Romeo and Juliet Act 1 and Act 3 Analysis

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How does Shakespeare use dramatic devices in act 1 Scene 1 and in Act 3 Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet in order to make them such an interesting, exciting and important drama?

Romeo and Juliet is an Elizabethan play which was written to entertain the audience. It was written in 1595 by William Shakespeare and was one of his most popular plays. This romantic play was set in Italy in a city called Verona. The basic plot of this particular play is where a pair of two young “star crossed lovers” Juliet a Capulet and Romeo a Montague instantly fall in love but with the rivalry of their family’s things weren’t going to be easy. Romeo hears about a family party the Capulet’s are having and he gate crashes. Tybalt Juliet’s cousin is furious and wants revenge. Tybalt goes looking for Romeo to kill him but Mercutio Romeo’s best friend tries to interfere, which ends up with himself getting killed. Romeo is distraught by what has happened so he goes after Tybalt taking his life. Romeo is banished from Verona and must never see Juliet again. The play ends with the death of the two lovers which the audience knew from the beginning would happen. This play fits into the tragedy genre because of the deaths of Mercutio, Tybalt, Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare’s play has different themes such as fate where Romeo and Juliet were fated to be together from the start, love where Romeo and Juliet are besotted with one another, Time where it is precious and Death with the killings of the characters. Act one scene one shows that the play starts off as a possible romance/comedy as by act 3 scene 1 the play turns into a tragedy.

At the start of act 1 scene 1 Shakespeare sets the play very open in a public place, where two Capulet servants Sampson and Gregory ba...

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...interested in the play itself, where as in act 3 scene 1 there’s death of Mercutio which is the turning point in the play and also of Tybalt so the audience change their prospective of the play altogether.

I think that act 1 scene 1 is uninteresting and not very entertaining because nothing really happens where as in act 3 scene 1 more happens, more entertaining and alot more tension is brought in.

Overall I think that both scenes carry the main message and are the most important scenes in the play. Shakespeare has been very successful in using dramatic devices throughout act 1 scene 1 and act 3 scenes 1 because from the start the play he captures the audience’s attention, the audience are involved, and creates an atmosphere. This play was most likely perceived as a Romantic which shows that the audience shouldn’t have thought that without watching the play first.

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