This line, from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," reflects the complex nature of love. It suggests that while love can be gentle and tender, it often comes with challenges and pain, likening it to something rough, rude, or overwhelming. The comparison to a thorn indicates that love, despite its beauty, can also cause hurt and discomfort. This duality captures the intensity and unpredictability of romantic emotions.
Mercutio says this; If love be rough with you, be rough with love; Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down. He is responding to Romeo's line, "Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boistrous, and it pricks like thorn." He is saying essentially that if love is making your life difficult, don't give in to love. Of course all of this talk of pricks and beating love down is suggestive, perhaps suggesting a way of not giving in to love. "If love be rough with you, be rough with love. Fight prick for prick and you beat love down." - Mercutio, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Mercutio is saying to Romeo, if love is hard on you then fight it. And if you fight enough you will win. and be happy again. This is a loose translation.
Mercutio says this in Act 1 Scene 4 in response to Romeo's line "Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn." It would probably be a good response too to many of the songs of Diana Ross and the Supremes such as "Where Did our Love Go?"
The cast of Rough Tender - 2010 includes: Daniel Jay Salmen as Ray Nels Lennes as Chad Claudia Wilkens as Grandma
rugueux
Your boyfriend was too rough with it last night, and it is tender today. Take a few nights off from the rough trade and it will get much better.
It means you do not play nicely.
Romeo
The word meaning "not smooth" is spelt rough.
Hard, loud, rough.
The word you are looking for is "shack."
That is just an expression meaning life is rough.
'Rough' perhaps?