Note to Romeo and Juliet, 3.1.123 "Away to heaven, respective lenity"


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Romeo and Juliet,
Act 3, Scene 1, line 123.
respective: considerate. [Earlier in the scene, Romeo treated Tybalt with "respective lenity" (thoughtful leniency), not punishing him for his insults, because Romeo had to take into consideration that Tybalt, as the cousin of Juliet, had just become his kinsman. In contrast, Romeo is now sending any kindness or leniency "away to heaven," i.e., straight to hell.