Summary of Part Two
I. Romeo resists the feud mentality, but cannot resist the fear of effeminacy (Click on the underlined phrase to go to this section.)
II. Juliet is torn between her love for Tybalt and her love for Romeo
III. The parting of the lovers in 3.5 is embedded in the doom of the match with Paris
1. Benvolio clearly is more peaceful though accused by Mercutio.
2. Romeo tries to stay peaceful despite Tybalt's provocation
3. Mercutio's "a plague on both your houses" is not warranted. He has brought his death on himself.
4. Mercutio is fatally wounded as Romeo butts-in.
B. Romeo's reasoning after Mercutio's death:
This gentleman, the prince's near ally,C. After Tybalt is killed, Benvolio reminds Romeo the Prince has promised to execute anyone caught feuding, and Romeo finally realizes: "O, I am Fortune's fool" (3.1.141).
My very friend, hath got, his mortal hurt
In my behalf; my reputation stain'd
With Tybalt's slander, Tybalt, that an hour
Hath been my cousin. O sweet Juliet!
Thy beauty hath made me effeminate,
And in my temper soften'd valour's steel.(3.1.114-120)
D. Ironically, it is Lady Capulet who insists on punishment (for her unknown son-in-law) despite Benvolio's story about the fight.
II. Juliet
is torn between her love for Tybalt and her love for Romeo in 3.2.
A. The virgin Juliet waiting for her new husband speaks passionately:
Lovers can see to do their amorous ritesJuliet plays on the idea of darkness at night being appropriate for lovers. They can see by the light their love gives off. If love is blind (a cliche about love even in the Renaissance), then it doesn't matter in the dark night. She then personifies Night as a sober married woman ("matron") dressed in black who must teach her how to play the game of love in which "losing" will be winning as both Romeo and Juliet "lose" or give their virginity to each other in marriage. She further asks the matron Night to hide her blushes by hooding them in darkness so that the consummation of their marriage, grown bold by darkness, will appear as simple modesty. She calls to Romeo, again seeing her love as a light in contrast to the darkness, like new snow on a raven's back. She thinks ahead to her death and imagines him in his brightness, cut into little stars that will be so beautiful that everyone will love the night and ignore the sun. Finally, she pictures herself as a mansion that has been bought (through marriage) but not yet possessed (through the consummation of their marriage).
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 love, grown bold,
Think true love acted simple modesty.
Come, night! come, Romeo! come, thou day in night!
For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night
Whiter than new snow on a raven's back.
Come, gentle night; come, loving black-brow'd night,
Give me my Romeo; and, when I shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night,
And pay no worship to the garish sun.
O! I have bought the mansion of a love,
But not possess'd it, and though I am sold,
Not yet enjoy'd.
B. The Nurse's incoherence that has teased Juliet in 2.5 now tortures her, at first making her fear that Romeo is dead and then shocking her with the news that Romeo has murdered her cousin Tybalt.
C. Juliet turns from condemnation of her husband ("O serpent heart hid with a flow'ring face" 3.2.70) to loyalty, once she hears the Nurse berate Romeo. Juliet now says:
Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?D. The Nurse continues to aid Romeo and Juliet, now that they are married, even against the blood guilt for Tybalt.
Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name,
When I, thy three-hours wife, have mangled it?
But, wherefore, villain, didst thou kill my cousin?
That villain cousin would have kill'd my husband:
Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring;
Your tributary drops belong to woe,
Which you, mistaking, offer up to joy.
My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain;
And Tybalt's dead, that would have slain my husband:
All this is comfort; wherefore weep I then?
III. The
parting of the lovers in 3.5 is embedded in the doom of the match with
Paris.
A. In 3.4, Lord Capulet promises Paris that he shall wed Juliet, despite no agreement from her, as a way of assuaging Juliet's grief, supposedly at the death of Tybalt. We know that the lovers are simultaneously consummating their marriage.
B. The parting of the lovers stresses again the danger they live in, following up the bird-on-a-string metaphor in 2.2. Is it the dawn or not?
C. Juliet, separated by banishment from her husband, then is further isolated.
1. Juliet's mother tells her the good news, but Capulet insists-- this goes beyond concern for Juliet and turns to pride over his authority and word given to Paris.
2. Juliet vows to keep her thoughts from the Nurse once she counsels bigamy:
Your first husband is dead, or 'twere as good he were
As living here and you no use of him (3.5.237-38)
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