Next, the sudden interruption of Capulet and cousin Capulet’s conversation by Romeo instantly brings attention to this part of the scene. “What lady’s that which doth enrich the hand of yonder knight?” Following this comment is an aura of mystery which dramatically builds tension as the audience try to figure out who Montague’s son is talking about. As it becomes apparent that Juliet is the “beauty” Romeo is enthralled by tension builds even more. This speech also severely contrasts with Capulet’s playful, excitable language. This adds to drawing attention to the scene. Also, during Romeo’s speech Shakespeare uses rhyming couplets to express its significance to the play. Shakespeare also uses irony here to keep the attention of the audience. “So shows a snowy dove” This is ironic because the audience already knows that this will end in tragedy from the prologue, “Take their life” A dove represents peace and this irony further dramatizes the scene. Alliteration is also used to bring attention to this line.
The interruption of Tybalt, immediately talking of violence “Fetch me my rapier” has once again broken up the scene and has contrasted with Romeo’s loving language. The alliteration of the‘s’ sound Shakespeare has included in Tybalt’s speech signifies the hissing of a snake and implying the evil behind this. It is also a very angry sound showing how annoyed Tybalt is at the appearance of Montagues at the Capulet party. Also, dramatic effect is increased by the paradoxical ways in which Tybalt and Capulet speak to each other. Capulet tries to promote peace when Tybalt can only talk of hate. Tybalt uses a lexus of negative words, “villain”, “intrusion”, “bitt’rest gall” This contrasts with Capulet’s positive lexus, “content”, “gentlemen”, “patient”, “respect”. Also this sudden outburst of violence and negativity stuns the audience here, as previously there was only been happy and loving. By involving violence Shakespeare creates dramatic effect.
Further on in Act One Scene Five, Romeo once again uses religious imagery to describe his romantic feelings. He originally did this in Act 1 Scene 2 when describing his feelings for Rosaline, “When the devout religion of mine eye”. This suggests that in the play Romeo uses religious imagery to connote love to his peers. The fact that Juliet returns this, Good pilgrim” shows that she feels live towards Romeo and suggests that they are already in love. Once the audience realise this, tension dramatically builds because the audience realise that the most important bond in the play is now forming, right in front of their eyes. The tension continues to build throughout the scene and the religions imagery is used by Romeo and Juliet alike as a way of flirtation. Juliet says, “and palm to palm is holy palmer’s kiss”. The flirtation between the characters and the fact that they are oblivious to anything that may be going on around them accentuates how in love they are and the romantic atmosphere builds tension until the climax of the sonnet. Even though Romeo had used religious imagery to express the way he felt about Rosaline, I feel the fact you see Juliet return her feelings for Romeo in this form shows that her and Romeo are more in love than Romeo and Rosaline could possibly have been. The fact a sonnet is used signifies to the audience that it is such an important part in the play. This use of a sonnet also helps to build atmosphere.
When it is nearing the end of the sonnet Romeo and Juliet begin to symbolise prayer to represent kissing. “Aye, pilgrim lips that they must use in prayer,” This builds tension as they are likening kissing with the most important part of their faith, prayer. The highest point of tension within Romeo and Juliet’s encounter is when Romeo and Juliet kiss after Romeo has said “Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urg’d!” which is the concluding line of the sonnet. The tension build is then completely disrupted by the interruption of the nurse, “Madam”. This is dramatically effective because the audience had become completely involved in what was going on between Romeo and Juliet that they are completely taken aback when this loving atmosphere is so suddenly interrupted.
The serious atmosphere which follows Romeo and Juliet’s playful, flirtatious atmosphere is very paradoxical and this aids the tension build in this part of the scene. The fact Romeo and Juliet are so negatively affected about finding out that they are each from the other enemy’s family shocks the audience, thus forcing them to acknowledge the severity of the situation. Juliet sums up the situation by saying, “My only love sprung from my only hate!” As “hate” is such a strong word this shocks the audience bringing what I consider to be the scene’s highest point of tension and leaving the audience wondering what on earth will happen next.
During the scene there are several ominous references made to fate. Shakespeare has done this in two ways. The first way was to purely hint at what may come next, “And young affection gapes to be his heir” it says in the chorus which is the last paragraph of Act One Scene Five. Another way of making Act One Scene Five more dramatically effective was to use the theme of fate in an ironic way: For example, “My grave is like to be my wedding bed” The audience know that Romeo and Juliet will kill themselves from the prologue, “Take their life” and by hinting at this before anything remotely sinister has happened for neither Romeo nor Juliet creates a sense of irony and, thus, builds tension.
I think Shakespeare was successful in making Act One Scene Five dramatically effective. In my opinion, this is because of the way he alternates the mood and atmosphere to highlight the paradoxes e.g. love and hate throughout the scene ensured the audience could not lose interest and provided a constant built tension and atmosphere. I feel Shakespeare needed to make Act One Scene Five dramatically effective because the meeting of Romeo and Juliet is such a significant part of the play and it is important that the audience realised this and took interest in what was going on.
Watching Act One Scene Five increases audience expectations as they are waiting to see how the play reaches its fatal conclusion.