Romeo and Juliet

Act V
Andrew Farmer

1. I saw her laid low in her kindreds vault and presently took post to tell you.
(-Balthasar to Romeo)
Balthasar brings news to Mantua, where Romeo is exiled, about Juliet. Everyone except
for Friar Lawrence believes that Juliet is actually dead. Since Romeo did not receive the
letter from the Friar explaining his plan, Romeo, too, now believes that the love of his life
is dead.
2. Come cordial, and not poison, go with me to Juliets grave; for there I must use
thee. (-Romeo to Apothecary)
After buying an illegal poison from the poor apothecary, Romeo has plans to kill himself
in Juliets tomb with the poison. However, Romeo refers to this mixture as a medicineone that would cure him of his heartbreak.
3. The letter was not nice, but full of charge, of dear import, and the neglecting it
may do much danger. (-Friar Lawrence to Friar John)
Friar Lawrence sent Friar John to Romeo in Mantua with a letter that explained every
detail of the plan, in which Juliet used the sleeping potion to escape marrying Paris. Friar
John failed at this, and F. Lawrence is rightly scolding him, saying it was not just an
ordinary letter. If Friar John had not failed, the story may have ended happily.
4. Put not another sin upon my head by urging me to fury. O be gone! By heaven,
I love thee better than myself, for I come hither armed against myself.
(-Romeo to Paris)
Paris sees Romeo at Juliets tomb and is outraged that a Montague would be visiting the
burial grounds of a Capulet- his love. Romeo doesn't want any trouble. He only came
to end his life with his true love. He begs Paris to leave, so that no more problems have to
arise. Paris, of course, refuses, and is killed by Romeo.
5. Heres to my love! [drinks] O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with
a kiss I die. (-Romeos soliloquy or monologue because Juliet is on stage??)
Romeo drinks the poison while laying with Juliet, toasting his drink to his love for Juliet,
like someone would make a toast at a party. Romeo even comments on the honesty of the
apothecary- he already feels the effect of the poison. He ends his life for Juliet by kissing
her body one last time.
6. I do remember where I should be, And there I am. Where is my Romeo?
(-Juliet to Friar Lawrence)
Juliet finally wakes up from her sleeping-beauty-like spell from the potion she drank.
However she is too late because Romeo has just killed himself. She is unaware of this at
first, and remembers the plan that she assumes went well. She is very wrong.

7. Whats here? A cup. Closed in my trueloves hand? Poison, I see, hath been his
timeless end. (Juliets soliloquy)
Juliet finds out that Romeo is dead- that he killed himself with poison in the tomb with
her. She is annoyed because he didnt leave any poison for her her instant reaction to
Romeos death is suicidal. She also comments on the warmth of his lips. This shows that
she had woken up immediately after his death, which adds to the tragedy and
disappointment.
8. O happy dagger! This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die.
(Juliets monologue)
Juliet hears someone approaching the tomb, and kills herself without hesitation by
stabbing herself with Romeos dagger. Without blinking, she prefers a painful, selfinduced death rather than a life without Romeo, her true love.
9. This letter doth make good the Friars words. Their course of love, the tidings of
her death; and here he writes that he did buy a poison
(Princes monologue)
Although Im a little confused about which letter the prince is reading, I believe he is
reading Romeos suicide note, which contained he and Juliets tragic love story that led to
his purchase of a means of suicide. The Prince then blames Montague and Capulet for the
deaths, because their feud had forbidden two soulmates from being together.
10. For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.
(Princes monologue)
That feeling of satisfaction from reading the last line of a story
The Prince, a person who has demonstrated no real emotion, but just pure administration,
is upset by the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. He thinks it is the most painful sequence of
events that has ever happened. It also adds to the introduction of the play, which quite
literally introduces the play (includes plays length, etc.) by closing it. It is like a narrator
saying This has been the very sad story- Romeo and Juliet.