Top 9 Romeo and Juliet Quotes Explained (Act 5)
1
Act 5 Scene 1
ROMEO: My dreams presage some joyful news at hand
Themes: dreams, fate, Romeo
After Juliet's death we switch to Romeo in Mantua. Shakespeare makes heavy use of dramatic irony, Romeo's extreme optimism contrasting with the news we know that Balthasar will bring.
2
Act 5 Scene 1
ROMEO: I defy you, stars!
Themes: fate, youth, Romeo
When Romeo hears of Juliet's 'death' he reacts dramatically. He rejects fate, and resolves to take matters into his own hands. We might wonder whether fate would have been kinder if he had shown more patience. On the other hand it could be that Romeo's dramatic reaction is actually a part of the fate that leads the "star-crossed lovers" to their death.
3
Act 5 Scene 1
ROMEO: I pay thy poverty, and not thy will.
Themes: power, Romeo
Romeo visits the apothecary that he noticed previously and thought it would be a good place to buy poison. He tells the apothecary to give poison, not because he wants to but because Romeo will ease his poverty, jusxtaposing the two abstract nouns. In using his power in this way, we might argue that Romeo is contributing to the morally destructive affects of power in the play.
4
Act 5 Scene 1
ROMEO: I sell thee poison; thou hast sold me none.
Themes: power, death, Romeo
When Romeo pays for his poison, he uses parallelism to tell us that money is the true poison in this situation, that it is money that is the real bringer of death. We can think about this quotation in two ways. Firstly it can be seen as Romeo's moment of anagnorisis (a moment of realisation and insight) where Romeo recognises that money and power have been the true causes of his misery. On the other hand this kind of dramatic statement making may all be a part of Romeo's immature posturing. Shakespeare's wealthier patrons are likely to think the latter.
5
Act 5 Scene 3
ROMEO: Thus with a kiss I die.
Themes: love, death, youth, Romeo
When Romeo dies he does so with a kiss, mirroring the moment he meets Juliet in Act 1 Scene 5. The word 'kiss' shows that Romeo's focus is on the physical rather that spiritual, and may suggest the love has as much to do with drama as it does with a spiritual bond.
6
Act 5 Scene 3
JULIET: O happy dagger!
Themes: youth, death, Juliet
When Juliet stabs herself she uses this exclamation. This shows her passion and her energy. The phrase "happy dagger" is an oxymoron that reminds us of Romeo's shallow love for Rosaline in the first scene. Some readers might feel that Shakespeare is implying a shallowness in Romeo and Juliet's relationship.
7
Act 5 Scene 3
PRINCE ESCALES: See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate
Themes: power, fate, families, Prince
The language of this quote mirrors the dying curse of Mercutio - a plague o' both your houses! "Scourge" is a similar word to "plague", and here Prince Escales addresses both Capulet and Montague (both the houses) using the possessive pronoun "your" to show that the two patriarchs are to blame for the unhappy deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
8
Act 5 Scene 3
PRINCE ESCALES: And I for winking at your discords too
Themes: power, Prince
Here we see that the poor use of power in the play goes all the way to the prince, who blames himself for the deaths of Romeo, Juliet and Paris. He uses a eupemism 'winking' so soften his admission.
9
Act 5 Scene 3
PRINCE ESCALES: A glooming peace
Themes: power, fate, Prince
At the end of the play the Prince announces a "glooming peace". The choice of adjective here is surprising as it suggests a degree of pessimism. Does the Prince really believe that Capulet and Montagues offers of peace are going to last?
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