Exploring the dramatic effectiveness of act3 scene5 in "Romeo and Juliet"

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Exploring the dramatic effectiveness of act 3 scene5 in “Romeo and Juliet”

In this essay I intend to explore the dramatic effectiveness of “Romeo and Juliet” in act 3 scene 5. I will do this by giving a brief account of the scene and what happened immediately before and after. I will explore the language used by Shakespeare to provoke the audience’s reaction and express feelings and emotions between characters.

During this emotional scene Juliet is faced with: the parting of her husband; being told she is to marry Paris; her father’s furious and nearly violent reaction when she refuses; and when she most needs a friend the nurse deserts her. By the end of the scene Juliet’s chances of ever being with Romeo again seem very unlikely. She turns to her only friend left, Friar Laurence.

In act 3 scene 1 Romeo returns from his wedding to find Mercutio and Tybalt quarrelling “ In the public haunt of men”(49). Despite Romeo’s attempts to stop this fight Tybalt fatally wounds Mercutio. As Mercutio dies in Romeo’s arms he leaves the city of “fair Verona” with an eerie curse, “ A plague on both your houses”(106), which soon comes to pass. In an effort to seek revenge for Mercutio’s death Romeo fought with Tybalt and killed him. Benvolio tells Romeo to leave Verona because “ The prince will doom thee death”(134). Benvolio then had to give the Prince his biased account of the conflict.

 

The Prince is unsure what to do “Romeo slew him (Tybalt); he slew Mercutio. /Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?”(182-183). The Prince decides to “exile he hence”(187) but warns if he is found “That hour shall be his last”(195). When Romeo (who has been hiding in Friar Laurence’s cell) hears the news that he is to be banished he begs the Friar, “Be merciful, say death.”(12). Romeo thinks “exile hath more terror in his look, / Much more than death”(act 3 sc3 13-14).

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Although act 3 scene 4 is a very short scene it is crucial to the plot. In this scene Capulet, lady Capulet and Paris are discussing plans for Paris and Juliet’s wedding. Throughout this scene the audience have the advantage of knowing more about what Juliet has done than her parents, and more about her parents plans than she does. Capulet makes all the plans in this scene without consulting Juliet and without much input from Paris (who says less than 30 words!). Capulet is confident that Juliet will obey him but in the next scene he is proved ...

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