Download ACT 2, SCENE 1

ACT 2, SCENE 1
The Prologue; Romeo hides from
Benvolio and Mercutio.
THE PROLOGUE OPENS with a metaphor for Romeo’s emotional
condition. It describes Romeo’s past infatuation for Rosaline as an
ailing patient, weak and wavering on its deathbed. At the foot of
the bed stands the eager heir to Romeo’s affections—his newfound
love for Juliet. Rosaline, whose beauty Romeo extolled earlier in
the play, cannot compare in loveliness to Juliet. Most importantly,
the prologue continues, Romeo’s love is now requited.
Romeo and Juliet are mutually enthralled by the sight of one another, but
to
Romeo’s misfortune, he is now in love with a sworn enemy of his family.
Because of this, Romeo must see Juliet under the threat of great danger to
them both. What’s more, Romeo does not have the access to Juliet that a
lover
would have under normal circumstances and thus is hindered in his wooing.
Juliet is even more encumbered. In spite of all these obstacles, however,
their
passion empowers them and the joy of their meetings lessens the
pain of their adversity.
Act 2, Scene 1 finds Romeo outside quivering thigh. Benvolio tells
the Capulet orchard, deciding to
Mercutio to be quiet, saying he’ll
follow his heart—which is to say,
anger Romeo with this talk, should
turn back and find Juliet .Mercutio
he overhear them Not to be
and Benvolio enter, calling for
sensored. Mercutio persists and turns
Romeo and conversing in quick,
bawdy with a metaphor of raising
monosyllabic lines. As there is no
spirits in his mistress ‘‘circle.”
stage direction for Romeos exit,
often directors have Romeo crouch
Benvolio suggests that he and
in hiding as he overhears his
Mercutio leave, since apparently
friends conversation. Mercutio is
Romeo has hidden himself among
convinced that Romeo has wisely
the orchard trees. Picking up on
gone home to bed. Benvolio
this .Mercutio jokes that Romeo is
believes that Romeo has leapt the
probably sitting under a medlar
orchard wall and asks Mercutio to
tree, dreaming its fruit were
call for him again. The diction
Rosaline (medlar fruit resembles the
becomes more elaborate as
female anatomy). He says the
Mercutlo playfully pretends to he a orchard is too cold and he would
sorcerer. Believing Romeo is still in rather go home to his warm bed.
love with Rosaline. he conjurs
Bemvolio agrees and resigns
Romeo by her beauty—her bright
himself to leave, since Romeo
eyes, high forehead, scarlet lip and
obviously doesn’t want to be found.
CHORUS
I late classical Greek
dramatic tradition, a
chorus was used as a
detached, nonaligned
commentary on the
action of a play. In
contrast to soliloquy,
Shakespeare uses the
prologue here as a third.
person commentary on a
character’s innermost
thoughts and feelings.
scENE-BY-scENE
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