We have made a lot of sense so far in these eight lines of Romeo and Juliet’s first conversation, using our senses of sound, sight and movement. 

Now, we’re going to play with the text to discover where Romeo and Juliet are sensing this conversation is headed.

Rhymed words — another way to play with repeated sound — give us a clue.  What words does Romeo rhyme at the end of his lines?

Romeo

If I prophane with my unworth’st hand

This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:

My lips two blushing Pilgrims ready stand

To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

hand, stand; this, kiss

What words does Juliet rhyme at the end of her lines?

Juliet

Good Pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much

Which mannerly devotion shows in this;

For saints have hands that pilgrim's hands do touch

And palm to palm is holy palmer's kiss.

much, touch; this, kiss

She uses the same rhyme as her second rhyme: this kiss!

We know they have been puckering up at each other.  Here we have further evidence of what is on their mind….and about to be on their lips!

Let’s look at the next four lines.  First analyze them for repeated sounds.  Are they using the same smile and pucker sounds as before? 

Romeo

Have not saints lips and holy palmers too?

Juliet

Aye, Pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

Romeo  

O then, dear Saint, let lips do what hands do;

They pray (grant thou) least faith turn to despair.

They are still puckering and smiling.

Are they repeating “hand” words?

Romeo

Have not saints lips and holy palmers too?

Juliet

Aye, Pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

Romeo  

O then, dear Saint, let lips do what hands do;

They pray (grant thou) least faith turn to despair.

They use two words that are “hand” words, but they are not repeated words. Is there a word they do repeat?

Romeo

Have not saints lips and holy palmers too?

Juliet

Aye, Pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

Romeo  

O then, dear Saint, let lips do what hands do;

They pray (grant thou) least faith turn to despair.

They repeat lips.

Romeo

Have not saints lips and holy palmers too?

Juliet

Aye, Pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

Romeo  

O then, dear Saint, let lips do what hands do;

They pray (grant thou) least faith turn to despair.

What do hands in prayer look like?

If they are still taking their words from their actions, their hands might be “in prayer”.  Or as Juliet put it, “palm to palm is holy palmer’s kiss.”

They could be in the same position for these lines.  Which puts them in a great position for what happens at the end of the next two lines.

Juliet  

Saints do not move though grant for prayer's sake.

Romeo  

Then move not while my prayers' effect I take:

We still have repeated pucker and smile sounds —

Juliet  

Saints do not move though grant for prayer's sake.

Romeo  

Then move not while my prayers' effect I take.

Note:  “prayer’s” and “prayers’” do not have the same sound.  “Pray-er’s” is a two syllable word with a long “a” sound; “prayers’” is one syllable and uses a different “a” sound.

Are there repeated words in these lines?

Juliet  

Saints do not move though grant for prayer's sake.

Romeo  

Then move not while my prayers' effect I take:

Only move and not..

Juliet  

Saints do not move though grant for prayer's sake.

Romeo  

Then move not while my prayers' effect I take.

This may be another blocking hint from Shakespeare. Not move/more not:  they are not moving (that is, dancing) anymore….

We’ve come to end of this first part of their conversation.  We know it is some sort of end because the conversation has been constructed as a sonnet.  A sonnet is fourteen lines, in which the first twelve lines form three sets of four lines each with an alternate rhyme pattern and then one last set of two lines which rhyme (called a couplet).

Romeo  

If I prophane with my unworth’st hand A

This holy shrine the gentle sin is this: B

My lips two blushing pilgrims ready stand A

To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. B

  Juliet  

Good Pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much C

Which mannerly devotion shows in this; D

For saints have hands, that pilgrim's hands do touch C

And palm to palm is holy palmer's kiss. D

Romeo  

Have not saints lips and holy palmers too? E

Juliet  

Aye, Pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer. F

Romeo  

O then, dear Saint, let lips do what hands do; E

They pray (grant thou) least faith turn to despair. F

Juliet  

Saints do not move though grant for prayer's sake. G

Romeo  

Then move not while my prayers' effect I take. G

Sonnets, first developed in Italy during the Renaissance were often used to express romantic love.  Later in his career, Shakespeare wrote a series of sonnets with the theme of love. 

What do you imagine happens at the end of this sonnet? Think of what we have found so far:  

• Romeo and Juliet have been puckering up throughout the conversation(and smiling because they are enjoying it)

• They have both rhymed “this kiss”

• Their hands have been palm to palm – “kissing”

Now, Romeo suggests their lips do what their hands are doing.

Romeo  

O then, dear Saint, let lips do what hands do.

If they are whispering, they are close enough to

Kiss!

But this kiss is not the end of their conversation.

In the next guide, we’ll find how your sense of rhythm makes sense of the end this conversation.