Take lines 37-240 of Act 3, scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet and explain how I think they should be said as if I where directing it myself.

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English Shakespeare Assignment: Introduction

In this piece of coursework I have been asked to take lines 37-240 of Act 3, scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet and explain how I think they should be said as if I where directing it myself. I will then go on to talk about Shakespeare’s stagecraft, the attitudes he received from the audiences and how they accept his complex characters and finally the differences between the poem Shakespeare based his play on and the play itself and which is more relevant to today’s audience.

English Shakespeare Assignment: Romeo And Juliet

The scene begins as the sun is rising in Verona. Romeo and Juliet awake after the previous night consummating their marriage. Emotions are running high in the Capulet household as Romeo had slaughtered Tybalt Juliet’s cousin only the night before. When performing the lines in this scene certain things must be taken into account about how the characters will be feeling about incidents which have previously taken place. Both Romeo and Juliet will be very paranoid about there families finding out about the marriage as from the opening scene of the play the families grievance was known from the fight between the younger generations of the families in the streets. They will feel very alone as the only two people who are supporting the young lovers marriage are the nurse and the Friar who said in act 2 scene 3:

“For this alliance may so happy prove, To turn your households' rancour to pure love”

This line should have been said in a very thoughtful tone, the lines should be spoken loud enough so Romeo can hear but quietly enough to show that the friar is in a way thinking these thoughts to him self out-load. The facial expression should show that he is seriously contemplating the outcomes of this marridge so he will not look directly at Romeo but look into nothing as people in deep thought sometimes do, he should seem as if for a single moment he is alone in his own thoughts. The friar should be very still making no gestures. The thoughts should come across in a very positive way but really show the isolation on the Friars thoughts. This line showed that the Friar supports the marriage as he feels it will bring the rivalling families together and therefore he decides to marry the youngsters.

Romeo will have a large variety of emotions. He will be feeling extremely guilty about killing Juilets cousin as he had just become family to Tybalt however he will believe justice was done as Tybalt had killed Mercutio Romeos greatest of friends. Tybalt came to take vengeance on Romeo for attending the Capulet party in the final scene of act 1. Romeo had just been married to Tybalts young cousin and was now family so was completely against a duel with Tybalt, he says to Tybalt:

“Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee Doth much excuse the appertaining rage To such a greeting. Villain am I none;
Therefore farewell; I see thou know'st me not.”

These lines should have been spoken with a positive, respectful and almost loving tone. The gestures made will be very relaxed and loose as Romeo will try not to enrage Tybalt anymore but Romeo will also try to keep his pride and not seem as though he is scared of Tybalt’s challenge as his friends are watching very surprised Romeo doesn’t take up the challenge with no knowledge of the change in Romeo’s circumstances. He will say it with a very steady pace as he must be very careful how what he is saying comes across to both Tybalt and his friends. He would smile at Tybalt but not in a mocking way in a way which should give off the impression he is relaxed and is not at all interested in taking Tybalt’s challenge.

Tybalt was not happy with this with no knowledge of his cousin’s marridge he was extremely enraged at Romeo’s dismissal of his challenge and eventually lost his temper lashing out at Romeo who did not fight back due to his devotion to his new love and her family. But this enraged Mercutio and eventually both Tybalt and Mercutio began to dual. This battle ended with Mercutio taking a deadly wound to his stomach. Falling to the floor Mercutio said his last words:

“A plague o' both your houses! They have made worms' meat of me”

As these where Mercutio’s final words they would have been spoken in a desperate tone. He will try to announce his words loudly but they will come as barley a whisper. He will be extremely angry and this will come across in his words. His negative feeling of both the rivalling families must be portrayed in his speech, even though Romeo kneels at his side watching his close friend travel toward the dark. Mercutio no longer has any love for anyone he feels the world and god have treated him unfairly and the bitterness of his words will rip into Romeo as he is newly part of both households and takes the curse straight to heart.

With the death of his kinsmen Romeo can no longer think straight although killing Tybalt may cause incredible pain for his newly wed wife he must carry out justice for Mercutio’s death. He goes to Find Tybalt and finally finds him. Romeo out of his mind with grief thinks no longer of his new love but only of the curse placed upon both families by his dying friend. They begin to dual and Romeo screams in deep emotion:

“Now, Tybalt, take the 'villain' back again That late thou gavest me; for Mercutio's soul Is but a little way above our heads, Staying for thine to keep him company. Either thou or I, or both, must go with him.”

The extravagant emotion in these words must be shown in the way they are spoken. Romeo’s words will be spoken with raging anger and bitter determination they will be screamed at Tybalt as the painful emotion Romeo is feeling takes complete control of his actions. His face will contort with the pain of what he feels he must do. Tears will fall from his eyes from the bitter emotion he is feeling. He will make dramatic gestures with his hands to help express what he is saying and his words will show no concern for his own life. These lines must come across with great feeling and great anger.

Romeo slaughtered Tybalt and the Capulet pleaded with the prince that death was the correct justice. The prince felt that as Romeo’s act was vengeance for Mercutio’s death that death was a too severe punishment and banished him from Verona. Romeo must now leave Verona before he is found and leave his love behind him but first he takes sanctuary with the Friar who tells him to go to Juliet and consummate the marridge and then leave Verona.

Juliet will be feeling a strange division in her loyalty in act 3 scene 5 as she is loyal to her husband but also must seem loyal to her family. She may find it hard to understand how her husband could murder a member of her family but still her love for him will not die. She will try to show extreme grief for her cousins death when actually the source of her grief is the departure of her love. Her confusion is clearly shown in act 2 scene five when she says:

“Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband? Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name, When I, thy three-hours' wife, have mangled it?-- But wherefore, villain, didst thou kill my cousin? That villain cousin would have kill'd my husband: Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring; Your tributary drops belong to woe, Which you, mistaking, offer up to joy.
My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain; And Tybalt's dead, that would have slain my husband: All this is comfort; wherefore weep I, then?
Some word there was, worser than Tybalt's death, That murder'd me: I would forget it fain; But O, it presses to my memory Like damned guilty deeds to sinners' minds: 'Tybalt is dead, and Romeo banished.' That 'banished,' that one word 'banished,' Hath slain ten thousand Tybalts. Tybalt's death Was woe enough, if it had ended there: Or, if sour woe delights in fellowship, And needly will be rank'd with other griefs,-- Why follow'd not, when she said Tybalt's dead, Thy father, or thy mother, nay, or both, Which modern lamentation might have mov'd? But with a rear-ward following Tybalt's death, 'Romeo is banished'--to speak that word Is father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet, All slain, all dead: 'Romeo is banished,'-- There is no end, no limit, measure, bound, In that word's death; no words can that woe sound.-- Where is my father and my mother, nurse?”

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Although a very complex speech when this is spoken it must be emphatically and with slight confusion. She understands however that if her husband hadn’t slain Tybalt then Tybalt would have slain him so some relief will also be shown in the speech. She is in a way pleading with her lord for answers so she will perhaps use a questioning tone and pleading arm and hand gestures. She will have a pleading expression on her face and also look increasingly confused. Tears may fall from her eyes and her emotions will be all over the place she may look ...

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