Firstly the audience is shown that Juliet is not dead but in a state of comatose. This makes the audience apprehensive on how this information will be shown to Romeo. Also this is ironic as Juliet is led to believe that Romeo has died in Act 3 as oppose to Tybalt, “Hath Romeo slain himself…is Romeo slaughtered? (Act3 sc2 p105)” The audience know that Juliet is not dead as they witnessed her and Friar Lawrence devise the plot. The audience also see the Friar write and send the letter outlining the plan to Romeo, and see the Friar hand it to his friend Friar John. This makes the play more tragic as the audience know that Romeo will commit suicide, and presume it will be due to Juliet’s ‘death’. Romeo never receives the letter, which gives a greater sense of tragedy.
When Romeo is found in Mantua, a good friend, Balthasar, tells him his bride is dead. Then he vows to kill himself and that he will “ lie with thee tonight” (Act 5 sc1) Romeo and Juliet both predict their own death at the beginning of the play, “some consequences hanging in the stars… by some vile forfeit of untimely death”, which makes all proceedings afterwards tools to build up tension until the final scene. After travelling back to fair Verona, where Juliet is laid at rest, Romeo tells Balthasar his plan to purchase poison and be with Juliet. This builds up tension as we; the audience knows that Juliet is not dead. As Romeo enters the tomb, he is angry and grieving. He threatens to “…tear thee joint from joint, and strew this hungry churchyard with limbs”. This is a stark contrast to the way Paris behaves in the tomb, strewing the tomb with flowers and stating that he will pour perfumed water all over Juliet’s resting place. I believe that Paris is only saying this a he feels that he has to as he was almost married to her. There is no real passion to what he says as opposed to Romeo’s much more aggressive and passionate speech which shows his complete devastation over his wife’s’ death. As Paris’ speech opens, he puts out his light, bathing him in darkness. This says he is more artificial in his feelings as he says, “…put it out, for I would not be seen”. This contrasts to Romeo, who asks for the light, which is relevant to what he says in regard to Paris.
Romeo takes Juliet’s wedding ring from her finger, “ a precious ring, a ring that I must use in dear employment therefore hence, be gone” (Act5 sc3) He keeps her ring as his proof of their love and as a keepsake that reminds him of her. Romeo uses words of violence like ‘savage’, ‘strew’, ‘tear’ and ‘fierce’ to show his emotion. Romeo is obviously deeply distressed by the death of his wife and is abusive and angry over Juliet’s death. This refers to Friar Lawrence’s advice given to the lovers in act 2 scene 6, in which the Friar tells them to love each other in moderation instead of “exploding” the relationship and causing something to go wrong.
The atmosphere at the tomb also makes the final scene more tragic. This scene is set in a churchyard, which makes a link to the death that is expected to occur. At this point in the play, the contrasts between like and dark are strong, symbolising the stark contrasts between good ad evil and the metamorphosis of Romeo from dark to light. Romeo was the darker character in his relationship with Juliet. Now that the light in the relationship is supposedly extinguished, Romeo is seeing only darkness in his future.
Flower imagery is used in this scene to link back to previous moments in Romeo and Juliet’s relationship. When Paris lays flowers by the tomb-side, he calls Juliet a “sweet flower”. This links back to when the lovers had first met each other and Juliet says, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet…” Because of this referral to happier times in the relationship, this statement builds tension.
As Parris is placing flowers for Juliet, he is interrupted by the arrival of Romeo who is carrying a crow bar. The relative stillness of the tomb is contrasted by the interruption of anger and aggression that follows Romeo, the “betossed soul” as he calls himself. Romeo personifies death in this speech calling it a monster “and that lean abhorred monster…” (Act 5 sc 3)
Romeo uses an oxymoron in his speech “womb of death”. His words are those of distress and contrast with Parris’ earlier words of warmth towards Juliet. This shows another of the themes in the play, Love V Hate.
Romeo’s final speech is a soliloquy. It is split into 5 sections; death, Juliet, Tybalt, death personified and getting ready for his suicide. With each section, a topic that he is suffering is spoken about. In soliloquies the truth is always spoken and he asks forgiveness from his cousin Tybalt. He also talks to Juliet’s ‘corpse’ about her beauty “…Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty” he also questions reality in reference to Parris and Juliet’s relationship when he says “He told me Parris should have married Juliet. Said he not so? Or did I dream it so? Or am I mad hearing him talk of Juliet?” (Act 5 sc 3)
Romeo believes that he and Parris are victims of “sour misfortunes book” so he obeys Parris’ final wish and lays him near Juliet’s body in a mood of compassion. This refers to another theme, Fate V Freewill.
As Romeo prepares himself for his suicide, Romeo personifies death and imagines that death wants Juliet for itself “that unsubstantial death is amorous”. Romeo finishes getting ready and decides once and for all to join Juliet, “Here’s to my love… thus I die with a kiss”
Friar Lawrence and Balthasar appear at the churchyard and comment on what has happened which increases the tragedy as they emphasize the scale and enormity of what has happened. “And steeped in blood? Ah, what an unkind hour is guilty of this lamentable chance!” in addition to this, the Friar’s opening uses references to stumbling “have my old feet stumbled at graves?” In Elizabethan times stumbling was seen as a bad omen. The audience would be aware of this and know that a dreadful event is coming.
The Friar and Balthasar speak in short sentences and quick exchanges which add urgency and increase tension. Friar Lawrence brings the subject of fear into the mix and builds more tension when he says, “fear comes upon me”. These references and the urgency in the way the conversation flows are placed in between Romeo dying and Juliet waking to increase the tension felt by the audience. Just as the deaths of Romeo and Parris are confirmed, Juliet wakes. The first thing she asks is “O comfortable Friar, where is my lord?” this shows that Romeo is the only thing important. This increases tension, as the audience know Romeo is dead and are waiting for Juliet to find out. Juliet’s final speech is much shorter than Romeo’s, as he was undecided in his actions but Juliet is direct in her actions. The tragedy is increased when she finds Romeo left her “no friendly drop” of poison so they could die in the same way. Instead she uses Romeo’s dagger and falls on his body. This increases the tragic irony, as this was the dagger Romeo used to kill Juliet’s cousin Tybalt.
When the Capulet’s and Montague’s arrive at the churchyard and find out about their children’s deaths, they decided to erect gold statues of them to symbolise their love for each other. The families find the children one by one with the Capulet's finding their beloved Juliet first. “O heavens! O wife look how our daughter bleeds!” Finding his daughter dead is very distressing for Lord Capulet as the last time he spoke to her, he was being abusive towards her because she would not marry Parris “Out you green-sickness carrion…” Juliet had retorted by saying to at least delay the wedding or “ make the bridal bed in the dim monument where Tybalt lies.” This increases the tragedy as she carried out her threat.
Montague find Romeo next. He is on his own and full of grief already as his wife died earlier through the hurt caused by Romeo being banished “Grief of my son’s exile hath stopped her breath” This adds sorrow to the final scene.
The Friar then proceeds to tell the families the entire story in a direct way; there are no puns, just direct information and the truth of the tragedy.
The prince speaks about the situation and initially calls it a “misadventure” but changes his words to “foul murder” creating a sense of fear towards the two families. He is quite unsympathetic at first, considering both families had lost their only children. This increases the sense of tragedy between the families. The tragedy is heightened still as the families are still feuding at this point even though their children have just committed suicide. The enraged prince confirms this “see what a scourge is laid upon your hate!”
