Note 287 — NOTE ON SYMBOLS (continued 2)

In R. J. II. ii Romeo is in the orchard, and (2) ‘But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?’ The lovers discourse, he below, she ‘o’er my head’ (27). Presently (F1; Q1, is summary here) Juliet says ‘I hear some noise within’ (136), followed by s.d. ‘Cals within’ and a little later ‘Within: Madam’, twice. Juliet then ‘Exit’ (155), and (159) ‘Enter Juliet again’. Modern editors have reshuffled the s.ds. In III. v, Q2 (reproduced in F1), in addition to textual differences from Q1, may represent a revised handling of the scene. Q1 begins ‘Enter Romeo and Juliet at the window’. They discuss the dawn. Then ‘He goeth downe’, speaks from below, and ‘Exit’. Then ‘Enter Nurse hastely’ and says ‘Your Mother’s comming to your Chamber’. Then ‘She goeth downe from the Window’. I take this to refer to Juliet, and to close the action above, at a point represented by III. v. 64 of the modern text. Then follow ‘Enter Juliets Mother, Nurse’ and a dialogue below. Q2 begins ‘Enter Romeo and Juliet aloft’. Presently (36) ‘Enter Madame [? an error] and Nurse’, and the warning is given while Romeo is still above. Juliet says (41) ‘Then, window, let day in, and let life out’, and Romeo, ‘I’ll descend’. After his ‘Exit’ comes ‘Enter Mother’ (64), and pretty clearly discourses with Juliet, not below, but in her chamber. Otherwise there would be no meaning in Juliet’s ‘Is she not downe so late or vp so early? What vnaccustomd cause procures her hither?’ Probably, although there is no s.d., they descend (125) to meet Capulet, for at the end of the scene Juliet bids the Nurse (231) ‘Go in’, and herself ‘Exit’ to visit Friar Laurence.