The Importance of Violence in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

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The Importance of Violence in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare In this essay I will write about the importance of violence in Romeo and Juliet. It was written by William Shakespeare, a famous playwright. I will write about two scenes, which are Act 3, Scene 1 and Act 3, Scene 5, which contain emotional violence and physical violence. The first evidence of violence in the play is in Act 1, Scene 1 when Capulet’s servants, Sampson and Gregory pick a quarrel with two of Montague’s servants. This turns into a riot and Prince Escales stops the fight. He rebukes Capulet and Montague, and threatens death if they fight again. When the prince comes to stop the fight, he says, ‘Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, by thee, old Capulet, and Montague, have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets.’ This shows that the Capulets and Montagues have brawled in public thrice before and again now. He continues to say, ‘If you ever disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.’ This is how the prince rebukes the two sides by threatening death if they ever fight again. Although a Montague, Romeo was not involved in the fighting because he was in love with Rosaline but she didn’t love him back. He says to Benvolio, ‘She’ll not be hit with Cupid’s arrow, she hath Dian’s wit.’ Dian was the goddess of hunting and chastity. She avoided Cupid’s arrows, and by comparing she to Rosaline Romeo is saying that she doesn’t want to love him. He is very depressed by this so he is sitting inside all day. This is why he is not involved in the violence. At the beginning of Act 3, Scene 1, Benvolio, Romeo’s friend, and Mercutio, Prince Escales’ kinsman are talking about meeting the Capulets. When Tybalt comes along, Mercutio taunts him, but Tybalt ignores him because he is looking for Romeo. Mercutio says, ‘And but one word with one of us? Couple it with something; make it a word and

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