William Shakespeare Quotes

Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 4. When Benvolio says that Juliet’s Nurse is inviting Romeo to supper, Mercutio makes fun of her by crying this out. A "bawd" is a word that hunters use for a hare or rabbit and "so ho" is a hunter’s call on spotting a hare. But "bawd is also a pimp or a madam, someone who gets clients for prostitutes. There is irony here in that the Nurse is a kind of go between, facilitating a meeting between two young lovers which will end up in sex and marriage. Mercutio’s crude and nasty remark also displays his sexism and a certain level of misogyny.