In Act 2, scene 4, we see Romeo with his friends: here, he behaves like sort of a stereotypical young man of his age. He is playful and fun-loving, he engages in a bit of sexually suggestive banter, he endures some good-natured ribbing and he gives back as good as he gets. However, then Juliet's nurse arrives to speak with Romeo, and his demeanor changes. He sort of blows off his friends, saying that he'll follow them to his father's house, but he really has no such intention. To the nurse, he speaks sincerely and with emotion about the plans he has made for a marriage with Juliet. Further, he is courteous and even offers her money for delivering their messages. Thus, in this scene, Romeo seems a bit immature at first, but he quickly sobers when faced with responsibility and something that is important to him.
Does anybody know the etymology of the phrase "sweet dreams"? I tried googling but did not find anything satisfying. Is this a relatively new phrase of the modern world or has this been in use for some time? I think it's the latter one. Answer The OED has the interjection as "a farewell to someone going to bed" from the 20th century: 1908 Sears Roebuck Catal. 198/1 Tenor Solos..Good Bye, Sweet Dreams, Good Bye. But it goes back until at least the 19th and possibly 18th centuries. John Wolcot, writing under the pseudonym of Peter Pindar, used it in his poem "Orson and Ellen; A Legendary Tale" published in 1801: Also from 1801 in The infernal Quixote (Page 287) by Charles Lucas: In the March 1776 of The Universal Magazine was published "The Serenade. A Pastoral Tale. From the German of Gesner" , where the shepherd Daphnis watches over his beloved as she sleeps and sings: The same tale appears in 1776's as Idyl XI, " Daphnis ...
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