No Fear Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet
Get this No Fear to go!
Act 2, Prologue
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CHORUS
Now old desire doth in his deathbed lie,
And young affection gapes to be his heir.
That fair for which love groaned for and would die
With tender Juliet matched, is now not fair.
Now Romeo is beloved and loves again,
Alike bewitchèd by the charm of looks,
But to his foe supposed he must complain,
And she steal love’s sweet bait from fearful hooks.
Being held a foe, he may not have access
To breathe such vows as lovers use to swear.
And she as much in love, her means much less
To meet her new beloved anywhere.
But passion lends them power, time means, to meet,
Tempering extremities with extreme sweet.
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CHORUS
Now Romeo’s old feelings of desire are dying, and a new
desire is eager to take their place. Romeo groaned for the beautiful
Rosaline and said he would die for her, but compared with tender
Juliet, Rosaline doesn’t seem beautiful now. Now someone
loves Romeo, and he’s in love again—both of
them falling for each others' good looks. But he has to
make his speeches of love to a woman who’s supposed to be
his enemy. And she’s been hooked by someone she should
fear. Because he’s an enemy, Romeo has no chance to see
Juliet and say the things a lover normally says. And
Juliet’s just as much in love as he, but she has even less
opportunity to meet her lover. But love gives them power, and time
gives them the chance to meet, sweetening the extreme danger with
intense pleasure.
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