Explain how Shakespeare gains and holds the audiences attention and interest up to act one Scene one of Romeo and Juliet
Explain how Shakespeare gains and holds the audiences attention and interest up to act one Scene one of Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is widely considered, by critics and the public alike as one of the best romantic tragedies to date. Written by arguably the most famous poet in British History, William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet is a story of two star-crossed lovers. Date of it's publication is much argued about, but it is agreed among most that it was between the dates of 1594 and 1596. Shakespeare was born on the 26th of April 1564 and died on the 23rd of April 1616.
Shakespeare didn't entirely invent the concept of Romeo and Juliet, it was influenced heavily by a poem written by Arthur Brooks and the poem Romeus and Juliet, but many details are altered from this and some Characters entirely made up.
Shakespeare's plays total thirty seven, of these are Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello and The Tempest, he wrote anything from love stories (Antony and Cleopatra) to comedies (twelfth night) and has proved himself to be very versatile. He has also written over a hundred and fifty sonnets.
The play begins with a chorus which describes what is going to happen within the play. This fantastic piece of poetry is known as a sonnet. This was very risque of Shakespeare as it gave away a huge dramatic irony that he could've of easily used to shock the audience. In the prologue Shakespeare suggests that Romeo and Juliet being together is doomed by fate, he describes them as:
"Star-crossed."
On the 16th centaury many people believed that the stars governed your fate, and therefore Shakespeare is suggesting that Romeo and Juliet are fighting against fate.
The prologue was intended to shock the audience into listening to the play, and fill the room with suspense at wondering how they took their lives, and perhaps why. The audiences reaction would've been one of empathy and shock towards the characters of Romeo and Juliet. They would sympathise with their situation.
Shakespeare starts the actual play immediately introducing two servants of the Capulet house, they are discussing what they would do if they had the chance to fight the Montague's in battle.
"I will be cruel to the maids, I will cut of ...
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The prologue was intended to shock the audience into listening to the play, and fill the room with suspense at wondering how they took their lives, and perhaps why. The audiences reaction would've been one of empathy and shock towards the characters of Romeo and Juliet. They would sympathise with their situation.
Shakespeare starts the actual play immediately introducing two servants of the Capulet house, they are discussing what they would do if they had the chance to fight the Montague's in battle.
"I will be cruel to the maids, I will cut of their heads....Aye the heads of maidens or their maiden heads-"
This line suggests a large brutality towards the females of the house of Montague. Sampson is suggesting that he would like to rape them, and deflower their virgins. The audiences reaction would be one of shocked humour, at this blatant sexism, that Shakespeare has incorporated.
This line also has a deeper meaning and reflects in some ways upon the later love of Romeo and Juliet. This type of sexual love is known as bestial, which means like a beast. This cheap lustful love will prepare the audience for the later types of love within the play, the courtly love and spiritual love that we have yet to see, between the central characters.
It is not long with in the play before Sampson and Gregory encounter to servants of the house of Montague. They are unwilling to start the fight because they don't believe that the law is on their side,
"Let us take the law of our sides, let them begin,"
so Sampson bites his thumb at them. This gesture is considered to be an obscene gesture, and it provokes the Montague men to come over to the Caplets. They enquire at the source of this obscene gesture, and Sampson after askinf Gregory,
"Is the law on my side if I say Aye?"
and him replying negatively. Sampson replies:
"I do not bite my thumb at you sir, but I bite my thumb sir."
This could is obvious to both parties that it is a lie. Benvolio then enters. He is a peaceful Montague character, and does not like to see the people fighting on the street, so he tries hard to separate them but to no avail.
Another character then enters, Tybalt. He is also a central character but he is a Capulet. Tybalt is sickened by Benvolio when he asks him for help to part the servants, Tybalt replies and that he is;
"Drawn and talks of peace."
This means that Benvolio was brandishing a sword, and talking to the servants of peace to try and stop them from killing each other. Tybalt obviously doesn't agree with this tactic, and would rather fight it out.
Shakespeare has used imagery here to demonstrate Tybalt's fiery nature:
"Look upon thy death,"
portrays Tybalt as evil, like Death is. It also shows the skill of Tybalt's swordsmanship, he is so confident that he can call himself Death. This shows Tybalt's character in a very obvious light, he is not necessarily evil, but confident and arrogant.
In Tybalt's first speech he shows how deep the hatred he feels towards the Montagues is, he compares it to something that just about everyone would fear and loathe during that time:
"I hate the word, as I hate hell all Montague's and thee."
This shows how deep the hatred that Tybalt feels is, he likens it to his hatred of hell, which is very deep as they where probably a religious family. It also demonstrates Tybalt's character again as hateful, and rather immature, considering that he hates someone with a reason that is forgotten.
I felt that Tybalt's words would of created a tension throughout the theatre, and the audience would be shocked that he enjoys the fighting that causes so much corruption within society.
The characters begin to fight even though it has been forbidden to do so. The Prince, who is the ruler of the state, then enters the fray that now includes the two heads of the houses. The arrival of the Prince is a major part of the scene. Shakespeare uses imagery to conjure the feelings of the Prince towards the situation between the Montagues and Capulets. He likens them (as they themselves did earlier) to beasts:
"What ho! You men you beasts."
This shows the anger that The Prince feels towards the Montagues and Capulets, and the way they have been fighting like animals. Another reason the Prince is angry with the brawls is that they have usually started over something petty:
"Three civil brawls bred of an airy word."
An airy word would probably mean a petty insult, such as the biting of the thumb. The fact that the Prince has let this happen three times, mat make the audience question the Princes character, and ask whether he was not harsh enough upon the breakers of the laws the last two times, even though he calls them:
"Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace."
The audience will probably think that the Prince is a soft character, and a too nice to threaten anything truly severe. It would probably shock the audience when the speech to find out that the Prince is actually very angry at Capulet and Montague:
"Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace."
This means that if they choose to disturb the peace of his streets again in such a manner then they will pay for it with their lives. The audience would also be shocked that the Prince would go to such extremes to keep the peace. They may also feel sympathetic towards Benvolio as the man was only defending himself against the fiery, hot-tempered and blood-thirsty Benvolio. They will also be wondering what will happen to the characters if they break the law.
Shakespeare managed to gain the audiences attention in the first part of this scene, using a big fight. These are usually reserved for the end or middle of the plays, rather than the first. The action will catch the audiences attention much more than any words, and he has immediately got the audience emotionally involved with the characters, and they may empathise and sympathise with certain people within the play. He has also portrayed the rivalry between the Capulets and Montagues well, without having to explain it in words which may have bored the audience. It demonstrates how deeply their hatred runs.
Aymie Thompson Wadebridge School 10GA
