What are some foreshadows in Act II of Romeo and Juliet?

Question

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Answer 1

My personal Fave:

FRIAR:
"Within the infant rind of this small flower
Poison hath residence and medicine power:
For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part;
Being tasted, slays all senses with the heart.
Two such opposed kings encamp them still
In man as well as herbs, grace and rude will;
And where the worser is predominant,
Full soon the canker death eats up that plant"

He is talking about an herb he just plucked, but he is clearly talking about Love, the fued and Romeo (who comes onto the scene just as the Friar says this to reiforce the idea). Love has the power to be be painful and pleasurable; the families can have love (through R&J) and still hate each other; and Romeo can be a lover and fighter (ask Jules and Tybalt).

These few lines forshadow the death of Romeo and the reconciliation of the families.

Mercutio also forshadows Romeo's death:

"Alas poor Romeo! he is already dead; stabbed with a
white wench's black eye; shot through the ear with a
love-song; the very pin of his heart cleft with the
blind bow-boy's butt-shaft: and is he a man to
encounter Tybalt?"

Although he thinks Romeo is still in love with Rosalind, he is clearly forshadowing that Romeo will die because of the love of a woman.

Finally Mercutio forshadows his own death by Tybalt's hand in his description of Tybalt:

"He fights as you sing prick-song, keeps time, distance, and
proportion (TYBALT FIGHTS RHYTHMICALLY); rests me his minim rest, one, two, andthe third in your bosom: (RESTS MEANS KILLS - IT WOULD ONLY TAKE TYBALT THREE SWISHES WITH HIS SWORD - THE THIRD ONE IS IN YOU BEFORE YOU KNOW IT) the very butcher of a silk
button (HE IS SO PRECISE, HE CAN REMOVE A BUTTON FROM YOUR SHIRT WITHOUT TOUCHING YOU), a duellist, a duellist..."