Friar: O no o no o no – but maybe it’s just a bad dream? (5.3.130-139)

FRIAR              How long hath he been there? BALTHASAR                                                   Full half an hour. FRIAR              Go with me to the vault. BALTHASAR                                       I dare not, sir.                         My master knows not but that I am gone hence,                         And fearfully did menace me with death                         If I did stay to look on his intents. FRIAR              Stay […]

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Friar: who’s in the tomb? (5.3.121-129)

Enter FRIAR [LAWRENCE] with lantern, crow, and spade. FRIAR              Saint Francis be my speed! how oft tonight                         Have my old feet stumbled at graves! Who’s there? BALTHASAR   Here’s one, a friend, and one that knows you well. FRIAR              Bliss be upon you! Tell me, good my friend,                         What torch is yond that vainly […]

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With a kiss… (5.3.116-120)

ROMEO           Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavoury guide!                         Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on                         The dashing rocks thy seasick weary bark!                         Here’s to my love! [Drinks.] O true apothecary!                         Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die. [Dies.] (5.3.116-120) Does it seem trivial, or inappropriate, or just postponing […]

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Last look, last hug, last kiss (53.112-115)

ROMEO                                               Eyes, look your last!                         Arms, take your last embrace! and lips, O you                         The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss                         A dateless bargain to engrossing Death! (5.3.112-115) This is a moment that connects with, makes sense of, all those previous moments of body language in the play. And most […]

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The yoke of inauspicious stars – star-crossed… (5.3.108-112)

ROMEO                                   Here, here will I remain                         With worms that are thy chambermaids; O here                         Will I set up my everlasting rest,                         And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars                         From this world-wearied flesh. (5.3.108-112) Where is here? in the tomb, this palace of dim night, certainly. But there’s implied action, perhaps: here is […]

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I will stay here with you, always (5.3.101-108)

ROMEO                                   Ah, dear Juliet,                         Why art thou yet so fair? Shall I believe                         That unsubstantial death is amorous,                         And that the lean abhorrèd monster keeps                         Thee here in dark to be his paramour?                         For fear of that, I still will stay with thee,                         And never from this palace of […]

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Making peace with Tybalt (5.3.97-101)

ROMEO           Tybalt, liest thou there in thy bloody sheet?                         O, what more favour can I do to thee                         Than with the hand that cut thy youth in twain                         To sunder his that was thine enemy?                         Forgive me, cousin. (5.3.97-101) This speech in the tomb (of which this is, obviously, only one […]

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My love, my wife… (5.3.91-96)

ROMEO                                   O my love, my wife,                         Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath,                         Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty:                         Thou art not conquered, beauty’s ensign yet                         Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks                         And Death’s pale flag is not advancèd there. (5.3.91-96). As anyone […]

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Light, and light’ning (5.3.87-91)

ROMEO           Death, lie thou there, by a dead man interred.                                     [Laying Paris in the tomb.]                         How oft when men are at the point of death                         Have they been merry, which their keepers call                         A light’ning before death! O how may I                         Call this a light’ning? (5.3.87-91) Paris is death, because […]

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Full of light (5.3.81-86)

ROMEO                                   O give me thy hand,                         One writ with me in sour misfortune’s book!                         I’ll bury thee in a triumphant grave.                          A grave? O no, a lantern, slaughtered youth;                         For here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes                         This vault a feasting presence full of light. (5.3.81-86) At some point, the […]

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