Act 2 scene 2 is the famous balcony scene where Romeo and Juliet confess their love for each other and arrange to get married. This scene is one of my favorite scenes in the play as I am sure it is the favorite of many others. I love this scene in part because of the language that Shakespeare uses. Such as "O, that I were a glove upon that hand,/ That I might touch that cheek!". Shakespeare finds such great ways to express things, however since this is my second time reading this play I am finding things I didn't notice the first time that I am starting to really like. Friar Lawrence is now one of my favorite characters. He is very much down to earth and humorous. In Act 2 scene 3 l. 65-80, he mocks Romeo for falling in love with another girl so quickly and claims that since he's so young he doesn't know what true lasting love is and I found this so true and refreshing that it was put into the play because as the audience we are all thinking it.
Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here!
Is Rosaline, whom thou didst love so dear,
So soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies
Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.
Jesu Maria, what a deal of brine
Hath washed thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline!
How much salt water thrown away in waste
To season love that of it doth not taste!
The sun not yet thy sighs from heaven clears,
Thy old groans ring yet in my ancient ears.
Lo, here upon thy cheek the stain doth sit
Of an old tear that is not washed off yet.
If e'er thou wast thyself and these woes thine,
Thou and these woes were all for Rosaline.
And art thou changed? Pronounce this sentence then:
Women may fall when there’s no strength in men.
I also find myself loving Mercutio because of how absolutely vulgar he is. I didn't get his jokes the first time I read this play and it makes me wonder why we are allowed to read this in the 9th grade. In Act 2 scene 4 l. 39-48 he is absolutely vulgar when talking about Rosaline and Romeo. I just found it so humorous and can't believe I missed it the first time. I also found the nurse humorous when she was coming back to Juliet to tell her the news of the marriage plans. Juliet was so impatient it seemed as if the nurse were making her wait on purpose which was nice to see. I also love the loyalty the nurse has to Juliet and Juliet's happiness. However, that love for the nurse that Juliet has disappears quite quickly.
Act 3 for me was a much less exciting act. It still had its intriguing parts. Such as how Juliet's father takes back him claim that he wants Juliet to be happy and marry who she wants to marry. How Juliet turns on the nurse when she was just trying to help Juliet out of an impossible situation. I find the sword fight scene a little strange. Mercutio is very humorous but he also has a temper on him and had he been a little less hot headed than he might not have died because Romeo was being claim about the insults Tybalt was throwing at him. However, it would not be a tragedy without some casualties. Although as bad as this is I am glad Romeo and Juliet were able to consummate their marriage before they eventually die. I know we have to assume that's what happened. Although, I think I've heard that there was speculation that they had sex out of wedlock. Is that true or am I imagining things? I feel like I've heard it somewhere.
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