The Dramatic Effectiveness of Act 1 of Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet: one of the greatest known story’s of all time. Before having seen it acted on the stage or having read the script, people are aware of the storyline and are captured by this tragic love story about “a pair of star cross’d lovers”. The reason for this fame may come from the way the play deals with themes that were not only important in the late sixteenth-century, but are still relevant in today’s society (love, hate, conflict and death to name but a few) or possibly because of the appeal the play has to all ages; romance, action, comedy – it has it all! To begin the play – a dramatic prologue that adds a suspense which continues throughout the play: a sense of foreboding every time anyone mentions anything ominous. Although the prologue gives away what is going to happen, it does not seem to ruin the rest of the play. Rather than not wanting to see the end of the play, the excitement is heightened – the audience wants to know why the “star cross’d lovers take their life”. The prologue also sets the scene, establishing the conflict between “two households, both alike in dignity”, and their “ancient grudge” and telling us the play is set in “fair Verona”. It leaves us with no surprises, giving us a basic summary of the play in the form of a poetic sonnet. One conflict we have with ourselves after the prologue is “ who should we side with?” i.e. which household is more in the wrong? The aim of the prologue in Shakespearian times was to attract the attention of the rowdy audience, who would have been talking and laughing – making a great deal of noise – wit... ... middle of paper ... ...es to them. They are both so distracted by the other that nothing else matters and the whole world seems to revolve around just the two of them. In the following speech they play a word game with each other, each twisting the others words into a new meaning and testing the other, then finally they kiss. It is a moment that the audience have been waiting for since they began talking and as they talk – whilst holding hands – the anticipation grows until finally they kiss. They have fallen totally in love, so when each finds out that the other is (as Romeo says) “My life is my foe’s debt” or (as Juliet says) “ My only love sprung from my only hate” there is too much between them to just go back and forget what happened. This is where the scene ends, leaving the audience waiting with eagerness to know what happens next.
Romeo and Juliet is a famous play that was first performed between 1594 and 1595, it was first printed in 1597. Romeo and Juliet is not entirely fictional as it is based on two lovers who lived in Verona. The Montague’s and Capulet’s are also real. Romeo and Juliet is one of the ten tragedies that William Shakespeare wrote. In this essay, I aim to investigate what act 1, scene1 makes you expect about the rest of the play.
Juliet than live without her. This is relating back to the Montagues and Capulets. This is because when Romeo says “My life were better ended by their hate,” he is referring to the hate between the Capulets and the Montagues. “See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate/That heaven finds means to kill your joys with lo...
The Ways that Shakespeare Makes Act 1 Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet Dramatically Effective
Juliet is honest with herself. Although she is aware of how dangerous it is to be interested in Romeo, she wishes to ask him to “Deny thy father, and refuse thy name;/ Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my lover,/ And I’ll no longer be a Capulet” (II, ii,
play just in the opening, so we know what is going to happen from the
Romeo changes throughout the book. When Romeo went to the Capulets party, he was in love with Rosaline. He saw Juliet and immediately loved her. In act two scene two it Romeo says this about Juliet, "Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, Having some business, do entreat her eyes To twinkle in their spheres till they return." He compares her eyes to stars in the night sky. Romeo talks about Juliet and is wanting to talk to her. This shows how Romeo is loving and sweet. In the last act of the book Romeo sees Juliet dead in the tomb. She is not really dead, but he doesn't know that. He kills himself so he can be with her in heaven. Romeo is a very loving person, but in one scene he turns into a very hateful person.
This quote shows how Juliet has let go of any desire to live. She is so in love with Romeo that she chooses that she would rather die than live without Romeo.... ... middle of paper ... ...
Through the flaws in the characterization of his characters, Shakespeare allows their weakness to manipulate and cloud their judgment. This fundamentally leads to the outcome of Romeo and Juliet, with each weakness presenting a conflict that alters the characters fate. Being especially true with the star-crossed lovers, William Shakespeare leads their perfect love into tragedy with these conflicts. In Romeo and Juliet, Juliet, Friar Lawrence, and Tybalt all contribute to conflicts that enhance the plot. From destructive flaws in their characterizations, Juliet, Friar Lawrence, and Tybalt are all consequently controlled by their weakness, therefore affecting the outcome of the play.
That I must love a loathed enemy.” (Shakespeare 1.5.154-157) Here she is describing Romeo as her only love in life, a claim which cannot be true since she hardly knows anything about him and has only met him once. Another example of this comes from the beginning of the balcony scene, where Juliet promises to give up her family for Romeo because of her love for him (Shakespeare 2.2.36-37). In this instance, Juliet is making a dangerous promise to a person she only just met- a decision more foolish than loving.
Language and Dramatic Devices in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Introduction Shakespeare’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is known as a love tragedy. features many rhymed verses, especially when Romeo and Juliet first. speak.
The light and dark imagery that Shakespeare uses in this passage describes Juliet as a young and eager lover. Romeo associates Juliet with light meaning goodness. Then Romeo says that Juliet looks like the excellent night. The night that Romeo speaks of represents Rosaline. Romeo basically says through with light and dark imagery, that Juliet is as good as Rosaline to love. Romeo then compares Juliet to a "winged messenger of heaven" who filled with lightness and goodness. He says that all humans look upon this kindness as the messenger "bestrides the lazy puffing clouds" while doing his errands. Romeo explains using this imagery that everyone looks at Juliet because she gives off a stunning and intricate outlook.
Romeo. …My very friend, hath got this mortal hurt / In my behalf – my
Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet’s love for each other causes them to sacrifice their family, although their families have always had great gravity over the lovers. After the party where the lovers first meet, Juliet stands on her balcony and promises herself to Romeo: “be but sworn my love, and I’ll no longer be a Capulet” [2.2.37-39]. In this case, “sworn my love” can be rearranged to mean “my sworn love,” which refers to Romeo as the one that she will always love. For Juliet to become a Montague-- her family’s rivals-- would mean that she would give up many things she and her family value. In their fight over her refusal to marry Paris, Juliet’s parents threaten to not “acknowledge [her]” as their daughter, even if “[she]...hang, beg, starve, die in the streets” [4.1.192-193]. “Hanging,” “begging,” “starving,” “dying” are all very extreme ramifications that Juliet’s parents will give to her if she does not
A Psychological Analysis of Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet was obviously not written to fit the psychoanalytic model, as the theories of Freud were not developed for centuries after Shakespeare. Shakespeare wrote about Renaissance England, a culture so heavily steeped in Christianity, that it would have blushed at the instinctual and sexual thrust of Freud’s theory. However, in order to keep literature alive and relevant, a culture must continually reinterpret the themes and ideas of past works. While contextual readings assure cultural precision, often these readings guarantee the death of a particular work. Homer’s Iliad, a monument among classical works, is currently not as renowned as Romeo and Juliet because it is so heavily dependent on its cultural context.
I am content, so thou wilt have it so.” He states he will stay with Juliet, even if staying means death. Since they cannot tell their parents about their love, Romeo is willing to die to spend time with her. This is one reason why parents should not forbid their teenager from dating certain