Act IV Scene iii – Focus on language   

Shakespeare's language and imagery in Juliet's IV.iii soliloquy is a prime illustration of skill in writing. As she looks at the vial of potion given to her, she considers all the potential outcomes of drinking the liquid. This scene is one of the best examples of what fear can do to a person’s mind. This soliloquy, like many of Shakespeare's soliloquies, focuses on the character's internal conflict.

1. Find Act IV Scene iii, read lines 1-15 - It is the night before Juliet’s wedding, and Lady Capulet asks if Juliet needs any help, yet we all know Juliet wants to be left alone. How does Juliet succeed in getting her mother to leave?

2. When Juliet finally is left alone, she keeps her knife near her in case the potion doesn’t work. Read lines 21-25. What is her fear in this part, and what does she almost do to stop that fear?

3. Read lines 26-31. What is her suspicion of the Friar’s motivation? In the end, does she think her suspicion is valid?

4. Lines 32-37. What kind of death does she fear in these lines? Explain your answer.

5. Lines 38-56. Don’t get confused – it’s all about the same fear of waking early in the tomb/vault/sepulcher. What does she fear seeing in these lines? How about what she may hear or smell? What is she afraid her reaction may be to what she sees, hears, and smells?

6. Lines 57-59. What vision comes upon her? Why, do you think, if she feared seeing Tybalt’s body earlier in the speech, does she call to this vision to stay?

7. Make a judgment: Which fear is the worst to you, and why?

8. Identify the images she paints with her words. What image(s) have the most detail? Answer, and draw a clear image below!