Discuss the impact of Violence in Romeo and Juliet.
Romeo and Juliet, by Shakespeare, is a Tragedy play which shows how Prejudice leads to escalating violence. It all starts when the feuding families, the Capulets and Montagues fight. In each case, Disruption, fighting, injuries and deaths occur and both families are enemies.
The prejudice started in Act one Scene one, when the Capulets and Montague servants confronted each other. Then the Capulet servants insult the Montagues. This lead to a street brawl of the two feuding families.
The street, in Verona, a public place, is where the prejudice started between the two families. The prince was involved, with both lords of both families.
The prince has all the power, and he hates the fact that there is a feud between the Capulets and Montagues, and he is prepared to spare lives, to pay for the forfeit of the peace in the streets of Verona.
In Act one Scene 5, Romeo and his friends crash the Capulet's party, and Romeo spots Juliet dancing, and falls in love. Juliet saw him, went up to him, and they kissed. However, Tybalt spotted the Montagues, Romeo and his friends, and wanted to get rid of them.
Capulet wanted the party to be calm without any disturbance and tried to stop Tybalt from causing any disruption;
(Tybalt: It fits when such a villain is a guest: I'll not endure him.
Capulet: He shall be endur'd......)
Of course Tybalt wouldn't let it go, as ...
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In Act one Scene 5, Romeo and his friends crash the Capulet's party, and Romeo spots Juliet dancing, and falls in love. Juliet saw him, went up to him, and they kissed. However, Tybalt spotted the Montagues, Romeo and his friends, and wanted to get rid of them.
Capulet wanted the party to be calm without any disturbance and tried to stop Tybalt from causing any disruption;
(Tybalt: It fits when such a villain is a guest: I'll not endure him.
Capulet: He shall be endur'd......)
Of course Tybalt wouldn't let it go, as Capulet stated he was a saucy boy. He was arrogant, and always looking for trouble. In Act 3 Scene 1, He confronted Romeo and Mercutio, and challenged Romeo to a duel,
Romeo refused the challenge, but Mercutio jumped and took it. Tybalt and Mercutio duelled, until Tybalt slew Mercutio.
Romeo was very angry of this, and immediately wanted to end Tybalt's life, he ran after him, and they both started fighting. Eventually, Romeo killed Tybalt and escaped.
Everyone gathered in the square, and the prince arrived;
PRINCE
Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio;
Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?
MONTAGUE
Not Romeo, prince, he was Mercutio's friend;
His fault concludes but what the law should end,
The life of Tybalt.
PRINCE
And for that offence
Immediately we do exile him hence:
I have an interest in your hate's proceeding,
My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding;
But I'll amerce you with so strong a fine
That you shall all repent the loss of mine:
I will be deaf to pleading and excuses;
Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses:
Therefore use none: let Romeo hence in haste,
Else, when he's found, that hour is his last.
Bear hence this body and attend our will:
Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.
In Act 3 Scene 5, Capulet, Juliet's father, found out that she was married to Romeo, a Montague, and was very angry with her.
In Elizabethan times, the father can do anything to the daughter; Hit her, Throw her out ect...
In Act 4 Scene 1, Juliet uses Friar Laurence's help to get a potion to make her sleep; breathlessly so that she and Romeo can escape once they think she is dead;
JULIET
Give me, give me! O, tell not me of fear!
FRIAR LAURENCE
Hold; get you gone, be strong and prosperous
in this resolve: I'll send a friar with speed
To Mantua, with my letters to thy lord.
JULIET
Love give me strength! And strength shall help afford.
Farewell, dear father!
In Act 5 Scene 1, Romeo thought Juliet was dead, since everyone else assumed so. Romeo didn't know that she drunk the potion to pretend to be dead. He visits her Grave, and drinks poison to kill himself, thinking the love of his life is gone.
When Juliet woke up, finding Romeo dead, she tried to drink the rest of Romeo's potion to die with him, but there wasn't any left. So she snatched the dagger and stabbed herself to death.
Overall, I think Romeo & Juliet is a Dramatic play full of Irony and Stagecraft, (Violence).
I think it was unexpected to kill off Mercutio in the middle of the play, but it shows how Prejudice between the both families right at the beginning, when the Capulet servants insulted Montagues, with the street brawl.
This all lead to the death of Romeo and Juliet, but at least their death brought peace to both houses in Verona.
Peter Harb 10KL2 - English - Mrs. White, Rm. 8.
