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All Site ContentRomeo and JulietAct 4Scene 1
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"Venus"
Allusion
Act 4,
Scene 1
Lines 6-14

An explanation of the allusion to Venus in Act 4, Scene 1 of myShakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

Paris

Immoderately she weeps for Tybalt's death,
And therefore have I little talk of love,
For Venus smiles not in a house of tears.
Now, sir, her father counts it dangerous
That she doth give her sorrow so much sway,               
And in his wisdom hastes our marriage
To stop the inundation of her tears,
Which, too much minded by herself alone,
May be put from her by society.

Venus is the goddess of love, who “smiles not” on a grieving family. Paris is saying that he's having a difficult time wooing Juliet because she's too busy crying over the loss of Tybalt (and — little does he know — Romeo).

(La Primavera, Sandro Botticelli, c. 1482)