I will be exploring and analysing the different ways and methods in which Shakespeare uses dramatic devices/ techniques to make Act 3 Scene 5 a turning point, a moment which changes the whole course of the play.
ROMEO AND JULIET
I will be exploring and analysing the different ways and methods in which Shakespeare uses dramatic devices/ techniques to make Act 3 Scene 5 a turning point, a moment which changes the whole course of the play, leaving things to never be the same again, in Romeo and Juliet. I will be studying the subject and theme of this scene, the structure of the scene, the characters, the language and stagecraft, and most importantly the different dramatic devices used.
From the beginning of the scene there is a sense of tension, which is shown when Romeo and Juliet have spent the night together without the knowledge of their families and birds are singing. When dawn comes Romeo prepares to leave for Mantua, but Juliet declares that it is still night, so he can stay. Romeo offers to stay and did, but then Juliet urges him to leave in the hope of him leaving. "it was the nightingale and not the lark", shows references to day {the lark} and the night {nightingale} which consequently is telling us that Romeo's and Juliet's relationship is clandestine. The portrayal of darkness also increases the anxiety of this scene. ..."jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain", included with the previous quote represents a metaphoric battle between dark and light, night and day symbolising Romeo's struggle to have a relationship with Juliet within a society which will not tolerate it. Night is shown to be illicit, only in darkness is Romeo's and Juliet's relationship allowed to flourish.
"The herald of the morn" is a warning, which is ominous, heightening the tension. Also from the very beginning of this scene Shakespeare use pathetic fallacy;
..."do lace the severing clouds in younder east", deliberately to create a tense atmosphere. In addition Shakespeare uses plenty metaphors to symbolise death, "night candles are burnt out", to warn us of the future events.
Irony is another technique generously used, making the character's words or actions clear to the audience/reader but unknown or totally the opposite to the character. "Let me be ta'en, let me be put to death", this is ironic as Romeo will die shortly, even though he is not aware of this the audience is. This is used for emphatic effect.
In this scene love is presented in the terms of light and dark. The positive aspects of love are associated with light, the negative aspects of love are presented through images of darkness. The darker side of love is shown to be inevitable. These dark elements of love are linked with the tragic genre of the play. Shakespeare is making us aware that there is a fine line between love and death. "more light and light: more dark and dark our woes", shows darkness is associated with pain and sadness, indicating the difficulty of enduring a relationship.
This scene takes place in Juliet's chamber, with the bed being the main focal point. This is because the bed symbolises Juliet sleeping with Romeo along with the conception of deceit, for the Capulets and Montagues have an on going feud which has been flaring for many years, and if Juliet's parents were to know, Juliet would undoubtedly be disowned. Juliet's costume may show that she has been in bed, though her parents do not suspect that she has slept with Romeo, otherwise this scene relies mostly on speech.
Shakespeare contrasts a lot of themes. For instance there is a lot of comparison between light and dark shown from the beginning of this scene. Love and hate, fate and free will, death and life, appearance and reality, public and private life. All of these are opposites, maybe Shakespeare wanted us to see both sides, the negative and positives, that maybe they always come as a package and not everything always has a happy ending. This contrast is also very ominous and serves as a constant reminder that the prologue has warned us that these are "star-cross'd lovers", fated to die. There is an important constant affiliation between death and love in Romeo and Juliet. This idea is introduced in the prologue and pervades throughout the play. This love can be a dark unsettling force in the play intensifying the tragic element of the play.
The tension dramatically increases as Shakespeare uses alliteration of "d" sounds to rein sounds repeatedly. "doth ...discords...day...dark". Shakespeare purposely repeats the "d" sounds to reinforce the threat of death with the help of metaphors of death.
As sunrises Juliet and Romeo realise that hope for their love is strayed due to Romeo's banishment. Romeo's and Juliet's conversation about Romeo leaving firstly initiates anxiety. "O, now be gone: more light and light it grows", showing the audience/ reader the sense of urgency for him to leave. This anxiety escalates by the dramatic intrusion by the nurse hurrying to remind Juliet of the perils of the rest of the world upon their love. "Your Lady Mother is coming to your chamber; the day is broke; be wary, look about". this is ambiguous. Dramatic irony is used to suggest that this fragile moment will be destroyed. This will leave the audience/reader disturbed as well as worried that they will be caught by Lady Capulet arriving to her daughters chamber to inform Juliet of some undesired news. In response of this news Romeo rushes to leave and leaps out of the window in Juliet's chamber, after kissing her, before putting his and her life at risk. Romeo and Juliet are aloft exactly where Juliet was during the balcony scene, so Romeo really jumps out of the balcony, not the window, but the text never mentions this. Juliet full of foreboden asks Romeo "O think'st thou we shall ever meet again", Romeo replies in certainty saying that their love is too strong for one another to never meet again. Romeo says "farewell", to Juliet repeatedly 3 times to make this moment memorable and for effect. This repetition is significant as with retrospect we realise that this is their last goodbye making this moment very tragic. After Romeo repeats his second farewell to Juliet, Juliet has a sudden premonition of Romeo's death. This abruptly heightens the tension and anxiety through the audience/reader with the fear that this might happen. This is ominous, as it promotes the threat of Romeo's death, but then this aroma of fear abbreviates when Romeo says, "And trust me, love, in my eyes so do you: dry sorrow drinks our blood". As Romeo has no idea of his forth coming death and has no doubt in his mind that he will see Juliet again. "Adieu, Adieu", Romeo's third and final farewell to Juliet, echoes the two earlier "farewells", giving the departure a sense of finality.
Juliet still looking at the way Romeo went and cries, "O fortune, fortune! All men call thee fickle: If thou art fickle, what dost thou with him. That is renown'd for faith?" Juliet is pleading that faithless fortune should leave him alone , and is hoping that fickle fortune will send Romeo back to her. This is dramatic as the prologue has warned us that they are "star-cross'd lovers". Juliet refers to fate as "fortune", and Juliet and Romeo's fate is to die. Juliet thoughts about Romeo coming back to her are interrupted by her mothers call. "Ho ...
This is a preview of the whole essay
Juliet still looking at the way Romeo went and cries, "O fortune, fortune! All men call thee fickle: If thou art fickle, what dost thou with him. That is renown'd for faith?" Juliet is pleading that faithless fortune should leave him alone , and is hoping that fickle fortune will send Romeo back to her. This is dramatic as the prologue has warned us that they are "star-cross'd lovers". Juliet refers to fate as "fortune", and Juliet and Romeo's fate is to die. Juliet thoughts about Romeo coming back to her are interrupted by her mothers call. "Ho daughter! Are you up?" Juliet is confused and wonders if her mother hasn't gone to bed or if she is up very early. Juliet is waiting for her mother to enter her chamber. This delay creates anticipation, and it seems as though the world is intruding upon Juliet's life. Juliet is weeping in her chamber because of the departure of Romeo, but tells her mother it is because she is not well. However Lady Capulet believing she knows her daughter inside out, jumps to the conclusion that Juliet is weeping over the death of her cousin Tybalt. Lady Capulet asks Juliet, "Evermore weeping for your cousins death". this is a rhetorical question as Lady Capulet has a judgement/answer which she puts forward. Lady Capulet voices that even if Juliet's tears could wash Tybalt out of his grave, she couldn't bring him back to life, so Juliet should stop crying although her grief shows her love. This is ironic because Juliet has clearly not been thinking of her cousin at all. "Some grief shows much of love" but "much grief shows some want or wit". Here Shakespeare uses antithesis, where similar words are rearranged in two halves of a sentence to show opposite meanings. Lady Capulet also makes another mistaken assumption, thinking Juliet wants revenge on Romeo for killing Tybalt. "Well, girl, thou weep'st not so much for his death as that the villain lives which slaughter'd him". Lady Capulet assumes that Juliet wants to get revenge on Romeo for killing her beloved cousin, as herself who seems to be more revengeful than sorrowful, however this is certainly not what Juliet wants. Juliet to herself says that Romeo is a very long way from being a villain, but to her mother, "God pardon him", as if God could only excuse such a villain. The audience/reader knows that Juliet is really grieving because Romeo is not there with her but Lady Capulet mistakes it to be because Romeo is still alive after killing Tybalt, Juliet replies "Ay, Madame, from the reach of these hands: would none but I might venge my cousin's death!" Lady Capulet mistakes this to mean that Juliet would like to kill Romeo with her own hands, so Lady Capulet comes up with an idea to poison Romeo in hope of comforting Juliet. This is ironic because Romeo dies in this very same way.
"Indeed, I never shall be satisfied with Romeo, till I behold him--dead--is my poor heart for a kinsman vex'd". What Juliet really means is that her heart is troubled because of her husband, Romeo is next to her for her to hold him and she will never be satisfied until Romeo is with her. Here Juliet uses ambiguity/double meanings. When Lady Capulet claims that Romeo has caused Juliet's grief, she agrees that Romeo has made her sad, and that she would like to get her hands on him, but by placing the word --"dead"-- between the two sentences, Juliet makes her mother think she wants Romeo dead, while really saying her heart is dead because of him, but only the audience/ reader is aware of this. Juliet carries on to say if her mother could find someone to poison Romeo, she would temper it, mix it with something else. Lady Capulet takes this to think Juliet would make the poison even more poisonous, however Juliet means the exact opposite. "O how my heart abhors, To hear his named, and cannot come to him. To wreak the love I bore my cousin. Upon his body that slaughter'd him". Here Juliet says she hates to hear Romeo's name when she cannot be with him to "wreak the love I bore my cousin upon his body", were really the audience/reader knows that Juliet would "wreck the love...upon his body" with hugs and kisses.
Yet again Lady Capulet makes a presumption about Juliet. "But now I'll tell thee joyful tidings, girl". The news is that Lord Capulet has arranged for Juliet to marry Paris. Lady Capulet positive that this news will make Juliet happy, as herself is excited teases her a little. This is a dramatic turning point. The audience/reader are reminded that Romeo and Juliet was set in Elizabethan times where patriarchal societies existed and arranged marriages where common. "Well, well, thou hast a careful father, child; One who, to put thee from thy heaviness. Hath sorted out a sudden day of joy. That thou expect'st not nor I look'd not for". Lord Capulet has seen Juliet distraught so has come up with a way to make her feel better and so has carefully chosen a day of joy, which is sudden because it is both surprising and is not far away. When Juliet received this news, she was horrified, asking what day of joy this was. Lady Capulet tells her this upcoming Thursday, Paris will make her a joyful bride at St. Peter's Church. When hearing "St. Peter's Church", Juliet exclaims, "Now, by Saint Peter's Church and Peter too. He shall not make me a joyful bride". Juliet's mother thinks that Juliet is just using a strong oath, but the audience/reader knows that Saint Peter decides who goes to heaven or hell, so she is swearing by Saint Peter who would not allow a bigamous marriage. Juliet shows how much she is opposed to the whole idea when she declares that when she does marry. "It shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate, rather that Paris". She tells her mother to tell her father that she will not marry. Juliet's refusal is ominous because within a patriarchal society obedience would be expected. Lady Capulet bitterly tells Juliet that she can tell her father herself that she will not marry as he was approaching.
When Lord Capulet arrives in Juliet's chamber, Juliet is still weeping. Like his wife Capulet assumes that she is weeping for Tybalts death. Lord Capulet's arrival is dramatic because he feels that his daughter will be happy to hear his news, but instead he finds that she has disobeyed him. "When the sun sets, the air doth drizzle dew; But for the sunset of my brother's son it rains downright. How now! A conduit, girl? What, still in tears!" Capulet begins to compare Juliet's tears to rain and her to a "conduit", {a pipe from which water always flows} and in some ways is advising as Lady Capulet did before that she is weeping too much. Here Shakespeare uses pathetic fallacy metaphorically to reflect Juliet's pain. This is a linguistici dramatic device. Capulet seems a bit out of character when uses an extended metaphor to compare Juliet to a boat, a sea, and a wind. "Everemore showering? In one little body. Thou counterfeit's a bark, a sea, a wind; For still thy eyes, which I may call the sea. Do ebb and flow with tears; the bark thy body is, sailing in this salt flood; the winds, thy sighs". Capulet is saying that Juliet's eyes are the sea, because they flow in tears, her body is the boat because she is floating in her own tears and her sighs are the winds. These naturalistic/sea imageries are used to convey the enormity of her grief. Sibilance is also used here making Capulet seem a little aggressive.
Capulet tells Juliet that without a "sudden calm" than she will drown in her gale of grief. Capulet believes that this "sudden calm" is the marriage arranged for her. When realising that the news of her arranged marriage should have already calmed her dawn. Capulet turns to his wife in confusion asking, "How now wife! Have you deliver'd to her out decree?" who bitterly replies, "Ay, sir; but she will none, she gives you thanks, I would the fool were married to her grave!". This is dramatic as Lady Capulet, Juliet's mother wishes death on her own daughter, which is ironic as Juliet will die shortly. Stunned at what his wife had just mentioned to him Capulet replies, "Soft! Take me with you, take me with you wife. How I will she none? Doth she not give us thans?" Capulet is so astonished at what he has heard that he needs his wife to repeat it to him again. He had expected Juliet to thank him excess fully and to be proud to be Paris' wife. The question mark creates a tense atmosphere, as Lord Capulet is unable to understand why Juliet is denying his orders.
Juliet attempts to explain herself and her decision, "Not proud, you have; But thankful even for hate, that is meant love". Juliet tries to make her father see that she cannot be proud to be Paris' wife as she hates the idea, but is so thankful for her father for arranging the marriage because she is aware he did because he loves her dearly. The repition of , "hate" draws our attention and reminds us of the fine line between love and hate. However after hearing this Capulet stutters at first and then becomes aggressive and is filled with rage. "How, how, how, how chopp'd logic! What is this? "Proud", and "I thank you not", And yet "not proud", mistress minion you, Thank me no thankings, nor, proud me no prouds". Capulet proclaims that Juliet's argument is obviously stupid and would only be used by a spoiled rotten child. Language is used inventively by Capulet when he becomes angry so the adjective "proud", becomes both verb and noun, "proud me no prouds". Capulet then orders this "minion" to, "Fettle your fine joints 'gainst Thursday next, to go with Paris to Saint Peter's Church or I will drag thee on hurdle thither". here Capulet reminds the audience/reader that he has power over Juliet by speaking to her as if she were a horse, which he can sell whenever he pleases, and if she is not prepared he himself will drag her there himself. This insistence applied is unsettling and this is also ironic because in a Christian society, Juliet cannot marry again or this will be bigamous. This threat is followed by insults, "Out you green-sickness carrion! Out, you baggage! You tallow-face!". Capulet is filled with rage at his daughters disobedience that he sheds her no sympathy what so ever, instead he results to bullying and name calling. His language becomes more forceful and aggressive. This is Shakespeare's way of highlighting the fiercly patriarchal society. These insults may seem funny or meek, but in the C16th they were far more forceful.
Even though Lady Capulet shares the same views as her husband, she is surprised at what Capulet says, asking him whether he is mad. At this point, this interruption by Lady Capulet gives Juliet the chance to beg on her knees for her fathers pity. Women in Elizabethean times were expected to be subordinate to their fathers' wishes and that is why Capulet is so angry with Juliet. Capulet seeing Juliet getting on her knees pleading for pity does not allow her to get a single word in and persists to insult her. "Hang thee, young bagge! Disobedient wretch! I tell thee what: get thee to church O' Thursday, or never after look me in the face". Here forceful language is reiterated, moreover, Capulet infers that Juliet is a burden to him. This threat is more realitic than the one made before which is undoubtedly more frightened to Juliet, especially in a male dominated society where a father could have an immense amount of pressure on his daughter to marry the man he has chosen for her, and could easily make her life sorrowful by making her an outcast in the house. Juliet opens her mouth to retaliate but before she a chance to say a word Lord Capulet cuts her off and says, "Speak not, reply not, do not answer me: my finger itch". He threatens Juliet once again saying his fingers itch as he'd like to slap her, so she better not give him a reason to. The nurse hearing all of this steps into Juliet's defence saying, "God in heaven bless her! You are to blame, my Lord, to rate so". This is extremely bold and dramatic of the nurse to argue back to defend Juliet against the master of the house. This shows her loyalty to Juliet, which is important because Shakespeare is reminding us that the nurse has been Juliet's accomplice, yet this has earnt her nothing but insults.
Capulet calls her a gossipy old woman, leading the nurse to reply, "I speak no treason". Here Shakespeare is highlighting the subordination of women. The nurse is fighting to have a voice, while Lord Capulet orders her to shut up, saying, "peace, you mumbling fool", showing how society in the C16th is hierachical and Capulet represents the ruling class. Lady Capulet exclaims to her husband, "You are too hot", this is a metaphor to highlight his anger, which only just makes him even more angry. This anger is triggered by the thought of all the trouble he has gone through, to find a husband for her, everyday and night, at all hours he was at this, with Juliet showing no appreciation what so ever for all the work he has done. "To have her match'd: and having now provided A gentlemen of noble parentage... and nobly train'd". Here is an illustration Shakespeare has made showing the audience/reader that Elizabethan times people did not marry for love, they marry for status. As Capulet sees it at this moment is offered everything and for her to refuse in the excuse she is too young. "To answer "I 'll not wed: I cannot love, I am too young: I ray you, pardon me". this gives us some social context. In Elizabethan times 13 was a normal marrying age. Shakespeare may be illustrating that it is too young while Lord Capulet just finds it childish. But here Capulet is being hypocritical as he was the one who said to Paris in Act 1 Scene 2 that Juliet was "too young". Any how Lord Capulet carries on threating and making fun out of Juliet voicing, "Graze where you will you shall not house with me! Exclaiming that he will "pardon" her in a way she will not like, from his housse and life. He then advises her to think over her decision cery carefully. "An you be mine, I'll give you to my friend; and you be not hang, beg, starve, die in the streets". Lord Capulet uses possessive language, stating that if she is his daughter he can give her to his friend to marry, and if she repels she is no longer his daughter, she will be of no importance of him and she better nelieve it as he solemnly says, "I'll not be forsworn", before storming out. The stage directions intensifies the drama.
Capulet's ultimatum is very dramatic, as Juliet is facd with a choice of being disowned or marrying Paris, a man she does not love. Shakespeare is once again showing us the patriarchy. Capulet's aggression is a strong, dramatic tool shown through forceful and derogatory language.
Juliet feeling helpless turns to her mother for pity. "Is there no pitty sitting in the clouds, that see's into the bottom of my grief". Here imagery used is naturalistic {pathetic fallacy} and Juliet is trying to get her mother to understand what she is feeling but sees no pity or remorse. "O, sweet my mother, cast me not away! Delay this marriage for a month, a week; or if you do not, make the bridal bed in that dim monument where Tybalt lies". Juliet is begging Lady Capulet to delay the marriage or she would rather die than to marry Paris. Shakespeare uses pathos to make us sympathise with Juliet's desperate pleas which is illustrated in her uncharacteristic dialogue with Lady Capulet. However even though through this uncharacteristic dialogue, Lady Capulet still shows no mercy as she feels disgusted with her daughter and leaves too. Shakespeare uses this staggered exiting from the stage to represent Juliet's gradual realisation that she is isolated and alone, with no one to turn to except the loyal nurse.
Uncertain of what to do Juliet asks the Nurse for advice saying that her marriage vow is holy and the only way she can ever make a vow again is if Romeo dies, so she cannot think of what to do. The nurse believing that she has come up with a solution replies, "Faith, here it is, Romeo is banish'd; and all the world to nothing. That he dares ne'er come back to challenge you, or if do, it needs must be by stealth". The Nurse is saying that the odds are a million to one that Romeo and Juliet will ever be able to live in Verona as husband and wife, so her advice is for Juliet to go ahead and marry Paris. She goes on to say that Paris is, "A lovely gentlemen" and that "Romeo's a disclout to him: an eagle madame. Hath not so green, so quick, so far an eye as Paris hath". Once hearing this Juliet is shocked and amazed by what she is hearing. The Nurse has only judged Paris on apperance, and nothing else, she believes that Paris is a better match than Romeo, who is as good as dead. It suddenly appears to Juliet that the nurse doesn't understand or care about what Juliet is going through or feeling. She has turned her back on Juliet, making Juliet feel isolated and vunerable, thus Juliet becomes a tragic heroin.
Juliet's attitude towards the nurse, her second mother changes abruptly. "Breshew them both. Amen!" Juliet says to the nurse may both your heart and soul be cursed indeed for Juliet is immensely hurt from what the nurse has advised her, but then Juliet swiftly changes the subject, speaking sarcastically to the nurse, who believes she is sincere when she says the nurse has comforted her "marvellous much", with her suggestion of "marrying" Paris. Juliet implies that she has changed her mind about marrying Paris. "Go in: and tell my Lady I am gone, Having displeased my father, to Laurence cell, to make confession and to be asolved". The nurse being ecstatically pleased with Juliet, hurries to deliever the message, unaware that Juliet is deceiving her, when Juliet pretends to agree with the advice, while deciding that the only person who can help her is Frair Lawrence.
This scene makes the audience/ reader completely rethink our views of the nurse. She always seemed to care about Juliet and to understand her, but it now becomes clear that she never really understood her. It is shocking to think that the nurse cares more about Juliet marrying, than about her eternal soul and her true love to her husband, Romeo, which makes this a dramatic turning point. When the nurse leaves, Juliet is left alone, which is symbolic as Juliet's soliloquy reflects her alienation, what she is thinking, and this is when Juliet reveals her true attitude towards the nurse, announcing, "Ancient damnation! O most wicked", asking herself which was the greater sin, the nurse asking her to breach her vow to Romeo, on to criticize Romeo, either way she will never trust her again. These images of hell, "Ancient damination" refers to "star-cross'd lovers" in the prologue. Now Juliet without the help of all those who have been closest to her {her mother, father, and nurse} turns to Friar Lawrence in trust, but also to herself as if Frair Lawrence in trust, but also to herself as if Friar Lawrence cannot help her, then she must have the strength and courage to kill herself. "I'll to the Friar, to know his remedy", without realising Juliet moves the plot along, as the visit to the priest will lead her to both her's and Romeo's death.
Romeo and Juliet has been directed by two directors, Franco Zeffirelli {1968} and Baz Luhrmann {1996}. Baz Luhrmann's version of Romeo and Juliet is modern, so has some changes in it. Franco Zeffirelli changes the way Friar Lawrence tries to send his message to Romeo in Mantua, and changes the order of some scenes.
In Baz Luhrmann's film, swords become hand guns manufactured by gunsmiths called "sword", and Romeo takes a mind expanding drug before Lord Capulet's ball and Mercutio is killed on the beach, by a piece of glass.
Both directors cut out Romeo's fight with Paris in Act 5, so near the end when the Prince exclaims he has lost, "A brace of kinsmen", the audience/reader only can think of one, Mercutio, who they have seen killed.
Act 3 scene 5 is a turning point because after Capulet's ultimatum leads directly to the fake death plan that goes horribly wrong and leads to the death of Romeo and Juliet.