Romeo and Juliet Group

Question:

malfoyxx321
malfoyxx321
Student
High School - 9th Grade

What does this line mean? "then i'll be brief! oh, happy dagger, this is thy sheath. there rust and let me die."

Rate question:

Posted by malfoyxx321 on Tuesday February 10, 2009 at 10:38 PM and tagged with happy dagger, quote, romeo and juliet.

Answers:


  1. adrigon Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Best answer as selected by question asker.

    It means she's going to kill herself. Juliet's chest becomes the dagger's sheath (place you store your cutlery). "There rust and let me die" refers to the eternity of rotting death they will spend together. She calls it happy dagger somewhat ironically, since it's giving her what she wants, but it is still killing her.

    Rate answer:

    Posted by adrigon on Tuesday February 10, 2009 at 11:07 PM


  2. enotechris Teacher
    Vocational

    eNotes Editor

    A dagger or sword or any metal weapon, if not maintained, will rust.  In Shakespeare's day, sheaths were leather, and if the metal weapon was left inside unused or unmaintained long enough, the acids from the leather would corrode, or "rust" it. Similarly, if blood was allowed to remain on the metal after stabbing, and not wiped off, that would etch or "rust" the metal, leaving hemoglobin stains. Shakespeare employs a brilliant image in implying that the dagger will never be removed from its sheath, or Juliet's bosom, and therefore will rust; the word also suggesting the eternal decay as is previously mentioned.

    Rate answer:

    Posted by enotechris on Wednesday February 11, 2009 at 2:31 AM

  3. lit24
    lit24 Teacher
    Doctorate

    eNotes Editor

    When Juliet wakes up she sees that Romeo has drunk the poison. So she immediately takes his dagger and stabs herself to death: "O happy dagger,/This is thy sheath.There rust and let me die."  Juliet hears the noise of others coming and she quickly stabs herself without making a long speech.

    She puns on the word 'happy.'Happy' could mean,

    1. She was fortunate in quickly discovering the instrument to end her life.

    2. The dagger is always kept sheathed in a metallic case, but now it is fortunate because it is sheathed in her youthful body.

    3. The line also has an obvious sexual connotation.

    "Romeo and Juliet" belongs to the early phase of Shakespeare's dramatic career - a phase which is characterised by excessive punning.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/romeo/character-analysis
    http://www.enotes.com/romeo/essays

    Rate answer:

    Posted by lit24 on Wednesday February 11, 2009 at 2:33 AM