All Chapters of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Enter Benvolio and Mercutio.  Mer. Where the devil should this Romeo be?     Came he not home to-night?Ben. Not to his father's. I spoke with his man.  Mer. Why, that same pale hard-hearted wench, that Rosaline,     Torments him so that he will sure run mad.  Ben. Tybalt, the kinsman to old Capulet,     Hath sent a letter to his father's house.Mer. A challenge, on my life.Ben. Romeo will answer it.Mer. Any man that can write may answer a letter.Ben. Nay, he will answer the letter's master, how he dares, being dared.Mer. Alas, poor Romeo, he is already dead! stabb'd with a white wench's black eye; shot through the ear with a love song; the very pin of his heart cleft with the blind bow-boy's butt-shaft; and is he a man to encounter Tybalt?Ben. Why, what is Tybalt?Mer. More than Prince of Cats, I can tell you. O, he's the courageous captain of compliments. He fights as you sing

Enter Friar [Laurence] and Romeo.  Friar. So smile the heavens upon this holy act     That after-hours with sorrow chide us not!  Rom. Amen, amen! But come what sorrow can,     It cannot countervail the exchange of joy     That one short minute gives me in her sight.     Do thou but close our hands with holy words,     Then love-devouring death do what he dare-     It is enough I may but call her mine.  Friar. These violent delights have violent ends     And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,     Which, as they kiss, consume. The sweetest honey     Is loathsome in his own deliciousness     And in the taste confounds the appetite.     Therefore love moderately: long love doth so;     Too swift arrives as ta

Enter Juliet alone.  Jul. Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds,     Towards Phoebus' lodging! Such a wagoner     As Phaeton would whip you to the West     And bring in cloudy night immediately.     Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night,     That runaway eyes may wink, and Romeo     Leap to these arms untalk'd of and unseen.     Lovers can see to do their amorous rites     By their own beauties; or, if love be blind,     It best agrees with night. Come, civil night,     Thou sober-suited matron, all in black,     And learn me how to lose a winning match,     Play'd for a pair of stainless maidenhoods.     Hood my unmann'd blood, bating in my cheeks,     With thy black mantle till strange l

Enter Old Capulet, his Wife, and Paris.  Cap. Things have fall'n out, sir, so unluckily     That we have had no time to move our daughter.     Look you, she lov'd her kinsman Tybalt dearly,     And so did I. Well, we were born to die.     'Tis very late; she'll not come down to-night.     I promise you, but for your company,     I would have been abed an hour ago.  Par. These times of woe afford no tune to woo.     Madam, good night. Commend me to your daughter.  Lady. I will, and know her mind early to-morrow;     To-night she's mew'd up to her heaviness.  Cap. Sir Paris, I will make a desperate tender     Of my child's love. I think she will be rul'd     In all respects by me; nay more, I doubt it not.     Wife, go you t

Enter Friar, [Laurence] and County Paris.Friar. On Thursday, sir? The time is very short.  Par. My father Capulet will have it so,     And I am nothing slow to slack his haste.  Friar. You say you do not know the lady's mind.     Uneven is the course; I like it not.  Par. Immoderately she weeps for Tybalt's death,     And therefore have I little talk'd of love;     For Venus smiles not in a house of tears.     Now, sir, her father counts it dangerous     That she do give her sorrow so much sway,     And in his wisdom hastes our marriage     To stop the inundation of her tears,     Which, too much minded by herself alone,     May be put from her by society.     Now do you know the reason of this haste.  Friar. [aside] I w