Explore the ways that Shakespeare makes Act 1 scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet dramatically effective.

Capulet's speech is welcoming his guests to the masked party and Capulet is in a good mood. This is because Juliet is going to meet Paris for the first time and he hopes that Juliet falls in love with him. His speech is said as if Capulet is excited to get the party started. Capulet can't wait to dance as he can dance with anyone. Capulet tells everyone that it is a masked ball. 'That I have worn a visor, and could tell a whispering tale in a fair Lady's ear.' (Lines 6-7) This means that Romeo and Juliet can meet each other, as they will not know who each other is as they have masks on. This is what the audience have been waiting for; they knew they were going to meet from the prologue. Capulet's speech tells us a lot about him, one aspect that you learn about Capulet is that he is a player 'Ah my mistresses'. Capulet is giving out instructions throughout the speech, he tells the ladies to dance and music to play. 'Ladies that have their toes, unplagued with corns will walk about with you' here Capulet is giving instructions to the ladies. The atmosphere in Capulet's speech is completely different from the opening, the contrast is that Capulet's speech is relaxed and joyful, where as the opening is busy and hectic.

Romeo's first speech is about the way he feels about Juliet and how beautiful she is and how he has never felt like this about anyone before in his life. But at the beginning of the play Romeo is heart broken as Rosaline and he are not together, but he said that he loved Rosaline.

Romeo asks a servant 'What Lady's that which doth enrich the hand of yonder knight?' He was referring to Juliet, this quote means that he will be made better by being near her. Romeo's language then changes into poetic and lyrical in lines 31- 15. Romeo uses rhyming couplets an example of this is in lines 31 & 32 'O she doth teach the torches to burn bright: It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night.' Romeo says 'As a rich jewel is an Ethiop's ear' which means that she stands out from the crowd as she is so good-looking. Romeo then goes on to use a metaphor 'So show a snowy dove trooping with crows,' Romeo is saying that Juliet is a beautiful white dove amongst black ugly crows. The dove also stands for peace and purity, the crow stands for violence and hatred. Romeo then goes on to use a religious image 'the measure done, ill watch her place of stand and touching her hers, make a blessed my rude hand.' (Lines 5-6) Romeo means that he will watch Juliet from where he is and when he touches her, he will be blessed. Romeo then says that Juliet is different from anyone he has ever loved and this is when the audience know that Romeo is being genuine. 'For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night' (Line 8) Romeo's language in his speech is showing that he is serious about how much he loves Juliet. His speech shows his real emotions towards her, it is very powerful and romantic. His language is completely different from Capulet's before Romeo's. Capulet's language is informal and excitable.

Shakespeare makes this dramatic, as at the start of Tybalt speech, Tybalt tells Capulet that he has spotted Romeo. Romeo is a Montague and is the Capulet's enemy, he is at the masked ball and Tybalt is furious that he is here, so much so that he wants to kill Romeo. Tybalt's speech starts 'This by his voice should be a Montague. Fetch me my rapier boy, what dares slave come hither, cover'd with an antic face, to fleer and scorn at our solemnity? Now by the stock and honour of my kin, to strike him dead, I hold it not a sin' Tybalt is saying if he kills Romeo he will be protecting his family and that he will not feel that he has sinned.

Tybalt then says 'Uncle, this is a Montague our foe: A villain that is hither come in spite, to scorn at our solemnity' Tybalt tell this to Capulet, he is saying that the reason Romeo has come to the party was out of spite, and that Romeo is a villain. The audience is surprised with what Capulet says next Capulet replies 'Content thee gentle coz, let him alone' Capulet is telling Tybalt to leave Romeo alone. It appears that Romeo has a good reputation in Verona and is well mannered 'And to say the truth. Verona brags of him' Capulet wants Romeo to be left alone as a fight will ruin his party and disrupt his plans with Juliet's and Paris' meeting. Also from near the beginning of the play we find out that if the two houses fight amongst each other again the consequences will be serious. Tybalt is not to happy about being told to leave Romeo alone, later on in Tybalt's speech he says that he will bride his time till his anger over comes him and a fight must happen. 'Patience perforce, with wilful choler meeting, makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting: I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall now seeming sweet, convert to bittiest gall'

The last part of Tybalt's speech is in rhyming couplets which gives the last part of the speech extra emphasis as the rest of the speech is in blank verse this creates dramatic irony. Tybalt's speech is directly after Romeo's the contrast between them is that Romeo's speech is about love and is in rhyming couplets and Tybalt's is about hatred and mainly in blank verse. The audience will now see Tybalt as a villain as later in the lay Tybalt causes Romeo's banishment, when he kills Mercutio which is Romeo's best friend and kinsman to the prince. Romeo tries to prevent a fight but Tybalt pushes him to the limit. From Romeo's romantic love speech to Tybalt's speech about hatred and fighting the audience will be influence and will begin to think that Tybalt is a villain.

Shakespeare makes Act 1 scene 5 dramatically effective especially lines 20 - 7 as this is the most dramatic part of the play, as it is when Romeo and Juliet first meet and begin to fall in love. This is also where the tragedy starts, it is bittersweet. Romeo starts the sonnet with 'If I profane with my unworthiest hand, this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this, my lips two blushing Pilgrims ready stand, to smooth the rough touch with a gentle kiss.' Romeo says to Juliet 'This holy shrine' he is referring to Juliet, he is using a religious image. Juliet then says 'Good Pilgrim you do wrong your hands too much which mannerly devotion shows in this' Juliet is saying that Romeo is insulting his hands and she is saying that he shouldn't. 'For saints have hands, that Pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy Palmer's kiss.' Juliet says this to Romeo that saints have hands and Pilgrims have hands too touch. She is telling Romeo that he can touch her and palm to palm is like kissing. Romeo then asks Juliet 'Have not Saints lips and holy Palmers too?' He then says that we both have lips. Juliet then says 'Ay Pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.' Juliet is telling him that there lips should be used for praying rather then kissing her. Romeo then says 'O then dear Saint, let lips do what hands do, they pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.' Romeo is telling Juliet that both lips and hands are used for prayer. Juliet's answer 'Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.' Juliet is granting Romeo permission to kiss her but she will not kiss him first. Romeo says to her 'Then move not while prayer's effect I take, thus from my lips, by thine my sin is purg'd.' Romeo is telling Juliet not to move as he is going to kiss her, I am giving you my prayer. Juliet then says 'Then have my lips the sin that they have took.' Juliet is asking Romeo to kiss her again. Romeo replies 'Sin from my lips, o trespass sweetly urg'd: Give me my sin again.' He is telling Juliet that he is going to kiss her again and that he will be sinning again. Juliet final words on the sonnet is 'You kiss by th' book' Juliet is saying that he kisses by the Bible.

Romeo and Juliet speak in a sonnet; you can tell how in touch they are with each other as they are in unison and are sharing the sonnet between them. The religious language they both used would have been easy understood by the audience in the Elizabethan times. When Romeo and Juliet kissed each other it was a religious image as if they were going on a pilgrimage. Both Romeo and Juliet use a lot of religious metaphors throughout the sonnet. As in 'Pilgrims', 'Saints' and 'profane' which means sin. The sonnet makes the audience feel that Romeo and Juliet are genuinely in love with each other.

Nurse tells Juliet 'Madam your mother craves a word with you' the nurse tells Juliet that her mother wants her, the nurse said this to Juliet to get her away from Romeo. Romeo hears this and asks 'What is her mother?' The nurse answers 'Marry bachelor, Her mother is the Lady of the house, and a good Lady, and a wise and virtuous, I nurs'd her daughter that you talk'd withal: I tell you, he that can lay hold her shall have the chinks.' The nurse is saying that who ever marries Juliet will be wealthy. Romeo is shocked and asks 'Is she a Capulet? O dear account! My life is my foe's debt.' Romeo is now at the mercy of his enemy.

One of the ways Shakespeare makes this scene dramatically effective is when Capulet is speaking he says 'Nay gentlemen prepare not to be gone, we have a trifling foolish banquet towards: Is it e'en so? Why then I thank you all. I thank you honest gentlemen good night: More torches here come on, then let's to bed. Ah sirrah, by my fay it waxes late, I'll to my rest.' I think that Capulet is confused maybe this is because he is drunk. I think this, as he changes the subject a lot and he answers his own questions. Juliet then asks the nurse who everyone is then she asks the nurse who Romeo is. Juliet 'Go ask his name, if he is married. My grave is like to be my wedding bed' Juliet is using dramatic irony she is saying that if Romeo is married she will die. The nurse replies 'His name is Romeo, and a Montague, the only son of your great enemy'. Juliet is now upset and says 'My only love sprung from my only hate' Juliet is saying that the only person she has ever loved is my only enemy. This is summing up the whole entire play. Juliet then goes on to say 'too early seen, unknown, and known too late,' If Juliet had known that Romeo was her only enemy she would have tried not to fall in love with him. 'Prodigious birth of love is it to me,' this is ominous, this is the beginning of the tragedy. 'That I must love a loathed enemy.' Juliet is saying why is it that I have fallen in love with her enemy. Nurse is now panicking as she knows that Juliet has fallen in love with the wrong person. 'What's this? What's this' This is two rhyming couplets this is drawing your attention to this scene. Juliet says 'A rhyme I learn'd even now of one I danc'd withal.' Juliet is saying that she has just thought of the rhyme about someone she has just danced with, she is talking about Romeo. The scene ends with the nurse saying 'Anon, anon: Come let's away, the strangers all are gone.'

Shakespeare has made Act 1 scene 5 dramatically effective because of the use of rhyming couplets, blank verse and the sonnet. Also Act 1 scene 5 is at the beginning of the tragedy, wheels are set in motion Juliet and Romeo fall in love. The themes in Act 1 scene 5 are love and hate, peace and war. These are still relevant for audiences today so they can relate to this. During Act 1 scene 5 Capulet's characteristics are of a joyful man and that he is laid back as he doesn't care that Romeo his enemy is at his party, but later on in the play his characteristics change into an overprotective father. To the audience Tybalt is the villain in the play as he wants to kill Romeo when he sees Romeo at the party. So overall I think that Shakespeare has made Act 1 scene 5 dramatically effective.