There are two important themes in act one scene five. The most significant theme is love. Elizabethans believed in love at first sight. In this scene Romeo is in love with Juliet, Romeo says “Did my heart love till know? Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.” Juliet also feels strongly about Romeo. Juliet says “My only love sprung from my only hate.” Another important theme was fate. Elizabethans believed in fate more strongly, than we do now. Romeo and Juliet’s love was fate. Juliet murmurs “my grave is like to be my wedding bed!”
In act one scene five there are many characters on stage, but Shakespeare only focuses on three. An important character is Tybalt. We know from act one scene on that Tybalt is violent and aggressive. Instantly when we see Romeo at the party he wants to fight him. “Fetch me my rapier.” Tybalt feels strongly off his family pride, and he believes he feels humiliated when the Montagues show up at there party, so he wants revenge. “Now by the stock and honour of my kin to strike him dead I hold it not a sin.”
Another character Shakespeare focuses on is Romeo. Lord Capulet describes Romeo as being well brought up. “A virtuous and well governed youth,” but Tybalt calls him a “villain” three times. At the start of act one scene five Romeo is depressed and love sick, but when he meets Juliet he uses a romantic and exaggerated manner. “Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear.” He is a typical Elizabethan lover.
Shakespeare also focuses on Juliet. Juliet is a very young girl, she is only thirteen. Female characters in Elizabethan plays had to be young because women were not aloud to act in theaters, so they had to have young boys playing there characters. Romeo describes Juliet as being beautiful and wonderful. “O she doth teach the torches to urn bright!” All description suggests Juliet as pure, this is because she is young and Romeo creates imagery of light. Despite Juliet’s age, she takes charge. When asking the nurse she does not just ask about Romeo she asks about several men. This is preparing us for her taking charge on the balcony.
Shakespeare uses many dramatic techniques to entertain the audience. The dramatist starts off with the preparation of the Capulets’ party, there is lots of movement and noise. The servants speak in prose as they are not important characters. “Away with the join stools, remove the court cupboard, look to the plate.” The noise and movement creates a sense of expectation for the party. Lord Capulet welcomes the guests to the party. “Welcome gentlemen.” Lord Capulet is in a very good mood which explains his tolerance of Romeo later on in the party. Lord Capulet talks to his cousin “Tismore, tismore, his son is elder” Shakespeare has added this conversation so it creates a distraction to cover Romeo’s entrance .Lord Capulet speaks in poetry because he is an important character. “A whispering tale in a fair lady’s ear.”
The most important part of the scene is when Romeo sees Juliet. When Romeo sees Juliet he is instantly infatuated by her. Romeo speaks in rhyming couplets. Beauty to rich for use, for earth too dear.” Shakespeare uses images of light and jewels to suggest she is innocent and beautiful. “As rich jewel in an Ethiops ear.” Shakespeare has used dramatic irony, dramatic irony is when the audience knows more than the character. An example of dramatic irony is when we know Juliet’s a Capulet but Romeo does not. While Romeo feels love, Tybalt feels hate. Tybalt is enraged and swears to get revenge on Romeo. “This, by his voice, should be a Montague. Fetch me my rapier, boy. This is a flash point, a flash point is a part of the scene where there is a moment of conflict. Shakespeare is increasing the tension, he does this because we know that Tybalt will get his revenge if not now, later on in the play. This is an example of foreshadowing: the audience is worried for Romeo’s safety.
When Romeo and Juliet meet for the first time Shakespeare fills the dialogue with religious imagery. Shakespeare uses the religious language to suggest their feelings are really serious. Romeo compares Juliet to a saint. “Have not saints’ lips.” Juliet compares Romeo to a person that journeys to a shrine or sacred place. “Good pilgrim…” Once Juliet stopped flurting with Romeo. Romeo says “Then move not while my prayers effect I take. Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged” Romeo has just kissed Juliet. Shakespeare only focuses on Romeo and Juliet while they spoke, it is like a spell, but this is broken when the nurse comes in and says “ Madam your mother craves a word with you” when Juliet goes out of the room, Romeo asks the nurse who Juliet’s mother is, she replies “Her mother is the lady of the house…” Romeo is shocked “Is she a Capulet? O dear account! My life is my foe’s debt. And he exists quickly with Benvolio. When the guests are leaving Juliet asks the nurse about several men, she asks Romeos. When the nurse tells her he is a Montague she is horrified. “my only love sprung from my only hate.” Shakespeare shows her shock by using exclamation marks. Juliet suggests to herself that it is too late to change her feelings, this is a hint for future conflict.
Act one scene five is a very important scene because it involves two lovers, Romeo and Juliet meeting for the first time. The audience is aware of the on-going family feud. We know that the two lovers are arch enemies, and is going to get even serious. There are contrasting emotions of love and hate. When the two lovers fall in love and hate when Tybalt wants to a fight with Romeo it is this fight which makes things complicated, and there will be tragic consequences such as Merctio’s death, Romeo’s banishment. Shakespeare has used a range of dramatic devices to engage and to keep the audience entertained, and these devices make act one scene five memorable.
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Shakespeare coursework
