Romeo and Juliet Hate Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Act.Scene.Line). Line numbers correspond to the 2008 Norton edition of the play.

Quote #7

TYBALT
Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe,
A villain that is hither come in spite
To scorn at our solemnity this night.
(1.5.69-71)

Tybalt would never fall in love with Juliet, no matter how pretty she is: hatred turns all his enemies into the equivalent of cartoon villains. He can't see them as individual people or imagine them outside the context of the feud.

Quote #8

JULIET
My only love sprung from my only hate!
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
Prodigious birth of love it is to me
That I must love a loathèd enemy.
(1.5.152-155)

Juliet is devastated when she learns that her "only love" (that would be Romeo) has "sprung from [her] only hate" (is the son of her family's only enemies, the Montagues). Romeo's response to the news that Juliet is a Capulet is pretty similar. He says "O dear account! My life is my foe's debt!" (1.5.8). But are they both just overreacting? In an earlier passage, we heard Juliet's dad say that Romeo is a nice kid. Early on in the play, Capulet also says that he's too old too keep on feuding with the Montagues (1.2.1).

Quote #9

FRIAR LAURENCE
But come, young waverer, come, go with me.
In one respect I'll thy assistant be,
For this alliance may so happy prove
To turn your households' rancor to pure love.
(2.3.96-99)

Friar Laurence doesn't believe that Romeo's love for Juliet is authentic (especially since Romeo was "in love" with Rosaline about two seconds ago), but he agrees to marry them anyway. What gives? Well, the Friar believes that a marriage between a young Capulet and a young Montague might be able to put an end to the long-standing family feud. Pretty conniving, don't you think?