Romeo: But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks?

It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!

Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,

Who is already sick and pale with grief

That thou her maid art far more fair than she.

Be not her maid, since she is envious.

Her vestal livery is but sick and green,

And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off.

It is my lady; O, it is my love!

O that she knew she were!

She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that?

Her eye discourses; I will answer it.

I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks.

Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,

Having some business, do entreat her eyes

To twinkle in their spheres till they return.

What if her eyes were there, they in her head?

The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars

As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven

Would through the airy region stream so bright

That birds would sing and think it were not night.

See how she leans her cheek upon her hand!

O that I were a glove upon that hand,

That I might touch that cheek!

Juliet: Ay me!

Romeo: She speaks.

O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art

As glorious to this night, being o'er my head,

As is a winged messenger of heaven

Unto the white-upturned wond'ring eyes

Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him

When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds

And sails upon the bosom of the air.

Juliet: O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?

Deny thy father, and refuse thy name!

Or, if thou wilt not be but sworn my love,

And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

Romeo: Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

Juliet: 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;

Thou art thyself, though, not a Montague.

What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,

Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part

Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!

What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet.

So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,

Retain that dear perfection which he owes

Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name;

And for that name, which is no part of thee,

Take all myself.

Romeo: I take thee at thy word.

Call me but love, and I'll be new baptiz'd;

Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

Juliet: What man art thou that, thus bescreen'd in night,

So stumblest on my counsel?

Romeo: By a name

I know not how to tell thee who I am.

My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,

Because it is an enemy to thee.

Had I it written, I would tear the word.

Juliet: My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words

Of that tongue's utterance, yet I know the sound.

Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague?

Romeo: Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike.

Juliet: How cam'st thou hither, tell me, and wherefore?

The orchard walls are high and hard to climb,

And the place death, considering who thou art, If any of my kinsmen find thee here.

Romeo: With love's light wings did I o'er-erch these walls;

For stony limits cannot hold love out,

And what love can do, that dares love attempt;

Therefore thy kinsmen are no let to me.

Juliet: If they do see thee, they will murther thee. Romeo: Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye

Than twenty of their swords! look thou but sweet,

And I am proof against their enmity.

Juliet: I would not for the world they saw thee here.

Romeo: I have night's cloak to hide me from their sight;

And but thou love me, let them find me here.

My life were better ended by their hate,

Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.

ANALYSIS

READING COMPREHENSION

a. Answer the following questions:

1- Where is the scene set?

2- Where is Romeo?

3- Where is Juliet?

4- In the first part, does Juliet know Romeo is there?

5- What does Juliet want Romeo to do?

6- What does he answer?

7- What does Juliet warn him of?

8- Is he scared? Why or why not?

b. Complete the following statements:

• Juliet is compared to the………. which sweeps away the …………..

• The moon is envious because ………………………….

• Juliet’s eyes are brighter then …………

• Romeo would like to be a glove to …………………..

• If Romeo wasn’t called Romeo he would …………………...

• Juliet asks Romeo to ……………………………..

c. Focus on language, give examples of:

 REPETITION:

 RHYME:

 ALLITERATION:

 METAPHOR:

 SIMILE:

 INVOCATION:

d. Read lines 1-24. Underline all the words connected with the semantic area of light.

COMPOSITION

a. What may this association between love and light mean?

b. Choose between the sentences below the one(s) which expresses your opinion and explain it.

o To love means to adore

o When you feel love the world around you seems flooded in light

o The object of your love is like a heavenly creature surrounded by light

o Love is a light to follow in the difficult course of your life

CHARACTERS’ ANALYSIS

ROMEO

What inferences can you draw about Romeo’s personality from his words and behaviour? You can use some of the following adjectives or add any of your choice:

PROUD SAD BOLD PASSIONATE SENTIMENTAL LOVESICK NAΟVE IMPULSIVE UNDECIDED SHY TENDER BRAVE PRUDENT RATIONAL ………

Give reason for your choice quoting from the text

JULIET

Read lines 34-51. Underline all the imperatives. What does this use of verb tenses show us about Juliet?

Focus on lines 39-48. Explain in your own words what Juliet says about names. What does this speech show us about Juliet personality?

CREATIVE ACTIVITY

Shakespeare’s language is quite different from modern English. Work with a partner, read lines 1-50 and try to translate every line in modern English. Fell free to change the words and the structure, you can even use colloquial expressions.

EX: line 1

But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks?

Hey, look at that window, the light is on!