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Home : Romeo And Juliet : Act 2, scene ii Read the Study Guide: Romeo And Juliet
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Romeo And Juliet
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ROMEO returns
ROMEO returns.
 ROMEO
  He jests at scars that never felt a wound.
ROMEO
It's easy for someone to joke about scars if they've never been cut.
JULIET appears in a window above
JULIET enters on the balcony.
  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,
5 Who is already sick and pale with grief,
  That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.
  Be not her maid since she is envious.
  Her vestal livery is but sick and green,
  And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off!
10 It is my lady. Oh, it is my love.
  Oh, that she knew she were!
  She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that?
  Her eye discourses. I will answer it.—
  I am too bold. 'Tis not to me she speaks.
15 Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
  Having some business, do entreat her eyes
  To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
  What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
  The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars
20 As daylight doth a lamp. Her eye in heaven
  Would through the airy region stream so bright
  That birds would sing and think it were not night.
  See how she leans her cheek upon her hand.
  Oh, that I were a glove upon that hand
25 That I might touch that cheek!
But wait, what's that light in the window over there? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Rise up, beautiful sun, and kill the jealous moon . The moon is already sick and pale with grief because you, Juliet, her maid, are more beautiful than she.
Don't be her maid, because she is jealous. Virginity makes her look sick and green. Only fools hold on to their virginity. Let it go. Oh, there's my lady! Oh, it is my love. Oh, I wish she knew how much I love her. She's talking, but she's not saying anything. So what? Her eyes are saying something. I will answer them. I am too bold. She's not talking to me. Two of the brightest stars in the whole sky had to go away on business, and they're asking her eyes to twinkle in their places until they return. What if her eyes were in the sky and the stars were in her head?—The brightness of her cheeks would outshine the stars the way the sun outshines a lamp. If her eyes were in the night sky, they would shine so brightly through space that birds would start singing, thinking her light was the light of day. Look how she leans her hand on her cheek. Oh, I wish I was the glove on that hand so that I could touch that cheek.
 JULIET
                                          Ay me!
JULIET
Oh, my!

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