Act II establishes Romeo and Juliet's secret marriage arranged by Friar Laurence, hoping it will end the feud between the families, as well as foreshadowing the tragic consequences of their hasty decision through Friar Laurence's warnings of "violent delights" and "violent ends" and his advice to "love moderately." Romeo must keep his new love for Juliet hidden from his friends Mercutio and Benvolio who are still looking for him pining over Rosaline, while Juliet prepares in secret for their wedding at Friar Laurence's cell.

1. Act II: Rising Action
Preparations for Marriage

2. Act 2, Prologue
• Summarizes Act 1
• Addresses the speed
in which Romeo and
Juliet have fallen in
love
• Makes fun at the way
in which Romeo
Now old desire doth in his death-bed lie,
abandoned Rosaline And young affection gapes to be his heir;
That fair for which love groan'd for and would die,
With tender Juliet match'd, is now not fair.
quickly for Juliet

3. Act 2, Scene 1
 Romeo’s friends,  Mercutio calls out to
Mercutio and Benvolio, Romeo in search of him
go looking for Romeo. by teasing him about
Rosaline’s seductive
 They think that Romeo beauty.
is still in love with
 Romeo hides.
Rosaline.
 Benvolio asks that he
 Benvolio and Mercutio leave Romeo alone.
do not know that  After much joking
Romeo is headed to around, Mercutio and
the Capulet orchard. Benvolio give up and go
 They do not know home to bed.
Romeo is now in love
with Juliet

4. Act 2, Scene 1
 Romeo symbolically
separates from his friends
in this scene when he
jumps over the Capulet
wall.
 He cannot let his friends
know he is in love with
Juliet.
 For Mercutio, love is a
physical conquest.
 Mercutio is Romeo’s foil in
that Romeo views love
romantically & spiritually.

5. Act II, scene 2
• Romeo sees Juliet:
– “But soft! What light through yonder
window breaks? It is the East and
Juliet is the sun! Arise fair sun and
kill the envious moon. . . (II.2.3-5)
– “See how she leans that cheek upon
her hand, O that I were a glove upon
that hand” (II.2.25-26).

6. Act 2, Scenes 1 & 2
 Romeo describes
Juliet in terms of light
images.
 Juliet is the sun, a
torch, bright angel
 Juliet = light & truth
 Rosaline = darkness &
moon
 Romeo has moved
beyond darkness to
light

7. Act II, scene 2
• Juliet speaks to the
night:
– “O Romeo, Romeo!
Wherefore art thou
Romeo? Deny thy
father and refuse thy
name; Or if thou wilt
not . . . I’ll no longer
be a Capulet”
(II.2.34-37)

8. Act 2, Scene 2
• The Famous Balcony
Scene
• Romeo climbs over the
Capulet’s garden wall
and hides in the garden
below Juliet’s window.
• He can’t decide whether
to speak or listen
– Romeo: Shall I hear more, or shall I
speak at this

9. Act 2, Scene 2
 Romeo overhears
Juliet talking to herself
in her famous
soliloquy
 Her monologue lets
Romeo know she is
interested in him
 Juliet says that she will
disown her family so
she can be with
Juliet: What's in a name? that which we call a rose
Romeo.
By any other name would smell as sweet;  Juliet hates the name
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, “Montague” not the
Retain that dear perfection which he owes person “Romeo.”
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.

10. • Romeo finally
responds.
Act II, scene 2
• Juliet is thrilled to
hear his voice, but
frightened for his
safety.
Romeo replies: I have
night's cloak to hide me
from their sight;
And but thou love
me, let them find me
here:
My life were better
ended by their hate,
Than death
prorogued, wanting of
thy love.

11. Act 2, Scene 2
 Romeo says he would
rather die than live
without Juliet.
 After hearing Romeo
speak words of love,
Juliet wonders if their
love came too quickly
and easily.

12. • Juliet doesn’t want
Romeo to promise that
he loves her; she wants
him to prove it through
his actions by
proposing marriage!
• It’s almost dawn, so
they say good-bye.
Juliet: “Good
night, good night!
Parting is such sweet
sorrow. They have not known each
other 24 hours!

13. Act 2, Scene 2
 Notice the scenes in
which Romeo and Juliet
are together are dark.
 Darkness = secrecy
 Romeo must leave Juliet
when it becomes light.
 Light = truth & exposure
(their families are natural
enemies)

14. Act 2, Scene 2
 Romeo views Juliet as  Romeo says he will
a very pure; he uses have the wedding
arranged by 9:00 am.
religious imagery by  Romeo goes to the
calling her “dear saint” Friar to arrange the
and “bright angel.” marriage.
 Juliet promises to
follow Romeo
through the world
after marriage no
matter what.
FORESHADOWING

15. Act 2, Scene 3
 Friar Laurence is  The audience is now
alone in his garden aware that Friar has
tending to plants and a strong
herbs understanding of
 He says that nothing drugs.
is completely good FORESHADOWING
or evil. It is how it is
used.
 His monologue hints
at his involvement in
the tragedy to come.

16. Act 2, Scene 3
• Romeo explains to Friar:
• he no longer loves Rosaline
and
• he is now in love with Juliet
– Romeo: Then plainly know
my heart's dear love is set
On the fair daughter of rich
Capulet:
As mine on hers, so hers is
set on mine;
• he asks Friar Laurence to marry
them today!

17. Act 2, Scene 3
• Friar Lawrence is
shocked! He tells
Romeo:
• that Romeo says
the words of love
• but he really
doesn’t really
understand true
love.
Friar Lawrence: Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here!
Is Rosaline, whom thou didst love so dear,
So soon forsaken? young men's love then lies
Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.

18. Act 2, Scene 3
• Friar Laurence isn’t
sure this marriage is
a good idea but
• he agrees to marry
them
• because he thinks it
will stop the feud Friar Laurence: In one respect I'll thy
assistant be;
between the two For this alliance may so happy prove,
To turn your households' rancour to pure
families. love.

19. Act 2, Scene 3
• Friar Lawrence
gives Romeo good
advice:
• “Wisely and slow;
they stumble that
run fast.”

20. Act 2, Scene 4
• The morning after the
Capulet party, Benvolio
& Mercutio search for
Romeo.
• Mercutio blames
Romeo’s absence on
Rosaline.
• They still don’t know
about Juliet. Rosaline

21. Act 2, Scene 4
 Tybalt has sent a
letter to Romeo
challenging him to a
duel.
 Benvolio believes
Romeo will respond.
 Tybalt can’t imagine
Romeo, the romantic,
fighting the fiery
Tybalt.

22. Act 2, Scene 4
 Benvolio &
Mercutio discuss
how Tybalt is an
expert at dueling
 Tybalt is still upset
because Romeo
was at the Capulet
party.
 Tybalt looks for
fights; he is a
hothead

23. Act II, scene 4
• Then Juliet’s nurse shows up looking for
Romeo.
• He asks her to tell Juliet to meet him at
Friar Lawrence’s cell that
afternoon, where they will be married.

24. Act 2, Scene 4
• Juliet is to go to • Romeo’s servant will
confession at give a rope ladder to
the Nurse.
Friar Laurence’s
• Romeo will use it to
room that climb into Juliet’s
afternoon. room for their
• They will be wedding night.
married there.

25. Act 2, Scene 5
 Juliet is very nervous  The Nurse shows
as she waits for Nurse herself to be like
Mercutio when she
to return from meeting describes Romeo’s
Romeo. physical attributes as
Mercutio had
 Nurse is 3 hours late.
described Rosaline’s.
 Nurse teases Juliet by
not giving her Romeo’s
message immediately.

26. Act 2, Scene 5
 Juliet prepares to go to
Friar Laurence to get
married.
 Juliet will tell her parents
she is going to “shrift”/
confession.
 Nurse leaves to collect
the rope ladder so that
Romeo can spend his
wedding night with
Juliet.

27. Act II, scene 6
• Romeo and Juliet meet
at Friar Lawrence’s cell
and he beckons them:
• “. . .Come with me . . .
For by your leaves, you
shall not stay alone till
Holy Church
incorporate two in one”
(II.6.36-37).

28. Act 2, Scene 6
 Before Juliet arrives Romeo
and Friar Laurence talk.
 Friar Laurence prays that
God will bless the wedding
regardless of what else
might happen to the couple,
and
 warns that “things” that
happen so fast often end
just as quickly (and
Friar Laurence: These violent delights have
explosively). violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder. . .
FORESHADOWING Therefore love moderately; long love doth so;
Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.

29. Act 2, Scene 6
• Their wedding is quick
and is filled with images
of impending doom.
• Images of happiness
and marriage are paired
with violence and death.
• Romeo says “love-
devouring death” can do
what it pleases; Juliet is
all he needs to make
him happy

30. Act 2, Scene 6
These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and
powder,
Which as they kiss consume: the
sweetest honey
Is loathsome in his own deliciousness
And in the taste confounds the appetite:
Therefore love moderately; long love
doth so;
Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.