Explain How Shakespeare Creates Dramatic Tension in III.v

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  English Coursework                                                                 Julie Hammond 10CHI

Explain How Shakespeare Creates

Dramatic Tension In

Act Three Scene Five

Ask people to give an example of a rich mixture of romantic lyricism, crammed with deadly enmity, tantalizing love, clandestine marriage, farce and heart – breaking tragedy, most would respond with ‘Romeo and Juliet’, the remarkable tale of ‘star crossed lovers’, is one of the most famous literary tragedies in history. Written in 1595, Shakespeare converses the story of devoted teenagers in a tumultuous world of sadness and grief as they defy all known laws of their time, in pursuit of forbidden love and the consequences faced for their actions; inevitably bringing them to their suicidal deaths.

Leading to the scrutiny of Act Three Scene Five, which could arguably be, the most pivotal scene of the overall play. Dramatic tension is one of the most vital devices used in this scene with the feeling of trepidation, fear and ambiguity cascading from the scene, the string of events in which lead to the lovers ‘death marked love’, is plunged into motion.  

The scene takes place after Romeo’s banishment by the Prince from Verona for the death of Tybalt “immediately we do exile him hence…that hour will be his last”, the eviction of Romeo puts a strain on Romeo and Juliet’s relationship as his life will now be jeopardy if he is found in the city, commiseration is felt for Juliet as the corollary of the exile, as she is presently torn between her loyalty to her family and her devotion to her husband

As Act 3 Scene 4 concludes, a considerable amount of dramatic irony is created, since the audience knows Capulet has agree to the marrying of Juliet to Paris. All these events have a destroying influence on Romeo and Juliet's attempt to live in love. Setting a tragic tone for the beginning of the following scene. The spectators are wrench back to reality as they realise the veracity of the situation, as it befalls flagrant to the audience the implausibility that their marriage will be long-lived, as in a feud-ravaged world, only the will of the sword lives. Shakespeare as added to the sense of impending disaster and amplifies the contrast between impetuous hate and reckless love.

Throughout Act Three Scene Five, one of the most integral part to the play, the plot simultaneously becomes more intense, as we discover the full implications of what Juliet has done, by eloping with Romeo. The ideal of romantic love, so lyrically propagated by the play’s hero and heroine, may, in reality, have brought not only happiness but also misery, because it sets standards of emotional intensity, which in life may seldom be lastingly attained. Juliet has placed herself in a situation in which, not only can she no longer marry the suitor her parents have chosen. Juliet has married a man in which she fears she may never meet again. The scene adds to the complexity of Juliet’s problem.

Juliet stands up to Lady and Lord Capulet expressing her wishes not to marry Paris. The audience are shown the maturity of Juliet and her she has grown from the earlier scenes of the play. Lord Capulet outraged about Juliet’s disobedience, threatens to disown Juliet if she does not do as he pleased. “I’ll give you to my friend . . . I’ll not be foresworn.” Juliet having lost the support of her father and mother turns to the nurse for help. This is soon proved a wrong decision to make when she is told by the nurse, “I think it best you married with the county.”  Whereas before Juliet relied on her nurse for support, she as now been left completely introverted. This increases the tension, as Juliet frantically tries to think of a workable solution. Increasing emotion and tension from the audience, as Juliet’s shattered relationships and lost of love leaves her with an ultimatum, on whether she should be disloyal to her husband and God, and marry Paris leading to “Saint Peter” not making Juliet a “joyful bride”, as for committing such a sin as Bigamy. Juliet will instantaneously be condemned to eternity in hell, which seems to now be inevitable; as she also contemplates implementing suicide. “If all else fails, myself have power to die.” Which is more of a calamitous sin than bigamy. Foreshadowing the future events with a mildewed sense of obscurity and misery.

The opening of Act Three Scene Five is pivotal, Romeo and Juliet have just spent their first night together as man and wife, and taking into consideration the vital events, which have just taken place, the fate of Romeo and Juliet, lay at stake. Shakespeare opens the scene with a very tranquil mood. The atmosphere in Act 3 scene 5 is still love orientated and fairly calm however there is a growing element of suspense and fear.  Juliet awakens to her husband, but refuses to distinguish the peril of Romeo’s presence, she instead tries to convince him that it is still night, “It is not yet near day . . . fearful hollow of thine ear”. Romeo and Juliet both use word play and oxymoron’s to create dramatic effect. "Some say the lark" to " More light and light, more dark and dark our woes." The fact that Romeo and Juliet share this rhyming couplet shows how they can read each other's mind and symbolise to the audience how much they are in love. The antithesis, which includes repetition also, balances night and day.

This is dramatically effective as the audience would feel very sympathetic towards Romeo and Juliet realise that his woes are mixed with happiness. The imagery in this scene consists of both night/day and light/dark. Traditionally you associate night with dark and light with day. Romeo and Juliet defy this convention as they can only see each other at night, "O now be gone, more light and light it grows", "More light and light, more dark and dark are woes", these quotes only give us a sense that the couple can only see each other at night but also there is a sense of foreboding and that one way or the other the couple will never be allowed to stay together because of the feud between their families, Shakespeare has cleverly inserted the two opposites of night with day together and light with dark together, to show that although Romeo and Juliet are both opposites, the use of the two words in the same sentence show that they two can till be used together despite it defying all known laws.

Juliet’s continuity to combat the coming of the light, creates a great deal of apprehension among the Elizabethan audiences as although the audience knows both Romeo and Juliet will die, the precise moment is still unknown, and the awareness that if Romeo is caught he will be killed, causes the atmosphere of the scene to becomes tinted with fear. Juliet tries to convince herself as well as Romeo that it is not yet time for him to leave, this generates empathy and dramatic apprehension as the audience ruminate what will come to pass, if Romeo believes her and resides.

As the pragmatism of their situation, seizes both Romeo and Juliet it becomes inevitable that Romeo must leave before morning, or he shall be put to death. “Night candles are burnt out … I must be gone and live or stay and die”. Juliet demonstrates tension as although she realises that Romeo must depart, she defies herself nevertheless and solicits him to stay. Romeo expresses to Juliet, "Let me be tane, let me be put to death," and here he is referring to if he stays with Juliet he will be found and killed. The welcoming of death so openly "Come, death, and welcome! Juliet wills it so." Would climax to become very tragic at the end, for the reason that, the way in which death is being discussed in such a light-hearted manner would be tragically ironic, the audience knows Romeo will die, because of the affair. The audience empathises with the sincerity of their love, bringing the characters to life as our emotions for the ‘star-crossed lovers’ strengthens.

With Romeo beginning to subside to Juliet’s pleads for him to stay, the sudden entry of the Nurse as she comes to presage Juliet; “your lady mother is coming to your chamber". Changes the speed of the scene drastically. This unexpected entrance of the Nurse causes a greater quantity of angst, as Romeo and Juliet have to promptly say their goodbyes, not knowing when they shall next convene again, trepidation is wrought as they hurry not to be caught, initiating both dramatic tension and irony as we know what is to come that the characters do not. With a solitary concluding hug and kiss, Romeo bids Juliet a tearful poignant farewell, as she stands at her window. Here, the lovers experience visions that blatantly foreshadow the end of the play.

This is to be the last moment they spend alive in each other’s company. As Romeo finally makes his descent down the balcony to his exile, the dialogue between both Romeo and Juliet contains many dramatic ironies in reference to death. Juliet, with dramatic irony, asks: “O think’st thou we shall meet again?” Romeo bravely tries to comfort her reassuring Juliet that they will soon meet again “I doubt it not, and all these woes shall serve for sweet discourses in our times to come”. Looking down upon Romeo from her balcony, Juliet says with chilling foreboding: “O God, I have an ill-divining soul! / Methinks I see thee, now thou art so low, / As one dead in the bottom of a tomb. / Either my eyesight fails, or thou look’st pale”. Juliet’s fear amplifies the emotional intensity of the scene and is what is anon, as the tragedy is now gathering momentum.

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This would work for the contemporary audience of Shakespeare’s era, as they firmly believed in fate and destiny. It is also tragically ironic, not only as the audience, from listening to the chorus, know that Romeo will die, but also because next time she sees him, he will be dead. But it is she who tragically who is at the bottom of the tomb. Although a modern audience may miss this reference, an Elizabethan audience almost would definitely notice, especially when Romeo replies, "Dry sorrow drinks our blood. Adieu, Adieu." Shakespeare includes the exploitation of social context to hint to ...

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