Romeo and Juliet Family Quotes

Civil blood makes civil hands unclean quote Romeo and Juliet

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Prologue. The opening lines of Shakespeare’s tragic love story introduces us to the ancient feud between two great houses in Verona, the Capulets and Montagues. There is irony in the repeated use of the word "civil" in the Chorus’s introductory words. While Verona’s citizens ought to be civil, we learn that their hands are metaphorically stained ("unclean") with the blood of the victims of their civil war. There is also irony in the description of the warring families being "alike in dignity," since we later learn that they are alike in their undignified behavior.

Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word,
By thee, old Capulet, and Montague,
Have thrice disturb’d the quiet of our streets,
And made Verona’s ancient citizens
Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments,
To wield old partisans, in hands as old,
Canker’d with peace, to part your canker’d hate.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Scene 1. Prince Escalus launches a tirade at the patriarchs of the feuding Capulets and Montagues for their families’ involvement in three disturbances on Verona’s streets. The angry city ruler says that Verona’s elderly citizens have been forced to take off their dress clothes and pick up rusty spears to break up the fights.

And too soon marr’d are those so early made.
The earth hath swallow’d all my hopes but she,
She is the hopeful lady of my earth.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Scene 2. Juliet occupies a special place in Capulet’s heart and initially he refuses to marry her to Paris because she is too young. She is his last remaining hope of future generations of descendants, since his other children have died. His affection for Juliet is clear in this passage. Earth is personified because it has the human ability to swallow – it has "swallow’d" all Capulet’s children except Juliet.

Come Lammas-eve at night shall she be fourteen.
Susan and she – God rest all Christian souls! –
Were of an age.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Scene 3. The Nurse looks forward to Juliet’s 14th birthday like she were her own daughter. She grieves for her own daughter Susan who was born on the same day as Juliet, but died young. The Nurse, having cared for Juliet from the time she was a baby, is presented as a surrogate mother to Juliet. The Nurse’s reference to her dead daughter is foreshadowing of Juliet’s premature death.
The prettiest babe that e’er I nursed - Nurse to Juliet

Thou wast the prettiest babe that e’er I nursed:
An I might live to see thee married once,
I have my wish.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Scene 3. The Nurse’s words to Juliet underscores the tender and close relationship she enjoyed with Juliet ever since she nursed her as a baby. A secondary mother to Juliet, she is more of a mother to her than Lady Capulet. Her wish to see Juliet married after watching her grow up illustrates the strong motherly feelings she has for her.

My only love sprung from my only hate!
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
Prodigious birth of love it is to me,
That I must love a loathed enemy.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Scene 5. Juliet says this when she finds out Romeo is a Montague. She is fated to love a "loathed enemy" of her family, the Capulets. "Too early seen unknown, and known too late" suggests that had Juliet known he was a Montague she wouldn’t have fallen in love with him, but now that she has there is no going back. With Juliet, as with Romeo, love is an irresistible force that a person cannot control.

O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2. The first line is one of the most recognizable and famous in the play. In the balcony scene Juliet asks why Romeo is Romeo, a member of the Montagues who are the greatest enemies of the Capulets. She asks him to deny his family for the sake of their love, and if he does not she will give up her family name. She is on her bedroom balcony as she speaks these words, unaware that Romeo is standing below in the garden listening. This is an example of dramatic irony, since the audience knows that Romeo is there and she does not.

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2. In one of Shakespeare’s most frequently quoted passages, Juliet uses flower imagery to illustrate how absurd it is that two people in love are unable to be together because of their family names. Using the metaphor of a rose for Romeo, she says that if a rose was called another name it would still have the same sweet smell. She is suggesting that no matter what Romeo’s family name is she loves him for who he is. Before these words Juliet says: "What’s Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!" Juliet is saying that while Romeo may be Montague, his physical body and identity are his own. Her reference to a man’s body parts indicates that she is thinking of Romeo in a sexual way. We also see the theme of appearance vs reality in this passage.

Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptised;
Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2. Romeo finally reveals his presence beneath Juliet’s balcony. To prove his devotion he tells her that he is willing to sacrifice his own family name of Montague so that he can be called her love. He uses the religious metaphor of baptism to convey his wish to be reborn to this new role. This passage also shows Romeo’s impulsivity and recklessness. He has scaled the wall of the enemy Capulet orchard, putting himself in danger if caught, to see again a girl that he has only just met.

Young son, it argues a distemper’d head
So soon to bid good morrow to thy bed.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 3. When Romeo meets and falls in love with Juliet, he goes straight to Friar Laurence to tell him his good news news. It’s clear from the manner of the friar’s greeting that there is a close relationship between the two and the friar has a father’s love for him. Greeting Romeo as "young son," the friar wonders what is troubling him that he is up so early.

If ye should lead her into a fool’s paradise, as they say, it were a very gross kind of behaviour, as they say: for the gentlewoman is young; and, therefore, if you should deal double with her, truly it were an ill thing to be offered to any gentlewoman, and very weak dealing.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 4. The Nurse warns Romeo not to make a fool of Juliet by leading her on and then leaving her. To take advantage of her youth and innocence and deceive her would be wicked, she says. The Nurse is acting like a protective mother to Juliet.

Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee
Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
To such a greeting: villain am I none;
Therefore farewell; I see thou know’st me not.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 1. When Tybalt confronts Romeo and insults him by branding him a "villain," Romeo refuses Tybalt’s challenge to fight. He claims that Tybalt doesn’t know him. He says that he has a reason to love Tybalt which allows him to overlook his insult. Romeo is hinting that they are now family because of his secret marriage to Juliet. This is dramatic irony because the audience knows this and Tybalt doesn’t.

I do protest, I never injured thee,
But love thee better than thou canst devise,
Till thou shalt know the reason of my love:
And so, good Capulet, – which name I tender
As dearly as my own, – be satisfied.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 1. Romeo’s response to Tybalt shows dramatic irony and the themes of family and love. Tybalt has just insulted Romeo by calling him a "villain" and challenged to draw his sword. But Romeo refuses to accept the insult and take up the challenge. He declares that he loves Tybalt and the Capulet name more than Tybalt can realize. Here Romeo is alluding to his secret wedding to Tybalt’s cousin Juliet, which makes the two men part of the same family by marriage. Of course Tybalt knows nothing of this and will not back down.

O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!
Alla stoccata carries it away.
Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 1. Mercutio mocks Romeo for being cowardly for not accepting Tybalt’s challenge to fight. So Mercutio draws his sword to fight in Romeo’s place and defend his honor. He uses a metaphorical insult comparing Tybalt to a "rat-catcher." What Mercutio doesn’t know is that Romeo’s reluctance to fight a Capulet is because he is secretly married to one – Juliet. This an example of dramatic irony since the audience already knows this.

Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring;
Your tributary drops belong to woe,
Which you, mistaking, offer up to joy.
My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain;
And Tybalt’s dead, that would have slain my husband:
All this is comfort; wherefore weep I then?

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 2. After hearing the terrible news of her cousin Tybalt’s killing by Romeo, Juliet wonders which side should she take, that of Romeo or her family. Fighting off tears, she reasons that she cannot cry for Tybalt, because he would have killed Romeo.

Hang thee, young baggage! disobedient wretch!
I tell thee what: get thee to church o’ Thursday,
Or never after look me in the face:
Speak not, reply not, do not answer me;
My fingers itch.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 5. Capulet directs vicious insults at Juliet after she refuses to marry Paris, a match that he has arranged for her. He believes that her refusal displays a lack of appreciation and gratitude towards him. Verbally abusive, he threatens to disown her if she disobeys him. He becomes so angry that he wants to hit her – "My fingers itch."

See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate,
That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love.
And I for winking at your discords too
Have lost a brace of kinsmen: all are punish’d.

– William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, Act 5, Scene 3. Prince Escalus chastises Capulet and Montague and holds them responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s double suicide. He tells them that the evil feud and hate between the families led to the loss of their children. He also blames himself for losing two of his own family by turning a blind eye to the feud. As a result all of them have been punished. Escalus says, with irony, that heaven found a way of killing Capulet and Montague’s joys – their children – with the love they had for one another. He also personifies heaven, giving it the human ability to kill.
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