Nurse, where’s my daughter? Call her forth to me.
Nurse, where is my daughter? Call her to me.
Nurse, get Juliet. I need to talk to her.
nurse get juliet now
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!
By my honor, when she was twelve years old I told her to come. What, little lamb! What little bird! Good grief! Where is this girl? Juliet!
I swear, I told her to come when she was twelve. What, sweetie? Where'd you go? Juliet! Come on!
i told her to come hours ago where is this girl
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?
Who is calling me?
Who's calling?
who's there?
Your mother.
Your mother.
Your mom.
your mom
Madam, I am here. What is your will?
Mother, I'm here. What do you want?
I'm here, Mother. What do you need?
im here whats up
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.
Here's the matter. Nurse, leave us for a while; we must speak privately. No wait, come back, Nurse; I want you to hear this too. You know my daughter is at a suitable age.
This is what I want to discuss. Nurse, step out for a moment; we need to talk privately. Wait, actually, come back—I want you to hear this too. You know how old she is now.
we gotta talk actually nurse stay my daughters at marrying age
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.
Honestly, I can tell you her exact age down to the hour.
Trust me, I can tell you exactly how old she is—to the hour.
i know her age perfectly
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?
I'd bet fourteen of my teeth on it, and sad to say, I only have four of my own, but she is definitely not fourteen. How much time until Lammas?
I'd bet my teeth on it—and believe me, I don't have many teeth left—but she's definitely not fourteen yet. How long until Lammas?
shes not fourteen yet how long til lammas i swear on my teeth
A fortnight and odd days.
Two weeks and a few extra days.
Two weeks, maybe a few days more.
two weeks and some extra 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.’
Whether it's early or late, on Lammas Eve at night she will be fourteen—I'm certain of it. Susan and she were the same age; God rest all Christian souls! But Susan is with God now; she was too good for me. But as I said, on Lammas Eve at night she will be fourteen. That's when. I remember it perfectly. Eleven years have passed since the earthquake. When she was being weaned—I'll never forget it—on that very day. I had put wormwood on my breast, sitting in the sun by the dovehouse wall. My lord and you were at Mantua then. But I do remember things clearly. When she tasted the wormwood on my nipple and found it bitter, the poor dear cried and pulled away from my breast! The dovehouse shook—I didn't need to be told to run. And since that time, eleven years have passed. By then she could stand alone; yes, she could run and waddle everywhere. Even the day before she hurt her head, my husband—God rest his soul!—he was such a merry man—picked her up. He said, 'If you're falling on your face now, you'll fall backward when you're older. Won't you, Julie?' And by my salvation, the pretty child stopped crying and said yes. It's amazing how a joke comes true. I swear if I lived a thousand years, I'd never forget it. 'Won't you, Julie?' he said, and the pretty child stopped crying and said yes.
Whether it comes early or late, on Lammas Eve she'll definitely be fourteen—I'm sure of it. Susan was her age, rest her soul. But Susan's gone now; she was better than I deserved. Anyway, on Lammas Eve she'll turn fourteen. I remember it perfectly. Eleven years ago now, right after the earthquake. I was weaning her then—I'll never forget that day. I had put wormwood on my breast, sitting in the sun near the dovehouse. Your husband and you were in Mantua. I really do remember. When she tasted the wormwood on my breast and realized it was bitter, poor thing, she cried and stopped nursing. The dovehouse practically shook—I didn't need to be told twice to leave. Anyway, that was eleven years ago. She could stand by herself then, even run around and waddle everywhere. The day before she hit her head, your husband—God keep his soul, he was such a happy man—he picked her up and joked, 'If you're falling on your face now, you'll be falling backward when you're older. Right, Jule?' And I swear, she stopped crying and said yes. It's wild how things work out. I'd live a thousand years and never forget that. 'Won't you, Jule?' he said, and she said yes.
shell be 14 on lammas eve i remember the earthquake 11 years ago when i was weaning her she cried when she tasted bitter her dad joked shed fall backward someday and shed say yes
Enough of this; I pray thee hold thy peace.
That's enough; please be quiet.
That's enough. Please stop talking.
ok thats enough
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, but I can't help but laugh when I think how she stopped crying and said yes. Though honestly, she had a huge bump on her forehead from that fall—it was a serious knock and she cried hard about it. 'If you're falling on your face,' my husband said, 'you'll fall backward when you're older. Won't you, Jule?' And she stopped crying and said yes.
Yes, madam, but I still laugh thinking about how she stopped crying and said yes. Though I have to say, she had this huge bump on her forehead from that fall—like, really bad—and she cried hard. But my husband said, 'If you're falling on your face now, you'll be falling backward when you're older. Right, Jule?' And would you believe it, she stopped crying and said yes.
i cant stop laughing about it remember that huge bump she cried so hard but then she said yes
And stint thou too, I pray thee, Nurse, say I.
And you should stop too, I'm asking you, Nurse.
You should stop talking too, Nurse, please.
nurse u gotta stop too
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.
Quiet now, I'm done. God guide you with his grace. You were the prettiest baby I ever cared for, and if I could just live to see you married once, I'd have everything I want.
Okay, I'm done talking. May God bless you. You were the most beautiful baby I ever took care of, and if I could just see you married someday, I'd be completely happy.
youre the prettiest baby i ever raised if i see u married id be complete
Marry, that marry is the very theme
I came to talk of. Tell me, daughter Juliet,
How stands your disposition to be married?
Well, marriage is exactly the subject I came to discuss. Tell me, daughter, how do you feel about being married?
Actually, that's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. Juliet, what do you think about getting married?
yeah thats what i came for what do u think about marriage
It is an honour that I dream not of.
It's an honor I haven't even thought about.
It's something I've never even considered.
not really something ive thought about
An honour! Were not I thine only nurse,
I would say thou hadst suck’d wisdom from thy teat.
An honor! If I weren't your only nurse, I'd say you'd learned wisdom from me.
An honor! If I weren't your only nursemaid, I'd say you learned all your wisdom from me.
you learned wisdom from me
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, start thinking about marriage now. In Verona, respectable young ladies younger than you are already mothers. By my count, I was your mother at about your current age. So, to get to the point: the brave Paris is seeking your love.
Think about marriage, really. There are girls in Verona younger than you who are already mothers. I had you when I was about your age. To be direct: Paris—he's noble and brave—wants you as his wife.
girls ur age in verona r already moms i was ur mom at ur age paris wants u
A man, young lady! Lady, such a man
As all the world—why he’s a man of wax.
A man, young lady! Such a man as the world has never seen—he's as perfect as a wax figure.
A man! A real man! The kind of man everyone loves—he's absolutely perfect.
hes literally perfect
Verona’s summer hath not such a flower.
Verona at its finest has never produced such a beautiful flower.
Verona at its best has never seen someone as beautiful as him.
hes the most beautiful in verona
Nay, he’s a flower, in faith a very flower.
No, he's definitely a flower—truly a most beautiful flower.
Absolutely, he's a flower—a truly beautiful one.
yeah hes totally a 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 do you say—can you love this gentleman? Tonight you'll see him at our feast. Read the pages of young Paris' face and find delight written there in beauty. Study every feature and see how they complement each other perfectly. Whatever hidden beauty lies in that handsome face, you'll find revealed in his eyes. This precious love story, this lover without a binding, lacks only a cover to complete his beauty. A fish lives in the sea, and it would be foolish to hide such beauty inside and out. That book which many admire—the one bound in gold with a perfect golden story—you'll share everything he possesses when you marry him, and you'll become no less than before.
What do you think—could you love him? You'll see him at the party tonight. Look at his face like you're reading a book and you'll see beauty written all over it. Study every part of his face and how they all work together perfectly. Whatever isn't obvious on the surface, you'll see in his eyes. He's like a beautiful book without a cover—he's just missing that final binding. It's foolish to hide someone beautiful inside and out. That book everyone admires with its gold binding and golden story—when you marry him, you'll have everything he has, and you'll be even greater than before.
meet him at the party his face is like a book of beauty every feature perfect his eyes have all the secrets hes the whole package youll have everything
No less, nay bigger. Women grow by men.
No less, even bigger! Women become more important when they marry men.
Not just as much—even more! Women become greater through marriage.
nah youll get bigger women level up through men
Speak briefly, can you like of Paris’ love?
Tell me quickly, can you feel affection for Paris?
Quick answer: can you feel something for Paris?
can u like paris
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 try to like him if looking at him makes me like him, but I won't let my heart go deeper than your approval gives me permission to go.
I'll try to like him if seeing him makes me like him. But I won't let my feelings go any further than you approve of.
ill try to like him but only as much as u want
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 have arrived, supper is served, you're being called, your young lady was looking for you, the Nurse is cursing in the pantry, and everything is urgent. I must go serve the table; I ask you to follow immediately.
Madam, everyone's here now, the food's ready, you're needed, Juliet's looking for you, the Nurse is swearing in the kitchen, and everything's crazy. I gotta go serve—please come right away.
guests are here supper ready everythings going crazy come now
We follow thee.
We'll follow you.
We're coming.
coming
Juliet, the County stays.
Juliet, the Count is waiting for you.
Juliet, go on - the Count is waiting.
juliet the count is waiting
Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days.
Go, girl, find happiness tonight to match your happy days.
Go on, girl, find happiness tonight to go with all your happy days.
go find happiness tonight
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.