The Importance of Act 3 Scene 1 in William Shakespeare's Plays

The Importance of Act 3 Scene 1 in William Shakespeare's Plays

Shakespeare has written other tragedies before Romeo and Juliet, these

included Titus Andronicus and Richard III, these stories had plots of

the usual pattern for tragedy. There are some differences in ‘Romeo

and Juliet’ compared to other tragedies because the heroine was

important as well as the hero, it was not about classical figure, it

was about love. Professor Levin said that Romeo and Juliet was an

‘anti-revenge’ play, what he meant by this was that the two families

usually should want revenge which they do, but, Romeo and Juliet

don’t. Romeo and Juliet had been created in the 16th century. It was

written during a time where the people of England were unsure as to

who would succeed Queen Elizabeth. There were many rival factions

within the country who were prepared to fight for the crown if and

when Queen Elizabeth died so Shakespeare wrote a play that would

highlight the fears of his audience. The most obvious genre for this

play has to be Romance. It was about two young lovers, which their

troubles led them to their death.

In Act 2 scene 6, Shakespeare has made the atmosphere of the play cool

and calm where Romeo and Juliet are happily getting married in the

church. Act 3 scene 1 becomes very dramatic to the audience, as the

contrast between the two scenes is very different. Act 3 scene 1 is

located in the hot and busy streets of Verona, this is where the

public is as Shakespeare has told us clearly in the stage directions.

“Verona. A public place.”

The way Shakespeare has made it dramatic is by going from a cool, calm

and happy atmosphere to a hot and busy...

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...n, Shakespeare puts the high point right in the

middle of the play; everything up to this point is comedy and

everything after it turns into a tragedy. By putting two contrasting

scenes either side of Act 3 scene one, Shakespeare has effectively

increased and decreased the pace of the scene and inevitably increases

the tension to the build up of the dramatic high point. The stage

becomes busy many times during the scene to create a chaotic

atmosphere, this leads to the tension building up and for the audience

it becomes exceptionally hectic. I think the way Shakespeare has

played with Romeo’s outcome happens to be very touching for the

audience as they feel Romeo has been particularly hard done by.

Mercutio’s last words reflect on what happens after his death, nothing

but a tragedy.

“A plague O both your houses”