Stimulation of Dramatic Expectation in the Opening Scene of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Stimulation of Dramatic Expectation in the Opening Scene of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

The opening scene of Romeo & Juliet is absolutely essential to the

rest of the play for several different reasons. Not only does it draw

the audience in with its gross and witty humour, 'Me they shall feel

while I am able to stand, and tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh',

but it also acts to inform the audience of the background to the play,

'I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee'. All of

this combines to stimulate dramatic expectation, the building up of

the audience anticipation to see what happens next. In some ways this

is a taster for the audience for what is to happen next.

In the opening part of the scene, we see two boys from the Capulet

house, Sampson and Gregory, boasting about their sexual prowess. In

addition to their jokes being grossly humoured, they are written in a

witty way, which the audience at the time would have found

particularly clever and entertaining. 'Sampson: I mean, and we be in

choler, we'll draw.

Gregory: Any, while you live, draw your neck out of collar.' This

opening brings to the forefront the cockiness and arrogance of both

houses, which gets them into trouble. The humour and wit is also there

to entertain the audience right from the start.

The fight that ensues after the confrontation between the Montagues

and Capulets would have been highly entertaining to the crowd as

carrying swords, and sword fighting, was all the fashion at this time,

'Put up your swords, you know not what you do'. A further point of

amusement for the crowd is Lady Capulet's irony directed at her

husband.

'Capulet: What noise is this? Give me my long sword ho! Lady Capulet:

A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword!' In addition to drawing

in the crowd, this irony also informs the audience that it is the men

of the house who want to fight and bicker, whereas the women are more