Act 3 Scene 1 in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Act 3 Scene 1 in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Written by William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet tells the tragic

story of a fatal attraction between children of the Montague and the

Capulet families; the two families are feuding. The opening prologue

tells us that the play is set in Verona, and that a couple take their

lives. This opening tells the audience what the play is about, and how

it is going to end. Although the element of suspense has been lost by

giving away the ending, the audience become interested in the events

that lead up to this happening, rather than what happens at the end.

The play discusses many issues, love between two people, hate between

their families, loyalty to one another and the pride of their

families. Act One Scene One introduces the audience to Sampson and

Gregory, the servants of the Capulet family. Although they are not

members of the Capulet family they are still immensely proud of it and

are willing to defend its honour. The same can be said for the

servants of the Montague family who are also willing to hold the feud.

When the servants meet each other in the street they begin to argue,

this escalates into a fight, and the head of the Capulet family and

the head of the Montague family arrive and trey to join in. The Prince

of Verona arrives and breaks up the fight. He tells the families that

this hatred for one another must stop or people will be executed. It

is later in this scene that we first meet Romeo, who is confused and

in love. This tells us that Romeo allows his feelings to get the

better of him. He doesn't even know her name and he believes he is in

love. This may be an indication as to whether his love for Juliet

later in the play was really love or just an infatuation.

The play develops at a steady pace with the tiff developing somewhat,

and by Act Two Scene Three Romeo has told Friar Lawrence, his friend