Romeo and Juliet Exile and Banishment Quotes

And for that offence
Immediately we do exile him hence;
I have an interest in your hate’s proceeding,
My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding;
But I’ll amerce you with so strong a fine
That you shall all repent the loss of mine:
I will be deaf to pleading and excuses;
Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses:
Therefore use none.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 1. Prince Escalus tells the feuding Montagues and Capulets that Romeo is to be exiled from Verona for killing Tybalt. The city’s authority figure decides against executing him. The Prince explains that he has been personally impacted by the feud with the killing of his cousin Mercutio. Warning both sides of such heavy fines that they will be sorry for his relation’s death, he tells them that he doesn’t want to hear another word or excuse from them.

Some word there was, worser than Tybalt’s death,
That murder’d me: I would forget it fain;
But, O, it presses to my memory,
Like damned guilty deeds to sinners’ minds:
Tybalt is dead, and Romeo – banished;
That "banished," that one word "banished,"
Hath slain ten thousand Tybalts.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 2. Juliet believes that the banishment of her husband Romeo is worse than death. Torn between family and Romeo, she concludes that Romeo’s exile is worst than the death of ten thousand Tybalts, her cousin killed by Romeo. In a simile she describes how his banishment pushes its way into her memory like sins in a guilty mind. The personification of "banished" highlights her devastation at her separation from Romeo.

ROMEO: Father, what news? what is the prince’s doom?
What sorrow craves acquaintance at my hand,
That I yet know not?…
FRIAR LAURENCE: A gentler judgment vanish’d from his lips,
Not body’s death, but body’s banishment.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 3. Romeo visits Friar Laurence’s cell and asks him what punishment has Prince Escalus decreed for him killing Tybalt. The Friar gives him the news that the Prince has banished him and not acceded to calls for his execution. Romeo uses personification when he speaks of sorrow craving acquaintance at his hand.

There is no world without Verona walls,
But purgatory, torture, hell itself.
Hence-banished is banish’d from the world,
And world’s exile is death.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 3. Romeo is devastated when told by Friar Laurence that he has been banished from Verona over killing Tybalt. A despairing Romeo cannot even imagine living outside Verona. He compares his exile from his beloved city to death or being tormented in hell. This is largely because it means he will be separated from Juliet.

Thou canst not speak of that thou dost not feel:
Wert thou as young as I, Juliet thy love,
An hour but married, Tybalt murdered,
Doting like me and like me banished,
Then mightst thou speak, then mightst thou tear thy hair,
And fall upon the ground, as I do now,
Taking the measure of an unmade grave.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 3. Romeo says this to Friar Laurence after the Friar tells him that his exile is a merciful punishment. In Romeo’s view, were the Friar as young as him and just married, he might tear out his hair and fall to the ground to measure his grave. Romeo rather dramatically falls to the ground as he says this. There is foreshadowing of Romeo’s death here.

Yon light is not day-light, I know it, I:
It is some meteor that the sun exhales,
To be to thee this night a torch-bearer,
And light thee on thy way to Mantua.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 5. After Romeo cautions that daylight is coming and he must be on his way, Juliet’s response is full of powerful light and dark imagery. The lovers are bidding goodbye to one another after their wedding night. Juliet comes up with the fanciful idea that the light is not daylight, but the sun exhaling a meteor to light Romeo’s way to Mantua, where he must go into exile. She personifies the word meteor as the bearer of a torch to guide him through the dark night. Her deep love and longing for Romeo shines through, as she find it hard to part with her new husband.
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