Name:
First Kiss (1.5.91-108)
Period:
[Romeo takes Juliet’s hand]
Romeo. If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with tender kiss.
Juliet. Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, (95)
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch, 1
And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss.
Romeo. Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?
Juliet. Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer. (100)
Romeo. O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do.
They pray: grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.
Juliet. Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake.
Romeo. Then move not while my prayer’s effect I take.
Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged.
(105)
[kisses her]
Juliet. Then have my lips the sin that they have took.
Romeo. Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
Give me my sin again.
[kisses her]
Juliet.
You kiss by the book.
Shrine – a place in which devotion is paid to a saint or god
Saint – in this context: a statue of a saint
Pilgrim – one who travels to a shrine or holy place as a devotee
Palmer – another word for pilgrim
Purged – to get rid of; to clear of guilt
Profane – not respectful of common religious practice; irreverent.
Trespass – to sin; to enter someone else’s land illegally
1
A reference to touching the hands of statues of saints