Who says, "See what a scourge is laid upon your hate"?

Who says, "See what a scourge is laid upon your hate"?

• A. Romeo
• B. Prince Escalus
• C. Capulet
• D. Montague

Answer: (B)

The line is spoken by the ruler who presides over Verona, delivering a moral censure after the tragedy has unfolded. The key idea here is recognizing who voices the condemnation of the families’ feud and why that voice matters. Prince Escalus steps in as the authority figure who frames the lovers’ deaths as a direct consequence not of personal misfortune but of the ongoing hate between Capulets and Montagues. By calling it “a scourge laid upon your hate,” he reframes the conflict as a communal punishment, underscoring how harmful and self-destructive this feud has become. The other characters are deeply involved in the feud or its fallout, but they do not serve as the ethical topos delivering this broad social warning. This moment highlights the play’s message that unchecked enmity harms everyone, and it is the prince’s authority that voices that sober lesson.

The line is spoken by the ruler who presides over Verona, delivering a moral censure after the tragedy has unfolded. The key idea here is recognizing who voices the condemnation of the families’ feud and why that voice matters. Prince Escalus steps in as the authority figure who frames the lovers’ deaths as a direct consequence not of personal misfortune but of the ongoing hate between Capulets and Montagues. By calling it “a scourge laid upon your hate,” he reframes the conflict as a communal punishment, underscoring how harmful and self-destructive this feud has become. The other characters are deeply involved in the feud or its fallout, but they do not serve as the ethical topos delivering this broad social warning. This moment highlights the play’s message that unchecked enmity harms everyone, and it is the prince’s authority that voices that sober lesson.