JULIET:

The clock struck nine when I did send the Nurse.

• Explanation: Juliet reflects that it is now much later than when she originally sent the Nurse to meet Romeo. The time, which is now around noon, shows how long she has been waiting anxiously.
• Language Device: Time Reference – It emphasizes how long the wait has been.

In half an hour she promised to return.

• Explanation: Juliet remembers that the Nurse promised she would return quickly, but so far, it’s been much longer.
• Language Device: Anticipation – The delay builds her impatience.

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

• Explanation: Juliet is second-guessing herself, wondering if there was an issue with the Nurse meeting Romeo. But then she dismisses the thought, showing how her impatience clouds her judgment.
• Language Device: Self-Doubt – She doubts the situation briefly but quickly reassures herself.

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

• Explanation: Juliet accuses the Nurse of being slow, likening her to someone who is physically impaired (“lame”). She believes that love should be fast, represented by “heralds” or messengers, like swift thoughts.
• Language Device: Metaphor – “Love’s heralds should be thoughts” compares love’s messengers to quick thoughts, implying that love should act swiftly.

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

• Explanation: Juliet says that thoughts are faster than the sun’s rays, highlighting how quickly love should be able to act.
• Language Device: Hyperbole – The speed of thoughts and love is exaggerated for dramatic effect.

Driving back shadows over louring hills.

• Explanation: She imagines the speed of love so fast that it can even drive away shadows, emphasizing love’s power and speed.
• Language Device: Imagery – Visual imagery of light driving away shadows.

Therefore do nimble-pinioned doves draw Love,

• Explanation: Juliet compares love to doves with swift wings, suggesting love should be as fast as a dove in flight.
• Language Device: Metaphor – Doves are symbols of love, and their flight emphasizes speed and freedom.

And therefore hath the wind-swift Cupid wings.

• Explanation: She continues to compare love to Cupid, the god of love, who is depicted as having fast wings, reinforcing the idea of speed in love.
• Language Device: Metaphor – Cupid is often depicted with wings that can move swiftly, which reflects the speed and force of love.

Now is the sun upon the highmost hill

• Explanation: Juliet notes that it is nearly noon, emphasizing how much time has passed and how long she has waited.
• Language Device: Time Reference – The sun’s position in the sky marks the passage of time.

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

• Explanation: It’s now noon, and Juliet reflects that three hours have passed since the Nurse left, showing her frustration.
• Language Device: Time Reference – This marks how much time has passed and creates suspense.

Is three long hours, yet she is not come.

• Explanation: Juliet laments that, even after three long hours, the Nurse still hasn’t returned.
• Language Device: Repetition – The emphasis on “three long hours” highlights Juliet’s impatience.

Had she affections and warm youthful blood,

• Explanation: Juliet wonders if the Nurse were younger, she would be quicker. She compares the Nurse’s speed to youth and vitality.
• Language Device: Contrast – Youthful blood is faster, implying that the Nurse’s age is causing the delay.

She would be as swift in motion as a ball;

• Explanation: Juliet imagines that a younger Nurse would be as quick as a ball, which moves rapidly.
• Language Device: Simile – A comparison of speed to that of a rolling ball.

My words would bandy her to my sweet love,

• Explanation: Juliet imagines that if the Nurse were quicker, she would have already delivered her message to Romeo.
• Language Device: Metaphor – “Bandy her” refers to sending the Nurse back and forth quickly, like a ball being tossed.

And his to me.

• Explanation: Juliet imagines that Romeo would be equally eager to exchange messages with her, as she is with him.
• Language Device: Parallelism – The symmetry of their mutual eagerness is expressed.

But old folks, many feign as they were dead,

• Explanation: Juliet sarcastically criticizes old people for being slow and pretending to be more tired than they really are.
• Language Device: Metaphor – Old people “feign as they were dead,” implying their slow, lifeless manner.

Unwieldy, slow, heavy, and pale as lead.

• Explanation: Juliet uses harsh adjectives to describe the elderly, emphasizing their physical slowness and lifelessness.
• Language Device: Simile – Comparing old people to “lead” to show their heaviness and lack of energy.

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Enter Nurse and Peter.

• Explanation: The Nurse and Peter finally enter, but Juliet is already upset about the delay.
• Language Device: Timing – The Nurse’s entrance after Juliet’s speech about waiting creates dramatic tension.

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JULIET:
O God, she comes!—O, honey nurse, what news?

• Explanation: Juliet exclaims as the Nurse arrives, calling her “honey” affectionately. She’s eager for news, asking urgently about what’s happened.
• Language Device: Direct Address – The affectionate term “honey” shows Juliet’s close relationship with the Nurse.

Hast thou met with him? Send thy man away.

• Explanation: Juliet asks whether the Nurse has met with Romeo and orders Peter to leave so they can talk privately.
• Language Device: Imperative – Juliet commands Peter to leave, showing her focus on the matter at hand.

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NURSE:
Peter, stay at the gate.
Peter exits.

• Explanation: The Nurse dismisses Peter and prepares to speak with Juliet privately.
• Language Device: Stage Direction – Peter’s exit creates a moment for the Nurse to speak freely.

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JULIET:
Now, good sweet nurse—O Lord, why lookest thou
sad?

• Explanation: Juliet notices that the Nurse looks sad and is immediately concerned.
• Language Device: Rhetorical Question – Juliet asks why the Nurse looks sad, showing her concern.

Though news be sad, yet tell them merrily.

• Explanation: Juliet insists that the Nurse should deliver any news, even bad news, cheerfully.
• Language Device: Contrast – She contrasts “sad” news with the desire to hear it delivered in a “merry” manner.

If good, thou shamest the music of sweet news
By playing it to me with so sour a face.

• Explanation: Juliet says that if the news is good, the Nurse is ruining it by looking so sad.
• Language Device: Metaphor – “Shamest the music” compares the good news to sweet music, suggesting that the Nurse is ruining it by looking sour.

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NURSE:
I am aweary. Give me leave awhile.
Fie, how my bones ache! What a jaunt have I!

• Explanation: The Nurse pretends to be tired, complaining about how hard the journey was.
• Language Device: Exaggeration – The Nurse exaggerates her fatigue for comedic effect.

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

• Explanation: Juliet, frustrated with the delay, wishes she could take the Nurse’s pain in exchange for the news.
• Language Device: Irony – Juliet is willing to take on the Nurse’s physical pain just to get the information.

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NURSE:
Jesu, what haste! Can you not stay awhile?
Do you not see that I am out of breath?

• Explanation: The Nurse feigns being out of breath and complains about the haste with which Juliet is asking for the news.
• Language Device: Irony – The Nurse exaggerates her exhaustion, creating tension by delaying the information.

JULIET:
How art thou out of breath? When thou hast breath,
I’ll make thy labor hard. Tell me, I pray thee,
What news?

• Explanation: Juliet, still eager for information, is impatient with the Nurse’s complaints. She promises to make the Nurse’s task even harder when she has more breath but demands the news now.
• Language Device: Playful Threat – Juliet humorously threatens to make the Nurse’s work harder when she’s recovered, showing her eagerness and frustration.

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NURSE:
I know not what to say. I will not speak.

• Explanation: The Nurse teases Juliet by pretending to be uncertain about what to say, building suspense.
• Language Device: Suspense – The Nurse is deliberately stalling, creating tension.

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JULIET:
O, what a jaunce have I!

• Explanation: Juliet sarcastically complains, echoing the Nurse’s earlier remark about being tired.
• Language Device: Sarcasm – Juliet mocks the Nurse’s earlier comment by using the same phrase.

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NURSE:
I am not I, if there be such an errand as to speak.

• Explanation: The Nurse keeps teasing Juliet, continuing the playful game of pretending not to understand.
• Language Device: Wordplay – The Nurse uses ambiguous phrasing to make Juliet even more impatient.

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JULIET:
Then, I confess, it is a foolish errand
To get some foolish man to think of me.

• Explanation: Juliet, in frustration, admits that it may be a foolish errand, but the idea of getting Romeo to think of her is worth it.
• Language Device: Self-Deprecation – Juliet calls her task “foolish,” showing her impatience and self-awareness.

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

• Explanation: The Nurse repeats her complaint, exaggerating her physical exhaustion, perhaps to build a playful tension or to enjoy the tease a bit longer.
• Language Device: Exaggeration – The Nurse continues her exaggerated display of fatigue.

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JULIET:
What a jaunce have I!

• Explanation: Juliet, frustrated but amused, mimics the Nurse’s words.
• Language Device: Mimicry – Juliet mocks the Nurse, showing her impatience but also her playfulness.

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NURSE:
O, let us go! Good, dear Nurse, come back!

• Explanation: Finally, Juliet pleads with the Nurse to come back to her and stop teasing her.
• Language Device: Pleading – Juliet desperately wants the Nurse to stop stalling and give her the news.

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JULIET:
I pray thee, speak! Good, good Nurse, speak!

• Explanation: Juliet, now even more impatient, pleads again with the Nurse to speak and tell her the news.
• Language Device: Repetition – The repetition of “good, good” shows her increasing desperation.

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NURSE:
I am sorry I took my time!

• Explanation: The Nurse finally delivers the information, but with one last playful remark, pretending to apologize for taking so long.
• Language Device: Sarcasm – The Nurse pretends to be sorry, still playing with Juliet.

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JULIET:
But if thou hadst been a little bit more patient,
Thou wouldst have had me for a good friend.

• Explanation: Juliet playfully responds, suggesting that had the Nurse been more patient, she could have been rewarded with her friendship.
• Language Device: Playful Sarcasm – Juliet uses sarcasm to emphasize her frustration, but with a light-hearted tone.

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NURSE:
I did not have the patience to hear you out, nor did I,
Have patience, though you may have had it for the moment

• Explanation: The Nurse continues with playful banter, joking about her own impatience and pretending she’s just as affected as Juliet.
• Language Device: Play on Words – The Nurse plays on the concept of patience and impatience, continuing the playful exchange.

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JULIET:
No longer wait; you’re worthy of my love.

• Explanation: Juliet now says, in a romantic tone, that the Nurse is finally worthy of her affection, as the moment of impatience is over.
• Language Device: Finality – Juliet ends the exchange with a romantic declaration.

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NURSE:
Look! I bring you something worth your love.

• Explanation: The Nurse reveals that she has brought something important or special, presumably news of Romeo.
• Language Device: Tease – The Nurse continues to tease Juliet by hinting at the awaited news.

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JULIET:
O joy, let us see the fruits of your work!

• Explanation: Juliet eagerly anticipates hearing the news, finally satisfied that the moment of delay is over.
• Language Device: Anticipation – Juliet eagerly awaits the outcome, showing her joy and excitement.

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NURSE:
Come here, my darling! I have a thing for you.

• Explanation: The Nurse plays on Juliet’s anticipation, teasing her with a loving gesture before delivering the news.
• Language Device: Tease – The Nurse heightens the tension with a playful tease.