ROMEO: If I Profane with My Unworthiest Hand

U4L02R01

Sonnets

Directions: Read the sonnet and answer the questions.

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 a tender kiss.

JULIET:Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,

Which mannerly devotion shows in this;

For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch,

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.

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.

Annotate the passage by identifying the characteristics of a sonnet (rhyme pattern, quatrains, couplet, iambic pentameter, shift/turn/volta).

Paraphrase each section of dialogue in the space to the right of the sonnet.

Define these words:
shrine

pilgrim

saint

palmer

What do they have in common?

Underline other words in the sonnet that share this commonality.

Who is identified as the pilgrim in this dialogue? Who is identified as the saint?

Comment on the effect of the following literary devicesin this sonnet:

Form: How do the quatrains and couplet work to enhance the author’s purpose?

Language/Diction: How does Shakespeare use the language of the body and the language of religion to accomplish his purpose in this sonnet?

Rhyme: How does Shakespeare use rhyme to convey his purpose? Look at the words that rhyme. How are some of them related in content and purpose?

Imagery: How does Shakespeare intermingle the images of prayer and kissing to accomplish his purpose?

Rhythm: How does the use of iambic pentameter serve Shakespeare’s purpose?

Tone: How does Shakespeare use a shift in tone of the poem (particularly after the 8th line) to enhance his purpose?

Subject Matter:What is the subject of this poem? How does this subject relate to the subject of the first sonnet (the Prologue to Act I)?

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Final Question: How does Shakespeare use this sonnet to build tension in the plot and advance a theme of the play? Discuss at least two literary devices and two quotations from the sonnet in your response.

Sonnets--KEY

Directions: Read the sonnet and answer the questions.

ROMEO: If I profane with my unworthiest handA

This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:B

My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready standA

To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.B

JULIET:Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,C

Which mannerly devotion shows in this;D

For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch,C

And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss.D

ROMEO: Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?E

JULIET: Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer. F

ROMEO: O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do. E

They pray: grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.F

JULIET: Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake.G

ROMEO: Then move not while my prayer’s effect I take. G

Annotate the passage by identifying the characteristics of a sonnet (rhyme pattern, quatrains, couplet, iambic pentameter, shift/volta/turn).

Shift/volta/turn occurs after line 8. The sonnet turns from the problem (Can I kiss you?) to the solution (How should I kiss you?)

Paraphrase each section of dialogue in the space to the right of the sonnet.

Define these words:
shrine place where pilgrims visit for prayer and to worship a saint; often a statue or a relic is there.
pilgrimperson who travels to a holy place out of devotion to a god or saint
saintperson who is dead and recognized by the Catholic church as holy. Believed that people can ask saints to speak on their behalf to God to have prayers answered.
palmerperson (pilgrim) wearing two crossed palm leaves as a sign of pilgrimage to the holy land

What do they have in common?

All are religious images.

Underline other words in the sonnet that share this commonality.

Look for words that are used in religious context: profane, unworthiest, hand, holy, shrine, sin, pilgrims, devotion, palm to palm, palmer, lips, prayer, pray, grant, thou, faith, despair

Who is identified as the pilgrim in this dialogue? Who is identified as the saint?

Pilgrim = Romeo Saint = Juliet

Comment on the effect of the following literary devicesin this sonnet:

Form: How do the quatrains and couplet work to enhance the author’s purpose?

This is a perfect Shakespearean sonnet. Sonnets are traditionally associated with love. Romeo takes the entire first quatrain. Juliet takes the second. But, then their voices gradually intermingle to that illustrates how they fit together perfectly. They are compatible. This is especially evident as they share the last couplet evenly. They complement each other.

Language/Diction: How does Shakespeare use the language of the body and the language of religion to accomplish his purpose in this sonnet?

Physical love and religion—the body and the spirit—are in conflict in this poem. The combination of these ideas in the same sonnet shows the spark and passion of their love. There is physical desire even as they discuss their religious concerns. This shows how serious their love is. It transcends physical attraction. The audience is supposed to take their love seriously. Romeo uses the religious imagery to show the purity of his intentions. Yes, he wants to kiss her, but he is spiritual in his love for her, too. Juliet hears this metaphor and adds to it. They reach an understanding by the end of the poem. If their kiss is a prayer, there can be no problem with kissing.

Rhyme: How does Shakespeare use rhyme to convey his purpose? Look at the words that rhyme. How are some of them related in content and purpose?

The rhyme brings symmetry to the poem. Note the rhyme of “prayer” and “despair.” This references the tragedy that will doom the lovers. The audience already knows this because of the Prologue to Act I.

Imagery: How does Shakespeare intermingle the images of prayer and kissing to accomplish his purpose?

Prayer and kissing are contrasting images. Prayer happens when a person is alone, talking to God. Kissing is intimacy between two humans. Prayer, though, has two people (human and God) suggesting two different kinds of intimacy, both at work in this relationship so far. The prayer becomes a kiss. (Let lips do what hands do; they pray.)

Rhythm: How does the use of iambic pentameter serve Shakespeare’s purpose?

The iambic pentameter is steady through the sonnet. Romeo and Juliet are in sync with the cadence of their speech and with their emotions. There is a constant pace to their dialogue.

Tone: How does Shakespeare use a shift in tone of the poem (particularly after the 8th line) to enhance his purpose?

The sonnet begins as earnest and builds an urgency as it continues. The exchange becomes more passionate.

Subject Matter: What is the subject of this poem? How does this subject relate to the subject of the first sonnet (the Prologue to Act I)?

The subject of the poem is love—physical and spiritual love. They share both from the beginning. They have a pure love that also has an urgency.

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DRAFT