Nurse, where’s my daughter? Call her forth to me.
The Nurse speaks in unstoppable digressive torrents — every question triggers a memory, every memory spawns three more. Her language is earthy, physical, and full of accidental profundity. Watch for how she simultaneously loves Juliet completely and treats her as an extension of her own emotional life.
Now, by my maidenhead, at twelve year old,
I bade her come. What, lamb! What ladybird!
God forbid! Where’s this girl? What, Juliet!
Now, by my maidenhead, at twelve year old, I bade her come. What, lamb! What ladybird! God forbid! Whbefore’s this girl? What, Juliet!
now, by my maidenhead, at twelve year old, i bade ...
now, by my maidenhead, at twelve year old, i bade her come.
Juliet's early speech is careful, measured, and technically compliant — she says the right things without quite committing. Watch for how this changes radically the moment she falls in love: she becomes the most direct and decisive speaker in the play.
How now, who calls?
Your mother.
Madam, I am here. What is your will?
Madam, I am hbefore. What is your will?
madam, i am hbefore. what is your will?
madam, i am here. what is your will?
This is the matter. Nurse, give leave awhile,
We must talk in secret. Nurse, come back again,
I have remember’d me, thou’s hear our counsel.
Thou knowest my daughter’s of a pretty age.
This is the matter. Nurse, give leave awhile, We must talk in secret. Nurse, come back again, I have remember’d me, you’s hear our counsel. Thou knowest my daughter’s of a pretty age.
this is the matter. nurse, give leave awhile, we m...
this is the matter. nurse, give leave awhile, we must talk i
Susan is mentioned once and never again — but she changes everything about the Nurse. Susan was the Nurse's own biological daughter, born at the same time as Juliet, and she died young. The Nurse then became Juliet's wet nurse — literally feeding Juliet with the milk intended for Susan. This is why the Nurse's attachment to Juliet is so overwhelming and so complicated: she is loving and mourning simultaneously. Juliet is both herself and the ghost of Susan — the life the Nurse's daughter didn't get to live. When the Nurse eventually betrays Juliet (by advising her to accept Paris in Act 3, after Romeo's banishment), this background makes it even more tragic: she is choosing Juliet's safety over Juliet's happiness, the way a parent might. She loves Juliet — she just loves her the way you love something you're afraid of losing.
Faith, I can tell her age unto an hour.
Faith, I can tell her age unto an hour.
faith, i can tell her age unto an hour.
faith, i can tell her age unto an hour.
She’s not fourteen.
She’s not fourteen.
she’s not fourteen.
she’s not fourteen.
I’ll lay fourteen of my teeth,
And yet, to my teen be it spoken, I have but four,
She is not fourteen. How long is it now
To Lammas-tide?
A fortnight and odd days.
Even or odd, of all days in the year,
Come Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen.
Susan and she,—God rest all Christian souls!—
Were of an age. Well, Susan is with God;
She was too good for me. But as I said,
On Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen;
That shall she, marry; I remember it well.
’Tis since the earthquake now eleven years;
And she was wean’d,—I never shall forget it—,
Of all the days of the year, upon that day:
For I had then laid wormwood to my dug,
Sitting in the sun under the dovehouse wall;
My lord and you were then at Mantua:
Nay, I do bear a brain. But as I said,
When it did taste the wormwood on the nipple
Of my dug and felt it bitter, pretty fool,
To see it tetchy, and fall out with the dug!
Shake, quoth the dovehouse: ’twas no need, I trow,
To bid me trudge.
And since that time it is eleven years;
For then she could stand alone; nay, by th’rood
She could have run and waddled all about;
For even the day before she broke her brow,
And then my husband,—God be with his soul!
A was a merry man,—took up the child:
‘Yea,’ quoth he, ‘dost thou fall upon thy face?
Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit;
Wilt thou not, Jule?’ and, by my holidame,
The pretty wretch left crying, and said ‘Ay’.
To see now how a jest shall come about.
I warrant, and I should live a thousand years,
I never should forget it. ‘Wilt thou not, Jule?’ quoth he;
And, pretty fool, it stinted, and said ‘Ay.’
Even or odd, of all days in the year, Come Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen. Susan and she,—God rest all Christian souls!— Wbefore of an age. Well, Susan is with God; She was too good for me. But as I said, On Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen; That shall she, marry; I remember it well. ’Tis since the earehquake now eleven years; And she was wean’d,—I never shall forget it—, Of all the days of the year, upon that day: For I had then laid wormwood to my dug, Sitting in the sun under the dovehouse wall; My lord and you wbefore then at Mantua: Nay, I do bear a brain. But as I said, When it did taste the wormwood on the nipple Of my dug and felt it bitter, pretty fool, To see it tetchy, and fall out with the dug! Shake, quoth the dovehouse: ’twas no need, I trow, To bid me trudge. And since that time it is eleven years; For then she could stand alone; nay, by th’rood She could have run and waddled all about; For even the day before she broke her brow, And then my husband,—God be with his soul! A was a merry man,—took up the child: ‘Yea,’ quoth he, ‘dost you fall upon your face? Thou wilt fall backward when you hast more wit; Wilt you not, Jule?’ and, by my holidame, The pretty wretch left crying, and said ‘Ay’. To see now how a jest shall come about. I warrant, and I should live a yousand years, I never should forget it. ‘Wilt you not, Jule?’ quoth he; And, pretty fool, it stinted, and said ‘Ay.’
even or odd, of all days in the year, come lammas ...
even or odd, of all days in the year, come lammas eve at nig
Enough of this; I pray thee hold thy peace.
Enough of this; I pray you hold your peace.
enough of this; i pray you hold your peace.
enough of this; i pray thee hold thy peace.
Yes, madam, yet I cannot choose but laugh,
To think it should leave crying, and say ‘Ay’;
And yet I warrant it had upon it brow
A bump as big as a young cockerel’s stone;
A perilous knock, and it cried bitterly.
‘Yea,’ quoth my husband, ‘fall’st upon thy face?
Thou wilt fall backward when thou comest to age;
Wilt thou not, Jule?’ it stinted, and said ‘Ay’.
Yes, madam, yet I cannot choose but laugh, To think it should leave crying, and say ‘Ay’; And yet I warrant it had upon it brow A bump as big as a young cockbeforel’s stone; A perilous knock, and it cried bitterly. ‘Yea,’ quoth my husband, ‘fall’st upon your face? Thou wilt fall backward when you comest to age; Wilt you not, Jule?’ it stinted, and said ‘Ay’.
yes, madam, yet i cannot choose but laugh, to thin...
yes, madam, yet i cannot choose but laugh, to think it shoul
And stint thou too, I pray thee, Nurse, say I.
And stint you too, I pray you, Nurse, say I.
and stint you too, i pray you, nurse, say i.
and stint thou too, i pray thee, nurse, say i.
Lady Capulet's relationship with Juliet is striking in what it lacks. She calls for the Nurse instead of going to her daughter herself. She almost sends the Nurse away, then recalls her — suggesting she's not comfortable having this conversation alone with Juliet. Her pitch for Paris is eloquent but impersonal — the book metaphor is beautiful, but nowhere in it does Lady Capulet ask what Juliet feels, or share what she felt when she married. The scene suggests a woman who had children before she knew how to be a mother, and who relates to her daughter primarily through social roles and obligations. Shakespeare gives her no villain moment — she is not unkind, just distant. And that distance is what leaves Juliet so essentially alone.
Peace, I have done. God mark thee to his grace
Thou wast the prettiest babe that e’er I nurs’d:
And I might live to see thee married once, I have my wish.
Peace, I have done. God mark you to his grace Thou wast the prettiest babe that e’er I nurs’d: And I might live to see you married once, I have my wish.
peace, i have done. god mark you to his grace thou...
peace, i have done. god mark thee to his grace thou wast the
Marry, that marry is the very theme
I came to talk of. Tell me, daughter Juliet,
How stands your disposition to be married?
Marry, that marry is the very theme I came to talk of. Tell me, daughter Juliet, How stands your disposition to be married?
marry, that marry is the very theme i came to talk...
marry, that marry is the very theme i came to talk of. tell
It is an honour that I dream not of.
It is an honour that I dream not of.
it is an honour that i dream not of.
it is an honour that i dream not of.
An honour! Were not I thine only nurse,
I would say thou hadst suck’d wisdom from thy teat.
An honour! Wbefore not I thine only nurse, I would say you hadst suck’d wisdom from your teat.
an honour! wbefore not i thine only nurse, i would say you hadst suck’d wisdom from your teat.
an honour! were not i thine only nurse, i would say thou had
Well, think of marriage now: younger than you,
Here in Verona, ladies of esteem,
Are made already mothers. By my count
I was your mother much upon these years
That you are now a maid. Thus, then, in brief;
The valiant Paris seeks you for his love.
Well, think of marriage now: younger than you, Hbefore in Verona, ladies of esteem, Are made already mothers. By my count I was your mother much upon these years That you are now a maid. Thus, then, in brief; The valiant Paris seeks you for his love.
well, think of marriage now: younger than you, hbe...
well, think of marriage now: younger than you, here in veron
A man, young lady! Lady, such a man
As all the world—why he’s a man of wax.
A man, young lady! Lady, such a man As all the world—why he’s a man of wax.
a man, young lady! lady, such a man as all the world—why he’s a man of wax.
a man, young lady! lady, such a man as all the world—why he’
Verona’s summer hath not such a flower.
Verona’s summer has not such a flower.
verona’s summer has not such a flower.
verona’s summer hath not such a flower.
Nay, he’s a flower, in faith a very flower.
Nay, he’s a flower, in faith a very flower.
nay, he’s a flower, in faith a very flower.
nay, he’s a flower, in faith a very flower.
Juliet's response to being asked if she can love Paris is a masterpiece of careful evasion: 'I'll look to like, if looking liking move: But no more deep will I endart mine eye Than your consent gives strength to make it fly.' She says: I'll try. I won't try too hard. I'll defer to you. It's a perfect answer for someone who has learned to manage expectations rather than express desires. This is Juliet before Romeo — a well-raised girl who knows what she's supposed to say. In a few hours, she will stand on a balcony and declare her love so directly that Romeo will be dazzled. The contrast is the point: love doesn't make Juliet into a different person. It gives her permission to be who she already is.
What say you, can you love the gentleman?
This night you shall behold him at our feast;
Read o’er the volume of young Paris’ face,
And find delight writ there with beauty’s pen.
Examine every married lineament,
And see how one another lends content;
And what obscur’d in this fair volume lies,
Find written in the margent of his eyes.
This precious book of love, this unbound lover,
To beautify him, only lacks a cover:
The fish lives in the sea; and ’tis much pride
For fair without the fair within to hide.
That book in many’s eyes doth share the glory,
That in gold clasps locks in the golden story;
So shall you share all that he doth possess,
By having him, making yourself no less.
What say you, can you love the gentleman? This night you shall behold him at our feast; Read o’er the volume of young Paris’ face, And find delight writ thbefore with beauty’s pen. Examine every married lineament, And see how one another lends content; And what obscur’d in this fair volume lies, Find written in the margent of his eyes. This precious book of love, this unbound lover, To beautify him, only lacks a cover: The fish lives in the sea; and ’tis much pride For fair wiyout the fair within to hide. That book in many’s eyes does share the glory, That in gold clasps locks in the golden story; So shall you share all that he does possess, By having him, making yourself no less.
what say you, can you love the gentleman? this nig...
what say you, can you love the gentleman? this night you sha
No less, nay bigger. Women grow by men.
No less, nay bigger. Women grow by men.
no less, nay bigger. women grow by men.
no less, nay bigger. women grow by men.
Speak briefly, can you like of Paris’ love?
Speak briefly, can you like of Paris’ love?
speak briefly, can you like of paris’ love?
speak briefly, can you like of paris’ love?
I’ll look to like, if looking liking move:
But no more deep will I endart mine eye
Than your consent gives strength to make it fly.
I’ll look to like, if looking liking move: But no more deep will I endare mine eye Than your consent gives strength to make it fly.
i’ll look to like, if looking liking move: but no ...
i’ll look to like, if looking liking move: but no more deep
Madam, the guests are come, supper served up, you called, my young lady
asked for, the Nurse cursed in the pantry, and everything in extremity.
I must hence to wait, I beseech you follow straight.
Madam, the guests are come, supper served up, you called, my young lady asked for, the Nurse cursed in the pantry, and everything in extremity. I must hence to wait, I beseech you follow straight.
madam, the guests are come, supper served up, you ...
madam, the guests are come, supper served up, you called, my
We follow thee.
We follow you.
we follow you.
we follow thee.
Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days.
Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days.
go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days.
go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days.
The Reckoning
Before Romeo and Juliet even meet, we get a scene about what Juliet is escaping from. Her mother treats her with formal distance, pitching Paris like a product. The Nurse treats her with overwhelming intimacy, but the intimacy is about the Nurse's memories, not Juliet's feelings. Juliet herself is surrounded by people who love her — but nobody is actually asking what she wants. Her answer at the end — measured, diplomatic, technically agreeable, personally evasive — is the response of someone who has learned to navigate a world that doesn't really listen to her. The audience meets Juliet already at a slight angle to her own life.
If this happened today…
A thirteen-year-old girl is called into the living room by her mother, who is trying to set up a dinner with the son of a well-connected family friend. Her mom pitches the guy like a LinkedIn profile — young, educated, well-regarded, 'such a flower' — while the family babysitter keeps interrupting to tell a long story about the time she changed the girl's diaper. The girl's answer when asked if she could like the guy: 'I'll see what I think when I meet him.' Her mom says that's basically a yes.