Act 2, Scene 5 — Romeo and Juliet

The argument Juliet has been waiting since nine o'clock for the Nurse to return with news from Romeo. It is now noon — three hours. The Nurse finally arrives but refuses to deliver the message immediately, complaining at length about her sore bones and aching head. After Juliet cycles through flattery, impatience, and exasperation, the Nurse finally reveals the plan: Juliet is to go to Friar Lawrence's cell this afternoon, where Romeo will marry her.

Enter Juliet.

JULIET ≋ verse [Anxious; making excuses]

The clock struck nine when I did send the Nurse,

In half an hour she promised to return.

Perchance she cannot meet him. That’s not so.

O, she is lame. Love’s heralds should be thoughts,

Which ten times faster glides than the sun’s beams,

Driving back shadows over lowering hills:

Therefore do nimble-pinion’d doves draw love,

And therefore hath the wind-swift Cupid wings.

Now is the sun upon the highmost hill

Of this day’s journey, and from nine till twelve

Is three long hours, yet she is not come.

Had she affections and warm youthful blood,

She’d be as swift in motion as a ball;

My words would bandy her to my sweet love,

And his to me.

But old folks, many feign as they were dead;

Unwieldy, slow, heavy and pale as lead.

I sent the Nurse at nine o'clock when I heard the clock strike. She promised to return in half an hour. Maybe she couldn't find him--no, that's not it. She's just slow. Love's messengers should be thoughts, which travel ten times faster than the sun's rays, pushing shadows back over the hills. That's why the swift doves carry love, and why Cupid has wind-swift wings. Now the sun is at its highest point, noon. It's three hours from nine to twelve, and she still hasn't come. If she had young feelings and warm blood, she'd move like a ball--my words would bounce her to my sweet love, and his words back to me. But old people pretend they're dead: clumsy, slow, heavy, and pale as lead.

I sent the Nurse at nine and she said she'd be back in thirty minutes. Maybe she couldn't find Romeo--no, that's not it. She's just so slow. Real love moves through thoughts, which go ten times faster than sunlight itself. That's why doves are fast when they're carrying love, and why Cupid has wings that fly with the wind. The sun's at its highest point now. It's been three hours since nine o'clock and she's still not back. If the Nurse had the energy and passion of youth, she'd move like a ball--my words would bounce her straight to Romeo, and his words straight back to me. But old people just act dead: slow, heavy, and pale like lead.

sent nurse at 9, said she'd be back in 30min now its noon shes still not here old ppl move so slow like lead if she had young blood shed be bouncing back n forth w/ romeo's msgs

"" Swift-winged doves — the birds sacred to Venus, who pull her chariot. Speed and love are linked in the image.

"" To bat back and forth like a ball — from 'bandying,' hitting a ball between racquets. Juliet imagines words as balls flying between herself and Romeo.

"" Lead-colored — grey, heavy, lifeless. Juliet's impatience manifests as unfair mockery of age.

Why it matters This speech reveals Juliet's inner life when she's alone. She's not the deferential daughter of 1-3 or the careful negotiator of 2-2 — she's impatient, energetic, slightly ruthless about the Nurse's age. The lines about love's messengers being as fast as thought will echo with bitter irony in Act 3 and 4, when slowness of message will prove fatal.

Enter Nurse and Peter.

JULIET ≋ verse [eager, bursting with impatience]

O God, she comes. O honey Nurse, what news?

Hast thou met with him? Send thy man away.

Oh God, she arrives! Oh, dear Nurse, what news? Have you met with him? Send your servant away.

Oh my God, she's finally here! Nurse, what's he saying? Did you see him? Send your man away.

oh god she's here!! what did he say?? tell him to leave

NURSE [curt, brushing Peter off]

Peter, stay at the gate.

Peter, remain at the gate.

Peter, you just wait by the gate.

peter wait at gate

[_Exit Peter._]

JULIET ≋ verse [anxious, pleading for news]

Now, good sweet Nurse,—O Lord, why look’st thou sad?

Though news be sad, yet tell them merrily;

If good, thou sham’st the music of sweet news

By playing it to me with so sour a face.

Now, good sweet Nurse—why do you look so sad? Even if the news is sad, tell it with happiness; If the news is good, you're spoiling the joy of it By showing me such a sour face.

Okay, sweet Nurse—why are you looking so sad? No matter what news you're bringing, tell it with a smile; If it's good news, you're ruining it by looking like you've just heard bad news.

why do you look so sad if it's good don't ruin it with that face just tell me

Why it matters Juliet reads the Nurse's face before she speaks — and she's already cycling through anxiety responses. She's trying to pre-manage the delivery. The idea that good news should be delivered joyfully is a small piece of literary self-awareness: Shakespeare is about to make the Nurse do the opposite for comic effect.

NURSE ≋ verse [teasingly drawing out the wait]

I am aweary, give me leave awhile;

Fie, how my bones ache! What a jaunt have I had!

I'm exhausted, give me a moment; Gosh, how my bones ache! What a journey I've had!

I'm so tired, just give me a second; My bones are absolutely killing me! I've been running around everywhere.

i'm exhausted my bones are killing me i've been everywhere

"" A tiring errand or journey — though the Nurse has been on a routine city errand, she presents it as an epic hardship.

JULIET ≋ verse [frustrated, begging her to speak]

I would thou hadst my bones, and I thy news:

Nay come, I pray thee speak; good, good Nurse, speak.

I wish you had my youthful strength, and I had your news: No, come on, I beg you speak; please, please Nurse, speak.

I wish you had my youth and energy, and I had your news: Come on, I'm begging you—please, Nurse, just tell me.

tell me what you know please just speak

Why it matters Juliet offers to trade — she'd rather have the aching bones than the suspense. This is a real expression of her state: the physical discomfort of waiting has become worse than the physical discomfort of the journey.

NURSE [still milking the delay]

Jesu, what haste? Can you not stay a while? Do you not see that I am

out of breath?

Good heavens, why the rush? Can't you wait a moment? Do you not see I'm out of breath?

Why are you in such a rush? Can't you wait a second? Don't you see I can barely breathe?

why the rush i can barely breathe

JULIET ≋ verse [exasperated, unraveling with impatience]

How art thou out of breath, when thou hast breath

To say to me that thou art out of breath?

The excuse that thou dost make in this delay

Is longer than the tale thou dost excuse.

Is thy news good or bad? Answer to that;

Say either, and I’ll stay the circumstance.

Let me be satisfied, is’t good or bad?

How can you be out of breath when you have breath enough To tell me that you're out of breath? The excuse you're making with this delay Is longer than the news you're excusing. Is your news good or bad? Answer that; Tell me one or the other, and I won't ask for anything else. Just let me know: is it good or bad?

If you have enough breath to tell me you're out of breath, you have enough to tell me the news. Your excuse is taking longer than whatever news you have. So is it good or bad? Just answer that one thing, and I won't ask for any more detail. Tell me: is it good or bad?

if you can say you're exhausted you can tell me the news stop stalling good or bad

Why it matters Juliet's comeback is perfect logic: she's right that the Nurse has enough breath to complain about being out of breath. This small argument is one of Shakespeare's great comic moments — and also a show of Juliet's sharp intelligence. She's thirteen years old and she's winning a rhetorical contest.

NURSE [evasive, dangling the answer]

Well, you have made a simple choice; you know not how to choose a man.

Romeo? No, not he. Though his face be better than any man’s, yet his

leg excels all men’s, and for a hand and a foot, and a body, though

they be not to be talked on, yet they are past compare. He is not the

flower of courtesy, but I’ll warrant him as gentle as a lamb. Go thy

ways, wench, serve God. What, have you dined at home?

Well, you've made a foolish choice; you clearly don't know how to pick a man. Romeo? Not him. Though his face is better than any man's, his legs surpass all men's, and for his hands and feet and body, though they're not something to talk about, they're past comparison. He's not the height of courtesy, but I'll guarantee he's as gentle as a lamb. Go on your way, girl, serve God. Tell me, have you eaten at home?

You know, you've made a pretty dumb choice—you clearly don't know how to pick a man. Romeo? Not him! Sure, his face is better than anyone else's, and his legs are amazing, and really, you can't even compare his hands, his feet, his whole body to anyone else's. He's not the most polished guy, but he's gentle as a lamb, I promise you that. Go on, be good and pray. By the way, did you eat anything at home?

you picked wrong romeo's perfect though he's gentle as a lamb just go pray did you eat

"" A basic or ordinary choice — but 'simple' also means foolish. The Nurse pretends to criticize while she's actually praising.

"" Too immodest to describe — and then the Nurse describes them anyway. Classic comic self-contradiction.

Why it matters The Nurse delays delivering the actual news by launching into an extended appreciation of Romeo's physical attributes — which is funny in itself, but also reveals her genuine approval. She's not stalling to be cruel; she genuinely enjoys talking about Romeo. And asking if Juliet has 'dined at home' is the Nurse instinctively mothering, even in the middle of the most consequential conversation of Juliet's life.

JULIET ≋ verse [impatient, cutting through]

No, no. But all this did I know before.

What says he of our marriage? What of that?

No, no. I already knew all that before. What does he say about our marriage? What about that?

Yeah, yeah, I already knew all that. What did he say about us getting married? What about that?

already knew that what did he say about marrying me

Why it matters Juliet's bare question — 'what says he of our marriage?' — is what the whole scene has been building to. Three hours of waiting reduced to seven words.

NURSE ≋ verse [comically pitiful, milking her aches]

Lord, how my head aches! What a head have I!

It beats as it would fall in twenty pieces.

My back o’ t’other side,—O my back, my back!

Beshrew your heart for sending me about

To catch my death with jauncing up and down.

Lord, how my head aches! What a head I have! It feels like it could split into twenty pieces. My back on the other side—my back, my back! Curse your heart for sending me all over the place Running up and down and catching my death.

My head is absolutely killing me! What a headache I have! It feels like my head's about to split open in twenty pieces. And my back—my poor back! Your heart's to blame for sending me all over town running up and down these streets like this.

my head is splitting my back is killing me why did you send me all over

"" A mild imprecation — 'curse your heart for this.' Not genuinely angry, more theatrically put-upon.

"" Running about, trotting up and down — physical exertion.

JULIET ≋ verse [tender, desperate to hear his answer]

I’faith, I am sorry that thou art not well.

Sweet, sweet, sweet Nurse, tell me, what says my love?

I'm truly sorry that you're not well. Sweet, sweet, sweet Nurse, tell me—what does my love say?

I'm really sorry you're not feeling well. Sweet, sweet Nurse, please tell me—what did Romeo say?

sorry you feel bad what did my love say

Why it matters Juliet switches tactics: from logic to sympathy. The triple 'sweet' is deliberate flattery. She's managing the Nurse rather than confronting her, which is a small piece of social sophistication.

NURSE ≋ verse [playful praise, then a comic swerve]

Your love says like an honest gentleman,

And a courteous, and a kind, and a handsome,

And I warrant a virtuous,—Where is your mother?

Your love speaks like an honest gentleman, And a courteous one, and kind, and handsome, And I'm sure he's virtuous—Where is your mother?

Your love is like an honest gentleman, courteous, kind, and handsome, and I'd bet he's a good man—By the way, where is your mother?

he's honest kind and handsome where's your mom

Why it matters The Nurse builds to what sounds like the actual message and then swerves sideways to ask about Juliet's mother. It's a superb piece of comedy — the final delay before delivery. And the question 'where is your mother?' is practically the funniest possible pivot.

JULIET ≋ verse [baffled, indignant at the non sequitur]

Where is my mother? Why, she is within.

Where should she be? How oddly thou repliest.

‘Your love says, like an honest gentleman,

‘Where is your mother?’

Where is my mother? She's inside. Where else would she be? How strangely you answer. You're just repeating back 'Your love speaks like an honest gentleman, Where is your mother?'

My mother's inside, where do you think she would be? That's a weird way to respond. You're just repeating back the same thing: 'Your love's like an honest gentleman, where's your mother?'

she's inside why are you repeating my questions back to me

Why it matters Juliet's echo of the Nurse's speech — with incredulous emphasis on the final non sequitur — is the scene's comic peak. The audience gets the full joke as Juliet performs her confusion.

NURSE ≋ verse [huffy, scolding her impatience]

O God’s lady dear,

Are you so hot? Marry, come up, I trow.

Is this the poultice for my aching bones?

Henceforward do your messages yourself.

Oh, blessed lady, Are you so hot-tempered? Indeed, I think not. Is this harsh questioning the remedy for my aching bones? From now on, deliver your own messages yourself.

Oh come on, Are you seriously that hot-headed? I don't think so. This harsh questioning isn't making my aching bones feel any better. From now on, you can deliver your own messages.

you're too hot-headed this isn't helping my bones deliver your own messages

"" A warm medicinal paste applied to sore joints — the Nurse asks if this is her reward: Juliet's impatience as treatment for her aches.

JULIET [impatient, pressing again]

Here’s such a coil. Come, what says Romeo?

This is all such commotion and fuss. Come on, what did Romeo say?

Oh, what a drama. Come on, what did Romeo say?

all this fuss what did romeo say

"" A fuss, a commotion — needless bother. Juliet deflates the whole performance in four words.

NURSE [businesslike, finally on task]

Have you got leave to go to shrift today?

Did you get permission to go to confession today?

Do you have permission to go to church for confession today?

you got permission to go to confession

JULIET [relieved confirmation]

I have.

i have.

NURSE ≋ verse [brisk instructions, tinged with self-pity]

Then hie you hence to Friar Lawrence’ cell;

There stays a husband to make you a wife.

Now comes the wanton blood up in your cheeks,

They’ll be in scarlet straight at any news.

Hie you to church. I must another way,

To fetch a ladder by the which your love

Must climb a bird’s nest soon when it is dark.

I am the drudge, and toil in your delight;

But you shall bear the burden soon at night.

Go. I’ll to dinner; hie you to the cell.

Then go quickly to Friar Lawrence's cell; There a husband waits to make you a wife. Now your youthful blood rises up in your cheeks, They'll turn scarlet at any news. Go quickly to church. I must go another way, To fetch a ladder by which your love Must climb to your room soon when it's dark. I'm the servant doing all the work for your happiness; But you'll bear the burden soon enough tonight. Go. I'm going to dinner; go quickly to the cell.

Now hurry off to Friar Lawrence's place; There's a husband waiting there to marry you. I can see your cheeks getting all red already, they're gonna turn bright scarlet at any news. Get to the church. I've got to go another way to get a ladder for your lover to use to climb up to your room when it gets dark. I'm doing all the hard work for your happiness; but you'll feel the weight of this soon enough tonight. Go on. I'm going to get food; you get to that cell.

go to friar lawrence's cell romeo's waiting to marry you your face is already red go now i'm getting a ladder so he can climb to you tonight you'll do your part later i'm getting dinner

"" Eager, freely moving blood — the blush of excitement. 'Wanton' means uninhibited, freely flowing.

"" A bird's nest = Juliet's bedroom window, high up. Romeo must climb to her as a bird returns to its nest.

"" The Nurse's euphemism for the wedding night — carrying the 'burden' of a husband in the physical sense. Characteristically bawdy.

Why it matters The Nurse delivers the news all at once, including the rope ladder logistics for tonight. Her final comment — 'you shall bear the burden soon at night' — is characteristically earthy, and her self-description as the 'drudge' who labors in Juliet's pleasure is half-complaint and half-genuine pride. She enjoys being indispensable.

JULIET [joyful, rushing off]

Hie to high fortune! Honest Nurse, farewell.

Go to high fortune! Honest Nurse, farewell.

Off to better things! Thank you, Nurse, goodbye.

here we go thanks nurse goodbye

Why it matters Juliet's exit line is perfect: she addresses fortune itself, not just the Nurse. 'High fortune' catches both the joy of the moment and the play's ongoing conversation with fate. She runs toward it with open arms.

🎭 Dramatic irony Juliet runs to 'high fortune' — she is as happy as she will ever be in this play. She is also running toward the marriage that will, within twenty-four hours, make her a widow. The audience, forewarned by the prologue, watches her joy with foreknowledge of what it costs.

[_Exeunt._]

The Reckoning

This is a comedy scene that earns its lightness honestly. Juliet's mounting impatience is absolutely real — she is waiting to learn if her entire future has been decided — and the Nurse's deliberate dawdling is both believable (she really is tired) and a kind of unconscious power move. The scene shows us something important about Juliet: she can wait, she can strategize, she can manage older people with charm and controlled frustration. She is already a more capable person than she seemed when we first met her in 1-3.

If this happened today…

You've sent a friend to ask someone out on your behalf and you're sitting at home watching the clock, checking your phone every thirty seconds. Then your friend comes in, collapses on the sofa, and starts complaining about traffic before you've even asked what happened. The friend is not wrong about the traffic. But the traffic is not what you want to talk about right now.

Continue to 2.6 →