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Speaking exam

ENGLISH SPEAKING EXAM--------------------------------------------

Does anyone have any quotes from Romeo and Juliet that are based/ are about
money and class divide?
'my poverty, but not my will, consents.' - apothecary to romeo
had he been richer, the apothecary may have valued his morals and been able to refuse romeo the poison

'there is thy gold, worse poison to men's souls / doing more murder in this loathsome world, / than these poor compounds' - romeo to apothecary
romeo knows (and can see here) how money corrupts people and the city, and how money can put people out of law's reach

'art thou drawn among these heartless hinds?' - tybalt to benvolio, when benvolio beats down the swords of servingmen samson and gregory
'heartless hinds' is animalistic ('hind' = female deer), suggesting that the servingmen's fight is undignified, although tybalt is challenging benvolio to a similar duel. the only thing that separates the two fights is the class of the people involved.

'civil blood makes civil hands unclean' - chorus (prologue)
striking as an oxymoron - while civility suggests prestige, honour and calm, blood suggests violence, carnal instincts and lowly behaviour
partly so striking since 'civil' people (those in higher classes) were expected to behave so well - however, 'civil blood' also shows that it's the higher class who are able to bring about change (in this case, disaster).

'since the case stands now as it doth, / i think it best you married with the county. ... romeo's a dishclout to him' - nurse to juliet
as part of the serving class, the nurse is subject to the whims of society, and knows she cannot change the circumstances (capulet will marry juliet to paris) - she even tries to convince juliet that paris is a good match as an alternative to romeo, while she had at first praised romeo and helped bring the couple together.
(edited 5 years ago)
Reply 2
Original post by euphrosynay
'my poverty, but not my will, consents.' - apothecary to romeo
had he been richer, the apothecary may have valued his morals and been able to refuse romeo the poison

'there is thy gold, worse poison to men's souls / doing more murder in this loathsome world, / than these poor compounds' - romeo to apothecary
romeo knows (and can see here) how money corrupts people and the city, and how money can put people out of law's reach

'art thou drawn among these heartless hinds?' - tybalt to benvolio, when benvolio beats down the swords of servingmen samson and gregory
'heartless hinds' is animalistic ('hind' = female deer), suggesting that the servingmen's fight is undignified, although tybalt is challenging benvolio to a similar duel. the only thing that separates the two fights is the class of the people involved.

'civil blood makes civil hands unclean' - chorus (prologue)
striking as an oxymoron - while civility suggests prestige, honour and calm, blood suggests violence, carnal instincts and lowly behaviour
partly so striking since 'civil' people (those in higher classes) were expected to behave so well - however, 'civil blood' also shows that it's the higher class who are able to bring about change (in this case, disaster).

'since the case stands now as it doth, / i think it best you married with the county. ... romeo's a dishclout to him' - nurse to juliet
as part of the serving class, the nurse is subject to the whims of society, and knows she cannot change the circumstances (capulet will marry juliet to paris) - she even tries to convince juliet that paris is a good match as an alternative to romeo, while she had at first praised romeo and helped bring the couple together.


Thank you, I used some of these and my teacher (Teaching for 15 years) thinks I'll get distinction!
Original post by shadyxmcr
Thank you, I used some of these and my teacher (Teaching for 15 years) thinks I'll get distinction!


you're welcome, and that's great!! i'm glad to hear that :h:

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