How does Shakespeare create tension and suspense in Act 3 scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet? How might a modern day and Elizabethan audience react differently to this scene?
The play 'Romeo and Juliet' is about two feuding families whose hatred for each other fuels further conflict. Prior to act 3 Scene 5, the youngest members of the Montague and Capulet families meet at a party that Romeo is not even supposed to be at, and fall in love straight away, before they even know who each other is. This is important because if they knew each other then they would have made judgements about the other. But because they didn't know who each other was when they met, when they later do find out each others identity it is to late to stop their love. They then meet outside Juliet's room, where they agree to marry, and with the help of the Nurse and Friar Lawrence, they get married the next day. After the marriage Tybalt kills Mercutio, and Romeo kills Tybalt. Because of this Romeo is banished, and he risks his life to meet Juliet. He takes this risk as it is their wedding night, and he wants to complete their marriage. The morning after, Romeo leaves for mantua before he is found and killed by Capulet's men.
In Act 3 scene 5, the scene opens in Capulet's Orchard. The two lovers are discussing Romeo leaving, after their consummation of their marriage. They are talking about Romeo's risk taking and their worries that this is the last time they will see each other, at this time Romeo is supposed to be in Mantua.
"Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day:
It was the Nightingale, and not the lark,
...believe me, love, it was the nightingale."
Juliet is trying to get Romeo to stay by persuading him that he hears a bird of the night, rather than a bird of the morning. Also the sound of birds creates a romantic image and atmosphere. This conversation also creates an atmosphere of tension, because the longer Romeo stays with Juliet, the more chance he has of being captured and killed.
"It was the Lark, the herald of the morn,
No nightingale: Look, love, what envious streaks
Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east:
Nights candles are burnt out, and jocund day,
Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.
I must be gone and live, or stay and die.
Romeo tells Juliet that he definitely heard the bird of the morning, that all the candles are out, and the sun is coming. He tells her that: If he stays he dies, however if he leaves he lives. This is an example of dramatic irony because the audience know that even though he leaves, he still dies, as the audience prepares the audience for the deaths of these doomed lovers.
As the scene progresses, Romeo and Juliet finally ...
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Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.
I must be gone and live, or stay and die.
Romeo tells Juliet that he definitely heard the bird of the morning, that all the candles are out, and the sun is coming. He tells her that: If he stays he dies, however if he leaves he lives. This is an example of dramatic irony because the audience know that even though he leaves, he still dies, as the audience prepares the audience for the deaths of these doomed lovers.
As the scene progresses, Romeo and Juliet finally agree that they must part if he is to live and they are to have any type of future together. Both wish they had more time together, but realise that the lighter it gets, the more chance he has of being discovered, and being killed.
"It is, it is, hie hence, be gone, away!
It is the Lark that sings out of tune ...
...O, now be gone; more light and light it grows."
Juliet is telling Romeo to leave, and says that it is the lark singing out of tune, and tricked her into thinking it was the nightingale. She says he should leave now, because it is getting lighter and lighter, and as the light grows so does their troubles. Normally Light represents happiness and the Dark represent's trouble, however in this situation it is the other way around. The audience would know that even if Romeo does go before it becomes light, their troubles aren't going to get any better, but are going to continue to get worse and worse, right until the end of the play.
As soon as Romeo leaves, Juliet has no time to recover before her mum enters. When lady Capulet does enter, she sees that Juliet is upset, and jumps to the conclusion that it is because of Tybalts death. Lady Capulet thinks that Juliet is over reacting even though Juliet is upset for completely different reasons.
"Evermore weeping for your cousin's death?
What witt thou wash him from his grave with tears?
An if thou couldst, thou not make him live;
Therefore have done:
Some grief shows much of love;
But much of grief shows still some want of wit."
Lady Capulet is saying that Juliet is crying so much that her tears will wash him out of his grave. She also says it is good to mourn as it shows love, however Juliet is taking it too far.
"So shall you feel the loss, but not the friend that you weep for."
In this quote Lady Capulet is saying that you may miss Tybalt, but you will never hold him again. From this the audience would get the impression that the mother is very detached from Juliet, and does not show any sympathy. Also she speaks to Juliet as if they are not related, as she is being harsh to her when she is upset. It also shows how little maternal bond there seems to be between mother an daughter.
During Act 3 Scene 5, Juliet lies to her mother in a way that Lady Capulet misinterprets it for a different meaning. Juliet does this many times throughout the scene, which helps the audience understand what she is feeling at that certain moment in time.
"Indeed, I never shall be satisfied with Romeo,
Till I behold him -dead-
...O, how my heart abhors to hear him named,
And cannot come to him.
To wreak the love bore my cousin
Upon his body that slaughter him!"
This quote shows that Juliet will never be happy until she holds Romeo again. Also she is saying that it hurts speaking about Romeo and not being near him. She wants to release her love on the body that killed Tybalt. This will have an impact upon the audience because we know what Juliet actually means, whereas Lady Capulet thinks she means she wants to kill Romeo for what he has done.
Capulet becomes very angry when he enters Juliet's room, as he has picked out a great noble husband for her, and she is refusing to marry him.
"To have her match'd: and having now provided
A gentleman of noble parentage
Of fair demeses, youthful, and nobly train'd
Stuff'd, as they say, with honourable parts,
Proportion'd, as ones thought would wish a man."
Capulet is saying how he has found the perfect husband for Juliet in every way he could imagine. This is how he thought a woman would want a man. The audience may get the impression that the father thinks he knows best for Juliet, and does not like to have such generosity rejected. Also, she has rebelled against society's rules, as daughters are always supposed to listen to their fathers.
When Capulet has an outburst on Juliet during this act, his feelings/motives for his daughter have seemed to have changed. At first he is very cautious for Juliet, however at this point in the play; he seems to be happy to just give her away. He is repeating what lady Capulet has already told her, so that it becomes firmly set within her mind
"Hang thee, young baggage! Disobedient wretch!
I tell thee what: get thee to church o'thursday,
Or never look me in the face:
Speak not, reply not, do not answer me;
...but now I see this one is one too much,
And that we have a curse in having her:
Out on her, hiding!"
Capulet is harshly insulting her by calling her: a piece of trash, a whore, and a disobedient slut. Capulet goes on to say that if Juliet doesn't o to church on Thursday, the he will disown her, and throw her out onto the streets. This is very threatening towards Juliet, as she doesn't know any other type of lifestyle to the one she has now. If she was to be thrown out on the streets she would probably be harassed and attacked by men, for the rest of her life. In this quote, we can tell that Capulet's anger is growing, and feels violent towards her.
"My fingers itch..."
This quote shows that Capulet wants to hit Juliet, even though all she has done is said 'no'. A Shakespearean audience and a modern day audience may react differently to Capulet's actions. A Shakespearean audience may think it is perfectly natural for him to be angry because Juliet has questioned his decision for her. However a modern day audience would think that it is wrong, and that he is overreacting. Also when Capulet runs out of insults for Juliet, he wants to resort to physical violence. Physical punishments against children are only viewed as unacceptable to a modern audience. Until recently, this would be a normal, acceptable way of punishing and controlling children.
After Capulet and Lady Capulet leave in Act 3 Scene 5, Juliet turns to the nurse for advice on what to do, as there is nobody else to listen to her, and give her advice on what to do. However when she des so, the nurse's reaction is different to what se expected. The nurse tells Juliet to forget Romeo and to marry Paris instead, as it is the sensible thing to do.
"...Romeo is banish'd; and all the world to nothing,
That he dares never come back to challenge you...
I think it best you married with the county.
O, he's a lovely gentleman!
Romeo's a dishclout to him: an eagle, madam,
Hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eye, as Paris hath...
For it excels your first: or if it did not,
Your first is dead; or 'twere as good he were,
As living here and you no use of him."
The Nurse tells Juliet that Romeo is gone, and will never come back to rescue her. She thinks it is best if she does marry Paris as he is a lovely gentleman. She goes on to say that Romeo is a rag compared to Paris, as he is better in every way. Finally she says Romeo is dead, or might as well be, as you are never going to see him again. As the nurse says this the audience would be able to tell that Juliet feels betrayed by what she is saying, also this would build up tension because the audience wouldn't be sure about what Juliet is going to do next. Here, her only true ally seems to have deserted her, because of her role in society.
Near the end of the scene, the atmosphere in the play is very different to how it started. Near the beginning of the scene Romeo and Juliet create a romantic atmosphere, however this drains away when Romeo leaves, and at the end of the scene, the atmosphere is quite tense for Juliet.
"I'll to the friar, to know his remedy:
If all else fail, myself have the power to die."
Juliet is saying that she will go to the Friar for help, however if he does not have a solution to her problems, then she is going to do the only thing she can, which is to take her own life. The audience would feel that the atmosphere for Juliet is getting quite stressful at the end of the scene, and we can tell this because Juliet is talking about committing suicide, as she cannot see many ways out of her position. The audience, after hearing the prologue, know now that there is little chance of the lovers being reunited, and Juliet talking about death at the end of the scene confirms that dying seems inevitable, even though the audience wants this not to be the case.
Romeo and Juliet Coursework
By Ryan Bridge - 10s
