Toolbox



Textual Analysis

[ Go ]

Shakespeare on Stage
Folger Shakespeare Library, Twelfth Night. To Jun. 9, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, The Duchess of Malfi. To Jun. 15, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Twelfth Night. To Jun. 16, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Return to the Forbidden Planet. To Dec. 1, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Love's Labour's Lost. To Jun. 15, 2013.
More Performances…
‌

Romeo and Juliet (Quarto 1, 1597)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Roger Apfelbaum
Not Peer Reviewed
Enter Capulets wife and Nurce.
VVife: Nurce wher's my daughter call her forth to
352.1mee.
Nurce:Now by my maiden head at twelue yeare old I
bad her come, what Lamb, what Ladie bird, God forbid.
355VVher's this girle? what Iuliet.
Enter Iuliet.
Iuliet: How now who cals?
Nurce:Your Mother.
Iul: Madame I am here, what is your will?
360VV: This is the matter. Nurse giue leaue a while, we
must talke in secret. Nurce come back again I haue re-
membred me, thou'se heare our counsaile. Thou know
est my daughters of a prettie age.
Nurce:Faith I can tell her age vnto a houre.
365VVife: Shee's not fourteene.
Nnrce: Ile lay fourteene of my teeth, and yet to my
teene be it spoken, I haue but foure, shee's not fourteene.
How long is it now to Lammas-tide?
370VVife: A fortnight and odde dayes.
Nurce: Euen or odde, of all dayes in the yeare come
Lammas Eue at night shall she be fourteene. Susan and she
God rest all Christian soules were of an age. VVell Susan is
with God, she was too good for me: But as I said on Lam-
375mas Eue at night shall she be fourteene, that shall shee ma-
rie I remember it well. Tis since the Earth-quake nowe e-
leauen yeares, and she was weand I neuer shall forget it, of
all the daies of the yeare vpon that day: for I had then laid
wormewood to my dug, sitting in the sun vnder the Doue-
380housewall. My Lord and you were then at Mantua, nay I
do beare a braine: But as I said, when it did tast the worm-
wood on the nipple of my dug, & felt it bitter, pretty foole
to see it teachie and fall out with Dugge. Shake qucth the
Doue-house twas no need I trow to bid me trudge, and since
385that time it is a leauen yeare: for then could Iuliet stande
high lone, nay by the Roode, shee could haue wadled vp and
downe, for euen the day before shee brake her brow, and then
my husband God be with his soule, hee was a merrie man:
390Dost thou fall forward Iuliet? thou wilt fall backward when
thou hast more wit: wilt thou not Iuliet? and by my holli-
dam, the pretty foole left crying and said I. To see how a
ieast shall come about, I warrant you if I should liue a hun-
dred yeare, I never should forget it, wilt thou not Iuliet?
395and by my troth she stinted and cried I.
405Iuliet: And stint thou too, I prethee Nurce say I.
Nurce:VVell goe thy waies, God marke thee for his
grace, thou wert the prettiest Babe that euer I nurst, might
I but liue to see thee married once, I haue my wish.
VVife: And that same marriage Nurce, is the Theame
410I meant to talke of: Tell me Iuliet, how stand you af-
fected to be married:
Iul: It is an honor that I dreame not off.
Nurce: An honor! were not I thy onely Nurce, I
would say thou hadst suckt wisedome from thy Teat.
420VVife: Well girle, the Noble Countie Paris seekes
420.1thee for his Wife.
Nurce: A man young Ladie, Ladie such a man as all
the world, why he is a man of waxe.
VVife: Veronaes Summer hath not such a flower
Nurce: Nay he is a flower, in faith a very flower.
425VVife: Well Iuliet, how like you of Paris loue.
Iuliet: Ile looke to like, if looking liking moue,
But no more deepe will I engage mine eye,
445Then your consent giues strength to make it flie.
Enter Clowne.
Clowne: Maddam you are cald for, supper is readie
the Nurce curst in the Pantrie, all thinges in extreamitie,
make hast for I must be gone to waite.