Soliloguy

Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare

Act 2
Scene 2

        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
        Who is already sick and pale with grief
5       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.
        It is my lady, O it is my love!
10    O 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.
        Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
15 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 cheeck would shame those stars
        As daylight doth a lamp. Her eyes in heaven
20    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.
        O that I were a glove upon the hand,
        That I might touch that cheek!

Directions: Answer the following questions about Romeo's soliloquy.

1. What does Romeo compare Juliet to?
2. In line 24, Romeo says "O that I were a glove upon the hand..." Why does he want to be a glove? What does he want to do?
3. Romeo is alone and talking to himself. This is an example of ? (Remember our vocabulary!)
4. Romeo describes the moon in multiple ways. Choose the answer that does not belong.     a. The moon is sick and pale
    b. The moon is jealous of juliet
    c. The moon is more fair than Juliet.

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