Extract 5 Act 4 Scene 1

Juliet: Oh Friar, tell me how I can stop this marriage. Or if you can’t help me, let me use this knife to end it all. [Takes out a knife] God joined my heart and Romeo’s. You joined our hands in marriage. And I would rather kill my hand and my heart than give them to another man.

Friar Laurence: Wait, daughter. I have thought of something. It is a desperate⁵ thing to do. You say that you would rather kill yourself than marry Count Paris. In that case, you are probably strong enough to try something that is a little like death. If you are brave enough to do it, I shall tell you how.

Juliet: Oh, tell me to jump off the highest wall, or to sit in a bed of snakes. Tie me up with roaring bears, or tell me to lie with a dead man in his new-made grave. Before, I was frightened just to hear about such things. But now I would do them without any fear, so that I can be a faithful wife to my sweet love.

Friar Laurence: Well, then, go home and tell your father that you will marry Paris. It is Wednesday tomorrow. Make sure that you are alone in your room tomorrow night – don’t let your Nurse stay with you. Take this bottle with you. [He takes out a bottle of liquid] And when you are in bed, drink the mixture. It will run through your body and make you cold and sleepy. It will seem as if you have stopped breathing. Your lips and cheeks will go pale⁶ and your body will go cold and hard. When Paris comes to wake you up on the morning of your marriage, he will think you are dead. And then you will be carried to the Capulets’ tomb⁷, dressed in your best clothes, like a dead person. But when everyone has left, you will wake up, feeling as if you have had a lovely sleep. And Romeo and I will be waiting there for you. I shall write to him now and tell him what we are doing. That same night, he will take you away to Mantua*. If you are not too frightened to do this, it will free you from this marriage to Paris.

Juliet: [Putting her hand out for the bottle, excited] Give it to me! Give it to me! Don’t talk to me about being frightened!

Friar Laurence: Here you are. [He gives her the bottle] Off you go! Be brave, and I hope that this plan will be successful.

⁵ A desperate plan is something so dangerous that you only think about doing it when there is no other hope.

⁶ pale without colour

⁷ tomb large room where members of rich families are put after they die

*Mantua is a town not far from Verona. Friar Laurence knows this is where Romeo has gone.