There are mainly two different themes in the play "Romeo and Juliet": Love and Hate. These two emotions are expressed throughout "Romeo and Juliet", but are most prominent in Act 1 Scene 5.
Romeo expresses his strong feelings of love for Juliet: "Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear". This shows that Romeo tries to inform Juliet of his love for her in the strongest way he can. He shows his love by saying that she's richer than anything, she's worth more than the world and that she's heavenly. The theme of love also links in with another sub theme, which is that Shakespeare often compares love to money.
"As a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear", again expressed by Romeo for his love to Juliet. He can't tell Juliet or anyone how much he reveres her. Romeo uses powerful images of wealth to try and give the reader an idea of how much he loves her.
The first time Romeo and Juliet are brought together is at a Capulet party, when Romeo takes her hand and claims: - "If I profane with my unworthiness hand this holy shrine, the gentle pain is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss". By holding hands a spark is lit inside them. They talk to each other with soft romantic words. Romeo wants to steal a kiss from Juliet. He expresses words that make his lips sound as if Juliet would receive a pleasant feeling if she were to grant him a kiss. However Juliet challenges Romeo by turning his words around.
"For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss". Both Romeo and Juliet partake in a form of verbal fencing. This act of courtship makes the scene dramatic by engaging the audience to wonder if they will pursue their love. Yet after all the twisting of each other's words they do kiss.
"For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night." Romeo's expressions of his heavy feelings are constant. However his feelings are damaged when he finds out what family Juliet belongs to. "Is she a Capulet?" Romeo has news from the nurse that his love is part of the Capulet family. Shakespeare revelation that Romeo's love is one of his enemies increases the dramatic impact. Romeo is from the Montague family, who loathe the Capulet family.
"My life is my foe's dept". Romeo was deeply in love with Juliet, as if he had won a fortune, and suddenly he has fallen into great debt. This part of the play makes the scene effective on stage because it crumbles away all the romantic feelings and love, it builds up tension. Romeo and Juliet are madly in love; however they are in great danger. A disturbing emotion hits Juliet when she finds out that her lover's name is Romeo Montague. She calls for her nurse expecting to hear good words about the person who catches her eye at the party.
"Go ask his name. If he be married," Juliet wants to find out as much as she can about this gentleman, and when she does, it is not what she wanted to hear.
"His name is Romeo, and a Montague, the only son of your great enemy." The nurse breaks the bad news to Juliet.
"My only love sprung from my only hate." The one person who happened to give Juliet the feeling of love had to be the one person who would be least welcomed by her family. The remainder of her family would have the entire opposite feeling towards Romeo as Juliet had, her family already hates him.
Tybalt expresses the other main theme of the play ‘Hate’ in this scene also. Tybalt is the cousin of Juliet, a Capulet. Tybalt notices Romeo at the Capulet party, and his first instinct is to do away with him. "Now, by the stock and honour of my kin, to strike him dead I hold it not a sin." A Montague is not welcome at this Capulet celebration. Tybalt believes that Romeo is only at the party to spite the Capulets and cause trouble. Shakespeare makes this scene effective on stage, by making Tybalt be able to see every move Romeo makes, where as the Montague has no awareness of him. This builds up the tension in the audience, and makes them want to know what will soon occur, they want to tell Romeo he is in danger.
"A villain that is hither come in spite, to scorn at our solemnity this night." With Tybalt believing this, he wants to seize the Montague before the Montague can get the Capulet. However, Tybalt's uncle persuades Tybalt to leave Romeo, as he does not want any trouble in front of his guests.
"Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone," This part of the scene makes the play dramatic by making the audience wonder if Tybalt will leave Romeo be or if he will make a great problem for the lovers, and show himself up in front of all the Capulet guests. The words said by Tybalt places Romeo in great danger, it makes the audience care for Romeo. Shakespeare makes this scene dramatic by introducing Romeo to his love, in a place where his life could end soon.
Shakespeare combines the two main themes of the play very closely together in this scene. While Romeo and Juliet are expressing their love for one another, inside there is existing hate for each other that they are not aware of. The hate is not there for them as individuals, but therefore the names, which they have been given. As they are winning the money, it is slowly sliding out of a hole in their pockets that they are not aware of.
Shakespeare also builds up the tension for their future in this scene. The audience knowing that their families are rivals and that there is much confusion in the air, the audience are tense to see the outcome. It is blatant to the audience at this stage that the play will either end with love or hate, but they do not know which. want to know what will soon occur, they want to tell Romeo he is in danger.
"A villain that is hither come in spite, to scorn at our solemnity this night." With Tybalt believing this, he wants to seize the Montague before the Montague can get the Capulet. However, Capulet persuades Tybalt to leave Romeo, as he does not want any trouble in front of his guests.
"Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone," This part of the scene makes the play dramatic by making the audience wonder if Tybalt will leave Romeo be or if he will make a great problem for the lovers, and show himself up in front of all the Capulet guests. The words said by Tybalt places Romeo in great danger, it makes the audience care for Romeo. Shakespeare makes this scene dramatic by introducing Romeo to his love, in a place where his life could end soon.
Shakespeare combines the two main themes of the play very closely together in this scene. While Romeo and Juliet are expressing their love for one another, inside there is existing hate for each other, which they are not aware of. The hate is not there for them as individuals, but there for the names that they have been given. As they are winning the money, it is slowly sliding out of a hole in their pockets that they are not aware of.
Shakespeare also builds up the tension for their future in this scene. The audience knowing that their families are rivals and that there is much confusion in the air, the audience are tense to see the outcome. It is blatant to the audience at this stage that the play will either end with love or hate, but they do not know which.
In conclusion I would like to say that Act 1 Scene 5 is very significant to the rest of the play because this was the scene that Romeo and Juliet were meant to meet and fall in love with each other. If this scene wasn’t created hen there was no point of having the whole play. Also this play was based around this scene, all other events that happened were planned around it.
