Dramatic Effects in Romeo and Juliet III.1

Romeo and Juliet is a sixteenth-century play written by William Shakespeare. Amongst the most renowned of Shakespeare's plays, Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy that focuses on the fated relationship of two star-crossed lovers. The play focuses on themes of love and hate, mostly concerning the feud between the two opposing families, the Montagues and the Capulets. This play came at a time when such social events like courting were not just accepted, but expected. Witchcraft and fate were also strongly believed to be real which makes aspects of the play seem somewhat surreal to a modern day audience. III.1 is a pivotal part of the play, within this one scene, the possibility of the play being a comedy is destroyed and there is only one unfortunate direction in which the fortunes of the characters can spiral.

As this scene is particularly important within the play, as a pivotal point destroying comedy and confirming tragedy, there is much contrast in earlier scenes by which circumstances look more favorable. Up to this point, the circumstances of love between Romeo and Juliet looked very promising. At Juliet's balcony, Romeo proclaims his love for Juliet, "It is my lady! " O, it is my love!" Whereas Romeo proclaims his love openly, Juliet is caught off guard when she says, ?O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?/ Deny thy father, and refuse thy name-/ Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love/ And I?ll no longer be a Capulet.? Already, this shows strong characteristics of Romeo and Juliet, Romeo?s love completely overrides any subtlety that should be shown in the face of the raging family feud. Juliet, although she proclaimed her love to Romeo in what she thought was private, was very mindful of the other affecting factors, such a...

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...he was a very entertaining character for the duration of the play that he was alive. The fact that it is the pivotal point in the play where tragedy confirmed adds extra excitement to it. With the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt and the banishment of Romeo, there is little doubt in the audience?s mind that only tragic events will occur from this scene and on. The main, tragic theme of love and hate, which occurs throughout the play, gives the play an air of excitement and helplessness as far as any positive events happening after III.1. The fight scene and the powerful language added extra drama that the audience would have found very exciting and would have helped the audience to feel the emotions of the characters more adeptly. All in all, Shakespeare crafts III.1 very effectively to set up the pivotal point of the play where tragedy is the only way the play can go.