Created in 1595, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is about two star-crossed lovers from opposing families who hold an ancient grudge. The theme is about love and hate throughout the play. Shakespeare built up the tension to Scene 5 from the start of Act 1 intelligently by, for example, building up the feud between the families. This build up of tension is essential to the context of the story and without this the play would not be as dramatically effective. Right from the very start, the feud between the Montague’s and the Capulet’s builds up impact and drama. For example, Tybalt said: “this is a Montague, our foe”. Prior to this scene, Shakespeare shows an insight into each character. Tybalt is portrayed as a hostile character that has extreme hatred towards the Montague’s. He is very protective of his family and this is seen in his aggression and willingness to fight: “What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. Have at thee coward! This by his voice, should be a Montague, ...To strike him dead, I hold it not a sin.”(Act one scene five). It can be observed that even the servants are hostile and aggressive towards the rival family, which again contributes to the dramatic effectiveness of the scene. They fight among themselves for the honour of the family they represent. In act one scene one Romeo appears to be in love with the idea of being in love and focuses his attention on Rosaline who does not return his affection “She’ll not be hit with cupid’s arrow...she will not stay the siege of loving terms”. However, we can safely conclude that his ‘love’ for Rosaline was only a passing infatuation as she pales to insignificance when he sets eyes on Juliet. The language he us... ... middle of paper ... ... Although Romeo is always prone to lapse again into extravagant language we never doubt the new depth of his feelings. Act one scene five is paramount to the play as a whole in creating dramatic effectiveness. Shakespeare has cleverly built up tensions in the initial scenes where he introduces the main themes which are love, hate and rivalry and he gives the audience an insight into the main characters developing intrigue and curiosity leaving the audience wanting to know more. It has become a world-wide story and is very successful, to the extent that it has become a popular play to study. Act one scene five is the most important scene and without it the play would not make any sense. The scenes prior to that are mostly a build up; even if a scene was taken out it would still make sense; but if scene five was taken out it the play would lose its effectiveness.
In act 1 scene 1, the characters are all individual and unique. Shakespeare has written this scene so that it starts from the lowest rank in the families, the servants, to the highest, the lords. By doing this, he has made the audience aware of the fact that everyone who is part of the families is also part of the battle. During this scene, we come across important characters these include: Benvolio, Tybalt, Lord Montague, Lord Capulet, Prince Escales and Romeo. Shakespeare has used the characters names to tell us what to expect them to be like for the rest of the life. The name Benvolio means good will, from this you can expect Benvolio not be involved in the battle. You can see this when he says “Part, fools! Put up your swords, you know not what you do”. The name Tybalt means tyrant this makes you expect him to be a cruel person. You can also see this when he says “What drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word as I hate hell, all Montague’s and thee”. Prince Escales plays a big role in act 1 because he is the representation of law and order. If you remove the letter E from his name it spells scales this gives evidence that the Prince wants things to be balanced and he is serious. You can see this when he says “If ever you disturb our streets again. Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace”. For most c...
In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Romeo’s impulsiveness contributes to the tragedy of the play. There is no doubt that Romeo rushes into love throughout the play. One example of this is when he falls in love with Rosaline. Although Rosaline is not a major role in the play, it shows the sorrow and uncertainty Romeo goes through after not being loved back. Marilyn Williamson said “During the time in which he was infatuated with Rosaline, he was … withdrawn into darkness” (6). The fact that Rosaline never shares the same feelings with Romeo, shows how quickly Romeo is to fall in love. “Out of her favor, where I am in love” (Rom. 1.1.158). Ironically, Romeo falls in love with Juliet during his plan to get closer to Rosaline. He is at a Capulet party when he first sees Juliet and
William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet demonstrate the ignorance and susceptibility of men to making impulsive decisions without considering the consequences. Juliets beauty instantaneously mesmerizes Romeo, which ultimately diminishes his previous affection for Rosaline. In this scene, impulsive behavior and decision-making are greatly portrayed. During Romeo and Juliets first encounter, he asks for a kiss “[my] lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready to stand, / To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss” (I.v.95-96). In his initial reaction to seeing her, Romeo boldly approaches Juliet with the sudden desire to kiss her.
Romeo and Juliet are madly in love with each other and will go to any lengths to be together.
civilians but the pride within each family has led them to violence. and evil. The play then goes straight from the prologue into a brawl in the first scene between both houses. It begins with servants from the two. houses, but later Tybalt, the son of the Capulets, and Benvolio arrived.
First is how Romeo’s emotions change quickly. At first he’s in love with Rosaline. Romeo says this about Rosaline. “She’s too beautiful, too wise to earn her way to heaven to make me suffer” (1.1.220). Then when he goes to dance and sees Juliet and falls in love right away. He says this when he first sees her, “Her
We first look at how the servants are in a scurry to get everything right for the masked ball. Tybalt recognizes Romeo and wants to uphold the feud again. “uncle, this is Montague, our foe. A villain that is hither come in. spite to scorn at our solemnity this night” which proves to us again.
Romeo's inclination to fall in love easily was first shown in his love for Rosaline. It was illustrated perfectly when he first met Juliet. "Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight. For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night". (Lines 50-51, Scene 5, Act 1) He say this but he seemed to have forgotten Rosaline like old news, even though he speaks of Juliet as he spoke of Rosaline only a few short hours before. "One fairer than my love! The all-seeing sun ne'er saw her match, since first the world begun" (Lines 94-95, Scene 2, Act 1). Romeo immaturity was further shown by the way he handled Tybalt's slaying of Mercutio.
The Friar is attempting to exemplify Romeo’s instant transition from Rosaline to Juliet. His mention of the ...
Tybalt is Juliet’s cousin and he was known for fighting. Tybalt was looking for an opponent and wanted to fight Mercutio, Romeo’s best friend. Romeo was trying to protect Mercutio when Tybalt came in for the kill and murdered Mercutio. After this, Tybalt ran away but soon showed up again to take on Romeo. Romeo said, “Alive in triumph, and Mercutio slain? Away to heaven respective lenity, And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now! Now, Tybalt, take the “villain” back again That late thou gavest me; for Mercutio’s soul Is but a little way above our heads, Staying for thine to keep him company. Either thou or I, or both, must go with him” (Shakespeare 429). Tybalt lost the fight and Romeo killed him. This does not make Romeo look good since Juliet is now his wife and he just killed her cousin. Her family will not be impressed with his heartless
Romeo is a character who acts before he thinks. This is evident by his immature, impulsive, and obsessive behavior. He is immature when it comes to the prince banishing him. He is impulsive when it comes to ‘love’. And he is Obsessive when it comes to Juliet.
Romeo, one of the star-crossed lovers, is affected by his feelings for Juliet. In the beginning, Romeo is desperately in love with Rosaline. Romeo mopes around describing his love as “too rough, too rude, too boist’rous, and it pricks like thorn” (1.4.25- 26) because Rosaline did not feel the same way about him. When Romeo lays eyes on Juliet for the first time, he forgets all about Rosaline and exclaims, “Did my heart love till now? Forswear i...
Romeo is a romantic, but his ever-changing feelings can be hard to read. Shakespeare uses light and dark imagery is used to help the reader establish where he is mentally. Initially, Rosaline was who Romeo considered the love of his life. He is distraught due to the fact that she does not love him back, and never will because she is a nun. Rosaline will “...not be hit with Cupid’s arrow. She hath
However when Romeo falls in love with Juliet, he only speaks of her extolling her and not moaning of his love “sickness” a he had been when he supposedly claimed to be in love with Rosaline. He speaks of Rosaline as being “One fairer than my love? The all-seeing love Sun Ne’er saw her match since the first the world begun. But when he meets Juliet, he explains her as the sun itself, “It is the east, and Juliet is the sun, arise fair sun and kill the envious moon.” This shows that he loves Juliet more than he does Rosaline as Romeo mentions it himself, contradicting himself in Act 1 scene 5 when he first catches a glimpse of Juliet, he says "Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night." And in Act 1 scene 1 he says "In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman." As he knew Rosaline was also a Capulet, but, due to Romeo's love for Juliet and Juliet having a direct link to Sir Capulet, he worries. "Is she a Capulet? O dear account! My life is my foe's debt." Another last point is that, while talking about Rosaline in Act 1 up to scene 5, he always talks about love "Alas that love, whose view is muffled still" and "Is love a tender thing? It is too rough." As when he talks about Juliet, he does not talk about love at all but just
Shakespeare constructs the scene in such a way to show how their continued enmity obstructs reconciliation and peace. He employs puns that are used by both Tybalt and Mercutio to inflame the situation. For example, Mercutio deliberately misunderstands/ misinterprets Tybalt’s words, “consortst”, used because of its double meaning, as an insult. Mercutio is the one who draws his “fiddlestick” or sword first and prompts a fight. He refuses to listen to reason from either Benvolio or Romeo. He also refers to Romeo’s words of peace as “vile submission” (3.1,45). Likewise, Mercutio hates Tybalt and provokes him to a fight when he asks if Tybalt, the “Good King of Cats” (3.1,73), is a coward, “Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk” (3.1,46) eventually the death of Mercutio and then Tybalt leads to Romeo’s exile and the ill-hatched plan of Friar