we will in France, by God's grace, play a set
Shall strike his father's crown into the hazard.
Tell him he hath made a match with such a wrangler
That all the courts of France will be disturbed
With chases.”
On closer analysis I realise that words like “rackets”, “balls”, “set” and “courts” etc are related to tennis, therefore this statement is a series of puns referring to the gift of tennis balls received by the King. This shows that although in “Romeo and Juliet”, Shakespeare uses puns for comedy; they can also be used for violence as in this instance to evoke a different effect.
Another method that maintains the audience interest is Shakespeare’s incorporation of sexual jokes into “Romeo and Juliet”:
Sampson:”...cut off their heads!
Gregory: The heads of the maids?
Sampson: Ay, the heads of the maids or their maidenheads!”
This would particularly interest the groundlings as they favour nothing more than sex, because of this, their interest would be surely maintained.
Another example of a sexual joke that Shakespeare integrates into “Romeo and Juliet” is:
Sampson:”...I will push Montague’s men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall”
The groundlings would find this joke extremely appealing as this it would be accompanied by certain actions, which would categorically interest them. In modern times people may shun the idea of these actions and jokes being performed on stage as it may be seen as explicit and an unneeded concept, people may think arousal of audience interest can be achieved by the use of other methods.
A different approach that Shakespeare uses to preserve the fixation of the audience is the use of dramatic tension, In Act 1, Scene 1, Line 39 onwards, a quarrel takes place between the servants of the two feuding families: Abram of the Montague family and Sampson of the Capulet’s:
Abram:”Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
Sampson: I do bite my thumb, sir
Abram: Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?”
This would provoke the audience to shout and jeer at the characters, which makes them feel somewhat included in the proceedings, this ability to somewhat interact with the play would not only maintain but certainly increase the interest of the audience.
Shakespeare also uses violence as an aid to maintain audience interest, In Act 1, Scene 1; Line 61 onwards, a fight takes place between the two families:
Tybalt: “What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? Turn thee, Benvolio. Look upon thy death.
Benvolio: I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword, or manage it to part these men with me”
This fight would certainly captivate the audience and command their total attention. Shakespeare has created the character “Benvolio”, his name derives from the word “Benevolent” meaning kindly and willing to help others. I believe that when Shakespeare uses this character he means for the audience to disagree with him; for example in this fight, the audience would not take too kindly to Benvolio’s refusal of combat as they favour fights. This point in the play is just one of many where the tension peaks, which leads me on to the next technique that Shakespeare uses.
The method that I shall now discuss is the way that the tension on “Romeo and Juliet” oscillates between low tension scenes to scenes that will leave you clinging to the edge of your seat, which could be compared to the oscillation of a seismograph. For example in Act 1, Scene 1, Line 30 onwards, there is talk of quarrelling and provocative behaviour used by Capulet’s servants, this raises the dramatic tension enough for the audience to question what is ahead. However when the servants’ masters appear and talk of “swords” and “death” the tension reaches a climax, this in my view would engross the audience, maintaining their interest, and leaving them with a desire for more. I can gather that Shakespeare harnesses this method because after a scene that does not really have all of the attributes that the audience demand, he can provide them with one of these climactic, tensive scenes to seduce and win the audience over.
A different procedure that Shakespeare uses to sustain audience interest is his use of dramatic devices which help to add that extra zing to the scenes, for example: “...Once more, on pain of death, all men depart”. The Princes law gives the audience the information that if another fight occurs between the two families then they will be put to death, which allows them to question whether there will be more fighting and who will be partaking in them.
Another approach used by Shakespeare to uphold interest is: the discussion of characters prior to the audience meeting them for example in Act 1, Scene 1, Lines 112 onwards Romeo is discussed by his family:
Benvolio:”So early walking did I see your son”
this also occurs with Juliet and her family:
Capulet: “She is the hopeful lady of my earth”. This technique allows the audience to perceive the characters motivations and personalities. As this causes the audience to dwell on these matters, it in turn holds their interest.
Another strategy that Shakespeare uses to sustain the audience interest is his use of techniques which arouse the curiosity of the audience, an example of this is in Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 10-11:
Capulet: “Let two more summers wither in their pride/ Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride”. This maintains the audience’s interest as it too allows them to assume the outcomes; in this case will Juliet marry Paris?
A different technique Shakespeare made use of was his inclusion of a vast array of description: Act 1, Scene 4, line 53 onwards; The Elizabethans were great believers in fairies and in this piece Mercutio describes Queen Mab, Queen of the fairies. He describes as having a chariot which is “an empty hazel-nut” and a “whip, of crickets bone”. This description would be found as extremely appealing by the Elizabethan audience, especially the more educated members of the audience.
Another method harnessed by Shakespeare is his use of imagery in the play: Act 1, Scene 5, Lines 41-50 Romeo is talking to himself about Juliet (soliloquy) the descriptive language would allow the audience to imagine Juliet’s “beauty”, therefore holding their interest.
In “Romeo and Juliet” omens are included as an aid to maintain the interest of the audience: “star-cross’d lovers”. This then gives the audience a warning prior to the events occurring, giving them an insight of what is in store.
Finally, when Romeo and Juliet meet the opening lines are a sonnet which again would be noticed and appreciated by the educated audience. The sonnet contains many words which refer to holiness which describes Juliet as a “holy shrine” and a “saint”. This shows the audience that Juliet is angelic and pure, which would certainly attract the audience’s attention towards her.
