My Fair City of Verona

My Fair City of Verona
Picture of Verona

November 8, 2007

Thinking About Rosaline...

Today started out like any day in Verona. It was about 30 degrees outside, yet never have I felt so cold before in my life. My life has never been the same since that fateful day when I and Rosaline decided to end our relationship. Why could she not love me as I love her? Does she even have feelings for me at all? I mean, throughout our entire relationship, I felt as if I was the only one who cared at all for the other. It is all so unclear to me now. All that I am sure of, is that she wishes to become a nun, so we decided to split up.

I was walking on the beach one day, trying to collect my thoughts when I ran into my good friend Benvolio. Benvolio has always been there for me, when I needed someone to talk to the most. As we talked on, we met up with an illiterate servant. He asked me to read the names off of a sheet of paper to him, so I did. It was obviously a list of party guests since there were so many high-classed people on the list. As I read out the list, a familiar name came up, it was Rosaline. Once i finished reading the list to him, he invited me to the party, but also indirectly tells me not to attend, since he said that members of the Montague family are not to attend. We decided to go anyway, in attempt to try and lift my spirit, even though there is a great chance that were are going to get killed if we do.

In my opinion, most of the party seemed to be pretty pointless. That was, until I saw this absolutely gorgeous young woman. Once I saw her, I forgot all about Rosaline. We did get a chance to exchange sonnets together and kiss, but then just as soon as it started, it ended, as the Nurse told Juliet to go see her mother. I asked the Nurse who I had just fallen in love with was. She told me the she was Juliet, a Capulet. I was left totally dumbfounded. My greatest love was also my greatest enemy?

November 7, 2007

Act One Quote

"My only love sprung from my only hate! -Juliet (1.5.138)

This line was said by Juliet right after she discovered from the Nurse the man who she had just fallen in love with was Romeo, a Montague. This line means that Juliet is basically shocked to learn that the person who she had just fallen in love with was also her only enemy. This line is important to the further development of the story since this suggests that something terribly wrong will happen later on because of the love between Romeo and Juliet.

Marriage...



I once thought that the true love in my life was Rosaline, but after that party, I forgot all about Rosaline. Who is she, anyway? But the fact of the matter stilled remained: She was a Capulet and was a Montague. But I would not let that get in the way of my love, so I went over to meet Juliet, risking my life to see her. When I got close to her balcony, I was about to say something, but then I heard her say to herself "O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?" (2.2.33) At the time, I was so in love with her that it sounded to me as if she were an angel from heaven. After hearing about her desires to see me, I just could not hold it in any longer, so I blurted out "I take thee at thy word..." (2.2.49) After I said that, we got into a deep conversation between two lovers. We were talking in perfect rhyme with one another and everything. It was almost as if it were scripted. The discussion soon got so deep that we began to talk about the possibility of marriage. Then, before I could make a decision, I had leave, with the tough decision to make of whether or not I wanted to marry this girl.

So he next day, I decided to go see Friar Lawrence about marrying Juliet. But Friar Lawrence did not understand how I felt at all! When I told him "Then plainly know my heart's dear love is set on the fair daughter of rich Capulet." (2.3.103) But all he could say was "Holy Saint Francis! What change is here!" (2.3.103) But, being the persuasive person that I am, I did finally manage to persuade him to marry us. Then, just as I was about to leave, Friar Lawrence told me "For this alliance may so happy prove, to turn your households' rancour into pure love." (3.4.105) I did not really care about what he had just said, since all I cared about was marrying Juliet, so I just left after that.

Later while walking on the street with Benvolio and Mercutio, we ran into the Nurse. Not knowing that the Nurse was here to deliver my word on the marriage proposal to Juliet, we poled fun at the Nurse, calling her sexist things, such as "hoar". Later when Mercutio and Benvolio left the Nurse, went to talk to her personally. I told the Nurse "... at Friar Laurence' cell, (she/Juliet) be shrived and married..." (2.4.174-175) I closed my eyes and went back to join with my friends, hoping that everything was going to be okay.

While sitting with Friar Lawrence waiting for Juliet to arrive, I was once again counciled by him about my hasty marriage to Juliet. But just before he could say anything else, Juliet came in, leaving Friar Lawrence stunned. The next thing I knew, I said "I do" and we were married.

Act Two Quote

"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; And all combined, save what thou must combine by holy marriage." -Romeo (2.3.57-61)

This quote was said by Romeo while he was explaining to Friar Lawrence about his love for Juliet to try and persuade him to marry the two. Basically, Romeo is trying to say that he believes that he and Juliet are a perfect match because not only does he have strong feelings for her like he did previously with Rosaline, but the feeling is mutual, meaning that Juliet also feels the same about Romeo. This quote is important to the story because it suggests that perhaps his relationship with Juliet will work out in the long run, unlike what happened with Rosaline, since they both love each other this time.

November 4, 2007

I AM BANISHED!!!!

Ah, another day, another fight between my family and the Capulets. But this time, it was not just anyone fighting, it was my dear friend Mercutio, fighting with the fierce and relentless Tybalt. I could not think of anything better to do, so I decided to go in between the two, hoping to stop the fight. But little did I know, Tybalt was up to his old tricks once again. He would stab is sword under my arm, striking an unaware Mercutio, killing him. Right after that happened, i saw Tybalt run off, feeling all good about himself. When I went to comfort Mercutio, all that he could think of saying was "A plague o’ both your houses!" (3.1.90) For some reason, Tybalt decided to show his face...too bad for him, as I was set on getting vengeance for the death of Mercutio. So, I then demanded for him to draw his sword and with all my power, killed my own cousin. Remembering the words of the Prince from the last fight, I fled quickly, to the cell of Friar Lawrence.

"BANISH'D! BANISH'D!" This news is terrible news! I felt that this was much worse than deaf, but then Friar Lawrence tried to relieve me by telling me that I can still live, but just not in
Verona. But that still did not comfort my anger and sadness. The only glimpse of comfort that I saw occurred when the Nurse came in and told me about how Juliet experienced the same sorrows that I am experiencing. Finally, some things seemed to be working my way when Friar Lawrence devised a plan that would allow me to spend one last night with Juliet, and I was so happy about it.

Act Three Quote

"A plague o’ both your houses!" - Mercutio (3.1.90)

This quote was said by Mercutio while he was about to die, after fighting with Tybalt. This quote is basically Mercutio cursing both the Montague and the Capulet houses for causing his death because it was their hate for one another that caused them to always fight and if it were not for that, he would still be alive. This quote is a vital part of the story because it in a way hints that perhaps foul things will happens to the two houses because of this plague brought on by Mercutio.

November 3, 2007

Life Away From Home



Days have passed, and I am growing ever more upset with myself for deciding to live in Mantua. Mantua is nothing like Verona; I do not know anyone here and it is basically a big, giant wasteland here, I HATE IT! However, there do seem to be many interesting people around, as the other day I remember a very poor looking apothecary saying that if anyone needed poison, that they should go see him. That did not appeal to me at first, but as I thought about it, I believed that he and his poisons just might come in handing later...

Act Four Quote

"I will confess to that I love him" -Juliet (4.1.25)

Juliet said this to Friar Lawrence after Paris told her to confess to Friar Lawrence that she loved him (Paris). Normally, this quote would mean that Juliet loves Paris, but in this case, when Juliet is saying that she loves "him," she is referring to Romeo. This quote is significant to the story because it helps to prolong the dramatic irony that no one other then a few people know about how Romeo and Juliet are married.

November 2, 2007

Juliet is Dead...


"Her body sleeps in the Capels' monument," (5.3.261) is all that Balthasar had to say to me, and it was also all that he needed to tell me. For I knew, that Juliet was now dead. So , acting hastily, I then went to visit that poor apothecary that I saw the other day, to buy some poison for myself. Once I completed that task, I with Balthasar headed towards Verona, were I would get to see my love, one last time.

"Farewell..." Were the last words that I said to my dear friend Balthasar, after I told him to leave the grounds. Then, I entered the tomb and with all my might, I managed to open Juliet's tomb. But little did I know, the county Paris was hiding in the shadows. When he revealed himself, things got ugly. We both drew our swords and although I did not want to at all kill him, I had no choice, since he was just not leaving me alone. At last, it was time for me to complete my main objective: dieing beside my love, Juliet. So then, I drank the vial of poison and to be honest, I was surprised with the speed of the potion. I even remember saying right before I died "O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick." (5.3.285) Then I kissed Juliet and collapsed, dead.

Act Five Quote

"That heaven means to kill your joys with love!" -Prince (5.3.293)

This quote was said by the Prince after he learned about what had just happened in the tomb. This quote means that heaven has used the love between Romeo and Juliet to destroy the happiness of both Capulet and Montague. This quote is important to the story because it helps to end the hate between the two families.