Importance of Language in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

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Importance of Language in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet "What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee." Certainly, these two lines encapsulate both the immense hatred shown in this film, and yet also the petty, antagonistic pointlessness of the feud that paves the way for the two "star-crossed lovers" to take the stage. This is one example of the dramatic expectation that binds the play together, as the two characters are talked of but not seen within the first scene, and this helps intrigue and entertain the audience as they hang onto otherwise unimportant conversations as soon as Romeo's or Juliet's name is mentioned, hoping for more information about the lead characters. This starting feud, however serious it gets, is started with a rather funny yet crass scene, and this amuses audiences, especially as the Thames-side where the Globe Theatre was was famous for its brothels and prostitutes. This rather unexpected opening would involve and amuse the audience from the start, and shows the variation and unexpectedness that Shakespeare liked to portray, even in such an ominous tragedy. The play does not stay in this cheerful stage for long, as it progresses straight into the feud, which quickly escalates. This is shown perfectly in the 1998 Baz Luhrman modern day film version of the same title, where the scene starts with the Montague boys stopping at a petrol station to fill up, enjoying their loud music, and ends up as a full blown riot with a fire, one death and a gunfight. The tension created by the entrance of... ... middle of paper ... ...et and Romeo are mentioned before they appear. ("…O where is Romeo?"… "…She's the hopeful lady of my earth.") This, as stated before, brings on an expectancy to see them and hear about them in almost every scene in the play. This toying with the audience is another way Shakespeare generates dramatic expectation. Interest is also engaged by the change in structure midway through the scene: Rapid dialogue and prose replace the standard twelve-line sonnet during the tense face off between the rival houses, and this helps keep the speed and excitement up. However, as soon as Prince intervenes, his authority is publicized by his return to standard verse, ending the quick fire section and slowing the pace once more. Baz Luhrman indicates this by his scene change from the raucous streets to a near-silent police station.

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