Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene 5

Romeo and Juliet
Act II, Scene 5

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Capulet's Orchard
Enter JULIET
JULIET
The clock struck nine when I did send the nurse;
In half an hour she promised to return.
Perchance she cannot meet him: that's not so.
O, she is lame! love's heralds should be thoughts,
Which ten times faster glide than the sun's beams,
Driving back shadows over louring hills:
Therefore do nimble-pinion'd doves draw love,
And therefore hath the wind-swift Cupid wings.

Back at the Capulet’s house, Juliet awaits the Nurse’s return.
Impatiently.

Juliet thinks that messages concerning "love" should be faster than your plain old, ordinary, run of the mill messages. Perhaps they should be sent Federal Express.

Now is the sun upon the highmost hill
Of this day's journey, and from nine till twelve
Is three long hours, yet she is not come.
Had she affections and warm youthful blood,
She would be as swift in motion as a ball;
My words would bandy her to my sweet love,
And his to me:

Now, this is curious. The time is now 12 noon, and the Nurse has been gone for three hours. Where has she been? Did she stop off at the neighborhood pub for a nip along the way?

But old folks, many feign as they were dead;
Unwieldy, slow, heavy and pale as lead.
O God, she comes! Juliet is impatient over the slow speed of “old folks” (line 16).

Enter Nurse and PETER
O honey nurse, what news?
Hast thou met with him? Send thy man away.

NURSE
Peter, stay at the gate.
Exit PETER

The Nurse arrives, and she tells the servant Peter to "stay at the gate," like a good, obedient boy.
Such is the life of the lonely servant (sigh.)

JULIET
Now, good sweet nurse,--O Lord, why look'st thou sad?
Though news be sad, yet tell them merrily;
If good, thou shamest the music of sweet news
By playing it to me with so sour a face.

Juliet has noticed that the Nurse is not smiling. As a matter of fact, the Nurse has a "sour" face. Of course, the audience noticed this hours ago.

NURSE
I am a-weary, give me leave awhile:
Fie, how my bones ache! what a jaunt have I had!

JULIET
I would thou hadst my bones, and I thy news:
Nay, come, I pray thee, speak;
Good, good nurse, speak.

NURSE
Jesu, what haste? can you not stay awhile?
Do you not see that I am out of breath?

JULIET
How art thou out of breath, when thou hast breath
To say to me that thou art out of breath?
The excuse that thou dost make in this delay
Is longer than the tale thou dost excuse.
Is thy news good, or bad? answer to that;
Say either, and I'll stay the circumstance:
Let me be satisfied, is't good or bad?

Instead of telling Juliet the joyful (?) news about the wedding plan, the Nurse talks about her aches and pains, and her weariness.

NURSE
Well, you have made a simple choice; you know not
how to choose a man: Romeo! no, not he; though his
face be better than any man's, yet his leg excels
all men's; and for a hand, and a foot, and a body,
though they be not to be talked on, yet they are
past compare: he is not the flower of courtesy,
but, I'll warrant him, as gentle as a lamb. Go thy
ways, wench; serve God. What, have you dined at home?

JULIET
No, no: but all this did I know before.
What says he of our marriage? what of that?

NURSE
Lord, how my head aches! what a head have I!
It beats as it would fall in twenty pieces.
My back o' t' other side,--O, my back, my back!

The Nurse decides to tease Juliet a bit. She is stalling.
The Nurse discusses Romeo’s looks, whether it is time for lunch, and her aching back.

Beshrew your heart for sending me about,
To catch my death with jaunting up and down!

JULIET
I' faith, I am sorry that thou art not well.
Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse:
Tell me! What says my love?

NURSE
Your love says, like an honest gentleman, and a
courteous, and a kind, and a handsome, and, I
warrant, a virtuous,--Where is your mother?

JULIET
Where is my mother! why, she is within;
Where should she be? How oddly thou repliest!
'Your love says, like an honest gentleman,
Where is your mother?'

NURSE
O God's lady dear!
Are you so hot? marry, come up, I trow;
Is this the poultice for my aching bones?
Henceforward do your messages yourself.

JULIET
Here's such a coil! come, what says Romeo?

The word "beshrew" means "a curse upon..."

NURSE
O God's lady dear!
Are you so hot? marry, come up, I trow;
Is this the poultice for my aching bones?
Henceforward do your messages yourself.

JULIET
Here's such a coil! come, what says Romeo?

A "poultice" is a type of medicine.

NURSE
Have you got leave to go to shrift to-day?

JULIET
I have.

NURSE
Then hie you hence to Friar Laurence' cell;
There stays a husband to make you a wife:
Now comes the wanton blood up in your cheeks,
They'll be in scarlet straight at any news.
Hie you to church; I must another way,
To fetch a ladder, by the which your love
Must climb a bird's nest soon when it is dark:
I am the drudge and toil in your delight,

Finally, she can stall no more (perhaps the audience is getting restless). She tells Juliet the news. She asks if Juliet can get "leave" to go to "shrift" (or confession). When Juliet says that she can, The Nurse tells her the plan.

The Nurse also explains about the rope ladder, as well.

But you shall bear the burden soon at night.
Go; I'll to dinner: hie you to the cell.
As usual, the Nurse can think of only one thing: sex. She says Juliet shall "bear the burden soon" at night. I doubt if she means the laundry.

JULIET
Hie to high fortune! Honest nurse, farewell.
Exeunt Juliet is overjoyed -- she is going to be married.
The Nurse is content -- she is off to eat her lunch.
The audience is happy -- another scene has come to an end.

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Shakespeare for Scholars:	Shakespeare for Everyone Else:
Capulet's Orchard Enter JULIET JULIET The clock struck nine when I did send the nurse; In half an hour she promised to return. Perchance she cannot meet him: that's not so. O, she is lame! love's heralds should be thoughts, Which ten times faster glide than the sun's beams, Driving back shadows over louring hills: Therefore do nimble-pinion'd doves draw love, And therefore hath the wind-swift Cupid wings.	Back at the Capulet’s house, Juliet awaits the Nurse’s return. Impatiently. Juliet thinks that messages concerning "love" should be faster than your plain old, ordinary, run of the mill messages. Perhaps they should be sent Federal Express.

Now is the sun upon the highmost hill Of this day's journey, and from nine till twelve Is three long hours, yet she is not come. Had she affections and warm youthful blood, She would be as swift in motion as a ball; My words would bandy her to my sweet love, And his to me:	Now, this is curious. The time is now 12 noon, and the Nurse has been gone for three hours. Where has she been? Did she stop off at the neighborhood pub for a nip along the way?

But old folks, many feign as they were dead; Unwieldy, slow, heavy and pale as lead. O God, she comes!	Juliet is impatient over the slow speed of “old folks” (line 16).
Enter Nurse and PETER O honey nurse, what news? Hast thou met with him? Send thy man away. NURSE Peter, stay at the gate. Exit PETER	The Nurse arrives, and she tells the servant Peter to "stay at the gate," like a good, obedient boy. Such is the life of the lonely servant (sigh.)
JULIET Now, good sweet nurse,--O Lord, why look'st thou sad? Though news be sad, yet tell them merrily; If good, thou shamest the music of sweet news By playing it to me with so sour a face.	Juliet has noticed that the Nurse is not smiling. As a matter of fact, the Nurse has a "sour" face. Of course, the audience noticed this hours ago.
NURSE I am a-weary, give me leave awhile: Fie, how my bones ache! what a jaunt have I had! JULIET I would thou hadst my bones, and I thy news: Nay, come, I pray thee, speak; Good, good nurse, speak. NURSE Jesu, what haste? can you not stay awhile? Do you not see that I am out of breath? JULIET How art thou out of breath, when thou hast breath To say to me that thou art out of breath? The excuse that thou dost make in this delay Is longer than the tale thou dost excuse. Is thy news good, or bad? answer to that; Say either, and I'll stay the circumstance: Let me be satisfied, is't good or bad?	Instead of telling Juliet the joyful (?) news about the wedding plan, the Nurse talks about her aches and pains, and her weariness.
NURSE Well, you have made a simple choice; you know not how to choose a man: Romeo! no, not he; though his face be better than any man's, yet his leg excels all men's; and for a hand, and a foot, and a body, though they be not to be talked on, yet they are past compare: he is not the flower of courtesy, but, I'll warrant him, as gentle as a lamb. Go thy ways, wench; serve God. What, have you dined at home? JULIET No, no: but all this did I know before. What says he of our marriage? what of that? NURSE Lord, how my head aches! what a head have I! It beats as it would fall in twenty pieces. My back o' t' other side,--O, my back, my back!	The Nurse decides to tease Juliet a bit. She is stalling. The Nurse discusses Romeo’s looks, whether it is time for lunch, and her aching back.
Beshrew your heart for sending me about, To catch my death with jaunting up and down! JULIET I' faith, I am sorry that thou art not well. Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse: Tell me! What says my love? NURSE Your love says, like an honest gentleman, and a courteous, and a kind, and a handsome, and, I warrant, a virtuous,--Where is your mother? JULIET Where is my mother! why, she is within; Where should she be? How oddly thou repliest! 'Your love says, like an honest gentleman, Where is your mother?' NURSE O God's lady dear! Are you so hot? marry, come up, I trow; Is this the poultice for my aching bones? Henceforward do your messages yourself. JULIET Here's such a coil! come, what says Romeo?	The word "beshrew" means "a curse upon..."
NURSE O God's lady dear! Are you so hot? marry, come up, I trow; Is this the poultice for my aching bones? Henceforward do your messages yourself. JULIET Here's such a coil! come, what says Romeo?	A "poultice" is a type of medicine.
NURSE Have you got leave to go to shrift to-day? JULIET I have. NURSE Then hie you hence to Friar Laurence' cell; There stays a husband to make you a wife: Now comes the wanton blood up in your cheeks, They'll be in scarlet straight at any news. Hie you to church; I must another way, To fetch a ladder, by the which your love Must climb a bird's nest soon when it is dark: I am the drudge and toil in your delight,	Finally, she can stall no more (perhaps the audience is getting restless). She tells Juliet the news. She asks if Juliet can get "leave" to go to "shrift" (or confession). When Juliet says that she can, The Nurse tells her the plan. The Nurse also explains about the rope ladder, as well.
But you shall bear the burden soon at night. Go; I'll to dinner: hie you to the cell.	As usual, the Nurse can think of only one thing: sex. She says Juliet shall "bear the burden soon" at night. I doubt if she means the laundry.
JULIET Hie to high fortune! Honest nurse, farewell. Exeunt	Juliet is overjoyed -- she is going to be married. The Nurse is content -- she is off to eat her lunch. The audience is happy -- another scene has come to an end.