Vol. 08 · Shakespeare ·Romeo and Juliet, Act II.ii ·Romeo
"Juliet is the sun."
Not quite the line.
How it's usually quoted
"Juliet is the sun."
What Shakespeare actually wrote
"It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." Romeo — Romeo and Juliet, Act II.ii
Why it matters
The first clause anchors the metaphor — dawn, east, sunrise. Without it the sun comparison floats; with it, Juliet is a specific sunrise from a specific direction.
More from the canon.
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