Juliet’s Monologue from Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 2: "Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds"

Synopsis

In this passionate monologue, Juliet eagerly awaits the arrival of night and Romeo. She invokes night as a lover’s ally, desiring its privacy and secrecy for her wedding night. Juliet’s imagery is romantic and sensual, blending youthful anticipation with poetic longing. However, her excitement is tinged with impatience and the tension of waiting, as she compares the delay to the agonizing anticipation of a child waiting for a festival.

What’s just happened before this moment that’s relevant to the scene?

After secretly marrying Romeo, Juliet eagerly anticipates their first night together. Unaware of the tragic events unfolding elsewhere—Romeo’s fight with Tybalt—Juliet speaks with a mix of innocence and passion, imagining the fulfillment of their love.

Original Text

"Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds,
Towards Phoebus’ lodging. Such a waggoner
As Phaethon would whip you to the west
And bring in cloudy night immediately.
Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night,
That runaway’s eyes may wink, and Romeo
Leap to these arms, untalk’d of and unseen.
Lovers can see to do their amorous rites
By their own beauties; or, if love be blind,
It best agrees with night. Come, civil night,
Thou sober-suited matron, all in black,
And learn me how to lose a winning match
Play’d for a pair of stainless maidenhoods.
Hood my unmann’d blood, bating in my cheeks,
With thy black mantle, till strange love grow bold,
Think true love acted simple modesty.
Come night, come Romeo, come thou day in night,
For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night
Whiter than new snow on a raven’s back.
Come gentle night, come loving black-brow’d night,
Give me my Romeo; and when he shall die
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night,
And pay no worship to the garish sun.
O, I have bought the mansion of a love
But not possess’d it, and, though I am sold,
Not yet enjoy’d. So tedious is this day
As is the night before some festival
To an impatient child that hath new robes
And may not wear them. O, here comes my nurse.
And she brings news, and every tongue that speaks
But Romeo’s name speaks heavenly eloquence."

Translation of Text into Contemporary Language

*"Hurry up, you fiery horses of the sun,
And take Phoebus, the sun god, to his bed.
If Phaethon were driving your chariot,
He’d make you rush faster to bring in the night.
Let the curtain of night fall,
So prying eyes can’t see, and Romeo
Can leap into my arms unseen and unheard.

Lovers don’t need light to find each other;
Their beauty guides them. And if love is blind,
It belongs in the darkness. Come, night,
You serious widow dressed in black,
Teach me how to lose my innocence
In a way that feels modest and true.
Hide my blushing face under your dark cloak
Until I’m brave enough to embrace true love.

Come, night! Come, Romeo! Be like the day
That shines through the night.
You’ll glow on the wings of night,
Whiter than fresh snow on a raven’s back.
Come, gentle night, loving night,
Bring me my Romeo. And when he dies,
Turn him into stars,
So beautiful that everyone will fall in love with the night
And forget about the bright, garish sun.

Oh, I have love, but I haven’t experienced it yet.
I’m like someone who’s bought a mansion
But hasn’t moved in, or like a child
Who has new clothes but has to wait for a festival to wear them.
This day is so slow and tedious.

Oh, here comes my Nurse.
And she brings news—any word about Romeo
Sounds like heavenly music to me."*

Meaning of Difficult or Unusual Words

Gallop apace: Hurry quickly.
Phoebus’ lodging: The setting of the sun.
Phaethon: A figure from Greek mythology who disastrously drove the chariot of the sun.
Love-performing night: Night that enables lovers to unite.
Runaway’s eyes: Possibly a reference to the sun or prying eyes.
Sober-suited matron: A grave, serious figure (night personified as a widow).
Unmann’d blood: Uncontrolled passion or nervousness.
Bating: Fluttering or quivering (like a falcon).
Garish: Gaudy or overly bright.

Suggested New Thoughts Chunking / Paragraphing with Acting Notes

"Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds, Towards Phoebus’ lodging. Such a waggoner As Phaethon would whip you to the west And bring in cloudy night immediately."
Acting Note: Open with excitement and urgency. Juliet is consumed by her longing for night and Romeo, her voice eager and impatient.
"Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night, That runaway’s eyes may wink, and Romeo Leap to these arms, untalk’d of and unseen."
Acting Note: Shift to romantic anticipation. Use a softer, more intimate tone as Juliet imagines their private reunion.
"Lovers can see to do their amorous rites By their own beauties; or, if love be blind, It best agrees with night."
Acting Note: Add a touch of humor or playfulness. Juliet reflects on the romantic notion that love doesn’t need light to thrive.
"Come, civil night, Thou sober-suited matron, all in black, And learn me how to lose a winning match Play’d for a pair of stainless maidenhoods."
Acting Note: Infuse this section with vulnerability and resolve. Juliet is both innocent and determined, blending modesty with desire.
"Come night, come Romeo, come thou day in night, For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night Whiter than new snow on a raven’s back."
Acting Note: Speak this with poetic admiration. Juliet envisions Romeo as a radiant presence, contrasting light and dark imagery.
"Come gentle night, come loving black-brow’d night, Give me my Romeo; and when he shall die Take him and cut him out in little stars..."
Acting Note: Deliver these lines with deep passion and tenderness. Juliet’s love for Romeo transcends life and death, showing her devotion.
"O, I have bought the mansion of a love But not possess’d it, and, though I am sold, Not yet enjoy’d."
Acting Note: Shift to frustration. Juliet’s impatience grows as she compares her love to something tangible yet out of reach.
"So tedious is this day As is the night before some festival To an impatient child that hath new robes And may not wear them."
Acting Note: Use youthful exuberance and impatience here. Juliet is like a child eagerly awaiting a gift, full of restless energy.
"O, here comes my nurse. And she brings news, and every tongue that speaks But Romeo’s name speaks heavenly eloquence."
Acting Note: Conclude with relief and excitement. Juliet’s energy should shift to hopeful anticipation as she spots the Nurse.

Journey Keypoints

Hook: Juliet invokes the speed of nightfall, expressing her longing for Romeo and their private union.
Turning Point: Her romantic imagery transforms into anticipation, blending innocence with passion.
Climax: Juliet’s emotions peak as she envisions Romeo’s beauty transcending time and space.
Resolution: Frustration and impatience give way to relief as the Nurse arrives with news.

Famous or Notable Actors Who Have Played the Role

Olivia Hussey (1968 Film, directed by Franco Zeffirelli)
Claire Danes (Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 Film)
Lily James (Garrick Theatre, 2016)
Jessie Buckley (National Theatre Live, 2020)

Explore Juliet’s romantic longing and emotional depth with ACS Drama School Audition Coaching! Learn how to express her passion and vulnerability in Shakespeare’s most poetic moments. Start your journey with us today at ACS Drama School Audition Coaching.