I am going to analyse Act 1 Scene 1 which is the opening fight scene. It is a very violent start, even the language. The scene takes place in Verona. Samson and Gregory are from the Capulet household and Abraham and Benvolio are from the Montagues, they are servants for each of the households. The fight starts “Nay as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them, which is disgrace to them if they bear it”. The audience would realise this was an insult which shows violence is evident from the start. Tybalt tries to start a fight by saying “talk of peace? I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montague’s, and thee. Have at thee cowards”.
Lord Capulet and Lord Montague are also involved in this scene. They dislike each other because they are the leaders of the two families they also use violent language towards each other. Lord Capulet and Lord Montague behave badly because Capulet uses “My sword I say” and Montague says “Thou villain Capulet! – Hold me not let me go”.
The princes’ warning warns both the Capulet’s and the Montague’s that they “shall pay the forfeit of the peace with your lives”. This shows the threat of violence is always there.
Shakespeare uses effective metaphors in the Princes speech “that quench the air of your pernicious rage”. By comparing their anger to fire it suggests that it is violent and out of control.
The importance of this scene is we are introduced to the main characters and we get the impression that violence is going to play a big part and we get the impression that Romeo is romantic. He also seems quite a strong minded character. Also it is effective for the audience it has lots of characters on stage with spikes, spears and swords etc.
This scene also sets the tone of violence it has the Princes warning it introduces us to the feud, and we see the parents as really selfish, ruthless and powerful.
The second scene I am going to discuss is Act 3 Scene 1 which is the scene in which Mercutio and Tybalt are killed. The scene takes place on a street in Verona and happens shortly after Romeo and Juliet gets married. Shakespeare creates a violent atmosphere through the description of the weather, “the day is hot, and the capels are abroad”.
Benvolio wants to avoid a fight with the Capulets and he suggests to Mercutio that they should go home; he says “I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire”. This shows us that Benvolio is afraid of the fight and he fears the Capulets. When Tybalt and Mercutio speak there is great tension Mercutio says “consort? What dost thou make us minstrels? And thou make minstrels of us look to hear nothing but discords” as if he is comparing them to musicians.
When Tybalt arrives Mercutio says “By my heel I care not”. This statement shows that he is ready to fight, and he is not afraid.
Mercutio then says, “I will not budge for no mans pleasure” this tells us that he is up for a fight.
Tybalt tries to start this fight with Romeo by saying “Thou art a villain”. This is a great insult to Romeo who is of a noble birth. Romeo tries to make peace with Tybalt. As this didn’t work Tybalt then orders Romeo to take out his sword and fight. Tybalt wants to fight Romeo because he is disgraced by him going to the Capulets party.
Mercutio calls Tybalt a “rat catcher” just before his death. The death of Mercutio is very violent, he says “a plague on both your houses”. Mercutio says that his cut was only a scratch while it was a bad stabbing. Mercutio stabs Tybalt under his arm.
When Romeo sees his friend is dying his mood changes. He becomes sad and guilty, this is backed up when he says “I thought all for the best”. Then Romeo becomes really angry and kills Tybalt because he killed Mercutio.
As a result of the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt the Prince becomes angry he says “the life of Tybalt. And for that offence immediately we do exile him hence”. These implications are terrible for Romeo it means that he has to leave Verona.
Baz Luhrmann’s film version also involves a vicious struggle! Even the language Benvolio uses to describe the fight to the Prince is very violent. He uses so many metaphors to describe the sword fight “with piercing steel”, “deadly point to point”, “fatal points”, “cold death”, “agile arm” and “envious thrust”.
Lady Capulet uses violent language when speaking of Romeo she says “Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live”; this is a very sad way to say a thing about anyone especially your son-in law.
Act 3 Scene 1 is effective for the audience as it is a very dramatic scene as there is lots of and action and death and also they are reminded of the Prince’s warning. Also they talk here “in the public haunt of men”. It is important because it shows the hate towards Romeo, he was told to leave Verona which are awful consequences for Romeo’s new wife Juliet.
The third violent scene in Romeo and Juliet is Act 3 Scene 5 which is the scene in which Juliet refuses to marry Paris.
This scene is extremely violent as we see the Capulet's anger towards Juliet “drag thee on a hurdle thither”, “you green sickness carrion”, “you tallow – face”. The Capulet's are so angry at Juliet because Juliet won’t thank her father, he’s proud of this loving match he has made for his daughter and Juliet is not worthy of Paris.
From lines 175-195 Capulet says he will disown Juliet if she does not marry Paris, he says “Graze where you will, you shall not house with me, and you be mine, I’ll give you to my friend. And you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets. For by my soul, I’ll not ne’er acknowledge thee, nor what is mine shall never do thee good”. These are very harsh words from a father
Juliet’s parents talk to her in the third person “doth she not give us thanks?” Lady Capulet uses strong words “I would the fool were married to her grave”. Lady Capulet says to Juliet “I have done with thee” this tells us that if Juliet doesn’t marry Paris, Lady Capulet shall leave Juliet forever.
This scene is very dramatic for the audience. Juliet is on her knees and is pleading with her mother “o sweet my mother, cast me not away”.
This scene is important because these events lead to Juliet faking her death as she doesn’t want to marry Paris as she is already married to Romeo.
The forth and final scene which I am going to analyse is Act 5 Scene 3. This is the scene when Romeo and Juliet die. In this scene Paris visits Juliet’s tomb to lay flowers and mourn. His page whistles to warn him someone is coming.
The scene is set at a churchyard and it gives a scary, spooky and sad atmosphere Romeo uses very violent language towards Balthazar he says “By heaven, I will tear thee joint by joint, and strew this hungry churchyard with thy limbs”. This is very out of character as we know Romeo as a loving man.
Shakespeare uses very violent imagery in this scene. Romeo compares the tomb with death eating human beings i.e. Juliet is the “dearest morsel”. “Thou detestable maw, thou womb of death, gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth thus I enforce thy rotten jaws to open and in despite I’ll cram thee with more food”. This enhances the violent atmosphere.
Shakespeare has included words like “gorged”, “morsel”, “rotten jaws” and “cram” this is very effective and adds to the violent atmosphere.
In this scene Paris tries to arrest Romeo, but is slain by him.
Later in the scene Romeo imagines that death wants Juliet as a lover. She still looks the same as before so Romeo is staying to guard Juliet. Again this use of personification is violent and extremely effective on the audience. In this scene Romeo’s final words are said. Shakespeare has included violent words as Romeo’s final words he says “that unsubstantial death is amorous, a lighting before death. Death that hath sucked the honey of thy breath. A dateless bargain to engrossing death”.
Parts of this scene are very fast moving again building up tension and conflict, making it very exciting for the audience.
When Juliet realises that Romeo has killed himself she then stabs herself with a dagger. This death itself is very violent but again it adds excitement for us the audience.
This scene is important as we see the tragic consequences of the feud between the Montague’s and Capulet’s which results in Romeo and Juliet dieing together as they wanted to be together but their families didn’t approve. As a result of these deaths these families then stopped feuding but it was awful that two innocent people had to die as a result.
If I had to direct Act 5 Scene 3 for the stage I would set this scene in a pretty church with flowers everywhere to create a peaceful and religious atmosphere. The reason I have chosen this is because normally when you die you go to a church. I would show how upset Juliet was by having a tear in her eye and having her scream at the top of her voice when her husband Romeo kills himself. I would have spotlights shinning on Juliet’s body with shinning doves all around as the play is full of images and references of light and darkness. Romeo sees his wife Juliet’s beauty flooding the darkness of the tomb with brilliance “her beauty makes this vault a fearing pressure full of light”.
I would have Juliet dressed in her wedding dress as I think a women should be buried in a fashionable outfit. I would use soft vibrant music to create atmosphere after all it is a church. I would make her dress white to suggest purity I would also make it effective for the audience by burying Romeo and Juliet together side by side after a short life.
To conclude I think this play has violence and love as from the film I remember the love the most especially Romeo saying “there’s much to do with hate, but more with love”! It has violent issues as well, the deaths of two innocent people, Romeo and Juliet. My favourite scene is Act 5 Scene 3 because the death of the two people is really sad and it leaves you with a passion to read another Shakespeare play.