Shakespeare also uses dramatic irony to heighten the tension within the audience, and a prime example of this would be when Tybalt doesn’t know that Romeo is married to his cousin Juliet. Romeo then goes on to kill Tybalt, Juliet’s beloved cousin on her wedding night, and is therefore banished, leaving her heart-broken on her wedding night itself, making the audience feel sympathetic towards her, and prepares them for the ending, as in the end the audience are left feeling sympathy to both Romeo and Juliet; and also the fact that death is involved, as Romeo kills his brother-in-law, even if Tybalt doesn’t know about this.
Mercutio’s death is a pivotal point in the play, as everything after this event seems to be detrimental, for both the Capulet’s and Montague’s. ‘A plague on both your houses,/ A plague a both your houses!/ Your houses!’ The fact that Shakespeare has written the play so that Mercutio repeats the quote three times shows how well he uses simple words for dramatic effect. Before this scene, Mercutio is seen as one of Romeo’s friends, and a humorous character, but he instantly changes, as a sudden hatred spills out from within him, causing him to hate not only the Capulet’s, but the Montague’s as well. This quote has a big effect on the play, because it tells the audience what is to happen, and that one of Romeo’s best friends could say this adds tension. This could also be an example of a hyperbole, as he might have said this in the heat of the moment, because he had been friends with the Montague’s for a long time, and probably didn’t want them to suffer because of something Tybalt did. Mercutio’s words and his death seem to add a more sombre mood to the play, and also prepare the audience for the end of the play, as both, The Capulet’s and The Montague’s are affected at the end of the play, as they both lose their loved ones.
Another clever use of a hyperbole, by Shakespeare is when the Nurse is returning from Romeo, with news about Juliet’s marriage. ‘What devil art thou that dost torment me thus?/ This torture should be roared in dismal hell.’ These quotes show that Juliet thinks that the Nurse is saying that Romeo’s dead, and as this is the beginning of their love, this could mean their love was destined to fail right from the beginning, and be associated to death as soon as it began.
The last time Romeo and Juliet are together is a very emotional time for both of them and this takes place in Act 3, Scene 5. ‘Methinks I see thee now/ As one dead in the bottom of a tomb/And trust me love, in my eye so do you.’ These quotes have a huge impact on the audience, as these are the last words Romeo and Juliet say to each other, and this is the last time they are seen together, alive. Both of them comment on how pale they look, and Juliet even says that he looks like someone in the bottom of a tomb, which is where Juliet will next see him, and Romeo says the same about her. The fact that Shakespeare made the last words said between the lovers something tragic, and not about love, gives the audience a clue as to how the play will end.
Immediately after Romeo leaves, Capulet tells Juliet about his plans for her to get married to Paris in two days. ‘Is she not proud? Doth she not count her blessed,/ Proud can I never be of what I hate,’ This argument between Capulet and Juliet is very important in the context of the play, as an argument between a parent and a child, especially the daughter, in the time that this was written was extremely controversial. In the 16th century, in the society that Romeo & Juliet is set in, the society was a patriarchal one that is all the children will adhere to all the decisions that their father makes. As Juliet is disagreeing with her father, and not doing as she is told, she is seen as a rebel, and very arrogant, but the audience know she is only acting this way because she is already married. This creates a sense of dramatic irony, which adds to the tension, and makes the audience sympathetic towards Juliet, while also making Juliet seem extremely vulnerable.
After Juliet refuses Capulet’s plans for her to get married, he loses his temper, and uses a lot of portentous language. ‘Mistress minion you/ drag thee on a hurdle/ you green-sickness carrion’ All three of these quotes show Capulet’s anger towards Juliet, and he even compares her to a corpse, which prepares the audience for the ending as death is involved, and it is almost as if Capulet doesn’t care if Juliet dies, if she doesn’t marry Paris, and obey him. ‘drag thee on a hurdle’ This quote shows Capulet’s anger towards her, as in society the play was set in, wrongdoers were often dragged through the streets on a piece of fencing pulled behind a horse, saying he will drag her to her wedding like this. This might be comparing it to her first wedding, which was rushed, and destined never to work. ‘And you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets’. This quote shows how much Capulet doesn’t care about her, if she doesn’t abide to her father’s wishes and marry Paris. He says he doesn’t care if she dies on the streets, which is using portentous language, and also preparing the audience for the end of the play as he says she might die, while he doesn’t care.
After Capulet storms off unhappily that Juliet doesn’t want to marry Paris, she seeks comfort in the Nurse, but to no avail. ‘I think you are happy in thus second match, For it excels your first;/ I’ll to friar to know his remedy. If all else fail myself have the power to die.’ This quote is very important, as it states that Juliet is no longer willing to trust the Nurse, because the Nurse is telling Juliet to forget about Romeo and marry Paris. This is important because the Nurse has been trusted all the way through the story until here, which shows a change in attitude from Juliet. She thinks the only option she has now to solve this mess is to ask Friar Lawrence his opinion, and see if he has a plausible solution to the situation. She also does say that in the worst case, she can kill herself. This is the first time suicide is mentioned in the play, and this creates tension, as another dimension of bloodshed is added to the play, and this is also the way in which, both Romeo and Juliet die.
After Juliet has returned from Friar Lawrence’s cell with the potion, she goes to apologize to Capulet about her earlier behaviour, who responds by moving the wedding a day forward. ‘Go nurse, go with her, we’ll to church tomorrow.’ Capulet moving the wedding day earlier gives Friar Lawrence and Romeo less time to respond to the situation, and get back to Verona in time; it also results in him getting the wrong information about Juliet’s death, which leads to both their deaths. This prepares the audience for the ending, as things turn out as badly as they do here, and things start to escalate in terms of drama from here, with the climax being both Romeo’s and Juliet’s death. Shakespeare cleverly uses a simple event, like moving the wedding one day forward, to heighten drama and tension and prepare the audience for the ending, which all ends in tragedy.
Juliet has second thoughts about the potion, and Father Lawrence’s plan, stating again that she can always take her life if necessary. ‘What if it be a poison,/ Subtly hath ministered to have me dead,’ This quote shows that Juliet is even doubting the Friar’s judgement, and whether he can be trusted or now. She thinks that it might be a poison, because the Friar wants her dead to save his reputation. When she doubts Friar, it is an important moment in the play, as he has been trusted all the way through, but now Juliet thinks he might have made some sort of a plan against her. This shows that Juliet trusts no one at this stage, and is very paranoid. She also emphasises the fact that she can commit suicide if it comes to the worst, but she eventually does take the potion, ‘drinking to Romeo.’ This adds tension and drama, to the already complicated situation, and the audience are worried, and want to know whether or not the plan will work out and if Juliet wakes in time for Romeo’s arrival. This prepares the audience for the ending, as this is the first time suicide is mentioned as a possibility, and this is how both of them die in the end.
Romeo is distraught about the news that Juliet is ‘dead’, even though she is only under the spell from the potion; he makes other arrangements, for him to buy a deadly poison, even though it’s illegal. ‘Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight./ And this same needy man must sell it me.’ Romeo says that he will make sure that he and Juliet will lie in the same tomb, and it will be on that night itself. He also says that to kill himself he will buy a very deadly poison, from an extremely poor chemist. The fact that Romeo doesn’t receive Friar Lawrence’s letter and is misinformed about Juliet’s death, is when the audience can fathom out that nothing will work out, and the story will indeed end in the deaths of both Romeo and Juliet. This causes the audience to sympathise hugely with both of them, not wanting either of them to die, especially not suicide, as it can be seen as a weakness of their character.
Shakespeare uses a variety of language, dramatic devices and structures to prepare the audience for the end of the play, and the prologue, being sung by the chorus is a big clue as to what is to happen at the end. Shakespeare adds phrases and words to add to the sense of foreboding, which gives away the ending a few times. Shakespeare still manages to keep his audience gripped into the play until the last moment, as they want Romeo and Juliet to survive and have a happy ending, but right from the beginning, the prologue, we know that it all ends in tragedy.
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