What does Lord Capulet say to Juliet in Act 3?

NURSE God in heaven bless her!
You are to blame, my lord, to rate her so.

CAPULETAnd why, my Lady Wisdom? Hold your tongue.

Good Prudence, smatter with your gossips, go.

NURSE
I speak no treason. 180

CAPULET O, God ’i’ g’ eden!

NURSE
May not one speak?

CAPULET Peace, you mumbling fool!Utter your gravity o’er a gossip’s bowl,

For here we need it not. 185

LADY CAPULET You are too hot.

CAPULET God’s bread, it makes me mad.Day, night, hour, tide, time, work, play,Alone, in company, still my care hath been

To have her matched. And having now provided 190

A gentleman of noble parentage,Of fair demesnes, youthful, and nobly ligned,Stuffed, as they say, with honorable parts,Proportioned as one’s thought would wish a man—

And then to have a wretched puling fool, 195

A whining mammet, in her fortune’s tender,To answer “I’ll not wed. I cannot love.I am too young. I pray you, pardon me.”But, an you will not wed, I’ll pardon you!

Graze where you will, you shall not house with me. 200

Look to ’t; think on ’t. I do not use to jest.Thursday is near. Lay hand on heart; advise.An you be mine, I’ll give you to my friend.An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets,

For, by my soul, I’ll ne’er acknowledge thee, 205

Nor what is mine shall never do thee good.

Trust to ’t; bethink you. I’ll not be forsworn.

He exits.

Both the Nurse and Lady Capulet try to intervene, but Lord Capulet is too hot under the collar to stop yelling and listen. He tells Juliet that she's his, and he wants to give her to his friend. (Ick.) He adds that if she doesn't marry Paris, he'll throw her out in the street; she can beg for food or starve.


Page 2

JULIET
O, shut the door, and when thou hast done so, 45
Come weep with me, past hope, past care, past help.

FRIAR LAWRENCEO Juliet, I already know thy grief.It strains me past the compass of my wits.I hear thou must, and nothing may prorogue it,

On Thursday next be married to this County. 50

JULIETTell me not, friar, that thou hearest of this,Unless thou tell me how I may prevent it.If in thy wisdom thou canst give no help,Do thou but call my resolution wise,

And with this knife I’ll help it presently. 55

She shows him her knife.

God joined my heart and Romeo’s, thou our hands;And ere this hand, by thee to Romeo’s sealed,Shall be the label to another deed,Or my true heart with treacherous revolt

Turn to another, this shall slay them both. 60

Therefore out of thy long-experienced timeGive me some present counsel, or, behold,’Twixt my extremes and me this bloody knifeShall play the umpire, arbitrating that

Which the commission of thy years and art 65

Could to no issue of true honor bring.Be not so long to speak. I long to die

If what thou speak’st speak not of remedy.

Left alone with Friar Lawrence, Juliet...whips out a dagger and tells him she will kill herself if he can't think of a way for her to avoid marrying Paris.


Page 3

  Source: Folger Shakespeare Library

Enter Father Capulet, Mother, Nurse, and Servingmen,
two or three.

CAPULETSo many guests invite as here are writ.

One or two of the Servingmen exit
with Capulet’s list.


Sirrah, go hire me twenty cunning cooks.

SERVINGMAN You shall have none ill, sir, for I’ll try if
they can lick their fingers.

CAPULET How canst thou try them so? 5

SERVINGMAN Marry, sir, ’tis an ill cook that cannot lickhis own fingers. Therefore he that cannot lick his

fingers goes not with me.

CAPULET Go, begone. Servingman exits.
We shall be much unfurnished for this time.— 10
What, is my daughter gone to Friar Lawrence?

NURSE Ay, forsooth.

CAPULETWell, he may chance to do some good on her.

A peevish self-willed harlotry it is.

Once again, just like at the beginning of the play, Capulet is planning a big party. Looks like he's pretty confident Juliet will come around. He sends one of his servingmen off with a list of people to invite. Let's hope this one can read.

Enter Juliet.

NURSE
See where she comes from shrift with merry look. 15

CAPULETHow now, my headstrong, where have you been

gadding?

JULIETWhere I have learned me to repent the sinOf disobedient opposition

To you and your behests, and am enjoined 20


By holy Lawrence to fall prostrate here Kneeling.To beg your pardon. Pardon, I beseech you.

Henceforward I am ever ruled by you.

Juliet comes home, all fake-humble and repentant. She apologizes for being a bratty teenager and says she'll do whatever her dad tells her to.

CAPULETSend for the County. Go tell him of this.

I’ll have this knot knit up tomorrow morning. 25

JULIETI met the youthful lord at Lawrence’ cellAnd gave him what becomèd love I might,

Not stepping o’er the bounds of modesty.

CAPULETWhy, I am glad on ’t. This is well. Stand up.

Juliet rises.


This is as ’t should be.—Let me see the County. 30Ay, marry, go, I say, and fetch him hither.—Now, afore God, this reverend holy friar,

All our whole city is much bound to him.

Lord Capulet is overjoyed and decides the marriage will take place the next morning. Why wait till Thursday?

JULIETNurse, will you go with me into my closet

To help me sort such needful ornaments 35


As you think fit to furnish me tomorrow?

LADY CAPULET
No, not till Thursday. There is time enough.

CAPULET
Go, nurse. Go with her. We’ll to church tomorrow.

Juliet and the Nurse exit.

When Juliet asks the Nurse to come help her get ready, Lady Capulet says the wedding won't be tomorrow—it'll be Thursday. But Lord Capulet doesn't want to wait. He tells them Thursday it is.

LADY CAPULETWe shall be short in our provision.

’Tis now near night. 40

CAPULET Tush, I will stir about,And all things shall be well, I warrant thee, wife.Go thou to Juliet. Help to deck up her.I’ll not to bed tonight. Let me alone.

I’ll play the housewife for this once.—What ho!— 45

They are all forth. Well, I will walk myselfTo County Paris, to prepare up himAgainst tomorrow. My heart is wondrous light

Since this same wayward girl is so reclaimed.

They exit.

Lady Capulet is worried they won't have enough time to make all the food they need, but Lord Capulet says he'll stay up all night making preparations if he has to. Juliet's sudden turnaround has put him in a chipper mood.

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The prologue of Romeo and Juliet calls the title characters “star-crossed lovers”—and the stars do seem to conspire against these young lovers….

A street fight breaks out between the Montagues and the Capulets, which is broken up by the ruler of Verona,…

In conversation with Capulet, Count Paris declares his wish to marry Juliet. Capulet invites him to a party that night….

Lady Capulet informs Juliet of Paris’s marriage proposal and praises him extravagantly. Juliet says that she has not even dreamed…

Romeo and Benvolio approach the Capulets’ party with their friend Mercutio and others, wearing the disguises customarily donned by “maskers.”…

Capulet welcomes the disguised Romeo and his friends. Romeo, watching the dance, is caught by the beauty of Juliet. Overhearing…

Again the Chorus’s speech is in the form of a sonnet.

Romeo finds himself so in love with Juliet that he cannot leave her. He scales a wall and enters Capulet’s…

From Capulet’s garden Romeo overhears Juliet express her love for him. When he answers her, they acknowledge their love and…

Determined to marry Juliet, Romeo hurries to Friar Lawrence. The Friar agrees to marry them, expressing the hope that the…

Mercutio and Benvolio meet the newly enthusiastic Romeo in the street. Romeo defeats Mercutio in a battle of wits. The…

Juliet waits impatiently for the Nurse to return. Her impatience grows when the Nurse, having returned, is slow to deliver…

Juliet meets Romeo at Friar Lawrence’s cell. After expressing their mutual love, they exit with the Friar to be married.

Mercutio and Benvolio encounter Tybalt on the street. As soon as Romeo arrives, Tybalt tries to provoke him to fight….

Juliet longs for Romeo to come to her. The Nurse arrives with the news that Romeo has killed Tybalt and…

Friar Lawrence tells Romeo that his punishment for killing Tybalt is banishment, not death. Romeo responds that death is preferable…

Paris again approaches Capulet about marrying Juliet. Capulet, saying that Juliet will do as she is told, promises Paris that…

Romeo and Juliet separate at the first light of day. Almost immediately her mother comes to announce that Juliet must…

Paris is talking with Friar Lawrence about the coming wedding when Juliet arrives. After Paris leaves, she threatens suicide if…

Capulet energetically directs preparations for the wedding. When Juliet returns from Friar Lawrence and pretends to have learned obedience, Capulet…

Juliet sends the Nurse away for the night. After facing her terror at the prospect of awaking in her family’s…

The Capulets and the Nurse stay up all night to get ready for the wedding. Capulet, hearing Paris approach with…

The Nurse finds Juliet in the deathlike trance caused by the Friar’s potion and announces Juliet’s death. Juliet’s parents and…

Romeo’s man, Balthasar, arrives in Mantua with news of Juliet’s death. Romeo sends him to hire horses for their immediate…

Friar John enters, bringing with him the letter that he was to have delivered to Romeo. He tells why he…

Paris visits Juliet’s tomb and, when Romeo arrives, challenges him. Romeo and Paris fight and Paris is killed. Romeo, in…

Enter old Capulet, his Wife, and Paris.

CAPULET 


 Things have fallen out, sir, so unluckily
 That we have had no time to move our daughter.
 Look you, she loved her kinsman Tybalt dearly,
 And so did I. Well, we were born to die.
5 ’Tis very late. She’ll not come down tonight.
 I promise you, but for your company,
 I would have been abed an hour ago.
PARIS 
 These times of woe afford no times to woo.—
 Madam, good night. Commend me to your
10 daughter.
LADY CAPULET 
 I will, and know her mind early tomorrow.
 Tonight she’s mewed up to her heaviness.
CAPULET 
 Sir Paris, I will make a desperate tender
 Of my child’s love. I think she will be ruled

155

Romeo and Juliet

ACT 3. SC. 5


15 In all respects by me. Nay, more, I doubt it not.—
 Wife, go you to her ere you go to bed.
 Acquaint her here of my son Paris’ love,
 And bid her—mark you me?—on Wednesday
 next—
20 But soft, what day is this?
PARIS  Monday, my lord.
CAPULET 
 Monday, ha ha! Well, Wednesday is too soon.
 O’ Thursday let it be.—O’ Thursday, tell her,
 She shall be married to this noble earl.—
25 Will you be ready? Do you like this haste?
 We’ll keep no great ado: a friend or two.
 For hark you, Tybalt being slain so late,
 It may be thought we held him carelessly,
 Being our kinsman, if we revel much.
30 Therefore we’ll have some half a dozen friends,
 And there an end. But what say you to Thursday?
PARIS 
 My lord, I would that Thursday were tomorrow.
CAPULET 
 Well, get you gone. O’ Thursday be it, then.
 To Lady Capulet. Go you to Juliet ere you go to bed.
35 Prepare her, wife, against this wedding day.—
 Farewell, my lord.—Light to my chamber, ho!—
 Afore me, it is so very late that we
 May call it early by and by.—Good night.
They exit.