th o u san d tim es m ore
jo y th an you w ent forth in lam en tatio n . G o o n ah e ad , nurse. C o m ­
m end m e to your lady, and tell h er to hurry all th e house to bed, w hich
heavy sorrow will m ake th em apt to do. R om eo is com ing.
NURSE O h L ord, I could have stayed here all night to h ea r good c o u n ­
sel. O h, w hat a good thing learning is! M y lord, I ’ll tell m y lady you
will com e. (Nurse turns to go and then turns back again) H ere, sir, a
ring she told m e to give you. N ow hurry, for it’s getting late. (Exit)
ROMEO H ow I am com forted by this!
FRIAR G o , good night. E ith er b e gone before th e w atch is set, o f leave
in disguise before th e break o f day. G o to M an tu a. I’ll find your m an
and he shall tell you, from tim e to tim e, every good thing th at happens
here. G ive m e y o u r han d . ‘Tis late. Farewell; good night.
ROMEO If I w ere n o t going to a great joy, it would be a g rief to part
w ith you. Farewell. (Exit)

Scene IV
(A room in C a p u le t’s house)

Old Capulet and his Wife talk to Paris about Juliet. They apologize fo r the delay
regarding their marriage and say it is due to Tybalt’s death. They say they will
talk to Juliet and try to get her to agree to marry Paris. They decide that she
shall be married on Thursday.

Scene V
(C a p u le t’s orchard)

(Enter Romeo and Juliet above)

JU L IE T M ust you go? It is not yet near day. It was the nightingale and not
the lark that pierced the frightened hollow o f your ear. N ightly she sings
on th at pom egranate tree. Believe m e, love, it was the nightingale.
47
ROMEO It was th e lark, th e herald o f the m orning; no nightingale.
L ook, love, w hat envious streaks lace the clouds in the East. N ig h t’s
candles are b u rn t o u t, and m erry day stands on the m o u n tain tops.
I m ust be gone an d live, o r stay and die.
JU L IE T T h at light over there is n o t daylight. It is som e m eteo r th at the
sun has sent to be your torchbearer, this night, and light your way to
M an tu a. T herefo re stay aw hile. You d o n ’t need to go yet.
ROMEO Let m e be taken, let m e be p u t to death. I am c o n te n t if you
will have it so. I ’ll say th at grey in th e sky is not the m orning. I ’ll say
it is th e reflection o f th e m oon. I would ra th e r stay th a n go. C om e
d eath , and welcome! Ju liet wills it so. C om e, m y love, le t’s talk; it is
n o t d ay
JU L IE T It is, it is! Be gone, away! It is th e lark th at sings so o u t o f tune.
Som e say th e lark sings sweetly, bu t it is n o t so, for she m ust separate
us. O h, now, be gone! It grows lighter an d lighter.
ROMEO L ighter an d lighter — a n d d ark er an d darker o u r woes.
(Enter Nurse)

N U R SE M adam !
JU L IE T N urse?
NURSE Your lady m o th e r is com ing to your cham ber. T he day has
b roken; be careful, look about. (Exit)
JU L IE T T h en , window, let in the day, and let life out.
ROM EO F arew ell, farew ell! O n e kiss, a n d I ’ll d e sc e n d . (H e goes
down)
JU LIE T Have you gone th en , my love-lord, my husband? I m ust h ea r
from you every day, for th e days are so long. O h, how old I shall be
before I see m y R om eo again!
ROMEO Farewell, I shall miss n o ch an ce o f sending m y greetings to
you.
JU L IE T O h, do you th in k we shall ever m eet again?
ROMEO I do n o t doubt it; and all these woes shall be the subject o f
sweet conversations in tim es to com e.
JU LIE T O h G o d , m y soul foresees som e evil! I seem to see you, now
th a t you are so low, as one dead in the bottom o f a tom b. E ith e r m y
eyesight is failing, o r you are very pale.

48
ROMEO A nd tru st m e, love, to m y eyes so do you. S orrow drinks o u r
blood. A dieu, adieu! (Exit)
JU L IE T O h fo rtu n e, fortune! All m en call you fickle. 1 hope you are,
for th e n you will n o t keep him long, but send h im back.
(Enter Mother)

LADY CAPULET H o , daughter! Are you up?

JU LIE T W ho is it th at calls? It is m y lady m other. She is very late going
to bed, o r up very early. W hat strange cause brings her here?
LADY CAPULET W hat’s the m atter, Juliet?
JU L IET M ad am I am n o t well.
LADY CAPULET Still w eeping for your co u sin ’s d eath? W hat, will you
wash him from his grave w ith tears? Even if you could, you could not
m ake him live. T herefore stop now. A little g rief show s m uch love;
but to o m u ch g rie f shows som e w ant o f wit.
JU L IE T Yet I ca n n o t choose but weep.
LADY CAPULET Wfcll, girl, you weep no t so m u ch for his death th an
for th e fact th a t th e villain w ho killed him still lives.
JU L IE T W hat villain, M adam ?
LADY CAPULET T h at villain R om eo. T h at treacherous m u rd erer still
lives.
JU L IE T Ay, out o f reach of my hands. 1 wish th at n o n e bu t I m ight re ­
venge m y cousins death!
LADY C APULET Wfe will be revenged for it, fear not. I’ll send so m e­
o n e to M an tu a, w here th at banished renegade lives, an d h e ’ll give
him som e poison, so th at h e ’ll soon keep Tybalt com pany; an d th e n
I ho p e you will be satisfied.
JU LIE T In d e e d I n ever shall be satisfied w ith R o m e o till I b e h o ld
h im — d ead — is m y p o o r h e a rt to have lost su ch a kin sm an . M a d ­
a m , if you co u ld o n ly find a m a n to c a rry su ch a p o iso n , I w ould
te m p e r it, th a t R o m eo sh o u ld , having d ru n k it, so o n sleep q u i­
etly. O h how m y h e a rt h ates to h e a r him n a m e d a n d n o t be able
to re a c h him .
LADY CAPULET I f you find th e m eans th en I ’ll find such a m an. But
now I ’ll tell you som e joyful news, girl.
JU LI ET Joy is w elcom e at such a tim e. W hat is th e news, m adam ?

49
LADY CAPULET Well, you have a caring father, child, one] w ho, to
distract you from your grief, has arranged a sudden day o f joy, w hich
you did n o t expect.
JU L IE T M ad am , w hat day is that?
LADY CAPULET Well, m y child, early next T hursday m orning, the
gallant, young an d noble g entlem an, the C ounty Paris, at Saint Peters
C h u rch shall happily m ake you a joyful bride.
JU LIET N ow by Saint P eter’s C h u rch , and P eter too, he shall not m ake
m e there a joyful bride! I w onder at this haste, th at I m ust marry, b e­
fore m y h usband evenj com es to woo m e. I pray you tell m y lord and
father, m ad am , I will no t m arry yet; an d w hen I do, I sw ear I w ould
ra th e r m arry R om eo, w hom you know I h ate, th an Paris. T his is news
indeed!
LADY CAPULET H ere com es your father. Tell him so yourself, and see
how he will take it from you.
(Enter Capulet and Nurse)

CAPULET W hen th e sun sets, the earth drizzles dew, but for the sunset
o f m y b ro th e r’s son, there is a dow npour. H ow now? Are you a w ater
p ipe, girl? Still in tears? Still show ering? Well, wife, have you told h er
o u r decision?
LADY CAPULET Ay, sir, but sh e’ll have none o f it. I w ish the fool were
m arried to h er grave!
CA PU LET W ait, let m e u n d e rsta n d you, w ife. S he w o n ’t have it?
D o e sn ’t she give us thanks? D o e sn ’t she co u n t herself blessed, u n ­
w orthy as she is, th at we have found so w orthy a g en d em an to be h er
husband?
JU L IE T Г am not pleased, bu t thankful th at you have. I can never be
pleased w ith w hat I h ate, but thankful even for hate th at is m ean t as
love.
CAPULET How, how, how, how, w hat false argum ent is this? ‘Pleased’ —
an d ‘I th an k yo u ’ — an d T th an k you n o t’? M istress m inx, you m ay
be pleased o r n o t, but you m ust m ake ready for next T hursday to go
w ith Paris to Saint P eter’s C h u rch , o r I will drag you th ere o n a h u r­
dle. O ut, you an aem ic carrion! O ut, you strum pet!
LADY CAPULET F ie, fie! Are you m ad?

50
JU L IE T G o o d father, I beseech you o n m y knees to let m e say ju st one
word.
CAPULET H ang you, young strum pet! D isobedient w retch! I tell you
w hat — get yourself to ch u rch o n Thursday, o r never look at m e again.
D o n ’t speak, d o n ’t answer! M y fingers itch. Wife, we thought ourselves
blessed th at G o d had left us this o n e child; but now I see th at this o n e
is one to o m u ch , an d th at we only have a curse in having her!
N U R SE G o d in heaven bless her! You are w rong, m y lord, to scold
h er so.
CAPULET A nd why, m y L ady W isdom ? H old your to n g u e, good p ru ­
dence. Save your c h a tte r for y our friends, go!
NU R SE I s p e a k n o tre a so n .
CAPULET O h, get away w ith you!
NU R SE M ay o n e n o t speak?
CAPULET S ilence, you m u m bling fool! We d o n ’t w ant your gossip
here.
LADY CAPULET You are to o hot!
CAPULET By G o d it m akes m e mad! All m y life I have only desired
to see h er m arried well, an d now, having found a g en tlem an o f noble
parentage, o f a good house, youthful an d nobly train ed , stuffed, as
they say, w ith h o nourable parts, an d th e n to h ear a w retched, w hining
fool answ er ‘I ’ll n o t wed, I ca n n o t love; I am to o young, I pray you,
p ard o n m e!’ Listen to m e. If you are m ine, I give you to m y friend. If
you are n o t, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, for by m y soul, I will
disow n you. T h in k about it! I will no t be denied. (Exit)
JU L IE T Is th ere no pity in th e clouds th at sees in to the I bottom o f m y
grief? O h sweet m y m other, do n o t throw m e out! D elay this m arriage
for a m o n th , a week; o r if you do n ot, m ake the bridal bed in th at dark
m o n u m e n t w here Tybalt lies.
LADY CAPULET D o n ’t talk to m e, for I ’11n o t speak a word. D o as you
will, for I have do n e with you. (Exit)
JU LIET O h G od! — O h nurse, how shall this be prevented? M y husband
is o n ea rth , m y vow recorded in heaven. As long as he lives, I c a n ­
n o t b reak th a t vow. C om fort m e, counsel m e. Alas, alas, th at heaven
sh ould play tricks on such a soft subject as myself! W hat do you say?
Have you n o word o f com fort?
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N U R SE Well, h ere it is. R om eo is banished, and it’s a sure thing h e ’ll
never com e back to challenge you; or, if he does, he m ust do it by stealth.
T h en , w ith things being as they are, I think it would be best for you to
m arry the County. O h, h e’s a lovely gentlem an! R om eo’s a dishcloth
com pared to him . T here isn’t an eagle w ith such a fair, quick green eye
as Paris has. Bless m e, I th in k you will be happy in this second m atch,
for it’s better th an your first, and your first m ight as well be dead.
JU L IE T D o you speak from your heart?
N U R SE Yes, from m y soul to, o r curse them both.
JU L IE T Am en!
N U R SE W hat?
JU L IE T Wfell, you are a m arvellous com fort. G o in an d tell m y lady
I have go n e, having displeased m y father, to F riar L aw ren ce’s cell,
to m ake confession an d be absolved.
N U R SE Marry, I will; a n d this is wisely done. (Exit)
JU LIE T D am n ed old woman! O h m ost w icked fiend! Is it m ore sinful to
wish m e to break m y vow, o r to dispraise m y lord with that sam e tongue
w ith w hich you praised him so highly, so m any th ousand tim es? G o ,
counsellor! I m ay no longer trust you. I’ll go to the friar to see w hat
he has to say. If all else fails, I have th e pow er to die. (Exit)

Helpful Words & Notes

A plague on both houses — Будь прокляты оба эти дома

slander п — клевета
I’m fortune’s fool. — Я игрушка в руках судьбы,
he was deaf to peace — не хотел слышать о перемирии
revenge п — месть
We are undone! — Мы погибли!
Doomsday п — Судный день
acqua vitae (Lat) — живая вода; зд. напиток, способный вернуть ей жиз­
ненные силы
wed v — венчать
A gentler judgement escaped his lips — not body’s death, but body’s banishment. —
Он вынес более мягкий приговор — не смерть, а только изгнание,
errand п — задание, поручение

52
predicament n — трудное положение
nightingale n — соловей
lark n — жаворонок
herald n — вестник
treacherous adj — коварный
Out of reach of my hands. — И я не могу до него добраться.
My fingers itch. — У меня чешутся руки.
noble parentage — благородное происхождение, из благородной семьи

Activities
1 Answer the pre-reading questions.

!) N ow th at R om eo and Juliet are m arried w hat will th e ir fam i­

lies’ reactio n be?
2) Will any o f Ju lie t’s relatives be particularly angry?

Answer the questions.

1) In y o u r o p in io n , w ho is m ore sensible, Benvolio o r M ercu ­

tio ?
2) W hy does R om eo tell Tybalt he loves him m ore th a n he
knows?
3) H ow exactly is M ercutio killed?
4) H ow does Tybalt die?
5) W hat is Lady C a p u le t’s version o f events?
6) H ow is R om eo punished?
7) W hat is Ju lie t’s reactio n to th e news?
8) W hy is F riar Law rence im p atien t w ith R om eo?
9) W hy does C apulet decide to hasten Ju lie t’s m arriage?
Ю) H ow does C apulet react w hen Juliet says she d o esn ’t w ant to
get m arried?
11) W ho does Juliet tu rn to for com fort and advice?

3 Who said it and in connection with what?

I) Tybalt, the reason 1 have to love you excuses any rage I m ight
feel at su ch a greeting.

53
 2) T his d ay’s black fate will hang over o th e r days.
3) I beg for justice, w hich you, P rince, m ust give. R om eo killed
Tybalt, R o m eo m ust n o t live.
4) О, I have b ought a m ansion o f love, but n o t possessed it.
5) Trouble is in love w ith you a n d you are w edded to calam ity.
6) H a n g philosophy! U nless philosophy ca n m ake a Ju liet, move
a tow n an d reverse a P rin c e ’s decision, it ca n n o t help m e.
7) T h at light over th e ir is n o t daylight. It is som e m eteo r th at the
su n h as sent to be your torchbearer...
8) I th in k you will be happy in this second m atch , for it’s b etter
th a n y o u r first, an d your first m ight as well be dead.

Reorgainze the letters on the left to spell words from the text and mate’
them to their definitions on the right. All the words can be found i
Act П1.

1) A P E R D IC M E N T a) reprove, tell o ff
2) EWO b) die o f h unger
3) LLG AANT c) great trouble
4) O SC O LD d) infancy
5) F O C F IN e) box in w hich a dead body is buriec
6) VASTRE f) o n e o f bad character, villain
7) IEAGL g) brave, courageous
8) H rC H L D O O D h) quick, flexible

5 Give a title to each scene of Act III and explain your choice.

6 Sum up all events of Act III in 10-15 sentences.

 ACT IV

Scene I
(F ria r L aw rence’s cell)

(Enter Friar Lawrence and County Paris)

FRIAR O n Thursday, sir? T he tim e is very short.

PARIS M y fath er C apulet will have it so, an d 1 shall not check his haste
by being slow myself.
FRIAR You say you do not know w hat the lady thinks about it. This
course seem s irregular and I d o n ’t like it.
PARIS She weeps im m oderately for Tybalt’s death, and therefore I have
talked little o f love; Vfenus does not sm ile in a house o f tears. Now, sir,
h er fath er thinks it dangerous th at she should give way so m u ch to h er
sorrow, an d in his w isdom hastens o u r m arriage to stop h er floods o f
tears. N o w you know the reason for o u r hurry.
55
FRIAR (Aside) I wish I did no t know th e reason why you should slow
dow n. — Look, sir, here com es the lady.
PARIS H appily m et, m y lady and m y wife!
JU L IE T T h at m ay be sir, w hen I m ay be a wife.
PARIS T h at ‘m ay b e ’ m ust be, love, next Thursday.
JU L IE T W hat m ust be shall be.
FRIAR T h a t’s for certain.
PARIS Have you com e to m ake confession to this father?
JU L IE T To answ er th at I should confess to you.
PARIS D o not deny to him th at you love m e.
JU L IE T I will confess to you th at I love him .
PARIS So will you, I am sure, th a t you love m e.
JU L IE T I f I d o so, it will be o f greater value, being spoken behind your
back, th a n to y o u r face.
PARIS P o o r soul, tears have m uch abused your face.
JU L IE T T h e tears have a sm all victory by th at, for it was bad enough
before they spoiled it.
PARIS You w rong it m ore th a n the tears by saying so. Your face is m ine
an d you slan d er it.
JU L IE T It m ay be so, for it is not m y own. Are you free, now, holy fa­
ther, o r shall I com e to you at evening mass?
FRIAR I am free now, m y pensive daughter. M y lord, we m ust ask to
have this tim e to ourselves.
PARIS G o d prevent th at I should disturb devotion! Juliet, I will wake
you early on T hursday. A dieu till th e n , an d keep th is holy kiss.
(Exit)
JU L IE T O h shut th e door, and w hen you have done so, com e an d weep
w ith m e — past hope, past care, past help!
FRIAR O h Juliet, I already know your grief, it strains m e beyond m y
wits. I h ear you m ust be m arried to this C o u n ty Paris next Thursday,
if n o th in g m ay delay it.
JU L IE T D o n o t tell m e th at you have heard this, unless you ca n also
tell m e how we m ay prevent it. If in your w isdom you can give m e no
help, th en I will help m yself at once w ith this knife. G o d jo in e d my
heart an d R o m eo ’s an d you jo in e d o u r hands, and before I give this
han d to another, o r m y heart be treach ero u s to him I will slay myself.

56
 T herefore, o u t o f your long experience, give m e som e good advice. Be
quick an d speak. I long to die if w hat you say is not a remedy.
FRIAR S top, daughter. 1 see a kind o f hope, w hich requires a desp er­
ate actio n . If, ra th e r th an m arry C o u n ty Paris, you have the strength
o f will to slay yourself, th en it is likely you will undertake a thing like
d eath to escape th is sham e. If you dare do it, I ’ll give you the re m ­
edy.
JU L IE T O h , tell m e to leap from the b attlem en ts o f any tower, ra th e r
th an m arry Paris; o r walk w here serpents I are, o r ch ain m e to roaring
bears; o r hide m e in th e charnel house, by night, covered w ith dead
m e n ’s rattling bones; o r tell m e to go in to a new ly m ade grave and
h ide m e w ith a dead m an in his shroud — an d I will d o it w ithout fear
o r d o u b t, to live an u n stain ed wife to m y sweet love.
FRIAR H o ld th en . G o hom e, be merry, give co n sen t to m arry Paris.
T om orrow is Wfednesday. T om orrow night m ake sure you sleep alone;
d o n o t let y o u r nurse lie w ith you in your cham ber. Take this vial, and
w hen you are in bed, drink the liquid in it. S oon, through all your veins
a cold and drowsy fluid shall run; your pulse will stop, no w arm th o r
b reath will prove you are alive; th e roses in your lips an d cheeks shall
fade to pale ashes; your eyelids shall fall like d eath w hen he shuts up
th e day o f life; each part deprived o f m o tio n , shall ap p e ar stiff and
cold like d eath ; and in this appearan ce o f d ea th you will co n tin u e for
forty-tw o h o u rs, and then aw ake as if from a pleasant sleep.
Now, w hen th e bridegroom com es in the m orning to rouse you from
y o u r bed, you will be found dead. T h en , as th e m a n n e r o f o u r c o u n ­
try is, in y o u r best robes, uncovered o n th e bier, you shall be carried
to th e an c ie n t vault w here all th e kindred o f the C apulets lie. In th e
m ean tim e, before you wake up, I shall inform R om eo o f o u r purpose
by letter. H e shall com e here and he and I will be present w hen you
wake up, an d th a t very night R om eo shall take you away to M antua.
T his shall free you from your present trouble, if no w him o r w o m an ­
ish fear prevent you from going through w ith it.
JU L IE T Give m e, give me! O h do not speak to m e o f fear!
FRIAR Wait! G o now, be strong in your resolve. I ’ll send a friar quickly
w ith letters to y o u r lord.
JU L IE T L ord give m e strength. Farewell d ear father. (Exit with Friar)
57
 Scene II
(H all in C a p u le t’s house)

7 he Capulets are arranging Juliets wedding feast. Juliet comes back from confes­
sion and tells her father she has learnt to repent her sinful disobedience. Capulet
is very pleased. Juliet goes to her room with her nurse in order to sort out her
clothes and jewellery fo r the wedding.

Scene III
(Ju lie t’s ch am ber)

(Enter Juliet and Nurse)

JU L IE T Yes, th o se clothes are best; b u t, gentle nurse, I pray you leave

m e by m yself to n ig h t, for I need m any prayers to move the heavens to
sm ile u p o n m e. As you know I am very perverse an d full o f sin.

(Enter Lady Capulet)

LADY CAPULET W hat, are you busy? D o you need m y help?

JU L IE T N o , m ad am , we have done all th at is necessary for th e c e r­
em o n y tom orrow , Let m e be alone, now, an d let the nurse sit up w ith
you this night, fo r I am sure you have your h ands full w ith th is su d ­
d en business.
LADY CAPULET G o o d night. G o to bed an d rest, for you n eed it.
(Exeunt Lady Capulet and Nurse)
JU L IE T Farewell! G o d know s w hen we shall m eet again. I have a cold
fear th a t thrills th ro u g h m y veins an d m akes m e so faint it alm ost
freezes up th e h ea t o f life. I ’ll call th em b ack again to com fort m e.
N urse! — W h at ca n she do here? I m ust act m y dism al scene alone.
C o m e, vial. W hat if this m ixture does n o t w ork at all? Shall I be m a r­
ried th en , to m o rro w m orning? N o , no! T h is shall forbid it. You lie
th ere. (Lays down a dagger) W hat if it is a poison w hich th e friar has
given m e, in case h e should be dish o n o u red by this m arriage, because
he m arried m e before to R om eo? I fear it is, a n d yet I th in k it ca n n o t
be, for he has always b een a holy m an. W hat if, w hen I am I laid in
th e tom b, I wake before th e tim e th a t R o m eo com es to get m e? T h at
w ould be a fearful thing! Shall I not be stifled in the vault w ith its foul
58
 air, an d suffocate th ere before m y R om eo com es? Or, if I live, isn ’t
it very likely, w ith the horrible th o u g h t o f d eath an d night, to g eth er
w ith th e te rro r o f the place — a vault, w here for m an y h u n d red s o f
years th e b ones o f all m y buried ancestors are packed; w here bloody
Tybalt, so new ly buried, lies festering in his shroud; w here, as they say,
at som e h o u rs o f th e night spirits com e ou t — alas, alas, is it no t likely
th at I, w aking so early — w h at w ith loathsom e sm ells an d shrieks like
m an drak es to rn o u t o f th e ea rth , th at living m ortals hearing th e m ,
ru n m ad — oh, if I w ake, shall I n o t be driven m ad , closed in w ith all
these h id eo u s fears, and m adly play w ith m y ancestors’ jo in ts, an d
p luck the rotting Tybalt from his shroud; a n d in this m adness, w ith
som e great k in sm an ’s bo n e, as w ith a club, dash ou t m y desperate
brains? O h look! I th in k I see m y co u sin ’s ghost seeking out R om eo,
th a t killed him w ith his rapier. Stop, Tybalt, stop! R om eo, R om eo,
R om eo, I d rin k to you. (She falls upon her bed within the curtains)

Scene IV
(H all in C a p u le t’s house)

It is very early on Thursday morning. The Capulets have been up all night pre­
paring fo r the wedding. Capulet sends the nurse to go and wake Juliet, while he
goes and chats to Paris.

Scene V
(Ju liet’s cham ber)

N URSE M istress! W hat Mistress! Juliet! I bet sh e ’s fast asleep. Why,

lam b! Why, lady! F ie, you sleepyhead. Why, love, I say! M ad am ;
sw eetheart! Why, bride! W hat, n o t a word? H ave a good sleep now,
for you shall rest little w ith C o u n ty Paris this night. G o d forgive me!
H o w so u n d asleep she is! I m ust wake her. M adam , m adam , m adam !
Shall th e C o u n ty Paris com e an d find you still in bed? (Draws aside
the curtains) W hat, are you still dressed? I m ust wake you. Lady! Lady!
Lady! Alas, alas! H elp, help! M y lady’s dead! O h, alas th at ever I was
bom ! Bring m e som e aqua vitae, ho! M y lord! M y lady!
59
(Enter Lady Capulet)

LADY CAPULET W hat noise is this?

N U R SE O h d readful day!
LADY CAPULET W hat is th e m atter?
N U R SE Look, look! O h heavy day!
LADY CAPULET O h m e, O h me! My child, m y only life! Revive, look
up, o r I will die w ith you! H elp, help! C all help.
(Enter Capulet)

CAPULET F or sh am e, bring Juliet forth; h er lord has arrived.

N U R SE S h e’s d ead, deceased; sh e’s dead, alas the day!
LADY CAPULET Alas the day, sh e’s dead, sh e ’s dead, sh e ’s dead!
CAPULET Ha! Let m e see her. O ut alas! S h e’s cold, h er blood is settled
and h er jo in ts are stiff; life an d these lips have long been separated.
D eadi lies on h er like an untim ely frost on th e sweetest flower o f all
th e field.
N U R SE O h, dreadful day!
LADY CAPULET O h, woeful time!
CAPULET D eath th at has taken h er away to m ake m e wail, ties up my
to ng u e and will not let m e speak.
(Enter Friar Lawrence and the County Paris with musicians)

F R IA R C o m e, is th e bride ready to go to church?

C APULET R eady to go, but never to return. O h son, the night before
your w edding day, d eath has lain w ith your wife. T here she lies, flower
th at she was, deflow ered by him . D eath is m y son-in-law , D eath is m y
heir; he has w edded m y daughter. I will die and leave him all. Life,
living, all is D e a th ’s.
PARIS Love, have I looked forw ard to see diis m orning, only to see
such a sight as this?
LADY CAPULET A ccursed, unhappy, w retched, hateful day! T h e m ost
m iserable h o u r th a t tim e ever saw. Just one, p o o r one, one p o o r and
loving child, ju st one thing to rejoice and find com fort in, an d cruel
D e ath has stolen it from m y sight.
N U R SE O h woe! O h woeful, woeful, woeful day! T he m ost dreadful
day, th e m ost woeful day th at I ever saw. O h day, O h day, O h day! O h

60
 hateful day! T h ere was never seen such a black day as this. O h woeful
day! O h woeful day!
PARIS T ricked, div o rced, w ro n g ed , killed! M o st detestable D e a th ,
tricked by you. H ow cruel! O h love! O h life! — n o t life, but love in
death!
CAPULET D espised, distressed, h ated , m artyred, killed! D isco m fo rt­
ing tim e, w hy did you com e now, to m u rd er o u r festivity? O h child,
O h child! M y soul an d not m y child! You are dead — alas, m y child
is dead, an d w ith m y child m y joys are buried!
FRIAR Peace, ho, for sham e! C o n fu sio n ’s cure does not lie in these
confusions. H eaven an d yourself had part in this fair m aid — now
heaven has all, an d all the b e tte r it is for th e m aid. You could not keep
yo u r part o f h er from d eath , but heaven keeps his part in eternal life.
T h e m ost you sought was h er p ro m o tio n , it was your heaven th at she
should be advanced; do you weep now, seeing th a t she has advanced
beyond th e clouds, as high as heaven itself? O h, in this love, you love
y o u r child so badly that you run m ad seeing th at she is well. D ry up
y o u r tears an d stick your rosemary o n this fair corpse, as th e custom
is, an d in h er best clothes carry h e r to the ch u rch ; for th o u g h foolish
h u m an n atu re m akes us w ant to w eep, yet we have cause to be merry.
( Exeunt casting rosemary on her and shutting the curtains)
The Nurse’s servingman, Peter argues with the musicians, who are no longer
required and therefore will not be paid. They decide to stay fo r a free dinner
at least.

Helpful Words & Notes

abuse v — зд. причинять вред

pensive adj — задумчивый и обеспокоенный
undertake v — предпринимать
vial n — пузырек
drowsy adj — зд. нагоняющий сон
bridegroom n — жених
vault n — склеп
kindred n — семейство
sinful adj — грешный
61
dagger n — кинжал
suffocate v — задыхаться
ancestor n — предок
sleepyhead n — соня
decease v — умирать
wail v - выть, рыдать
detestable adj — ненавистный
rosemay n — розмарин; стойкий запах розмарина отождествляется с
памятью, с постоянством и приверженностью к воспоминаниям.
Напиток из этого цветка древние греки употребляли для улучшения
памяти — отсюда студенческий обычай вплетать себе в волосы ве­
точку розмарина. На языке цветов он обозначает верность, а также
считается цветком траура.

Activities
1 Answer the pre-reading questions.

1) W hat advice do you th in k F riar L aw rence will give Juliet?

2) W hat m ight go w ith his plan?

2 Answer the questions.

1) W hat exactly does F riar L aw rence tell Juliet to do?

2) W hy are Ju lie t’s parents happy w ith h er w hen she returns
from th e F ria r’s cell?
3) W hat fears does Ju liet express before she drinks th e co n ten ts
o f th e vial?
4) W hat does th e nurse think at first w hen Juliet d o esn ’t answ er
h er calls?
5) J u liet’s fam ily are filled w ith g rief w hen they th in k she is dead.
W hy does F riar L aw rence say th a t they should be m erry?

3 Say whether the statement is true or false. If it is false, give the right an­
swer.

1) Paris loves Juliet.

2) F riar Law rence tells Ju liet she will wake up after 48 hours.

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3) Ju liet is quite relaxed w hen she drinks the co n ten ts o f th e
vial.
4) L ady C ap u let goes to wake Juliet.
5) Basil is placed on Ju lie t’s d ead body
6) P eter invites th e m usicians to dinner.

Translate the following sentences from Act IV. Pay attention to the under­
lined prepositional phrases.

1) I n eed m any prayers to move the heavens to sm ile u p o n m e .

2) T his shall free you from your present trouble if n o w him o r
w om anish fear prevent you from going th ro u g h w ith it.
3) N o w you know reason for o u r hurry.
4) I f I do so, it will be o f g reater value, being spoken beh in d
y o u r back, th an to your face.
5) O h Ju liet, I already know your grief, it strains m e beyond m y
wits.
6) In th e m ean tim e, before you wake up, I shall inform R om eo
o f o u r purpose by letter.

Use the preposotional phrases to smile upon, to preventfrom, a reasonfor,

to speak to one's face, by letter, beyond one’s wits in the sentences of your
own.

Write out all the adjectives Lady Capulet, the nurse, Paris and Capulet
use to describe the day they think Juliet died on. Translate them into Rus­
sian.

Sum up the events of Act IV in 10-15 sentences.

 ACT V

Scene I
(M a n tu a , a street)

(Enter Romeo)

ROMEO I f l m ay trust the illusory tru th o f sleep, my dream s told me

o f som e joyful news. M y heart is very light, and all this day unusually
light spirits lift m e from the ground w ith cheerful thoughts. I d ream t
m y lady cam e an d found m e d ead (S trange dream th at lets a dead
m an think!) an d she b reath ed such life w ith kisses in my lips th at I
revived and was an em peror. Ah me! H ow sweet is love itself, w hen
its dream s are so rich in joy!
(Enter Romeo’s man, Balthasar, booted)

N ew s from Verona! H ow now, Balthasar? D o you bring m e letters from

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 die friar? H ow is m y lady? Is m y father well? H ow is my Juliet? I ask
you th at again, for nothing can be ill if she is well.
MAN T h en she is well, an d nothing can be ill. H er body sleeps in the
C ap u lets’ tom b, an d h er im m ortal part lives w ith th e angels. I saw h er
laid low in h er family’s vault and cam e away im m ediately to tell you. O h,
p ardon m e for bringing you this terrible news, it is only m y duty, sir.
ROMEO Is it really so? T hen 1defy you, stars! You know w here I live. G e t
m e ink and p ap er and hire som e horses. I will leave here tonight.
MAN 1 beg you, sir, have p atien ce. Your looks are pale a n d wild, a n d
suggest som e m isadventure.
ROMEO H u sh , you are m istaken. Leave m e a n d d o th e things I told
you to do. Have you no letters fo r m e from th e friar?
MAN N o , m y good lord.
ROMEO It d o e sn ’t m atter. G o a n d hire those horses. I ’ll be w ith you
straightaway.
(Exit Balthasar)

Wfell, Juliet, I will lie w ith you tonight. Let us find the way. Ah mischief,
you are q u ick to e n te r in th e th o u g h ts o f desperate m en! I rem em b er
an apothecary, w ho lives nearby, an d w ho I recently saw in tattered
rags, co llecting m edicinal herbs. H is looks were very m eagre, sharp
m isery h ad worn him to the bones, a n d in his needy shop a tortoise
hung, a stuffed alligator, an d o th e r skins o f badly-shaped fish, an d
ab o u t his shelves a beggarly n u m b e r o f em pty boxes, green ea rth en
pots, bladders a n d m ouldy seeds. A few rose petals h ad been scattered
to m ake up th e show. N o tin g this poverty, I said to m y s e lf‘If ever a
m an n eed ed to buy poison, w hose sale is punishable by d eath here in
M a n tu a a t p resen t, here lives a m iserable w retch w ho w ould sell it to
h im .’ O h, this th o u g h t cam e ju st before m y need, a n d this needy m an
shall sell it to m e. As I rem em b er this should be th e house. Being a
holiday, th e beggar’s shop is shut. W hat, ho! A pothecary!
( Enter Apothecary)

APOTH ECARY W ho calls so loud?

ROMEO C o m e here, m an, I see th at you are poor. H ere are forty ducats.
Let m e have a dose o f poison, such fast-w orking stuff, that will spread
itself th ro u g h all th e veins th at the life-w eary taker m ay fall d ead, an d
65
 his b re ath m ay leave his body, as violently as hasty gunpow der, w hen
fired, hurries from th e c a n n o n ’s w om b.
APOTHECARY I have such m ortal drugs, but M a n tu a ’s law punishes
by d ea th anyone w ho sells th em .
ROMEO D o you fear to die, even th o u g h you are so bare and w retched?
F am ine is in your cheeks, need an d oppression stand starving in your
eyes, co n tem p t an d beggary hang u p o n your back. T h e world is not
y o u r friend, n o r the w orld’s law; th e world has no law to m ake you
rich; therefore, d o n ’t be poor, but break it an d take this.
APOTHECARY M y poverty but not m y will agrees.
ROMEO I pay your poverty an d not your will.
APOTHECARY P ut this in any liquid and drink it dow n, an d even if you
h ad th e strength o f tw enty m en, it would kill you straightaway.
ROMEO T here is your gold — worse p oison to m e n ’s souls, doing m ore
m u rd er in this lo athsom e world, th a n these p o o r co m p o u n d s th at you
m ay n o t sell. I sell you poison, you have sold m e none. Farewell, buy
food an d get som e flesh o n your bones. C om e cordial, not poison, go
w ith m e to Ju lie t’s grave; for there I m ust use you. (Exit)

Scene II
(F riar L aw rence’s cell)

Friar John comes to see Friar Lawrence. Friar Lawrence thinks that Friar John has
taken his letter to Romeo, but Friar John explains that, before he went, he had been
visiting the sick and was detained in a house where the health inspectors thought there
was the plague. He was not allowed to leave for some time, nor even to send the letter
by another messenger Friar Lawrence decides to run to the Capulets’ vault, rescue
Juliet himself, and keep her in his cell until he can unite her with Romeo.

Scene III
(A ch u rch y ard ; in it a m o n u m en t belonging to th e C apulets)

(Enter Paris and his Page with flowers and sweet water)

PARIS Give m e your to rch , boy. G o an d stand over there, yet p u t it out,
for I d o n ’t w ant to be seen. U n d e r those yew trees, lie dow n flat o n
66
 th e g ro und. If you h e a r any footsteps, w hisde to m e. Give m e those
flowers. D o as I tell you, go.
PAGE I am alm ost afraid to be here alone in th e ch u rch y ard ; yet I will
risk it. (He retires)
PARIS Sweet flower, w ith flowers I covered your bridal bed. (O h woe,
your can o p y is dust an d stones) an d I will sprinkle it nightly w ith
p erfum ed water. O r if I have n o w ater, th e n w ith m y tears. T his I will
do every night. (The boy whistles) T h e boy w arns m e th a t som eone
is ap p ro ach in g . W h at cursed fo o t w anders this way to n ig h t to in te r­
ru p t m y obsequies a n d love’s true rite? W hat, w ith a torch? H ide m e
a w h ile , night. (Retires)
(Enter Romeo and Balthasar with a torch, a mattock and a crowbar)

ROMEO G ive m e th a t m atto ck an d the crow bar. H old, take this letter.
Early in th e m o rn in g see you give it to m y lo rd an d father. G ive m e
th e light. U p o n y o u r life, I charge you, w hatever you h ear o r see, keep
back an d do n o t in terru p t m e in m y course. T h e reason why 1 descend
in to this bed o f d ea th , is partly to behold m y lad y ’s face, but chiefly
to take from h er finger a precious ring — a ring w h ich 1 m ust use o n
im p o rtan t business. T herefore go; b u t if you are curious, an d com e
back to pry in to w h at I am doing, by heaven I shall te a r you jo in t from
jo in t an d cover this hungry churchyard w ith your limbs. T h e tim e and
m y in ten tio n s are savage-w ild, far fiercer an d m o re inexorable th a n
em p ty tigers o r th e roaring sea.
BALTHASAR I will be gone, sir an d n o t trouble you.
ROMEO So shall you show m e friendship. Take th at. Live, and be pros­
p erous; an d farewell, good fellow.
BALTHASAR (Aside) W hatever he says, I ’ll h ide m yself nearby. 1 fear
his looks and suspect his intentions. (Retires)
ROMEO You detestable maw, you wom b o f death, gorged w ith the d ear­
est m orsel o n earth , thus 1 force your ro tten jaw s to op en , an d to spite
you, I ’ll stu ff you w ith m ore food. (Romeo opens the tomb)
PARIS T h is is th a t banished, arro g an t M o n tag u e th at m u rd ered m y
love’s co u sin — it is supposed th a t the fair creatu re died o f g rief from
th at. A nd h ere he has com e to do som e villainous sham e to th e dead
bodies. I will arrest him . S top your unholy w ork, vile M ontague! C an

67
 revenge be pursu ed fu rth e r th a n d eath ? C o n d em n ed villain, I arrest
you. Obey, an d go w ith m e, for you m ust die.
ROMEO I m ust in d eed , and th at is th e reason I cam e here. G o o d gen­
tle youth, d o n ’t te m p t a desperate m an. F ly from here an d leave m e.
T h in k upon these deaths, and let th em w arn you. I beseech you, d o n ’t
p u t a n o th e r sin u p o n m y head by pushing m e to fury. O h, be gone! By
heaven, I love you m ore th an m yself, for I cam e here arm ed against
myself. D o n ’t stay here, be gone. Live, an d later say, a m a d m a n ’s
m ercy told you to run away.
PARIS I defy y o u r solem n charges and arrest you as a crim inal.
ROMEO Will you provoke m e? T h en have at you, boy! (They fight)
PAGE O h L ord, th ey are fighting! I will go a n d call th e w atch. (Exit.
Paris falls)
PARIS O h, I am slain. I f you are m erciful, o p en the tom b and lay m e
w ith Juliet. (Dies)
ROMEO In faith, I will. Let m e see this face. M ercu tio ’s kinsm an, noble
C o u n ty Paris! W hat did m y m an say w hen m y agitated soul did not
pay a tte n tio n to him as we rode? I th in k he told m e th at Paris should
have m arried Juliet. D id he say th at, o r did I dream it? O r am I m ad,
h earin g him talk o f Juliet, to th in k it was so? O h give m e your hand,
you share my story in so u r m isfo rtu n e’s book! I ’ll bury you in a tri­
u m p h an t grave. A grave? O h no, a lan tern , dead youth, for here lies
Ju liet, and h e r b eau ty m akes this vault a festive cham ber, full o f light.
D e ath , lie th ere , buried by a dead m an. (He lays him in the tomb)
H ow o ften , w h en m en are at the p o in t o f d ea th , have they b een m er­
ry? O h my love, m y wife! D e a th , th at has sucked the h o n ey o f your
b reath, has had n o effect yet upon your beauty. You are n o t conquered.
B eau ty ’s b a n n e r is still crim son in y o u r lips an d in your cheeks, and
D e a th ’s pale flag has n o t advanced there. Tybalt, d o you lie th ere in
y o u r bloody sh eet? O h, w hat greater favour can I d o you, th a n w ith
th at han d th at cu t your youth in two, to kill him th at was your enem y?
Forgive m e, cousin! A h, d ea r Juliet, why are you still so fair? Shall I
believe th at insubstantial D e ath is am o ro u s and th a t the th in , hateful
m o n ster keeps you here in the dark to be his lover? Is he afraid th at
I will stay w ith you an d never leave this d ark bed again? H ere I will
stay, w ith th e w orm s th a t are your cham berm aids. O h, here I will set
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 u p m y everlasting rest an d shake o ff th e b u rd e n o f m isfortune from
this w orld-w eary b o d y Eyes, look your last! A rm s, em brace h e r for
th e last time! A nd, lips, you do o rs o f b reath , seal w ith a righteous kiss
an etern al bargain w ith engrossing death! C om e, b itte r guide; you
desperate pilo t, now at once, dash your weary, sea-sick boat o n to the
rocks! H e re ’s to m y love! (Drinks) O h true apothecary! Your drugs are
quick. T h u s w ith a kiss I die. (Falls)
(Enter Friar Lawrence, with a lantern, crowbar and spade)

FRIAR S aint F ran c is help me! H ow o ften m y old feet have stumbled
over graves! W h o ’s there?
BALTHASAR A friend, an d o n e th a t knows you well.
FRIAR Bliss be u p o n you! Tell m e, my good friend, W hat to rch is th at,
th at vainly gives his light to w orm s an d eyeless skulls? It seem s to m e
to be b u rn in g in th e C a p u le t’s m o n u m en t.
BALTHASAR It is, holy sir, an d th ere is m y m aster, o n e th a t you love.
FRIAR W ho is it?
BALTHASAR R om eo.
FRIAR H ow long has he b een there?
BALTHASAR A good h a lf an hour.
FRIAR C o m e w ith m e to th e vault.
BALTHASAR I dare n o t, sir. M y m aster th in k s I have gone away, an d
he th re a te n e d m e w ith d eath if I stayed to w atch him .
FRIAR Stay here, then. I ’ll go alone. I am afraid, terribly afraid o f som e
bad u nlucky thing.
BALTHASAR As I slept u n d e r this yew tree here, I d re am t I saw my
m aster an d a n o th e r fighting, and th at m y m aster killed him .
FRIAR R om eo! Alas, alas, w hat blood is this th at stains the stony e n ­
tran c e o f th is tom b? W hat m ean these swords lying bloody o n the
gro u n d in this place o f peace? (Enters the tomb) Rom eo! O h pale! W ho
else? W hat, Paris too? A nd covered in blood? A h, w hat an u n n atu ral
h o u r is guilty o f th is dreadful happening! T he lady stirs. (Juliet rises)
JU LIET O h com forting friar! W here is m y lord? I rem em ber well, w here
I should be, a n d here I am . W here is m y R om eo?
FRIAR I h ere som e noise. Lady, com e from th a t nest o f d eath , c o n ­
tagion an d u n n atu ral sleep. A g reater pow er th a n we can oppose has

69
 thw arted o u r in ten tio n s. C om e, com e away. Your husband lies there
dead, an d Paris to o . C om e, I ’ll take you to a sisterhood o f nuns. D o
n o t w ait to q u estio n m e, for the w atch is com ing. C om e, good Juliet.
I dare n o t stay an y longer.
JU L IE T G o , th en , for I will no t leave. (Exit Friar) W h at’s here? A cup,
closed in m y truelove’s hand? P oison, I see, has b een his end. O h
churl! Have you d ru n k it all an d left no friendly drop for m e? I wiL
kiss your lips. M ay be som e poison hangs o n th em to help m e die.
(Kisses him) Your lips are warm!
C H IE F WATCHMAN (Within) Lead, b o y W hich way?
JU L IE T W h a t’s th a t noise? T h en I ’ll be quick. O h happy dagger! (She
snatches Romeo’s dagger) T his is your sheath; rust there an d let m e
die. (She stabs herself and falls)
(Enter Paris’s Boy and the Watch)

BOY T his is th e place. T here, w here th e to rch is burning.

C H IE F WATCHMAN T he ground is b lo o d y Search ab o u t the c h u rc h ­
yard. G o , som e o f you, stop w hoever you find. (Exeunt some o f the
Watch) P itiful sight! H ere lies the C o u n ty slain; an d Juliet bleeding,
w arm an d new ly dead, w ho has lain here buried for two days. G o and
tell the P rince; ru n to the C apulets; raise up the M ontagues; som e
o th ers search.
(Exeunt others o f the Watch)

Wfe see these b loody deeds, but ca n n o t see th e reason for th em .

(Enter some o f the Watch with Romeo’s man, Balthasar)

SECO ND WATCHMAN H e re ’s R o m eo ’s m an. Wfe found him in th e

churchyard.
C H IE F WATCHMAN K eep him safe till the P rince arrives.

(Enter Friar Lawrence and another Watchman)

T H IR D WATCHMAN H ere is a friar th at trem bles, sighs an d weeps. We

to o k this m atto ck a n d this spade from him as he was com ing from this
side o f the ch urchyard.
C H IE F WATCHMAN \fery suspicious! K eep the friar too.

(Enter Prince and Attendants)

70
PR IN C E W hat m isadventure h appens so early th a t it calls us from o u r
m o rn in g rest?
(Enter Capulet and his Wife with others)

CAPULET W hat is th e new s th a t is so shrieked about?

LADY CAPULET O h th e people in the streets cry ‘R o m e o ’, som e ‘J u ­
lie t’ an d som e ‘P aris’, an d all ru n crying tow ards o u r m o n u m en t.
PR IN C E W hat fear is this w h ich startles in your ears?
C H IE F WATCHMAN Sovereign, here lies the C o u n ty Paris slain; and
R om eo dead; an d Juliet, dead before, w arm a n d new ly killed.
PRIN C E S earch, an d find ou t how this foul m u rd e r has com e about.
C H IE F WATCHMAN H ere is a friar an d dead R o m eo ’s m an, w ith tools
u p o n th e m fit to o p en these dead m e n ’s tom bs.
CAPULET O h heavens! O h wife, look how o u r d au g h ter bleeds! L ook
how his sh eath is em pty o n M o n tag u e’s back, and how it has been
m issheathed in m y d a u g h te r’s bosom!
LADY CAPULET O h m e, this sight is as a bell that tolls th e en d o f m y
life.
(Enter Montague and others)

MONTAGUE Alas, m y lord, m y wife is dead. G rie f for her son’s exile has
stopped h er breath. W hat o th er woe conspires against m y old age?
PR IN C E L ook an d you shall see.
M ONTAGUE O h you rude boy, w hat m an n ers are these, to rush before
yo u r fath er to th e grave?
PR IN C E C ease these violent cries for a w hile, till we can clear up these
ambiguities a n d find o u t w h at has h a p p e n ed h ere. A nd th e n I will
lead you in y o u r sorrows. F o r now be patient. Bring forw ard th e sus­
p icio u s parties.
FRIAR I am th e greatest, able to do least, yet m ost suspected, as the
tim e and place o f this terrible m u rd er are against m e. A nd here I stand,
b o th to m ake charges and exonerate, m yself co n d e m n e d and m yself
excused.
PR IN C E T h e n tell us at once w hat you know.
FRIAR I will be brief, for I have n o t enough life left for a long an d te d i­
ous tale. R om eo, there dead, was husband to that Juliet; and she, there
dead, R o m eo ’s faithful wife. I m arried them ; and th eir secret w edding
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 day was Tybalt’s doom sday, w hose early d ea th banished th e new m ade
bridegroom from this city. F o r him an d not for Tybalt, Ju liet pined.
You, to rem ove h e r terrible grief, w ould have forced h er to m arry
C o u n ty Paris. She cam e to m e and w ith wild looks, begged m e to
devise som e plan to help h er avoid this second m arriage, th reaten in g ,
otherw ise, to kill h erself th ere in m y cell. T h en 1 gave h e r a sleeping
potion, w hich to o k effect as I in ten d ed , for it m ade h er seem dead. In
th e m ean tim e, I w rote to R om eo, telling him to com e here this night
to help take h er from h er borrow ed grave for at th a t tim e th e effect
o f th e p o tio n w ould cease. B ut the m an w ho carried m y letter, F riar
Jo h n , was detain ed by accid en t, an d last night brought m y letter back
to m e. So I cam e here all alone at the fixed tim e o f h e r aw akening, to
tak e h er from h e r k in d re d ’s vault; m eaning to hide h er in m y cell till 1
co uld send w ord to R om eo. But w hen I arrived, a few m inutes before
she w oke up, here lay noble Paris and tru e R om eo dead. She woke up
an d I en treated h e r to com e away an d bear this work o f heaven w ith
p atien ce; b u t th en a noise scared m e from th e tom b. A nd she, too
d esperate, w ould n o t com e w ith m e, b u t, as it seem s, did violence
u p o n herself. All th is I know, an d h er nurse was an accessory to the
m arriage. I f any th ing here has h ap p en ed because o f m y fault, let my
old life be sacrificed according to th e law.
P R IN C E Wc have always kn o w n you to be a holy m an . W h ere is
R o m eo ’s m an? W hat does he have to say to this?
BALTHASAR I b ro u g h t m y m a ste r new s o f J u lie t’s d e a th ; a n d he
rushed from M an tu a to this m o n u m en t. H e old m e to give this le t­
ter to his father, an d th rea ten ed m e w ith death if I did no t leave him
here alone.
PRIN C E Give m e th e letter. I will read it. W here is the C o u n ty ’s page
th at called th e w atch? S irrah, w hat was your m aster doing in this
place?
BOY H e cam e w ith flowers to lay o n his lady’s grave; and told me to
stan d a little way off, and so I did. A fter som e tim e, a m an cam e by
w ith a light to o p en the tom b; and soon m y m aster drew his sword on
him . T h en I ran away to call the w atch.
PRINCE T h is letter confirms th e friar’s words, th e ir course o f love,
th e news o f h er d eath; and here he w rites th a t he bought a poison
72
 from a p o o r ap o th ecary an d w ith it cam e to th is vault to die and lie
w ith Juliet. W here are these enem ies? C ap u let, M o n tag u e, see w hat
a scourge has b een laid u p o n your hate, th at heaven has found a way
o f killing y o u r joys w ith love. A nd I, closing m y eyes at your quarrels,
have lost a p air o f kinsm en. All are punished.
CAPULET O h b ro th er M ontague, give m e your hand. This is my daugh­
te r’s m arriage settlem ent, for I ca n ask nothing else.
M ONTAGUE But I can give you m ore, for I will raise h er statue in
pu re gold. A n d , for as long as Verona is know n by th a t n am e, Ju lie t’s
statue shall have no rival.
CAPULET R om eo shall have ju st such a rich statue, lying by his lady’s.
T hese are th e p o o r sacrifices o f o u r enm ity.
PR IN C E T his m o rn in g brings a gloom y peace w ith it. T he sun will not
show his h ead for sorrow. G o , a n d we will talk fu rth e r o f these sad
things. S om e shall be p ard o n ed an d som e punished. T here never was
a story o f m ore woe th a n this o f Juliet and h e r R om eo.
(Exit)

Helpful Words & Notes

mischief л — зд. ало

sprinkle v — опрыскивать, окроплять
pry v — шпионить, вынюхивать
have stumled over graves — спотыкался о могилы и падал (плохая примета,
дурное предзнаменование)
suspicious adj — подозрительный
a bell that tolls — колокол, возвещающий смерть
conspire v — устраивать заговор
ambiguity п — неясность, неопределенность
exonerate v — оправдать; восстановить честь, репутацию
potion л — зелье
accessory л — соучастник преступления
sacrifice v — жертвовать
confirm v — подтверждать
scourge л — наказание
rival л — соперник, противник

73
 Activities
Answer the pre-reading questions.

1) D o you th in k Juliet will really wake up o r the F riar has given

h er poison?
2) H ow do you th in k th e play will en d ? R em em ber it is a trag­
edy.

Answer the questions.

1) W hat new s does B althazar break to R om eo?

2) W hy does th e ap othecary sell R om eo poison th o u g h it is
p u n ish ab le by death?
3) W hy did F riar L aw rence’s letter to R om eo never arrive?
4) W hy does co u n ty Paris go to Ju lie t’s grave?
5) H ow is he killed?
6) W hen Ju liet wakes up, w here does F ria r L aw rence say he will
take her?
7) H ow d o es she die?
8) H ow has th e P rince been affected by th e deaths?
9) W hat does M ontague offer to do for Juliet as a sign o f peace?
10) H ow does F riar Law rence explain this tragedy?

3 Complete these sentences with the correct form of the verbs lie or lay. Re­
member: to lie ( lied, lied) means to make a statement, which is untrue; to
lie (lay, lain) means to be resting flat on something; to lay (laid, laid) — to
put on a surface or in a certain position.

1) O h I am slain, if you are m erciful, o p en th e to m b and

___________ m e w ith Juliet.
2) H e cam e w ith flowers t o ___________ on the lady’s grave.
3) U n d e r th o se yew yew t r e e s , ____________dow n flat o n the
ground.
4) I w ill___________ all m y fortunes at your feet.
5) But w hen I arrived, a few m inutes before she woke u p , here
___________ noble Paris and true R om eo dead.
6) O h so n , th e night before your w edding day, d eath has
___________ w ith y our wife.
74
 7) Ju liet bleeding, w arm a n d new ly d ead , w ho h a s ___________
h ere b u ried for two days.
8) Your h u s b a n d ___________ there d ead, an d Paris too.

4 Give a title to each scene of Act V. Explain your choice.

5 Sum up the events of Act Y in 10—15 sentences.

6 The final phrase of the tragedy is There never was a story o f more woe than
this o f Juliet and Romeo. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
 Contents
Предисловие.............................................................................................................3

The Prologue..............................................................................................................5

ACT 1......................................................................................................................... 6
Scene 1.................................................................................................................. 6
Scene I I .............................................................................................................. 11
Scene III............................................................................................................. 13
Scene IV.............................................................................................................. 15
Scene V ................................................................................................................15
Helpful Words & N o tes ......................................................................................18
Activities .............................................................................................................. 19

ACT I I .....................................................................................................................22
Prologue.............................................................................................................. 22
Scene 1................................................................................................................ 23
Scene I I ..............................................................................................................23
Scene III.............................................................................................................28
Scene IV..............................................................................................................30
Scene V ............................................................................................................... 32
Scene VI..............................................................................................................34
Helpful Words & N o tes ......................................................................................35
Activities .............................................................................................................. 35

ACT II1....................................................................................................................38
Scene 1................................................................................................................ 38
Scene I I ..............................................................................................................42
Scene III............................................................................................................ 44
Scene IV..............................................................................................................47
Scene V ...............................................................................................................47
Helpful Words <4 N o tes ..................................................................................... 52
Activities ..............................................................................................................53

ACT IV ....................................................................................................................55
Scene 1................................................................................................................ 55
Scene I I ..............................................................................................................58
Scene III.............................................................................................................58
Scene IV..............................................................................................................59
Scene V ...............................................................................................................59
 Helpful Words & N o tes ...................................................................................... 61
Activities ...............................................................................................................62

ACT V ...................................................................................................................... 64
Scene 1.................................................................................................................64
Scene I I ...............................................................................................................66
Scene III............................................................................................................. 66
Helpful Words & N o tes ......................................................................................73
Activities .............................................................................................................. 74
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