How does Shakespeare make this extract from Act One scene Five a dramatic and significant moment in the play Romeo and Juliet?(TM)

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How does Shakespeare make this extract from Act One scene Five a dramatic and significant moment in the play 'Romeo and Juliet?'

William Shakespeare wrote the play 'Romeo and Juliet' between the years 1591 to 1595 and it is one of his most well known successful plays, still popular in modern theatres. The play is set in Verona a few hundred years before Shakespeare wrote it. The Capulet family are hosting a masque during this extract and Romeo is wearing a visor (and In Lurhman cinematic production is dressed as a traditional hero - a knight). He sees Juliet who appears an image of purity. He asks a serving man who she is, whilst at the same time the 'Prince of Cats', Tybalt, who hates all Montagues, sees him.

Shakespeare makes this extract a dramatic and significant moment in the play by utilising a variety of techniques including use of imagery, sonnet form and juxtaposition.

Shakespeare also uses dramatic irony in this extract. Capulet has just delivered a speech to everybody present at the party. He is very happy because the event is just for Capulets and he thinks that it is only his family at the party. Capulets are only happy when they are with their own kind. However the audience know that there are Montagues at the party, including Romeo, from the prologue we already know that there is rivalry between the two families:

'From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,

Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.'

consequently making the audience aware of the tension which will soon explode between the two families.

Shakespeare uses juxtaposition quite regularly in this extract in order to improve the dramatic significance. He uses the very different themes to build tension. He uses the very romantic speech of Romeo and immediately after contrasts this with Tybalt's speech of hate and murder. These are two very opposing themes of love and hate. Juxtaposition is very important in every aspect of this play as it helps particular scenes become more significant and dramatic. The whole play is an antithesis.
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Shakespeare also draws upon the Elizabethan belief of the four humours in the body, which describe the characters' personalities in the play. An excess of one of these humours would mean that a person acts in a different way to others. Romeo tends to be a melancholic person; this is caused by an excess of bile (one of the four humours). This means he is a very sad person who searches for true love. Romeo's melancholia causes him to speak very metaphorically. Romeo's speech is very significant as it reveals for the first time what type of love ...

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