Romeo and juliet quote meaning?

Question

" these violent delights have violent ends

and in their triumph die , like fire and powder,

which, as they die, consume."

R & J, Act II, Scene VI

What does this quote mean?

Answer 1

Messin' with that girl's going to burn you, boy.

That's the rough meaning.

Answer 2

I think the more common version of the quote ends in "which as they kiss, consume."  The other posters are right, but I think the whole point of enjoying Shakespeare is to let the specific image he created do the work.  In this case, he's talking about  how when a spark hits gunpowder, it blows up.  But Shakespeare uses the word "kiss" to describe the gunpowder and the spark to make the point to Romeo that by kissing (and falling in love with/marrying) Juliet, he is doing something that will consume (explode) both of them.

Of course, Friar Lawrence's warning totally falls on deaf ears, but at least he tried...

Answer 3

Official meaning :

Friar Lawrence, warning Romeo to cool down his passion.  Moderate love is less likely to lead to disaster than violent love.  His warnings prove to be founded.

My personal interpretation:

line 1 = these dangerous things that you take pleasure in (i.e. guilty pleasures, something you know is wrong but still enjoy e.g. cigarettes, alcohol, a forbidden lover) will result in chaos - no good will come of them.

line 2= And as you enjoy it more and more, it'll "explode/get thrown back in your face/backfire, like powder added to a fire makes it go wrong and explode/tips it over the edge.  

line 3= as you are doing it and it reaches this dangerous climax, the bad will take over- consume.

context  :

Romeo and Juliets love is violent as it is forbidden, and will have a violent end.

As their relationship progresses, the forbidden/wrongness of its nature will overshadow everything and as they get further involved with eachother the laws will consume them like a violent fire consumes, destroying them.

Answer 4

voilent delights and ends could mean happy things happening quickly end quickly as well

and the end could be death consumes you completely like a fire does to gun powder (or something like that)

I've never studied this play or seen it so this answer may not be right, but you never know.