Juliet is 13 years old “she hath not seen the change of fourteen summers” this is the normal age for women to be married and even to be a mother! She also is an only child, her brother/sisters must of passed away. So Lord Capulet is going to make sure that she is very happy when she gets married to Paris, because she is his only daughter “She is the hopeful lady of my earth” so he is looking out for her. Juliet will obey her parents orders, so she will meet Paris on the night of the party.
Shakespear opens act 1 scene V with servants rushing and hurrying around, this is all in aid for the party that Lord and Lady Capulet are hosting. The first servant is annoyed because it only seems a few servants are helping out “when good manners shall lie all in one or two men’s hands, and unwashed too, ‘tis a foul thing” they also are getting rushed around like headless chickens “we cannot be here or there.” Shakespear opened the scene like this because he wanted to show action and lead up the action for the party, Shakespear is using prose not poetry for the language of the servants.
Lord Capulet welcomes people into his party, he is being very humorous and happy “ladies that have their toes unplagu‘d with corns will walk around with you.” Romeo and friends then walk in and Lord Capulet welcomes them by saying “Welcome gentlemen! I have seen the day that I worn a visor” this is implying everyone is welcome and that he missies his youth. He then goes to his cousin and chats about his youth to him asking how long back was it when they last wore visors (masks.)
When Rome first lays eyes on Juliet, he knew it was love at first, he sees Juliet and says “O, she doth teach the tourchs to burn so bright” this is indicating that even though the room is full of beautiful women Juliet is the most radient person there, he also forgets about Rosaline because she says “for I ne’er saw true beauty this night.” Also Shakespear is using the use of simile’s in Romeo’s use of language like “as a dove in a Ethiops ear.”
William Shakespear makes Romeo and Juliet first meet they know its love at first sight, William Shakespear makes Romeo’s character very eager to kiss Juliet but Shakespear makes Juliet reluctant to kiss him at first. Shakespear makes this part of the scene very romantic and religious ”This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this my lips” when Romeo says “This holy Shrine” he is on about Juliet. The speech is set up as a sonnet, so it is very poetical and romantic. Juliet is very lively by now and humouress, she is also teasing Romeo by saying “Ay, pilgrim lips that they must use in prayer” so by now Romeo is very passionate and anxious to give her a kiss Romeo doesn’t care they Juliet is teasing him he is just very keen to get a kiss from Juliet, when Romeo kisses Juliet, Juliet says ”Then have my lips the sin they have took” saying Romeo has passed on a sin, Romeo replies with “sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urg’d! Give me my sin again.” Romeo is asking for another kiss and delighted to kiss him again, she also thinks that Romeo is a good kisser “you kiss by the book” Juliet is about to give Romeo a kiss, but the nurse comes in and breaks the spell! Shakespear used rhyming couplets and quatrains.
When the nurse interrupts Romeo and Juliet and the nurse tells Juliet her mother calls her so Juliet goes. Romeo asks who her mother was the nurse replies with “Her mother is the Lady of the house, and a good Lady, and wise, and virtuous. I nurs’d her daughter, that you talked withal; I tell you, he that can lay hold of her shall have all the chinks” So she’s saying she’s Lady Capulets daughter and the man who marries her will inherit the families riches, Romeo replies to this by saying “My life is my foes debt” also meaning the he owes his life to his families enemy.
When Juliet finds the nurse she asks who Romeo is and also says “if he be married my grave is likely to be my wedding bed” meaning if Romeo is married she might as well be dead. When the nurse finds out who Romeo is she says “his name is Romeo and a Montague; the only son of your great enemy” Juliet is very shocked when she finds out, she says that the man she loves is her greatest enemy and its too late to get over him “my only love has sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late.” She is annoyed because she cant tell her parents she is in love, but she still wants to carry on the love affair with Romeo.
This is the scene that triggers all the tragedy and suffering yet to come. The play is about love, hatred and suffering, The audience know that the play will end in tears because from the start they are told that their love is “death marked.” The irony is, of course, Romeo who was reluctant to go to the party, there he meets the love of his life, his suffering comes with the knowledge that she is a Capulet. He thought he loved Rosaline but compared to his love for Juliet it was nothing, this is a genuine love, Shakespears use of language involves religious imagery show us that this love is out-of-the-ordinary and is very special. Although much of this scene concerns love, hatred is also introduced, that Tybalt is full of hate for the Montagues and is disgusted that Romeo dare show his face. He is also angry that Lord Capulet (his uncle) doesn’t even mind Romeo’s presence and he thinks that he is a nice person. Tybalt wont shut up about it so he ends up leaving but he swears he will get revenge on Romeo, his desire fir revenge leads directly to the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt himself and the banishment of Romeo from Verona. Act 1 Scene V also shows you the fate of Romeo and Juliet who are destined to be together and Juliet even predicts her own death when she says “my grave is like my wedding bed” and also there are lots of hints about what is going to happen (their own death) and all the tragedy yet to come.