Act 1 Scene 1 PDF

Romeo and Juliet Page 2 Act I Scene I ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT Enter SAMPSON and GREGORY of the house of SAMPSON and GREGORY , servants of the Capulet Capulet, with swords and bucklers. family, enter carryi...

Romeo and Juliet Page 2 Act I Scene I ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT Enter SAMPSON and GREGORY of the house of SAMPSON and GREGORY , servants of the Capulet Capulet, with swords and bucklers. family, enter carrying swords and small shields. SAMPSON SAMPSON Gregory, on my word, we’ll not carry coals. Gregory, I swear, we can’t let them humiliate us. We won’t take their garbage. GREGORY GREGORY No, for then we should be colliers. (teasing SAMPSON) No, because then we’d be garbagemen. SAMPSON SAMPSON I mean, an we be in choler, we’ll draw. What I mean is, if they make us angry we’ll pull out our swords. GREGORY GREGORY Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of Maybe you should focus on pulling yourself out of collar. (5) trouble, Sampson. SAMPSON SAMPSON I strike quickly, being moved. I hit hard when I’m angry. GREGORY GREGORY But thou art not quickly moved to strike. But it’s hard to make you angry. SAMPSON SAMPSON A dog of the house of Montague moves me. One of those dogs from the Montague house can make me angry. GREGORY GREGORY To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to Angry enough to run away. You won’t stand and fight. stand. Therefore if thou art moved thou runn’st (10) away. SAMPSON SAMPSON A dog from that house will make me angry enough to A dog of that house shall move me to stand. I take a stand. If I pass one of them on the street, I’ll take will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague’s. the side closer to the wall and let him walk in the gutter. GREGORY GREGORY That shows thee a weak slave, for the weakest That means you’re the weak one, because weaklings goes to the wall. (15) get pushed up against the wall. SAMPSON SAMPSON 'Tis true, and therefore women, being the You’re right. That’s why girls get pushed up against weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall. There- walls—they’re weak. So what I’ll do is push the  Romeo and Juliet Page 3 hjjfore I will push Montague’s men from the wall, and Montague men into the street and the Montague women thrust his maids to the wall. up against the wall. GREGORY GREGORY The quarrel is between our masters and us (20) The fight is between our masters, and we men who their men. work for them. SAMPSON SAMPSON 'Tis all one. I will show myself a tyrant. It’s all the same. I’ll be a harsh master to them. After I When I have fought with the men, I will be civil fight the men, I’ll be nice to the women—I’ll cut off with the maids. I will cut off their heads. their heads. GREGORY GREGORY The heads of the maids? (25) Cut off their heads? You mean their maidenheads? SAMPSON SAMPSON Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maiden- Cut off their heads, take their maidenheads—whatever. heads. Take it in what sense thou wilt. Take my remark in whichever sense you like. GREGORY GREGORY They must take it in sense that feel it. Those women are the ones who’ll have to “sense” it. SAMPSON SAMPSON Me they shall feel while I am able to stand, They’ll feel me as long as I can keep an erection. and ’tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh. (30) Everybody knows I’m a nice piece of flesh. GREGORY GREGORY 'Tis well thou art not fish. If thou hadst, thou It’s a good thing you’re not a piece of fish. You’re hadst been poor-john. Draw thy tool! Here comes dried and shriveled like salted fish. Pull out your tool of the house of Montagues. now. These guys are from the house of Montague. Enter ABRAM and another SERVINGMAN ABRAM and another servant of the Montagues enter. SAMPSON SAMPSON My naked weapon is out. Quarrel! I will back I have my naked sword out. Fight, I’ll back you up. thee. (35) GREGORY GREGORY How? Turn thy back and run? How will you back me up—by turning your back and running away? SAMPSON SAMPSON Fear me not. Don’t worry about me. GREGORY GREGORY No, marry. I fear thee. No, really. I am worried about you! SAMPSON SAMPSON Let us take the law of our sides. Let them Let’s not break the law by starting a fight. Let them begin. (40) start something.  Romeo and Juliet Page 4 GREGORY GREGORY I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it I’ll frown at them as they pass by, and they can react as they list. however they want. SAMPSON SAMPSON Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at You mean however they dare. I’ll bite my thumb at them, which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it. them. That’s an insult, and if they let me get away with (bites his thumb) it they’ll be dishonored. (SAMPSON bites his thumb ) ABRAM ABRAM Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? Hey, are you biting your thumb at us? SAMPSON SAMPSON I do bite my thumb, sir. I’m biting my thumb. ABRAM ABRAM Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? Are you biting your thumb at us? SAMPSON SAMPSON (aside to GREGORY) Is the law of our side if I (aside to GREGORY) Is the law on our side if I say say “ay”? yes? GREGORY GREGORY (aside to SAMPSON) No. (50) (aside to SAMPSON) No. SAMPSON SAMPSON No, sir. I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, (to ABRAM) No, sir, I’m not biting my thumb at you, but I bite my thumb, sir. but I am biting my thumb. GREGORY GREGORY Do you quarrel, sir? Are you trying to start a fight? ABRAM ABRAM Quarrel, sir? No, sir. Start a fight? No, sir. SAMPSON SAMPSON But if you do, sir, I am for you. I serve as (55) If you want to fight, I’m your man. My employer is as good a man as you. good as yours. ABRAM ABRAM No better. But he’s not better than mine. SAMPSON SAMPSON Well, sir. Well then. Enter BENVOLIO BENVOLIO enters.  Romeo and Juliet Page 5 GREGORY GREGORY (aside to SAMPSON) Say “better.” Here comes (speaking so that only SAMPSON can hear) Say one of my master’s kinsmen. (60) “better.” Here comes one of my employer’s relatives. SAMPSON SAMPSON (to ABRAM) Yes, better, sir. (to ABRAM) Yes, “better,” sir. ABRAM ABRAM You lie. You lie. SAMPSON SAMPSON Draw, if you be men.—Gregory, remember Pull out your swords, if you’re men. Gregory, thy washing blow. remember how to slash. They fight They fight. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Part, fools! (draws his sword) (65) (pulling out his sword) Break it up, you fools. Put your Put up your swords. You know not what you do. swords away. You don’t know what you’re doing. Enter TYBALT TYBALT enters. TYBALT TYBALT What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? What? You’ve pulled out your sword to fight with Turn thee, Benvolio. Look upon thy death. these worthless servants? Turn around, Benvolio, and look at the man who’s going to kill you. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword, I’m only trying to keep the peace. Either put away your Or manage it to part these men with me. (70) sword or use it to help me stop this fight. TYBALT TYBALT What, drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word, What? You take out your sword and then talk about As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. peace? I hate the word peace like I hate hell, all Have at thee, coward! Montagues, and you. Let’s go at it, coward! They fight. BENVOLIO and TYBALT fight. Enter three or four CITIZENS , with clubs or Three or four CITIZENS of the watch enter with clubs partisans and spears. CITIZENS CITIZENS Clubs, bills, and partisans! Strike! Beat them down! Use your clubs and spears! Hit them! Beat them down! Down with the Capulets! Down with the Montagues! Down with the Capulets! Down with the Montagues! Enter old CAPULET in his gown, and his wife, LADY CAPULET enters in his gown, together with his wife, CAPULET LADY CAPULET. CAPULET CAPULET What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho! What’s this noise? Give me my long sword! Come on!  Romeo and Juliet Page 6 LADY CAPULET LADY CAPULET A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a A crutch, you need a crutch—why are you asking for a sword? sword? Enter old MONTAGUE and his wife, LADY MONTAGUE enters with his sword drawn, together MONTAGUE with his wife, LADY MONTAGUE. CAPULET CAPULET My sword, I say! Old Montague is come, I want my sword. Old Montague is here, and he’s And flourishes his blade in spite of me. (80) waving his sword around just to make me mad. MONTAGUE MONTAGUE Thou villain Capulet! Hold me not. Let me go. Capulet, you villain! (his wife holds him back) Don’t stop me. Let me go. LADY MONTAGUE LADY MONTAGUE Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe. You’re not taking one step toward an enemy. Enter PRINCE ESCALUS, with his train PRINCE ESCALUS enters with his escort. PRINCE PRINCE Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, (shouting at the rioters) You rebels! Enemies of the Profaners of this neighbor-stainèd steel!— peace! Men who turn their weapons against their own Will they not hear?—What, ho! You men, you beasts, neighbors—They won’t listen to me?—You there! You That quench the fire of your pernicious rage men, you beasts, who satisfy your anger with fountains With purple fountains issuing from your veins; of each others' blood! I’ll have you tortured if you don’t On pain of torture, from those bloody hands put down your swords and listen to your angry prince. Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground, (MONTAGUE, CAPULET, and their followers throw And hear the sentence of your movèd prince. (90) down their weapons) Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, Three times now riots have broken out in this city, all By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, because of a casual word from you, old Capulet and Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets Montague. Three times the peace has been disturbed in And made Verona’s ancient citizens our streets, and Verona’s old citizens have had to take Cast by their grave-beseeming ornaments, (95) off their dress clothes and pick up rusty old spears to To wield old partisans in hands as old, part you. If you ever cause a disturbance on our streets Cankered with peace, to part your cankered hate. again, you’ll pay for it with your lives. Everyone else, If ever you disturb our streets again, go away for now. (to CAPULET) You, Capulet, come Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. with me. (to MONTAGUE) Montague, this afternoon For this time, all the rest depart away. (100) come to old Free-town, the court where I deliver You, Capulet, shall go along with me, judgments, and I’ll tell you what else I want from you. And, Montague, come you this afternoon As for the rest of you, I’ll say this once more: go away To know our farther pleasure in this case, or be put to death. To old Free-town, our common judgment-place. Once more, on pain of death, all men depart. (105) Exeunt all but MONTAGUE, LADY MONTAGUE, Everyone exits except MONTAGUE, LADY and BENVOLIO MONTAGUE, and BENVOLIO.  Romeo and Juliet Page 7 MONTAGUE MONTAGUE Who set this ancient quarrel new abroach? Who started this old fight up again? Speak, nephew. Speak, nephew. Were you by when it began? Were you here when it started? BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Here were the servants of your adversary, Your servants were fighting your enemy’s servants and yours, close fighting ere I did approach. before I got here. I drew my sword to part them. Right I drew to part them. In the instant came (110) then, that hothead Tybalt showed up with his sword the fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepared, ready. He taunted me and waved his sword around, which, as he breathed defiance to my ears, making the air hiss. As we were trading blows, more He swung about his head and cut the winds, and more people showed up to join the fight, until the who, nothing hurt withal, hissed him in scorn. Prince came and broke everyone up. While we were interchanging thrusts and blows, (115) came more and more and fought on part and part, till the Prince came, who parted either part. LADY MONTAGUE LADY MONTAGUE Oh, where is Romeo? Saw you him today? Oh, where’s Romeo? Have you seen him today? I’m Right glad I am he was not at this fray. glad he wasn’t here for this fight. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Madam, an hour before the worshipped sun (120) Madam, I had a lot on my mind an hour before dawn Peered forth the golden window of the east, this morning, so I went for a walk. Underneath the A troubled mind drove me to walk abroad, Sycamore grove that grows on the west side of the city, Where, underneath the grove of sycamore I saw your son taking an early-morning walk. I headed That westward rooteth from this city side, toward him, but he saw me coming and hid in the So early walking did I see your son. (125) woods. I thought he must be feeling the same way I Towards him I made, but he was 'ware of me was—wanting to be alone and tired of his own And stole into the covert of the wood. company. I figured he was avoiding me, and I was I, measuring his affections by my own, perfectly happy to leave him alone and keep to myself. (Which then most sought where most might not be found (130) being one too many by my weary self), pursued my humor not pursuing his, and gladly shunned who gladly fled from me. MONTAGUE MONTAGUE Many a morning hath he there been seen, He’s been seen there many mornings, crying tears that With tears augmenting the fresh morning’s dew, (135) add drops to the morning dew and making a cloudy day Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs. cloudier with his sighs. But as soon as the sun rises in But all so soon as the all-cheering sun the east, my sad son comes home to escape the light. Should in the farthest east begin to draw He locks himself up alone in his bedroom, shuts his The shady curtains from Aurora’s bed, windows to keep out the beautiful daylight, and makes Away from light steals home my heavy son, (140) himself an artificial night. This mood of his is going to And private in his chamber pens himself, bring bad news, unless someone smart can fix what’s Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out, bothering him. And makes himself an artificial night. Black and portentous must this humor prove, Unless good counsel may the cause remove. (145)  Romeo and Juliet Page 8 BENVOLIO BENVOLIO My noble uncle, do you know the cause? My noble uncle, do you know why he acts this way? MONTAGUE MONTAGUE I neither know it nor can learn of him. I don’t know, and he won’t tell me. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Have you importuned him by any means? Have you done everything you could to make him tell you the reason? MONTAGUE MONTAGUE Both by myself and many other friends. I’ve tried, and many of our friends have tried to make But he, his own affections' counselor, (150) him talk, but he keeps his thoughts to himself. He Is to himself—I will not say how true, doesn’t want any friend but himself, and though I don’t But to himself so secret and so close, know whether he’s a good friend to himself, he So far from sounding and discovery, certainly keeps his own secrets. He’s like a flower bud As is the bud bit with an envious worm that won’t open itself up to the world because it’s been Ere he can spread his sweet leaves to the air (155) poisoned from within by parasites. If we could only Or dedicate his beauty to the same. find out why he’s sad, we’d be as eager to help him as Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow, we were to learn the reason for his sadness. We would as willingly give cure as know. Enter ROMEO ROMEO enters. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO See, where he comes. So please you, step aside. Look—here he comes. If you don’t mind, please step I’ll know his grievance or be much denied. (160) aside. He’ll either have to tell me what’s wrong or else tell me no over and over. MONTAGUE MONTAGUE I would thou wert so happy by thy stay I hope you’re lucky enough to hear the true story by To hear true shrift.—Come, madam, let’s away. sticking around. (to his wife) Come, madam, let’s go. Exeunt MONTAGUE and LADY MONTAGUE MONTAGUE and LADY MONTAGUE exit. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Good morrow, cousin. Good morning, cousin. ROMEO ROMEO Is the day so young? Is it that early in the day? BENVOLIO BENVOLIO But new struck nine. (165) It’s only just now nine o'clock. ROMEO ROMEO Ay me! Sad hours seem long. Oh my, time goes by slowly when you’re sad. Was that Was that my father that went hence so fast? my father who left here in such a hurry?  Romeo and Juliet Page 9 BENVOLIO BENVOLIO It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours? It was. What’s making you so sad and your hours so long? ROMEO ROMEO Not having that which, having, makes them short. I don’t have the thing that makes time fly. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO In love? (170) You’re in love? ROMEO ROMEO Out. Out. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Of love? Out of love? ROMEO ROMEO Out of her favor, where I am in love. I love someone. She doesn’t love me. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Alas, that love, so gentle in his view, It’s sad. Love looks like a nice thing, but it’s actually Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof! (175) very rough when you experience it. ROMEO ROMEO Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still, What’s sad is that love is supposed to be blind, but it Should, without eyes, see pathways to his will! can still make you do whatever it wants. So, where Where shall we dine?—O me! What fray was here? should we eat? (seeing blood) Oh my! What fight Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. happened here? No, don’t tell me—I know all about it. Here’s much to do with hate but more with love. (180) This fight has a lot to do with hatred, but it has more to Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate, do with love. O brawling love! O loving hate! Love O anything of nothing first created! that comes from nothing! Sad happiness! Serious O heavy lightness, serious vanity, foolishness! Beautiful things muddled together into an Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms, ugly mess! Love is heavy and light, bright and dark, hot Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health, and cold, sick and healthy, asleep and awake—it’s Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is! everything except what it is! This is the love I feel, This love feel I, that feel no love in this. though no one loves me back. Are you laughing? Dost thou not laugh? BENVOLIO BENVOLIO No, coz, I rather weep. No, cousin, I’m crying. ROMEO ROMEO Good heart, at what? (190) Good man, why are you crying? BENVOLIO BENVOLIO At thy good heart’s oppression. I’m crying because of how sad you are. ROMEO ROMEO Why, such is love’s transgression. Yes, this is what love does. My sadness sits heavy in Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast, my chest, and you want to add your own sadness to  Romeo and Juliet Page 10 Which thou wilt propagate, to have it pressed mine so there’s even more. I have too much sadness With more of thine. This love that thou hast shown already, and now you’re going to make me sadder by Doth add more grief to too much of mine own. feeling sorry for you. Here’s what love is: a smoke Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs; made out of lovers' sighs. When the smoke clears, love Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; is a fire burning in your lover’s eyes. If you frustrate Being vexed, a sea nourished with loving tears. love, you get an ocean made out of lovers' tears. What What is it else? A madness most discreet, (200) else is love? It’s a wise form of madness. It’s a sweet A choking gall, and a preserving sweet. lozenge that you choke on. Goodbye, cousin. Farewell, my coz. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Soft! I will go along. Wait. I’ll come with you. If you leave me like this, And if you leave me so, you do me wrong. you’re doing me wrong. ROMEO ROMEO Tut, I have lost myself. I am not here. (205) I’m not myself. I’m not here. This isn’t Romeo—he’s This is not Romeo. He’s some other where. somewhere else. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Tell me in sadness, who is that you love. Tell me seriously, who is the one you love? ROMEO ROMEO What, shall I groan and tell thee? Seriously? You mean I should groan and tell you? BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Groan! Why, no. But sadly, tell me who. Groan? No. But tell me seriously who it is. ROMEO ROMEO A sick man in sadness makes his will – (210) You wouldn’t tell a sick man he “seriously” has to A word ill urged to one that is so ill. make his will—it would just make him worse. In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman. Seriously, cousin, I love a woman. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO I aimed so near when I supposed you loved. I guessed that already when I guessed you were in love. ROMEO ROMEO A right good markman! And she’s fair I love. Then you were right on target. The woman I love is beautiful. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit. (215) A beautiful target is the one that gets hit the fastest. ROMEO ROMEO Well, in that hit you miss. She’ll not be hit Well, you’re not on target there. She refuses to be hit With Cupid’s arrow. She hath Dian’s wit, by Cupid’s arrow. She’s as clever as Diana, and And, in strong proof of chastity well armed, shielded by the armor of chastity. She can’t be touched From love’s weak childish bow, she lives uncharmed. by the weak and childish arrows of love. She won’t She will not stay the siege of loving terms, (220) listen to words of love, or let you look at her with Nor bide th' encounter of assailing eyes, loving eyes, or open her lap to receive gifts of gold. Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold.  Romeo and Juliet Page 11 Oh, she is rich in beauty, only poor She’s rich in beauty, but she’s also poor, because when That when she dies, with beauty dies her store. she dies her beauty will be destroyed with her. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste?(225) So she’s made a vow to be a virgin forever? ROMEO ROMEO She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste, Yes she has, and by keeping celibate, she wastes her For beauty, starved with her severity, beauty. If you starve yourself of sex you can’t ever Cuts beauty off from all posterity. have children, and so your beauty is lost to future She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair, generations. She’s too beautiful and too wise to deserve To merit bliss by making me despair. (230) heaven’s blessing by making me despair. She’s sworn She hath forsworn to love, and in that vow off love, and that promise has left me alive but dead, To I live dead that live to tell it now. living only to talk about it now. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Be ruled by me. Forget to think of her. Take my advice. Don’t think about her. ROMEO ROMEO O, teach me how I should forget to think! Teach me to forget to think! BENVOLIO BENVOLIO By giving liberty unto thine eyes. (235) Do it by letting your eyes wander freely. Look at other Examine other beauties. beautiful girls. ROMEO ROMEO 'Tis the way That will only make me think more about how to call hers exquisite, in question more. beautiful she is. Beautiful women like to wear black These happy masks that kiss fair ladies' brows, masks over their faces—those black masks only make being black, puts us in mind they hide the fair. (240) us think about how beautiful they are underneath. A He that is strucken blind cannot forget man who goes blind can’t forget the precious eyesight the precious treasure of his eyesight lost. he lost. Show me a really beautiful girl. Her beauty is Show me a mistress that is passing fair; like a note telling me where I can see someone even what doth her beauty serve but as a note more beautiful. Goodbye. You can’t teach me to forget. Where I may read who passed that passing fair? (245) Farewell. Thou canst not teach me to forget. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO I’ll show you how to forget, or else I’ll die owing you I’ll pay that doctrine or else die in debt that lesson. Exeunt. They exit.