Romeo and Juliet, Act 1 Scene 3?

Question

I have to rewrite Act 1, Scene 3 into a script, as if I were in the 70's. I can do that just fine, it's just that I don't understand most of the scene. Basically I don't understand the sex joke that the Nurse says. Can anyone translate the sex joke thoroughly, or the whole scene? Or does anyone know a good Shakespeare translation site? Any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

I will put interpretations in brackets or parenthesis.
Back then noble women did not breastfeed their own babies.
They would find a woman who had a baby and was willing to breastfeed the noble baby as well. This nurse had lost her own baby (Susan) who was born about the same time as Juliet.
Juliet was born on July 31 (Lamas-eve--Lamas is Aug. 1]
Nurse keeps reiterating how good her memory is--telling about Juliet being wean'd (no longer breastfeeding) and that Nurse had put a herb poultice [wormwood] on her breast [dug] and sat against the dove house wall in the sun. Quite possibly this poultice was meant to "dry up" the lactation as Juliet was weaned. Juliet came over to the nurse and tried to breastfeed and found out the herb poultice was bitter. The nurse remembers that this was eleven years ago and that Juliet was able to run and waddle around well.
The joke part:
For even the day before, she broke her brow, [Juliet fell forward and skinned her forehead]
And then my husband—God be with his soul!
'A [he, nurses husband] was a merry man—took up the child [picked up Juliet]:
"Yea," quoth he, "dost thou fall upon thy face?
Thou wilt fall backward [to fall on her back [to make love]]] when thou hast more wit [when she is wiser];
Wilt thou not, Jule?" [won't you Julie[t]] and, by my holidam, [holiness, like "by heaven" today]
The pretty wretch left crying and said "Ay." [Juliet quite crying and said "yes"]
To see, now, how a jest shall come about! [what was said as a joke--that Juliet would "fall on her back [make love] rather than fall forward [skin her forehead] is now going to happen. Juliet will marry and "fall on her back" [make love] with her husband}.
I warrant, an I should live a thousand years,
I never should forget it: "Wilt thou not, Jule?" quoth he;
And, pretty fool, it stinted [quit crying] and said 'Ay "
[nurse repeats the punch line that Juliet agreed that she would "fall on her back"]

Answer 2

Romeo And Juliet Act 1 Scene 3

Answer 3

Romeo And Juliet Scene 3

Answer 4

The nurse reminds Juliet that when she was little she fell on her face and had a bump like a cockerel's testicle. Then she says when thou hast more wit, thou will fall upon your back (suggesting that is a better position for sex). She also says that women grow bigger than men, meaning they get pregnant by men. All of this is entirely inappropriate, especially for an innocent girl like Juliet, but is an insight into the bawdy nature of the nurse.

Answer 5

OK. 1) Mercutio is a friend of Romeo, and doesn't like the Capulets, of whom Tybalt is one, so when Tybalt says he'd like a word, Mercutio makes a smart remark and says something like: "What, just a word? Put it together with something else. Hit me!" 2. Tybalt replies Ready when you are. Just give me a reason! 3. Mercutio is making a play on words. Consort (to be together) also means a group of instruments and their players (minstrels). Are you making minstrels of us? In that case you won't hear sweet music; Here's my fiddle stick (violin bow). Here's something to make you dance! Zounds is an Elizabethan oath or mild swear word. I'm fairly sure that by fiddlestick he actually means his sword. 4. Tybalt says :"Here comes my servant." as Romeo comes in. Mercutio says "He's not your servant. If that's the case I'll be hanged. (Livery refers to the uniform worn by the servants of a noble house. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

go to sparknotes.com and go to "no fear Shakespeare"

there you will find a modernized version of shakespeare in normal english.

nurse joke:
nurse: I swear to you by my virginity at age twelve, I already told her to come. Come on! Where is she? What is she doing? What, Juliet!

in the scene, basically they are trying to get juliet married and to loose her virginity.

Answer 7

This website may be of assistance to you.