In what ways does the opening of the play prepare the audience for the drama in Act 3, Scene 1?

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31st January 2005

English Coursework

In what ways does the opening of the play prepare the audience for the drama in

Act 3, Scene 1?

Act 3, Scene 1 is very important because it lays the ground for the rest of the play.  It signals a turning point and is also central to the play’s structure as well as to the drama.  The first half of the play is focused on love and romance whereas the second will concentrate on more tragic and calamitous drama.  The scene represents a climax to suspense built in the first half of the play and Shakespeare uses this scene to inform the audience of the forthcoming change in drama.  He introduces more dramatic irony, a significant dramatic device in the play, and leaves the audience hanging in expectation.

The prologue sets the scene and notifies the audience of the content of the play and notifies the audience of the families and the fury between the two, “From an ancient grudge break to new mutiny”.  Shakespeare uses dramatic irony in the prologue to inform us of Romeo and Juliet, “star-cross’d lovers,” it informs us of how they are ill-fated and it is predestined that their love will end in tragedy.

At the very beginning of the play we meet Sampson and Gregory, servants of Capulet and also Abram and Balthasar, servants of Montague.  They argue and this leads to a fight and so we are immediately shown the rivalry between the two families, the hatred being so strong it is even passed down to the servants of the families.  The reaction of key characters to this fight is important because it hints at what might happen in the future.

Benvolio is introduced to the audience at the beginning of the play when the fighting starts and he demands for the it to stop saying, “Part, fools!”  This suggests that he is a peacemaker, Shakespeare used the name Benvolio because this means, “Good Wishes.”  The softer sound of his name contrasts to the hard consonant sound in Tybalt’s name.

Indeed, Benvolio and Tybalt have completely different reactions to the fighting, “…talk of peace? I hate the word,” Tybalt is looked upon as a violent, hot headed character from here on.  He does not wish for the fighting to stop but encourages it giving the impression that he seeks trouble.  

When Tybalt hears of Romeo’s attendance to the ball, he reacts as we would expect, informing Capulet of how a “villain” is present.  He reacts with anger, threatening to kill Romeo, “I’ll strike him dead” and “I’ll not endure him.”  Here, Shakespeare illustrates how Romeo can irritate Tybalt and this is another example of Tybalt’s angry character. Tybalt believes that Romeo is mocking the Capulets by attending the ball, when in fact; he is there due to his love for Juliet.  Shakespeare uses another contrast here as the difference between the hatred and love makes it more dramatic and it could be said that it also hints at future events.

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During this scene the prince enters and Shakespeare uses dramatic irony within his speech.  “Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.”  He threatens that if anyone was to be caught fighting they would be killed and this does eventually come true, but not in the way we expect.  This creates tension and effect as the audience is given a warning of what may happen in the future.  So far, Romeo has not been involved.  This is significant because he has been absent from the fighting and this suggests to the audience that he is not an aggressive ...

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