The first dialogue between Romeo and Juliet is one of the most important moments in Shakespeare’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’. The first moment they meet takes place during an old-fashioned dance. In the past people used to dance palm to palm. Shakespeare uses this to express the chemistry between the lovers and the dialogue between Romeo and Juliet refers to this style of dancing “And palm to palm is holy Palmer’s kiss” This link to their palms being like a kiss is a way Shakespeare uses to show the passion between the two lovers, as kissing was considered to be very forward in those days. It makes the couples seem closer than they actually were because although they were only touching by their palms, the reference to it being like a kiss shows a greater connection between the two of them and the obvious chemistry dramatises the moment Romeo and Juliet first meet.
Shakespeare dramatises this moment because after Romeo and Juliet have talked for a few minutes, they are snatched apart by Juliet’s Nurse and she is sent to talk to her mother. This gives the audience an idea of what their love is going to be like, for they are never allowed to be together because there is always the fear they will get caught by the two fighting families. The moment the two lovers are separated signals the end of their honeymoon period as afterwards they realise each others true identities “Is she a Capulet? O dear account!” “My only love sprung from my only hate”. Romeo and Juliet’s strong reaction to each others identities dramatises the moment as the audience can really tell how bad the news is because the family feud is so strong they will never be together. This develops the plot as now the audience knows that it will not be a simple love affair and they can easily predict the trouble that their love is going to cause. Shakespeare uses a rhyming couplet “My only love sprung from my only hate, too early seen unknown and know to late” to dramatise the moment the two lovers discover each others identity and warn the audience of the tragedy to come.
During the lover’s dialogue there is a prominent difference in the language and style from that used in the rest of the play. Shakespeare uses sonnet to dramatise the difference between the power of the two lover’s feelings and the other characters “Have not Saints lips and Holy Palmers too? Ay Pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer” The sonnets are shared equally between Romeo and Juliet, flowing smoothly between the two of them, showing the connexion between them. This dramatises the moment and the significance of their true love. Shakespeare also uses religious imagery “This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this” This suggests their love is almost holy, purer and higher than everything else. In Act 5 Scene 1, Romeo and Juliet kiss, this would be considered very forward in those times. This moves the play forward as audience can see the development of their feelings for each other and can feel the passion between the two of them. The kiss contrasts greatly with the typical lust normally displayed by young people showing a greater feeling of love. The kiss is more like a holy act “Then move not while my prayer’s effect I take, Thus from my lips, by thine my sin is purg’d” The contrast between love and hate “My only love sprung from my only hate”, dramatises the scene and symbolises the tragedy that it to come later in the play.
Shakespeare only uses a rhyme scheme and sonnets during the lovers’ dialogue. This dramatises their relationship. As soon as the lovers stop speaking, the play returns to normal language “What is her mother?” Shakespeare uses language to represent the characters personality in the scene. Tybalt’s language is full of aggression “It fits when such a villain is a guest” which reflects his fiery and easily angered temperament. This contrasts with the language Capulet uses, which is calm and wise “Content thee gentle coz, let him alone” reflecting the way he stops Tybalt harming Romeo and causing trouble at his party in Act 1 Scene 5. The mood given by each characters dialogue dramatises the moment, and the great contrast in the moods creates a tense feeling leading on into the rest of the play.
Romeo’s language portrays him as a lover of love “Did my heart love til now, forswear it sight, for I ne’er saw true beauty till this night” Meeting Juliet dramatically transforms him for a young foolish man lusting after Rosaline into someone transformed by his feelings towards Juliet. The audience sees this transformation and recognises the change from lust to love. This sudden change in character dramatises the moment and shows it as a turning point in which from the moment the two lovers meet things will never be the same again. It develops the idea that important events are going to follow their meeting. Juliet also has a personality transformation which dramatises the moment. Before she met Romeo, Juliet was portrayed as a loving dutiful daughter. Juliet becomes very forward and more in control of her own life “Then have my lips the sins that they have took” This develops the play as it becomes clear she is not going to let her parents orders stand in the way of their love and it is clear that trouble is going to occur because of their relationship.
Imagery and themes from Act 1 Scene 5 are reflected on often throughout the rest of the play. A sense of foreboding is created so the audience is able to predict that tragedy is going to occur because of Romeo and Juliet’s meeting. The audience have seen in Act 1 Scene 4 that Romeo dreaded going to the party as he had a bad feeling about it “my mind misgives, some consequences yet hanging in the stars” The theme of night and stars is used again while describing Juliet “O she doth teach the torches to burn bright: It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night” This develops the feeling of dread
as the audience wait for the tragedy to occur. Romeo is in awe of Juliet and describes her as something holy and almost angel like “Beauty to rich for use, for earth to dear.” This suggests death, almost as if she is too beautiful for the earth to keep. It develops the play so the audience can start to predict that the beauty of the two lovers love will end in death. Romeo in a way compares Juliet to the sun for he has feeling of warmth and desire towards her but he is unable to reach her. This continues the theme of their families trying to keep them apart as they are unable to spend any time together without the constant dread of violence.
Shakespeare uses a lot of bird imagery in Act 1 Scene 5. Romeo compares Juliet to a dove “So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows” This imagery is ironic in many ways. Doves are considered to be the bird of peace, yet their love brings violence as both the lovers, Mercutio and Tybalt die because of the family feud. Juliet is compared to a dove, yet doves are free and Juliet isn’t. Juliet is trapped by her family and they stop her being with Romeo because she knows the consequences if they found out. These consequences are obvious to the audience as well and the tension of the two families finding out about the love affair develops the action of the whole tragedy. The imagery of doves and peace continues through out the play. In the end the lovers do bring peace between the Capulets and Montagues because they realise the consequences of their feud after the star crossed lovers have taken their life “O brother Montague, give me thy hand”
Romeo and Juliet’s love is portrayed as being heaven sent. Lots of star and heaven imagery is used in Act 1 Scene 5. It is almost as if Juliet foresees the fate of their love as she says “"Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of heaven so fine” This once more links to Romeo’s death and the theme of death and heaven continues to run throughout the play developing the idea of tragedy to come.
In Act 1 Scene 5 when the lovers first meet, Shakespeare uses various methods to dramatise the scene and develop the feeling of the tragedy that is to come later on in the play. Some of these techniques include imagery, the lovers dialogue being in the form of a sonnet. The feeling of this scene changes quickly between romance and aggression dramatising the scene and making it one of the most important in the play.
