Thread by @GCSE_Macbeth

#SummerOfJuliet

Act 1 Sc 5

l.137
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 loathed enemy.

The word "my" is interesting here.

1/

Juliet is bred into deep-rooted, implicit hatred of the Montagues. It isn't really "her" hate, is it?

Interesting possibilities here: should we expand "The quarrel is between our masters and us their men" (1.1) to include the women of each house?

2/

OR -- is Shakespeare establishing that Juliet echoes her parents' thoughts NOW, so that he can move her away from them later? I'll keep a close eye out as I read on.

3/

"TOO EARLY" is an echo of Romeo in 1.4, adding to the feeling of two characters trapped by fate ("I fear, too early: for my mind misgives").

Words relating to TIME are everywhere in the play, but EARLY is worth investigating by itself.

4/

Juliet, in Lord C's words, is "early" for marriage. Lady C, ironically, arranges J's marriage "early next Thursday morn". J fears waking "early" from her poisoned sleep. And the Prince's words at the end:
"thou art early up,
To see thy son and heir more early down."

5/

"Too early seen unknown, and known too late!" is more foreshadowing. Characters realising the truth when it's too late will be a motif in the play.

6/

PRODIGIOUS meant "ominous" or "portentous" in Shakespeare's day. The modern meaning of "enormous" or "impressive" came later.

Echoing the "death-marked love" again.

7/