Romeo and Juliet.

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Romeo and Juliet                        Samantha Dinsmore                 

Firstly Shakespeare’s stagecraft helps to convey the dramatic importance of act three scene one. This scene is in the middle of the play and is a pivotal point as it creates a contrast between the first and the second part of the play. In this scene Marcutio and the Montagues quarrel with the Capulets. Romeo arrives to the scene married to Juliet but before he can tell his good news a fatal brawl breaks out between Tybalt and Marcutio. It becomes dangerous when swards are drawn which results in the death of Romeos cousin Marcutio. Romeos mood dramatically changes. He is enraged, and kills Tybalt. The Prince banishes Romeo. Romeo and Juliet are tragically separated.

Shakespeare has carefully placed the scene to cause tension and contrast. Before act three scene one, we see the beautiful and gentile marriage of Romeo and Juliet. The audience is lulled into a false sense of security. They feel empathy towards the character and feel that the relationship is blessed with hope and romance. This is contradicted in the scene immediately after as it conveys death, violence and the unravelling of the relation ship between Romeo and Juliet. The contrast is strong and shocks the audience. We see the situation spiralling out of all control.

        Shakespeare uses the stage set- up to show dramatic importance. He makes use of the largest square in Verona. The audience have already seen a brawl in this square. It’s the hottest day of the year; lighting would be harsh and bright. Benvolio warns Mercutio ‘the day is hot, the Capulets are abroad/and if we meet, we shall not ‘escape a brawl/ for now these hot days the mad blood is stirring.’                                                                  

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        The last time we saw such a large group of people was at the banquet, here everyone is relaxed a fight between Mercutio and Romeo is avoided. Lord Capulet say that Romeo is a good lad, all is well. In contrast this scene, although still set with a large amount of people, is tense, violent and there is a sense of disaster and foreboding. There are young, rich bored young men milling around there is no scene of authority, control or reason.

        The dramatic finale to this tense scene is when Rome gets in between the two protagonists. This is ...

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