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Now that Romeo is in love with Juliet, he has forgotten his old love, Rosaline. However, because the two lovers are from
enemy families, he does not have access to her, and she does not have the means to secrecy him anywhere.

 

Romeo·s friends search for him, but he leaps over an orchard Capulet. The friends try to get Romeo to reveal his hiding
place by saying rude things about Romeo, but he is not in love with her any more, so it does not work.

 

In the Capulet·s orchard, Romeo sees Juliet talking to herself and is overwhelmed by her beauty. He compares her to the
Rosaline·s in the east. He says her eyes are brighter than Rosaline·s. He says he would like to be a glove on her hand so
he could touch her cheek. He calls her a bright Angel from the heavens. Juliet, unaware of Romeo·s presence, says a
name is not really a part of a person and therefore not important. Even so, Romeo is afraid she will not accept him
because his last name is Montegue. Juliet is afraid her Father may find Romeo and kill him. She asks Romeo to swear his
love to her, but then changes her mind, thinking their actions are ´too rash, too unadvised, too sudden.µ They finally
agree that Juliet will send a messenger to Romeo at 9 o·clock the next day, and Romeo will send word to Juliet if he
intends to visit her.


 

At the beginning of the scene, Friar Laurence is gathering plants and herbs. He mentions that even weak flowers have
both poison and medicine power in them, just like people, who have both grace and rude will. When Romeo tells him
that he wants to marry Juliet, the friar cannot believe that Romeo has changed his mind so suddenly. However, he agrees
to perform the ceremony because it may turn the two families· hate into ´pure love.µ

 

Benvolio and Mercutio learn that Tybalt, who is an excellent swordsman, sent a letter challenging Mercutio. When
Romeo shows up, he and Mercutio have a battle of wits, which ends with Mercutio saying that being with friends is
better than ´groaning for love.µ Mercutio and her servant, nurse enter, looking for Romeo makes rude comments and
sings a rude song to her before he leaves with Benvolio. Alone with Romeo, nurse warns him not to seduce Juliet.
Romeo responds by saying that he wants to marry Juliet that afternoon at Friar cell. The nurse tells Romeo that Paris
wants to marry Juliet, too, but that Juliet prefers Romeo.
 

Juliet is impatient because the nurse has been gone 3 hours. The Nurse returns, but tells Juliet that she is too out of time
to deliver the message right away. Then she says her bones and head hurt. Then she asks where Juliet·s Mother scene is.
Finally, as Juliet becomes frantic, the Nurse gives her the news that she will become a bride. Meanwhile, the Nurse will
fetch a Ladder so Romeo can climb to Juliet·s balcony for the honeymoon.

 

Friar Lawrence is worried that Romeo and Juliet·s love is too passionate and will be brief, like the explosion when Fire
and Prowder ´kiss.µ He also says they may become sick of their sweet love, as one becomes sick of Sweet Honey when
he eats too much of it. His advice is to ´love Modernly.µ Romeo, however, is so in love that he cannot find words to
express his feelings. Juliet cannot, either, saying that ´They are but Beggars who can count their Wealth,µ meaning that
she has so much love that she cannot even sum it up. Friar Lawrence marries them.