Sampson comes across to the audience as a boastful and arrogant character, for example in line 27 he calls himself ‘a pretty piece of flesh’. By this point the audience have already had chance to build an impression of Sampson, and are getting more involved with the play by having strong feelings about it.
In line 38, Sampson ‘bites his thumb’ at the Montagues. This was a very strong insult in Shakespearian times, and the audience may have even been shocked at seeing it. After this, the next 15 lines are a long and offensive argument between the two families. This builds a huge amount of tension which is climaxed by a fight, which has all sorts of dramatic potential in itself.
Benvolio enters at this point to break up the fight. The first impression we get of him is that he is a very strong character. The stage directions tell us that he beats down their swords. This could possibly be seen as a form of heroism.
A very important moment in the play is where other citizens join the fight. It would add more people to the stage, if being acted out, which gives us a greater level of excitement.
When the Prince enters the scene in line 74, he makes a long and powerful speech addressing the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets. An audience would be waiting for the climax in this speech, and it comes in the last line: ‘once more, on pain of death, all men depart’. This gives the speech a final burst of energy, and would leave an audience with a feeling that the speech was entirely meaningful.
In my opinion, Act1 Scene1 has much potential when it comes to being acted out, because it uses powerful language and contains interesting and exciting scenes.
In Act3 Scene5, the content is completely different, exploring how Juliet feels about marrying Paris. It contains the views and feelings of her parents when she tells them that she does not wish to marry Paris.
In lines 127- 139, Shakespeare gives Capulet’s speech a huge amount of dramatic potential. It brings out the fact that he is completely tactless and insensitive, ‘What, still in tears? ... Who, raging with thy tears, and they with them’. His daughter is clearly very upset and instead of comforting her, he curses her for how much she is crying. This would make an audience sympathize with Juliet, but dislike her Father. It would get them involved in the play by giving them strong feelings about it.
The tension in the scene rises as Capulet accuses Juliet of being ungrateful that they ‘have wrought so worthy a gentleman to be her bridegroom’. The tension is finally broken when Juliet erupts, telling her parents, ‘Proud can I never be of what I hate’. This alone gives the play great amounts of dramatic potential, being such a powerful feeling.
Lines 127 to 197 are just one big quarrel between Juliet and her parents about whether she should marry Paris, with her mother being slightly more sympathetic than her father. The tension keeps one on edge until the dispute finally ends with Capulet leaving the room, furious. She continues to reason with her mother, until her Mother says that she will not have anything more to do with Juliet, and leaves the room.
The rest of the scene involves Juliet talking to her Nurse, pleading with her for help in her very difficult situation. Of course, in the play, an audience would be fully aware of the fact the nurse could do nothing to help Juliet. This would give more of a ‘panto’ atmosphere and in my opinion would work quite successfully.
The most effective line in the whole scene is the last one in Juliet’s final speech, ‘If all else fail, myself have power to die’. The audience is left with a heavy and serious end to the speech, where they can think about just how grave Juliet’s predicament is.
I perceive Act1 Scene1 to have greater dramatic potential than Act3 Scene5, simply because it contains more physical action. Act3 Scene5 does, however, contain some very deep and thought provoking material.
Brad Hill
UR Kittermaster
