Toolbox



Textual Analysis

[ Go ]

Shakespeare on Stage
SIP Editors, King Henry VIII. To Aug. 4, 2013.
SIP Editors, Measure for Measure. To Aug. 4, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, All's Well That Ends Well. To Nov. 29, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Return to the Forbidden Planet. To Dec. 1, 2013.
Original Shakespeare Company, A Midsommer Night's Dreame (Midsummer Midsommer). To Jun. 21, 2013.
More Performances…
‌

Romeo and Juliet (Quarto 1, 1597)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Roger Apfelbaum
Not Peer Reviewed
The most excellent Tragedie,

Rom: Nay thats not so. Mer: I meane sir in delay,
We burne our lights by night, like Lampes by day,
500Take our good meaning for our iudgement fits
Three times a day, ere once in her right wits.
Rom: So we meane well by going to this maske:
But tis no wit to goe.
Mer: Why Romeo may one aske?
505Rom: I dreamt a dreame tonight.
Mer: And so did I.
Rom: Why what was yours!
Mer: That dreamers often lie.
Rom: In bed a sleepe while they doe dreame things
510Mer: Ah then I see Queene Mab hath bin with you.
510.1Ben: Queene Mab whats she?
She is the Fairies Midwife and doth come
In shape no bigger than an Aggat stone
512.1On the forefinger of a Burgomaster,
Drawne with a teeme of little Atomi,
A thwart mens noses when they lie a sleepe.
514.1Her waggon spokes are made of spinners webs,
515The couer, of the winges of Grashoppers,
The traces are the Moone-shine watrie beames,
The collers crickets bones, the lash of filmes,
Her waggoner is a small gray coated flie,
Not halfe so big as is a little worme,
519.1Pickt from the lasie finger of a maide,
And in this sort she gallops vp and downe
523.1Through Louers braines, and then they dream of loue:
O're Courtiers knees: who strait on cursies dreame
526.1O're Ladies lips, who dreame on kisses strait:
Which oft the angrie Mab with blisters plagues,
Because their breathes with sweet meats tainted are:
Sometimes she gallops ore a Lawers lap,
And