Monday, June 23, 2014

In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, what does Benvolio vow to do?

In , after
the street brawl between the
Montagues and the Capulets,andtalk aboutand how sad and depressed
he has been
lately. Benvolio says he will attempt to find out what is bothering Romeo.
During
his discussion with Romeo it is revealed that Romeo is in love with a
woman who does not share
his love. Benvolio suggests Romeo should forget her
and "Examine other beauties." In
the next scene they come across Capulet's
servingman in the street. The man, being illiterate,
is unable to read the
party list Capulet gives him and is seeking out someone to read it for
him.
He bumps into Romeo, who reads the list out loud, discovering the name of Rosaline,
the
girl he loves. When Benvolio hears this he vows (though this word is
never used) to show Romeo
other girls that are more beautiful than Rosaline
at the party. Benvolio says,


At this
same ancient feast of Capulets
Sups the fair
Rosaline whom thou so
loves,
With all the admir¨d beauties of Verona.
Go

thither, and with unattainted eye
Compare her face with some that I
shall
show,
And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.

Benvolio, of course, is quite right. Romeo
even uses the same language when he
seeslater that night. He simply replaces
swan with dove (both white birds). In , he says,
"So shows a snowy dove
trooping with crows."

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