Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Possibly the most famous love story of all time, Romeo and Juliet was

written by William Shakespeare and was first performed in 1595. Romeo

and Juliet started off as an Italian folk tale. There was also a poem

that Shakespeare used, written by Arthur Brooks in 1562. Shakespeare

then converted this into a play.

Set in the town, Verona, Italy “Romeo & Juliet” is set in the time

when Italy was incredibly wealthy and feuds were quite common.

Shakespeare takes this tale and turns it into an intensely dramatic

piece of drama. Shakespeare does this by using “dramatic impact” to

mystify the audience and take them through a range of emotions towards

the play and the characters alike.

I aim to prove this by paying specific attention to Act 1, Scene 1,

Lines 1-101 with the fight with the Capulets and Montagues. I will be

comparing it with Act 5, Scene 3, and Lines 44 to the End. I will be

making references to other parts of the play to validate my points.

The play opens with playful banter thrown back and forth between

Samuel and Gregory as they mock each other about they’re enemy, the

Montagues. They are saying what they would do if they saw a Montague,

daring each other, with each declaration getting worse

“SAMPSON‘ T is all one. I will show myself a tyrant: when

I have fought

with the men, I will be civil with the maids; I will cut off

their

heads.

GREGORY The heads of the maids?

SAMPSON Ay, the heads of the maids, or their

maidenheads; take it in what sense thou wilt

As this is unfo...

... middle of paper ...

...and see

what has happened. Again on cue, enter the Montagues. With the turmoil

building as we know the tension between the two families, the Friar is

brought in and confesses everything. We start to see the joint

mourning as the price explains that the deaths could have been avoided

if there was not a feud. This could have been linked with the fact

that the prince said that if something happened again then they would

pay with their lives. The Montagues and Capulets realize their

wrongdoing and end the feud.

Shakespeare use of dramatic impact is highly important as my point has

been proven, each action has a consequence. Even though Romeo and

Juliet are dead, the audience are left gloomy there is some good out

of it as the feud is ended because of them. This would leave the

audience in a state of mixed reactions.