How does Shakespeare build up the contrast between love and hate in Act 1 scene 5?

Thomas Smith 10E

How does Shakespeare build up the contrast

between love and hate in Act 1 scene 5?

The play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is about the relationship between two young people who are from feuding families. The two lovers are basically doomed from the start, as we can see from the title of the prologue – ‘The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.’ Tragedy tells us that it the story will end in disaster, which it does. The prologue gives us an outline of the story telling us a brief history of the two families and what happens to Romeo and Juliet. The first few lines tell us about ‘Two households alike in dignity.’ ‘Dignity’ shows us that the two families are dignified, and probably have a good reputation in the city. We also see that they are very alike. Despite the families’ high standard, their ‘mutiny’ is an act of rebellion against the prince; their fighting could put the whole city of Verona in danger. After telling us about the two families, the prologue then tells us about the fate of Romeo and Juliet. They were both born from the ‘fatal loins’ of their parents, ‘loins’ meaning the reproductive area and ‘fatal’ meaning anything made from them is doomed. This shows an idea of fate; as soon as they are born they are destined to die. The lovers are described as ‘star crossed,’ their destiny is all planned out for them. ‘Star crossed’ has probably got something to do with astrology, something people believed strongly in during Shakespeare’s time, because people believed that if stars or plants crossed each others path it meant good or bad things would happen. The whole reason why they die is because of their ‘parents strife,’ the parents hold the grudge against each other strongly, hence the word ‘strife,’ but Romeo and Juliet don’t care about it, they ‘bury their parents strife.’ On reading the prologue, the audiences will feel that because of the feud the story will end in tragedy as a result.

Act 1 scene 5 is important in the play because this is when Romeo and Juliet first see each other and instantly fall in love. To contrast this, it is also where they will see Tybalt at his most furious and threatening. The audience will have a feeling something bad will happen in the scene because Romeo is unwelcome at the ball as a Montague. Romeo’s premonition of something bad happening will be proved right because of him gate crashing, as we can see from Tybalt’s anger. Romeo’s presence at the ball is obviously going to cause trouble, and ...

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Act 1 scene 5 is all set in the Capulet house, during a ball, so Shakespeare had to create an appropriate atmosphere for it. The atmosphere he creates is jovial, exciting and happy. The constant bustle of the servants creates a fast paced, exciting atmosphere. ‘Where’s Potpan, that he helps not to take away?’ this develops the idea of the servants bustling about. The atmosphere is made welcoming by Capulet greeting them in a friendly manner, ‘Welcome gentlemen!’ this make the guests feel accepted and protected in Capulet’s hands. The audience may feel anxious about the friendly atmosphere suddenly turning sour because of Tybalt’s reaction to Romeo’s arrival. The atmosphere is quickly brought back down to stable by Capulet, as he stops Tybalt doing anything brash as he wants his ball to go well.

In lines 43-52 Romeo sees Juliet for the first time, and her beauty overwhelms him. He describes Juliet as something extremely precious and bright, that her beauty makes her stand out from the rest of the crowd. Romeo says a list of contrasts which describe her, ‘a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear’ being one of them. This gives the audience an image of a bright jewel against a black persons skin. This develops the idea of light against dark. This makes Juliet seem like an extraordinary person who stands out well against the mundane crowd.

In lines 53-91 Tybalt has just noticed Romeos presence and in return he is furious. He could recognize the masked Romeo because of his typical Montague way of talking in rhyme, as we can see from ‘This, by his voice, should be a Montague.’ So obviously Tybalt has grown accustomed to the Montague’s’ way of speaking. Tybalt’s reaction is, again, impulsive and violent, ‘Fetch me my rapier, boy.’ Tybalt instantly wants to fight, despite all the guests and the chance of ruining his uncle’s ball. Tybalt thinks the only reason Romeo has came to the ball is to mock the Capulet’s efforts, this fuels his hatred for Romeo, urging him on to fight. Tybalt uses words which show hate, like ‘villain’ many times. This shows he thinks Romeo an enemy. This contrasts with Romeo’s little speech, as he used words that showed love and affection, Tybalt’s words show hate and loathing.

Capulet isn’t too happy with Romeo’s arrival at the ball, but he still doesn’t let Tybalt fight him. He tells Tybalt to calm himself down and leave Romeo alone. He goes on to say that ‘Verona brags of him’ and he is a ‘well governed youth.’ This suggests that Capulet is not automatically assuming that Romeo is bad, and is giving him the benefit of the doubt. Capulet is acting like this because he doesn’t want his ball ruined by a fight, or maybe because he is feeling very friendly. Also, the Montagues are his guests, so he has a duty to protect them anyway. Capulet starts to get angry about arguing with Tybalt, he starts to talk in a hushed voice, ‘-You are a princox go: be quiet or-’ he is about to threaten Tybalt, showing that he can be just as angry as Tybalt can get, but he still has to attend to his guests.

When Tybalt has stopped arguing with Capulet, he storms off threatening Romeo. He says that the ‘intrusion’ that presently seems so sweet and innocent shall develop into ‘bitterest gall,’ a strong hatred. Tybalt is saying that because he cannot avenge Romeo’s ‘intrusion,’ at the moment, he will get him in the future with a lot more brutality. Tybalt has made the atmosphere very uneasy and the audience may feel a strong hatred linger.

After this the play goes back to Romeo and Juliet, so the mood is switched back to love from hate. The two lovers are talking to each other in a sonnet. A sonnet is very appropriate in this section, because sonnets were a popular way of writing poetry about love. The lovers may or may not be aware that they are talking in a sonnet, but either way it shows love. Romeo speaks the first quatrain using imagery to describe his and Juliet’s hand as pilgrims worshipping at a shrine. He flatters her by saying that his ‘unworthiest hand’ is profaning her hand, the ‘holy shrine,’ so his lips, the ‘two blushing pilgrims’ are ready to soften the roughness with a ‘tender kiss.’ Romeo is hinting that he wants to kiss her hand. Juliet says in her reply, the second quatrain, that Romeo’s hand shows proper devotion in what is doing, and ‘saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch,’ she is suggesting that they hold hands instead of kissing straight away. She also says ‘palm to palm is holy palmers kiss’; she might be saying that it will still be like a kiss if they just hold hands. Romeo and Juliet then share the third quatrain. Romeo starts by asking if saints have lips as well as palmers, again developing the idea of Romeo wanting to kiss her, but this time on the lips. Juliet says they do have lips, lips they must use in prayer. Romeo cleverly turns this into a reason to kiss her, by saying ‘let lips do what hands do!’ meaning hands touch when they pray, so their lips should touch. So Romeo kisses Juliet on the lips, and they are about to start another sonnet, but the nurse needs to talk with Juliet.

The nurse tells Juliet that her mothers ‘craves a word’ with her. Romeo is curious, about this, so he asks ‘What is her mother?’ This is when reality breaks in on Romeo and drags him out of his happiness, the nurse replies Her mother is the lady of the house,’ so she is Lady Capulet, therefore Juliet is a Capulet, his enemy. Romeo has a very shocked reaction to this, he says his ‘life is my foes debt,’ he thinks that he owes his life to his enemy, who is also his lover.

Act 1 scene 5 is extremely important in the play because it is the main point of Romeo and Juliet’s relationship. It is also important because it is the starting point of Tybalt’s vengeance seeking with the Montages that will result in two deaths, Mercutio’s and his own. The contrast Shakespeare has built up is very strong, with the sensitive, gentle love between Romeo and Juliet, and the strong hatred from Tybalt. This scene sets out what will happen later on the play, the strong feelings of love and hate and the deaths, and the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.