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In Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet," what does Juliet mean in her speech beginning with the lines, "O serpent heart..." when she describes Romeo in contrary terms? When she calls him "just opposite to what thou justly seem'st," what is she expressing?

A) Juliet is praising Romeo's honesty and nobility.
B) Juliet is expressing her love for Romeo without any reservations.
C) Juliet is condemning Romeo for his deceitful and contradictory actions.
D) Juliet is describing Romeo's physical appearance.

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Juliet's speech using the line "O serpent heart..." in Romeo and Juliet shows her condemnation of Romeo's actions, as she grapples with the contradiction between the man she loves and his violent deed. The correct option is C, which signifies her denouncement of his contradictory nature.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, the line beginning with "O serpent heart..." is part of a speech by Juliet where she is conflicted over the news that Romeo has killed her cousin, Tybalt. When Juliet describes Romeo with phrases like "just opposite to what thou justly seem'st," she is struggling with her emotions as she grapples with the duality of Romeo's character - the loving husband she knows and the murderer of her kin.

This moment in the play is a significant one as Juliet processes her profound grief and shock. Her speech reveals the turmoil within her, and her use of oxymorons speaks to the paradoxical nature of Romeo's actions: a gentle man who has committed a violent act. Juliet feels betrayed because the man she loves has shown himself capable of deeds that sharply contradict the virtuous image she had of him.

Therefore, Juliet is not praising Romeo's honesty (A) or expressing her love without reservations (B). She is certainly not describing his physical appearance (D). Instead, she is condemning Romeo for his deceitful and contradictory actions (C), which makes her feel as though she never truly knew him.

The correct option that Juliet is expressing is C: Juliet is condemning Romeo for his deceitful and contradictory actions.

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