JULIET                                                O, here comes my Nurse,

Enter NURSE, with [the ladder of] cords [in her lap].

And she brings news, and every tongue that speaks

But Romeo’s name speaks heavenly eloquence.

Now, Nurse, what news? What has thou there? the cords

That Romeo bid thee fetch?

NURSE                                                            Ay, ay, the cords.

                                    [Throws them down.]             (3.2.31-35)

The appearance of the Nurse means only one thing to Juliet now: news of Romeo, and the simple, pure pleasure of hearing someone else speak his name, that name which has been so fetishized and which, in the previous scene, has now become so deadly. We’re unavoidably reminded of the earlier occasion on which the Nurse returned with news from Romeo – it was only this morning – and on that occasion, the message was to convey the arrangements for their wedding. How desperately things have changed in only a few hours. There are quite a lot of early stage directions: Q1 has Enter Nurse wringing her hands, with the ladder of cordes in her lap, which suggests that the rope ladder (it must be made of quite thin cords?) is concealed under her apron; wringing her hands, in addition, suggests that it’s in a pocket, in this period a cloth bag tied around the waist rather than integrated into a garment, so that her hands are free (for the wringing). The repetition of cords is important: a hangman’s rope might be called a cord; the Nurse has brought the rope ladder, but with the cords come death. And a cord is something which binds. So casting the cords to the ground (although this stage direction is editorial, it’s implicit from a reference later in the scene that that’s what the Nurse has done) suggests that bonds (and also accords, agreements) are in jeopardy, or have been cast aside. We might also hear cor – heart. Oh, the hearts…