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All Site ContentRomeo and JulietAct 4Scene 4
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"loggerhead"
Wordplay
Act 4,
Scene 4
Lines 16b-21

An explanation of the “loggerhead” pun in Act 4, Scene 4 of myShakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

Capulet

                                          Sirrah, fetch drier logs.
Call Peter, he will show thee where they are.

Second Servant

I have a head, sir, that will find out logs,
And never trouble Peter for the matter.
[Exit]

Capulet

Mass, and well said! A merry whoreson, ha!                 
Thou shalt be ‘loggerhead.’ Good faith, 'tis day.

Capulet makes a pun here:

  • The servant says he has a "head" for finding logs, so Capulet says that must make him a loggerhead, or a blockhead.
  • It also makes him the servant in charge of logs: the head of the logs, or “loggerhead.”