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All Site ContentRomeo and JulietAct 2Scene Prologue
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"old desire" and "young affection"
Personification
Act 2,
Scene Prologue
Lines 1-14

An explanation of the personification of Romeo’s love in the Act 2 prologue of myShakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

[A single actor (referred to as a chorus) comes to the front of the stage to deliver this introductory prologue to the second act.]

Chorus

Now old desire doth in his death-bed lie,
And young affection gapes to be his heir;
That fair for which love groaned for and would die,
With tender Juliet matched is now not fair.
Now Romeo is beloved and loves again,
Alike bewitchèd by the charm of looks;
But to his foe supposed he must complain,
And she steal love's sweet bait from fearful hooks.
Being held a foe, he may not have access
To breathe such vows as lovers use to swear;               
And she as much in love, her means much less
To meet her new belovèd anywhere.
But passion lends them power, time means to meet,
Temp'ring extremities with extreme sweet.
[Exit]

Romeo's emotions have been personified. His love for Rosaline, his “old desire,” is like an elderly person on his deathbed, while his love for Juliet, his “young affection,” is like a child waiting to inherit what the elderly person is leaving behind.