In the story in act 1 scene 1 at the beginning it shows the Montague’s and the Capulet’s having a argument and conflict which leads to a fight. In this scene we see the story as being violent and full of hate, but in act 2 scene 6 we see the play as a love story because the atmosphere is romantic and there is a lot of passion. The reason why act 2 scene 6 is so romantic and passionate is because Romeo and Juliet are getting married. In act 3 scene 1 the main characters that are involved in that scene are Romeo, Benvolio, Tybalt and Mercutio and some of the other members of the Capulet’s and Montague’s are there as well. Act 3 scene 1 is the turning point of the play and it fits into the play because two of the main characters Mercutio and Tybalt are murdered. This fits into the hate and violence part of the themes and genre. Also in act 3 scene 1 this is were the whole story changes because the prince banishes the main character Romeo from Verona and he can not see his wife Juliet.
In Romeo and Juliet suspense and tension are some of the other themes of the story. When Tybalt is challenging Romeo to a fight Shakespeare builds up suspense and tension to see if Romeo will accept Tybalt’s challenge but he does not and Mercutio takes Romeo’s place. The suspense is also built up when Mercutio is catalyst and Mercutio and Tybalt are dueling and Shakespeare again uses suspense and tension when Mercutio has been murdered by Tybalt and Romeo is getting revenge and he duels with Tybalt. Shakespeare uses different language for each theme of the story like when a character is showing a lot of aggression then the language would be very aggressive. But when a character is appeasing and calm and relaxed the use of language is different from when the language is more aggressive. Form example at the beginning of the play Mercutio is calm and relaxed and he makes a lot of jokes in act 3 scene 1, he says to Benvolio, “By my heel, I care not.” Then later in the that scene he says to Romeo when he would not fight Tybalt, “O Calm, dishonorable, vile submission!” Mercutio has changed character and the language he uses from being care free to being aggressive.
In the play Shakespeare uses dramatic irony which has an effect on the audience. Like in the story we know what is going to happen at the end of the story because of act 1 scene 1. Also the dramatic irony in the play has an effect on us the audience because at the end of the play were Juliet drinks the poison and it makes her appear dead but she is not. When Romeo see’s her, he assumes that she has taken her own life, but the audience knows that she it still alive. But when Romeo takes his own life and commits suicide, Juliet sees Romeo but she does not notice that he is dead straight away but again the audience knows that he is dead.
Throughout the story Romeo changes in his mood, in act 1 scene 1 were we first see Romeo he is depressed and sad because of his first Rosaline has broken his heart. In the story in act 1 scene 1 Romeo says, “Ay me! Sad hours seem long. Was that my father that went hence so fast?” The Benvolio replies by saying, “It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours?” Romeo then replies by saying, “Not having that, which, having makes them short.” This means that Romeo is depressed and that he wants Rosaline but he does not and it makes his day short. Then later on in the play in act 2 scene 6 Romeo is much happier and upbeat, in act 2 scene 6 Romeo says, “Amen, amen! But come what sorrow can it cannot countervail the exchange of joy that one short minute gives me in her sight.” This means that Romeo is in love with Juliet and has forgotten Rosaline and he is over her and his character has changed from being depressed to joyful. Then in act 3 scene 1, were Mercutio has been murdered by Tybalt Romeo wants revenge and he says to Tybalt, “Now, Tybalt, take the villain back again, Tha late thou gavest me; for Mercutio’s soul….. Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him.” In this scene Romeo has changed character from being joyful to full or hate and revenge. By saying this Romeo wants either Tybalt dead or both of them dead.
In the play Romeo is the main character has the most consequences due to him murdering Tybalt. Romeo changes because of his anger and some of the things that he does are impulsive and he does not show his emotions which could be because of his relationship with his father. He does not have a relationship with his father because they are not close to each other which may be one of the reasons why he does not show that much emotion besides love.
Act 3 scene 1, has consequences of the events in it that link to the main themes of the story because when Tybalt is murdered by Romeo, Romeo is banished from Verona by the prince. When the prince says, “And for that offence immediately we do exile him hence….I will be deaf to pleading excuses; nor tears, nor prayers shall purchase out abuses.” The prince is saying that Romeo will be banished from Verona and no excuses will make him change his mind and he will not listen to any one. This links to the main theme of hate because the prince is showing his hate for the conflict that has been going in with the Montague’s and the Capulet’s. The other consequence of this scene is were Tybalt is murdered by Romeo because Tybalt had murdered Romeo’s best friend Mercutio so Tybalt had to face the consequences. This is to do with the revenge part of the theme of this story. From this scene and from the whole play, I think that Shakespeare had a message about life and that was, we have to face always consequences in what we do and we have to face them.
Act 3 scene 1 is a catalyst in the play because of the death of the two main characters Mercutio and Tybalt and the banishment of the main character Romeo. But the reason why Romeo being banished from Verona is a turning point is because he cannot see his wife Juliet which makes him wish that he was dead. The prince’s words have an effect on the audience and that is, that it is shocking because the audience might think that the prince would be understanding and only give Romeo a warning instead of being banished. In my opinion I think of act 3 scene 1 as being one of the best scenes in the play because it is a catalyst in the play and a lot of the main themes are shown in that scene and it is the scene were everything changes for the two main characters Romeo and Juliet.