Classic Literature

Romeo and JulietAct 4, Scene 2

Act 4

Scene II

Hall in Capulet’s house.

	Enter Capulet, Lady Capulet, Nurse, and two Servingmen.
Capulet	So many guests invite as here are writ. Exit First Servingman. Sirrah, go hire me twenty cunning cooks.
Second Servingman	You shall have none ill, sir; for I’ll try if they can lick their fingers.
Capulet	How canst thou try them so?
Second Servingman	Marry, sir, ’tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers: therefore he that cannot lick his fingers goes not with me.
Capulet	Go, be gone. Exit Second Servingman. We shall be much unfurnish’d for this time. What, is my daughter gone to Friar Laurence?
Nurse	Ay, forsooth.
Capulet	Well, he may chance to do some good on her: A peevish self-will’d harlotry it is.
Nurse	See where she comes from shrift with merry look.
	Enter Juliet.
Capulet	How now, my headstrong! where have you been gadding?
Juliet	Where I have learn’d me to repent the sin Of disobedient opposition To you and your behests, and am enjoin’d By holy Laurence to fall prostrate here, And beg your pardon: pardon, I beseech you! Henceforward I am ever ruled by you.
Capulet	Send for the county; go tell him of this: I’ll have this knot knit up to-morrow morning.
Juliet	I met the youthful lord at Laurence’ cell; And gave him what becomed love I might Not stepping o’er the bounds of modesty.
Capulet	Why, I am glad on’t; this is well: stand up: This is as’t should be. Let me see the county; Ay, marry, go, I say, and fetch him hither. Now, afore God! this reverend holy friar, All our whole city is much bound to him.
Juliet	Nurse, will you go with me into my closet, To help me sort such needful ornaments As you think fit to furnish me to-morrow?
Lady Capulet	No, not till Thursday; there is time enough.
Capulet	Go, nurse, go with her: we’ll to church to-morrow. Exeunt Juliet* and Nurse.*
Lady Capulet	We shall be short in our provision: ’Tis now near night.
Capulet	Tush, I will stir about, And all things shall be well, I warrant thee, wife: Go thou to Juliet, help to deck up her; I’ll not to bed to-night; let me alone; I’ll play the housewife for this once. What, ho! They are all forth. Well, I will walk myself To County Paris, to prepare him up Against to-morrow: my heart is wondrous light, Since this same wayward girl is so reclaim’d. Exeunt.

Companion

Previously

Act 4, Scene 1: Juliet encounters Paris at Friar Laurence's cell and avoids confirming that she loves him. Once Paris leaves, she threatens to kill herself unless the friar can prevent the marriage. He gives her a potion intended to make her appear dead, planning to inform Romeo by letter and help him take her to Mantua when she wakes in the family vault.

Who's who so far

Sampson A man of Capulet's household who makes sexual threats against Montague women and provokes Abraham by biting his thumb.
Gregory Sampson's fellow in Capulet's household, who mocks his courage but helps him provoke a quarrel with the Montague men.
Abraham A man of Montague's household who challenges Sampson's insulting gesture and disputes his claim that Capulet is the better master.
Balthasar A man of the house of Montague who enters with Abraham before the street fight.
Benvolio Tries to avoid a public quarrel, reports Mercutio's death to Romeo and gives the Prince an account of both fatal fights.
Tybalt Fatally wounds Mercutio under Romeo's arm, flees and then returns to fight Romeo, who kills him.
First Citizen Enters with armed citizens and calls for both the Capulets and the Montagues to be beaten down.
Capulet Threatens to drag Juliet to the wedding and deny her a home, recognition or financial support if she refuses Paris.
Lady Capulet Proposes having Romeo poisoned in Mantua, announces Juliet's arranged marriage to Paris and refuses to help her delay it.
Montague Defends Romeo before the Prince by arguing that killing Tybalt merely carried out the punishment due for Mercutio's death.
Lady Montague Romeo's mother, who restrains Montague from fighting and is glad that her son was absent from the brawl.
The Prince Has lost his kinsman Mercutio in the fighting and banishes Romeo, threatening death if he is found in Verona.
Romeo Parts from Juliet at dawn, promising to send her greetings and expressing confidence that they will meet again.
Paris Calls Juliet his wife before their wedding, although he admits to the friar that he has spoken little of love with her.
Capulet's servant Cannot read the guest list his master gives him and asks Romeo for help before inviting him to the feast provided he is not a Montague.
The Nurse Defends Juliet against Capulet's angry rebukes but then advises her to marry Paris because Romeo is banished.
Juliet Threatens to kill herself rather than marry Paris and accepts the friar's plan to appear dead and escape to Mantua with Romeo.
The servant who announces the guests Interrupts the discussion of marriage to tell Lady Capulet that the guests have arrived and supper is ready.
Mercutio Fights Tybalt after condemning Romeo's refusal to fight, curses both households when fatally wounded under Romeo's arm and dies offstage.
First Servingman Directs the clearing of Capulet's hall and asks for a piece of marchpane to be saved for him.
Second Servingman Complains about the demands on the servants and urges the others to work briskly.
Second Capulet An older relative who sits with Capulet and disputes how long it has been since they took part in a masked entertainment.
Chorus Reports that Romeo and Juliet love one another but that their families' enmity restricts their chances to meet.
Friar Laurence Gives Juliet a potion intended to make her appear dead for forty-two hours and promises to tell Romeo by letter so he can collect her from the vault and take her to Mantua.
Peter Accompanies the Nurse and carries her fan, claiming that he would draw his weapon in a lawful quarrel when she complains that he failed to defend her.
Mercutio's page Accompanies Mercutio, who sends him to fetch a surgeon after Tybalt wounds him.

Words to know

cunning: skilled or expert
behests: commands or instructions
reclaim’d: brought back to approved behaviour; here, made obedient again

Spoiler-free: these notes only cover what you have read.

Act 4, Scene 2 in brief

Capulet directs two servingmen to invite guests and hire cooks, with a joke about cooks licking their fingers interrupting the preparations. Juliet arrives looking cheerful and presents her opposition to her father as a sin which Friar Laurence has taught her to repent. Her promise of complete obedience follows the friar's secret instructions, so the audience understands it differently from Capulet. He praises the friar and brings the marriage forward to the next morning, overruling Lady Capulet's reminder that the wedding was set for Thursday and her warning that supplies will be short. Juliet leaves with the Nurse to choose ornaments, while Capulet's relief makes him willing to stay awake and organise the household himself.

Key quotes

Henceforward I am ever ruled by you.

Why it matters Juliet gives her father the promise of obedience he wants to hear. The audience knows that she is following a secret plan to escape the marriage, creating dramatic irony.

Authority and obedienceFamily loyalty and identityAppearance and perceptionMarriage and gender

my heart is wondrous light, Since this same wayward girl is so reclaim’d.

Why it matters Capulet makes his happiness depend on the belief that Juliet's independent will has been corrected. His relief shows how completely he accepts her performance of submission.

Family loyalty and identityAuthority and obedienceAppearance and perception

Themes in this chapter

Authority and obedienceFamily loyalty and identityMarriage and genderAppearance and perceptionFate and choice

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