How does Shakespeare create tension for the audience in Romeo and Juliet Act 1 Scene 3?

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Rosy Martin-Ross 11a

Ms. Davids

English coursework assignment

October 2005

In Romeo and Juliet Act 3 scene 1, how does Shakespeare create tension for the audience?

        Act 3 scene 1 is a pivotal point in the play, where a substantial amount of tension is created for the audience in many different ways as we work our way through such a crucial point. The essence of what takes place in the scene is that Mercutio dies in a fight with Tybalt as he took Romeo’s place because Romeo rose above the fight. However in a state of disarray and distress caused by of his friend’s death, Romeo went on to kill Tybalt. Resulting in the Prince banishing Romeo from Verona where the play is set. Act 3 is shown throughout Shakespeare’s plays to have always been such a pivotal act, for example in Macbeth, Anthony and Cleopatra and many other Shakespearean plays. The reason for this being that Shakespeare followed the ancient Greek structure for tragedies in all of his tragedies, Act 1 being the introduction and the beginning of a series of questions. For example in Romeo and Juliet in act 1 we meet the characters and at first Romeo is in love with Rosaline, but at the end falls for Juliet, this leads us to question the authenticity of his love. In Act 2 of a Greek tragedy the complication begins, for example in Romeo and Juliet we see the star crossed lovers realise that they are from opposing families as they struggle to get married, and the Nurse and Friar Lawrence involve themselves. In Act 3 of a Greek tragedy we see the pivotal point. Act 4, the beginning of a resolution, for example in Romeo and Juliet we see the plan that Friar Lawrence tries to install on them. Lastly in Act 5 of a Greek tragedy there is the moral and, of course, the ending tragedy, for example in Romeo and Juliet, this being their deaths.

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        Romeo and Juliet, like many other Shakespearian plays was a Elizabethan play and therefore was written in order to please the monarch, for example, the portrayal of the lower and upper classes. Going to the theatre in the Elizabethan era was an event of much eminence. Consequently, the plays had to be that which the upper classes would approve of. Such things would be negative portrayal of the lower classes, and the positive o        f the British monarchy and that which pleases the monarch.

For these reasons Shakespeare creates tension often in the words that he uses, so that people ...

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