He says it is "But new struck nine". It was just after 9:00 a.m.
Benvolio says it is "But new struck nine". It was just after 9:00 a.m.
When the servant meets Benvolio and Romeo, he asks for their help with delivering invitations to a party hosted by the Capulet family. Benvolio and Romeo agree to assist and end up attending the party, where Romeo meets Juliet for the first time. This encounter plays a significant role in the unfolding of the tragic love story between Romeo and Juliet.
Romeo's friends, Mercutio and Benvolio, convince him to go to the Capulet's party to meet new young ladies. They encourage him to forget about his unrequited love for Rosaline and to have a good time at the party.
Romeo sees Juliet for the first time at her house. Her family (the Capulets) held a party, and Romeo and his friends Benvolio and Mercutio learned of it when they bumped into the Clown, Capulet's servant. Romeo was in love with Rosaline at that time, and Benvolio suggests that they go to this party, as Rosaline, who is a Capulet, would be there. However, Benvolio's goal is for Romeo to meet another girl and fall in love, which did happen; unfortunately, this other girl, which is Juliet, happens to be a Capulet as well.
He uses Rosaline because that in Romeo believes he is in love with at that time in the play
Early in the morning (2,3), early in the afternoon (2,6), and late in the afternoon (3,3).
Both of them try to stop fights. Benvolio never starts any fights and counsels Mercutio to get out of the way of the Capulets if they are looking for trouble. Although Romeo also tries to avoid them most of the time, he does start one and only one fight, the fight in which Tybalt is killed. Benvolio says he would have stopped that one too but he didn't have a chance. Benvolio is even more peaceful than Romeo.
Romeo asks "Is the day so young?" and Benvolio answers "But new struck nine." The time is nine-ish, then.
Benvolio just wants to have a good time, and the party promises to have good free eats and drinks and lots of cute girls. Romeo, on the other hand, wants to go because Rosaline is on the guest list.
In act 1 Benvolio tells him that there are more fish in the sea than Rosaline, and better ones at that, so it's time for him to fish elsewhere.
Nothing. Romeo agrees to go to the Capulet party because he might see Rosaline and try again to get her to notice him. Although the effect is the same (he does agree to go to the party), he is not doing it for the reasons Benvolio wants him to go, and indeed for the exact opposite reason. So he is not taking Benvolio's advice, although the result is the same. Shakespeare, of course, puts this succintly and brilliantly in Romeo's line "I'll go along, no such sight to be shown, but to rejoice in splendor of mine own."
Early Monday afternoon. The nurse goes to meet Romeo at nine and they chat and then she returns and talks to Juliet, taking her sweet time about it. By the time Juliet got there it would be probably just after noon. It is mid-afternoon when Romeo has his run-in with Tybalt.