30 Famous Romeo and Juliet Quotes You Should Know

30 Famous Romeo and Juliet Quotes You Should Know

Few works of classical literature have managed to express love, passion, and tragedy in such a profound way as William Shakespeare’s famous drama, “Romeo and Juliet.” This timeless masterpiece, written more than four centuries ago, continues to captivate audiences all over the world, bridging the gaps between time and culture. Its central narrative is one of forbidding love, warring families, and the disastrous effects of adolescent ardor.

Shakespeare provided us with a wealth of memorable quotes in his lyrical lyrics that have become a vital part of our literary history. We set out on a tour through the 30 iconic “Romeo and Juliet” quotes you ought to be familiar with, each one a guiding light of knowledge, feeling, and understanding that has permanently bound itself into the fabric of human expression. Here are the 30 Famous Romeo and Juliet Quotes You Should Know:

1. “But Soft, What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the Sun” – Romeo

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This beautiful quote is from the balcony scene where Romeo tells this opening monologue for Juliet. It is captured at the end of Act 2, Scene 2 where Romeo returns to the Capulet house with high hopes of settling eyes to Juliet. She then appears in a window which was above him.

Romeo is pondering the source of the light that is shining above him. Then he makes a metaphor, likening Juliet to the sun and the window to the east. Romeo claims that Juliet is so stunning and brilliant that she fills the window in the same manner as the sun fills the earth with light, even though we all know the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

2. “O Romeo, Romeo, Wherefore Art Thou Romeo?” – Juliet

In Scene 2 of Act 2, Juliet pours out her heart towards Romeo. She had met Romeo at the party of her engagement to Paris that her father had thrown. Juliet goes to her room’s balcony after not being able to see the handsome young man, Romeo. She is not able to get him out of her mind and takes this time to speak out about her feelings.

This is Juliet’s way of expressing her worry that her just discovered love won’t work out. The Capulets and the Montagues are engaged in a long-standing conflict in Verona. Romeo is a Montague, and she is a Capulet. Because of the established hatred between the two families and the immovable nature of the situation, there is no way that they could ever get married.

3. “One Fairer than My Love? The All-seeing Sun Ne’er saw her Match since First the World Begun.” -Romeo

Love is perceived to be a deep affection between two people. It is usually believed by some people that there is always love at first sight. However, some don’t believe in that.

In Act 1 Scene 2, Romeo proves this when he attends the Capulets party. He was in love with another lady known as Rosaline before he saw Juliet. After seeing Juliet, Romeo falls deeply in love with her and forgets everything about Rosaline.

4. “Two of the Fairest Stars in all the Heaven, Having Some Business, Do Entreat her Eyes to Twinkle in their Spheres till they Return.” – Romeo

In Act 2, scene 2, Romeo hints that Juliet’s eyes are stars and this demonstrates his sincerity that he believes Juliet to be unreal and charmed because her eyes are stars. When Juliet talks Romeo also refers to her as an angel and being practically immortal, adding that she is from heaven.

5. “My Bounty is as Boundless as the Sea, My Love as Deep.” Juliet

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In Act 2, Scene 2, Juliet uttered these remarks in the famous balcony scene. Juliet compares her love to the sea when she and Romeo compliment each other and make pledges of an everlasting union.

Romeo compares things like truth, the fact that the sun revolves around the earth and stars are composed of fire, whereas Juliet offers more “feminine” comparisons. Water was frequently related to kindness and caring. In a way that implies this, Juliet also claims that she can offer Romeo her love forever since it is limitless, like the sea.

6. “See How She Leans Her Cheek upon Her Hand! O, that I was a Glove upon that Hand, that I might Touch that Cheek!” – Romeo

Before speaking to each other in the iconic balcony scene, Romeo observes Juliet as she approaches her balcony. He talks to himself about how beautiful she is and how much he loves her. Romeo comments, “See how she leans her cheek upon her hand,” as Juliet rests the side of her face on her hand.

Oh, how I wish I were a glove on that hand so I could touch that cheek.” She is stroking her face, and Romeo wishes he were a glove on Juliet’s hand. To touch her, he wants to be that glove. Romeo wants to spend as much time as he can with his love, but that is impossible because of the conflict between their families.

7. “Did my Heart Love Till Now? Forswear it, Sight, for I ne’er Saw True Beauty till this Night.” -Romeo

Romeo’s statement, “Did my heart love till now,” conveys the impression that before meeting Juliet, he had no concept of what true love was. In actuality, he could not have prevented this sudden love and yearning for Juliet, which ultimately could have cost him. The drama implies numerous times that his impulse to act immediately ultimately backfired on him.

8. “O, Swear not by the Moon, the Inconstant Moon, that Monthly Changes in Her Circled Orb, Lest that Thy Love Prove Likewise Variable.” -Juliet

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Over the month, the moon’s “shape” changes as it waxes and wanes. Due to the moon’s erratic nature, Juliet does not want Romeo to profess his love for her by the moon. If he swears by something that changes, she worries that his love will also change.

Juliet is correct to be doubtful because Romeo was in love with Rosaline the day before this scene. Being an adolescent, his love is ephemeral like the moon. This demonstrates Juliet’s love-based principles. She views the pursuit of love as an enduring endeavor that does not flow like the moon.

9. “My Ears have not yet Drunk a Hundred Words of that Tongue’s Uttering, yet I know the Sound.” – Juliet

In Act 2, scene 2, Juliet is at it again about her feelings for Romeo. This quote means that she immediately recognized Romeo’s voice even though she had never heard it more. The significance is that she was madly in love with him.

10. “O, She Doth Teach the Torches to Burn Bright.” -Romeo

Romeo makes this statement in his monologue when he first sees Juliet at the Capulet Ball. He implies that Juliet lights up the room with her beauty by comparing her to a torch in this comparison.

11. “You Kiss by the Book.” -Juliet

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Romeo’s complex and ritualized wooing style, his lyrical language, the complicated analogies, and the justification for earning a kiss from her are addressed in Juliet’s quote, “You kiss by the book”. She is making fun of the fact that he receives kisses by the manual and never breaks the rules; she is implying that his approach is ritualistic, if courtly. She is comparing it to love stories and social conventions that she is familiar with rather than to anyone else.

12. “If Love Be Blind, Love Cannot Hit the Mark.” -Mercutio

Mercutio is also aware of Romeo’s love story with Rosaline when they go to the Capulet Ball. However, when he felt the love for Juliet, Mercutio came in with his quotes. The notable one is “if love is blind, love cannot hit the mark”. He tries to poke fun at his love beliefs for Romeo as well as trying to make a sexual exclamation.

13. “Sin from my Lips? O Trespass Sweetly Urged! Give me my Sin Again.” -Romeo

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The love between Romeo and Juliet is blooming more which gives them more sensation of having each other. They go ahead and kiss. However, Romeo wishes to kiss her again and take away the “sin again” after the first kiss.

14. “Love goes Toward Love as Schoolboys from their Books, but Love from Love, Toward School with Heavy Looks.” -Romeo

In this scene, Romeo is talking to himself while outside Juliet’s house. He is stating that while meeting someone you love might be exciting and fun, leaving them can be much harder. Taking a look at the literal meaning of the quote to schoolboys, it means that the schoolboys are ready to finish their work and depart, yet they are depressed as they head back.

15. “You are a Lover. Borrow Cupid’s Wings, and Soar with them Above a Common Bound.” -Mercutio

When Mercutio says, “You are a lover; borrow Cupid’s wings, / And soar with them above a common bound,” he is pointing out that love and sadness are not necessarily bound to be experienced at the same time. Mercutio is assuring Romeo that love can give him the strength to accomplish an astonishing jump; a “common bound” which is an average leap in a dance.

16. “Love is a Smoke made with the Fume of Sighs. Being Purged, a Fire Sparkling in Lovers’ Eyes; Being Vexed, a Sea Nourished with Lovers’ Tears.” Romeo

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A lover’s sighs, in Romeo’s Act 1 Scene 1 quote, emit smoke. If all goes according to plan and the love is reciprocated, the smoke will disappear and both lovers’ eyes will shine. However, if the love is not reciprocated, tears start to flow as if the smoke is irritating the lovers’ eyes.

17. “This Bud of Love, by Summer’s Ripening Breath, may Prove a Beauteous Flower when we Next Meet.” -Juliet

The flower bud symbolizes the start of the love between Juliet and Romeo. Their blossoming love is symbolized by the flower. The blossoming flower in Act 2 makes use of Romeo’s promise to Juliet. Romeo is informed by Juliet that their relationship is just getting started and that she cannot guarantee anything until she is certain that they truly love one another.

18. “I Am No Pilot. Yet, Wert Thou as Far as that Vast Shore Washed with the Farthest Sea, I would Adventure for such Merchandise.” -Romeo

Romeo uses this metaphor to compare himself to the captain of a merchant ship setting out on a perilous journey across a large ocean in search of precious cargo. This is a fitting metaphor for a time in imperialist England when financiers and ship captains were opening sea channels to the East Indies and the Caribbean for spices and sugar, respectively, both of which were valuable commodities once successfully delivered back to Europe.

19. “O, Speak Again, Bright Angel! For Thou Art as Glorious to this Night, being o’er my Head, as is a Winged Messenger of Heaven.” -Romeo

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This quote by Romeo comes from Act 2, scene 2. Romeo compares the way he looks up at Juliet to how people look up at an angel (whom he refers to as “a winged messenger of heaven”) walking across clouds, the puffy bosom of the sky.

20. “With Love’s Light Wings did I O’erperch these Walls, for Stony Limits Cannot Hold Love Out, And what Love can do, that Dares Love Attempt.” -Romeo

Romeo’s response to Juliet’s question on how he entered the walled garden of the Capulet home is his romantic quote. True love is a freeing force for Romeo. Not only does love give him wings, but also “light wings” and the ability to break beyond all “stony limits.”

However, Juliet poses a real and practical issue, and Romeo responds with a romantic fantasy. Romeo is less based in reality than Juliet is throughout the play. Her definition of freedom is the ability to leave her parents’ home and engage in sexual activity.

21. “Call Me but Love, and I’ll be Newly Baptized.” -Romeo

Romeo is prepared to assume a different persona to win Juliet’s love. He reveals his desire to transform into a new person for Juliet for her to accept him by using the word “baptized.” Romeo also addresses Juliet as “Dear Saint.” He refers to Juliet as a saint, implying that he views her as holy and pure.

22. “If Love be Rough with You, be Rough with Love.” -Mercutio

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According to Mercutio, falling in love is a struggle both on the inside and out. He states that love is difficult and that it will “prick like a thorn”. Mercutio’s perspective on love as a back-and-forth conflict is explained by the metaphor that love will sting like a thorn. Through his chat with Romeo, Mercutio also employs his metaphors to convey his viewpoint on love, which is that it is a burden.

23. “Under Love’s Heavy Burden do I Sink.” -Romeo

In the quote of Romeo, “Under love’s heavy burden, do I sink.” (Scene 1 of Act 1) Personification is used to demonstrate that although love may seem light at first, it is often so weighty that you can’t escape it when it is intense.

24. “Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow.” -Juliet

The time that Juliet spent with Romeo seems to have caused more feelings between them. However, at some point, Juliet tells her lover Romeo that “Parting is such a sweet sorrow”. She meant that leaving each other for that moment was something sad but had memories that she wanted to experience more next time.

25. “O, I am Fortune’s Fool!” -Romeo

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Romeo becomes enraged and claims that Tybalt should have been the one to take on Mercutio because his love for Juliet has rendered him crazy. He raises his sword as Tybalt returns to the scene still enraged.

When they clash, Tybalt is killed by Romeo. Romeo is urged to go by Benvolio because a group of onlookers who are upset about the frequent street fights are coming. Astonished by what has transpired, Romeo exclaims, “O, I am fortune’s fool!” and runs away.

26. “He that is Stricken Blind cannot Forget the Precious Treasure of his Eyesight Lost.” -Romeo

Romeo uses a metaphor to describe why Rosaline, the lady he loves but who doesn’t love him the same way, is something he simply cannot forget. He likens himself to a blind person who is unable to forget the value of his lost vision.

27. “Tempt not a Desperate Man.” -Romeo

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Romeo thinks Juliet is dead at this stage of the play. He feels helpless, enraged, and desperate. To be with Juliet in death, he traveled to the Capulet’s tomb to see Juliet’s body and commit suicide.

To “apprehend” Romeo, Paris tries to plead with him. However, Romeo shrugs him off with this metaphor as he wants to take this step and be with his lover.

28. “Thou Shalt not Stir One Foot to Seek a Foe.” -Lady Montague

In contrast to her abusive husband, Lady Montague is incredibly kind, quiet, and delicate. These are qualities that enable her to prevent Lord Montague from picking a battle. Her use of the phrase “thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe” indicates that she disapproves of violence. The audience is also hinted at by this comment that the fight might escalate.

29. “The World is not Thy Friend, nor the World’s Law.” -Romeo

Balthasar, Romeo’s man, comes to Mantua carrying the tragic news of Juliet’s passing. For them to return to Verona right away, Romeo orders him to hire horses. Romeo then purchases poison so that he can pass away with Juliet in the burial chamber of the Capulets.

30. “Thus with a Kiss I Die.” -Romeo

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Romeo is unable to handle life without Juliet. He ingests the poison after taking it. He says his last words as the poison begins to flow into his veins: “Thus with a kiss I die.” After kissing Juliet, he collapses on the floor. The last action he takes before the poison kills him is to kiss Juliet.

The quotes of Juliet and Romeo are astonishing and very educative to those who read and enjoy them. They have always been appreciated by every generation that takes an interest in them.