A/N: As you could tell from the title, Cassie and Alex are going to do the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet! So above, I attached a clip from one of the film adaptations of the balcony scene. I hope everyone enjoys the chapter!!!!
Cassie's POV
I tried to find Alex when I came to school in the morning, but I couldn't find him anywhere.
At lunch time, he practically inhaled a hamburger and french fries and dashed off, mumbling something about having to do a project due today. So, I didn't get a chance to talk to him. Well, there's always Lit class to talk, I guess....
Once everyone was gathered in the theatre for our literature class, Mrs. Hooper eagerly greeted us. The way that she was running around the room in excitement and flailing her arms to get everyone into their places, she seemed like a little kid on a sugar high.
"Ok, everyone. We're going to be doing the balcony scene today! Cassie, stand up on the desk and pretend you're on a balcony and Alex stand right below her", Mrs. Hooper instructed us.
"And, action!", Aaron shouted from his seat.
Act 2 Scene 2 (I didn't include the entire balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, instead I cut some parts but tried to leave enough that it would make sense. For anyone who hasn't read Romeo and Juliet, there's a great website called No Fear Shakespeare in Sparknotes that explains what each line means in modern terms).
Romeo
JULIET appears in a window above
JULIET enters on the balcony.
But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
It is my lady. Oh, it is my love.
........
"Isn't that sweet, a 13 year old girl is being serenaded by a 16 year old guy. Who wouldn't find that endearing", Peter, one of our classmates, sarcastically said.
"Mr. Jacobson, I would appreciate it if you could cut out your commentary until the end", Mrs. Hooper replied to his comment.
"Yeah, Peter. Maybe if you took Romeo's approach to impress a person, you would be dating someone and wouldn't be complaining about the play!", Lisa shot back at Peter.
"Who even says woo anymore, Lisa? The middle ages called, they want their word back", Peter told her.
"At least I could get a date, unlike some people", Lisa retorted.
"Ooh, burn!", Jax shouted as all of us began laughing.
"I guess you have nothing else to say Mr. Jacobson?", Mrs. Hooper asked.
"No, Mrs. Hooper", Peter muttered with his face down.
"Good, Cassie, resume where you left off please", Mrs. Hooper said.
Juliet
Ay me!
ROMEO
(aside) She speaks.
O, speak again, bright angel! For thou art
As glorious to this night, being o'er my head,
As is a wingèd messenger of heaven
Unto the white, upturnèd, wondering eyes
Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him
When he bestrides the lazy-puffing clouds
And sails upon the bosom of the air.
JULIET
O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name.
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.
ROMEO
(aside) Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?
JULIET
'Tis but thy name that is my enemy.
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet.
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name, which is no part of thee
Take all myself.
ROMEO
I take thee at thy word.
Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized.
Henceforth I never will be Romeo.
JULIET
What man art thou that, thus bescreened in night,
So stumblest on my counsel?
ROMEO
By a name
I know not how to tell thee who I am.
My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself
Because it is an enemy to thee.
Had I it written, I would tear the word.
JULIET
My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words
Of that tongue's uttering, yet I know the sound.
Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague?
ROMEO
Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike.
JULIET
How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore?
The orchard walls are high and hard to climb,
And the place death, considering who thou art,
If any of my kinsmen find thee here.
"Mrs. Hooper, you do have to admit that Romeo knowing which room is Juliet's, is pretty-", Mark began until Mrs. Hooper shot him a glare, instantly silencing him.
ROMEO
With love's light wings did I o'erperch these walls,
For stony limits cannot hold love out,
And what love can do, that dares love attempt.
Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me.
"Why couldn't all guys be as sweet as Romeo? He was willing to risk his life, just to see the girl he loves? Boys in books are way better than the ones in real life", Alyssa commented.
"Babe, you know I love you and all, but not enough to climb a wall to confess my feelings for you. Especially if I knew your relatives would kill me the second they found me. You don't even have long hair like Rapunzel that I could use to climb back down to the ground with," Alyssa's boyfriend, Thomas replied with a smile on his face.
JULIET
If they do see thee they will murder thee.
ROMEO
Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye
Than twenty of their swords. Look thou but sweet,
And I am proof against their enmity.
JULIET
I would not for the world they saw thee here.
ROMEO
I have night's cloak to hide me from their eyes,
And but thou love me, let them find me here.
My life were better ended by their hate
Than death proroguèd, wanting of thy love.
.........
JULIET
Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed.
If that thy bent of love be honorable,
Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow
By one that I'll procure to come to thee
Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite,
And all my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay
And follow thee my lord throughout the world.
..........
JULIET
By and by, I come.-
To cease thy strife and leave me to my grief.
Tomorrow will I send.
ROMEO
So thrive my soul-
JULIET
A thousand times good night!
Exit JULIET, above
"Who would even marry a person they just met?", Bianca asked.
"Ask Disney, they sure seem to love doing that in all of their films," I told her.
"True", she replied.
"Okay, that's it for today. Next time, we're going to do the death scene. We'll discuss the scenes from after the balcony scene up to the death scene, so make sure you catch up on the reading and be ready to perform next class. Class dismissed", Mrs. Hooper said as the bell rang.
A/N: That's it for this time. Until next week, I hope everyone has a wonderful week!