How does Shakespeare use language and dramatic devices to communicate Romeo's mood at different points in the play?

Authors Avatar

Kamran Hussain 10MF        09/05/2007

How does Shakespeare use language and dramatic devices to communicate Romeo’s mood at different points in the play?

The play “Romeo and Juliet” is a story study of love, violence and death which originally took place in Verona, Italy. The play is about a Montague boy and a Capulet girl. The boy, Romeo and the girl Juliet fall in love. The Montague and Capulet family are enemies. Romeo and Juliet get married, but die at the end. The play is about the two lovers, which go through violence, death and fate in the play to achieve their love and freedom.

During the two scenes Act 2, Scene 2 and Act 3, Scene 3, Romeo goes through many changes of emotions and mood in the play. At the beginning of the play Romeo is in love with Rosaline. Romeo and his friends decide to go and gatecrash Juliet’s engagement party. Romeo’s character seems very fickle as he keeps falling in and out of love. The mood illustrated in “Romeo and Juliet” changed radically from the beginning of the play to the end. This is shown throughout the story through the physical and emotional event that takes place in the two scenes. Romeo sets his eyes on Juliet and it is love at first sight.

Only when they realise that they are from feuding families and were brought up under the impression that they hate each other. This creates tension to the audience/reader as two lovers have a background of feuding families and are great enemies. This tightens the situation in between the two lovers as their love will be unsuccessful. It is also a great shock to the audience/reader, because it was love at first sight and the two lovers cannot maintain their love in a passionate manner. However, Shakespeare uses feuding in between the two families as a dramatic device, as to the audience it will be a shock that two lovers of feuding family have fell in love at first sight, this will want the audience to continue watching/reading the play as they want to know how Romeo undergoes the pressure of achieving his love, Juliet.    

Act 2, Scene 2 takes place in the Capulet’s Orchard, where Romeo climbs the wall. Romeo goes to meet Juliet and leaves his friends behind as he wants to be alone. Romeo seems to be very excited and uses metaphors to express his emotions to describe his feelings for Juliet. Shakespeare through Romeo compares Juliet to the “sun” and asks her to arise and “kill the envious moon.” This metaphor portrays Romeo’s feelings for Juliet effectively as it shows how much he adores her. Metaphors are constantly used by Shakespeare through out the play to communicate Romeo’s mood, for example, at first he is feeling love for her and is comparing her to the moon, stars and uses the word “brightness”, “light” to show hope, purity and love. However, a dramatic device is used such as the balcony scene.

Join now!

Romeo starts to deliver his speech while Juliet is up on her balcony. Juliet is not alert to Romeo’s presence, However Romeo knows that Juliet is there and he doesn’t inform her but he still lets her deliver her speech. This is a dramatic device and is also dramatic irony because the audience realise something that the characters don’t. Romeo and Juliet both exchange vows of love, however they are both apprehensive Juliet fears the suddenness of their love. Romeo believes that what is happening is just a dream, and it isn’t genuine. “All this is but a dream”. ...

This is a preview of the whole essay