Top 6 Romeo and Juliet Quotes Explained (Act 4)

Top 6 Romeo and Julie Act 4 Quotes Explained

1
Act 4 Scene 1

JULIET: O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris

Themes: youth, death, women, marriage, Juliet
Here Juliet is speaking to the Friar. She uses an imperative to show the strength of her passion. She proposes death as a preferable alternative to marrying Paris and this shows the extreme reactionary behaviour of the young, as seen throughout the play. That Juliet sees this as her only option shows us the vulnerable position into which which women could be placed in Elizabethan England.

2
Act 4 Scene 3

JULIET: a faint cold fear thrills through my veins

Themes: youth, death, Juliet
As Juliet is about to drink the potion that will make her appear dead for forty-two hours she says that fear "thrills" through her veins. The choice of verb implies that the risk of death excites Juliet and links to the risk-taking behaviour ot the young in the play.


3
Act 4 Scene 4

LADY CAPULET: O me, O me! My child, my only life

Themes: death, women, Lady Capulet
Lady Capulet's reaction to finding Juliet (who appears to be dead) at first appears to show her genuine distress. However closer inspection shows the use of first person pronouns, implyig that Lady Capulet is really thinking about herself. This might also show something about the role of women in Elizabethan society. Lady Capulet's life is defined by her children.


4

CAPULET: Death is my son-in-law, Death is my heir;

Themes:  death, power, women, Capulet
Capulet's reaction to Juliet's body is to lament his loss of a"Son-in-Law" and an "heir". He prioritises these over the loss of a daughter! His choice of metaphor suggests that he is a character more interested in his legacy than in the welfare of his daughter.


5

NURSE: O day! O day! O day! O hateful day!

Themes: death, friendship, Nurse
The Nurse's almost nonsensical reaction to the discovering the body of Juliet, demonstrates genuine emotional anguish. She uses extensive repetition and  exclamatory, minor sentences that demonstrate her inability to deal with her pain. So we see that of all the Capulet's, it is only the Nurse who values Juliet for the person she was.


6

CAPULET: with my child my joys are buried.

Themes: death, power, Capulet
This is a line that echoes Act 1 Scene 2 where Capulet said "The earth hath swallow'd all my hopes but she".  So we see that in returning to this metaphor, Capulet is showing again that his primary concern is his legacy and the preserving of political power.