Before Romeo and Juliet even meet at the masked ball in Act one scene five.

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Before Romeo and Juliet even meet at the masked ball in Act one scene five

        The prologue is written in the form of a sonnet. It starts by introducing

the two households and their 'ancient grudge'. The play is set in "fair Verona",

Italy. Italy was regarded as a wealthy, romantic country in which romantic plays

were often set. We are then told that the deaths of "star-crossed lovers" is the

only way to end their "parent's rage". It tells us the end of the play before it has

started which sets a sombre mood. The audience will see the characters struggle

yet know they are always doomed to fail. There is also a reference to the stars.

This is continued the whole way through the play and gives the impression that

the stars determine the characters' fate and they are not in control of their

destiny. This all adds to the dramatic tension. Shakespeare mentions 'death',

'death-marked love' and 'fatal loins', which all add to the fear of the audience. He

does not let us know the reason behind the grudge. This prevents the audience

from becoming biased towards one side, and creates sympathy as we feel that

the more modern characters like Romeo and Juliet don't have much to do with

the grudge. It also reinforces the self-perpetuating nature of the feud.

        Act one, scene one begins with the Capulet servants. They speak in prose

using slang and begin by insulting the Montagues, 'The dog of the House of

Montague moves me!' This sets the scene in conflict. They treat women as

objects and 'weaker vessels.' This is a very physical view of love and contrasts

strongly with the love between Romeo and Juliet which comes later in the play.

Shakespeare also includes some humour. After Benvolio and Tybalt enter, it soon

turns into a brawl, including old Capulet and Montague. We are introduced to

Benvolio as a peace maker as he says, 'I do but keep the peace', and Tybalt as a

trouble maker as he tells the Montagues about peace that he 'hates the word as

he hates hell'. Shakespeare goes from the bottom of society with the servants, up

to the top with the Lords. Language varies from prose, with the servants, to

blank verse with Tybalt and Romeo and poetic verse with Lord and Lady

Montague and the prince. Romeo and Juliet are kept out of this brawl, to show

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their innocence and also so that there is no chance of them possibly seeing each

other and the prince says, "If you ever disturb our streets again, your lives shall

pay the forfeit of the peace", letting the audience know how serious this has

become and at the same time showing the reason why Romeo will soon be

banished.

        After the excitement, Lady Montague changes the mood with a rhyming

couplet, 'O where is Romeo? Saw you him today? Right glad I am he was not at

this fray.' Montague talks about Romeo ...

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