The Prince of Verona appears to show his power and breaks up the fighting in the streets. He rounds up the families and gives them all a warning ‘If ever you disturb our streets again Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace’. This shows the Prince’s authority in the fact that he can order the deaths of men. This also may make the audience remember the predicted deaths of the two lovers.
After the very fast pace opening scene Shakespeare uses the romantic and comedy scenes to contrast the violent ones which changes the tempo and pace of the play intermittently to keep the audience interested. Between the violent scenes many events take place. Shakespeare introduces the audience to Juliet and shows that Juliet was brought up by a Nurse and her relationship with her mother is very distant. Romeo meets Juliet for the first time at a Capulet ball that he gate-crashed with his friends; he falls in love with her at first sight. They decide to get married. Due to the feud they have to keep it a secret. In these scenes Shakespeare keeps the audience entertained not with violence but with comedy, romance, and entertainment.
The next violent scene is between the friends of Romeo’s and Juliet’s. Again Shakespeare uses a contrast between two characters Benvolio and Mercutio. Benvolio is a more peaceful man and wants no fights or trouble,‘Let’s retire; the day is hot, the Capulets are abroad, And if we meet we shall not’ scrape a brawl’. Mercutio teases Benvolio and tries to claim that he is quick to get angry as anyone else ‘Nay, and there were two such, we should have none shortly, for one would kill the other’.
After a brief beginning with Mercutio and Benvolio the Capulets enter with Tybalt. Their language is more sophisticated than the servants. Shakespeare shows this by using subtle puns to cause the characters to misunderstand each other, this also entertains the audience as it gives it a comedic side. Benvolio is quick to try and stop the banter as it may cause a confusion that may lead to a brawl. Romeo enters and is constantly trying to impress Tybalt and show his respect for him, for Tybalt is Juliet’s cousin and so doesn’t want to cause more trouble. Tybalt misunderstands Romeo’s politeness as Romeo mocking him and calls him a ‘villain’, instead of fighting Tybalt, Romeo replies, ‘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 knowest me not.’
The characters in these scenes use iambic pentameter. The rhythm of their speech highlights their status in society. This also means that while speaking the lines the characters must emphasize certain words so that the audience can pick these out and follow the story. Tybalt and Mercutio start a fight and as Romeo tries to stop the fight and split them up. Tybalt thrusts his sword and wounds Mercutio badly. Even though he is hurt Mercutio tries to carry on joking ‘a scratch, a scratch’ all the men around seem relieved as they think he is not hurt much at all.
‘Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man’. Again Shakespeare uses puns to lighten the mood but it also gives the audience the idea that they were not intending on killing anyone but they just enjoyed the fight as something to do. Shakespeare very cleverly uses the word ‘grave’ which has two meanings, as he could mean grave as in death or grave as in serious. The audience are then given the shock of finding out that Mercutio is actually more than just hurt but he dies; this adds tension to the scene as well as the comedy. Before this scene the violence is used to show the intensity of the feud but now that there has been a death the mood changes. I believe that Shakespeare uses this scene to get rid of the unnecessary characters as Mercutio is not needed in the plot of the rest of the play. Tybalt is also a strong character and has served.
Benvolio announces Mercutio’s death and Romeo ironically foreshadows his own death. ‘This day’s black fate on more doth depend. This but begins the woe others must end.’ Another technique used here is a rhyming couplet. This highlights the statement that Romeo is making. It also foreshadows his own death. The audience would realise this and Romeo would gain more sympathy from the audience. Romeo becomes angry and follows after Tybalt, where they fight and Romeo kills Tybalt.
Up until this point in the play, Romeo has been depicted as a gentle and romantic character. The audience may have pictured him as not being manly enough and therefore Shakespeare takes this opportunity to make Romeo more brave and full of courage as he takes Tybalt’s life. The rest of the play following these scenes now focus more on the event leading up to the ultimate deaths of the two lovers. This is another reason why Shakespeare gets rid of Mercutio and Tybalt so the audience cannot be distracted by anything else.
When the Prince hears of what has happened he banishes Romeo from Verona ‘Immediately we do exile him hence’. Romeo goes to ask for advice from the Friar who devises a plan to help Romeo and Juliet finally be together again. Romeo leaves and there is a farewell love scene between Romeo and Juliet. This leads into the next violent scene. There is a big contrast between the other two violent scenes to this one as this is one of verbal violence.
Shakespeare by this point in the play has shown the audience that Romeo and Juliet are truly in love this manipulates the audience to be fully behind both characters in their plan to get back together. Although usually the audience may side with Juliet’s parents as she has disobeyed them. During this time in history the country was very religious and feared God. So Juliet could not even think of marrying anyone else. Also a daughter would obey her father so the following scene would shock the audience, however. Shakespeare has won them over to love Romeo and Juliet.
There is an immediate misunderstanding between both Lady Capulet and Juliet as her mother believes she is crying for her cousin Tybalt. This then highlights the distance between them. ‘Indeed I never shall be satisfied with Romeo, till I behold him – dead – Is my poor heart so for a kinsman vexed. Shakespeare uses the two different interpretations. Lady Capulet interprets it so that she hears her saying she wants Romeo dead but really she wants to behold him. Juliet interprets it like this ‘Indeed, I never shall be satisfied with Romeo till I behold him. Dead is my poor heart, I mourn my kinsman so much.’ Shakespeare’s clever use of punctuation helps there be two meanings. The audience would understand exactly what Juliet meant but again Lady Capulet was in the dark. This builds up the tension. The audience are waiting to see how Juliet is going to get out of this situation.
Shakespeare uses a metaphor, comparing Juliet’s grief with a storm to emphasize how upset she is. ‘Thou counterfeits a bark, a sea, a wind. For still thy eyes, which I may call the sea, Do ebb and flow with tears’. Shakespeare is well known for using metaphors comparing emotions with Nature. The audience will be familiar with this and it helps them understand how upset Juliet is especially as young boys would have played the part of Juliet. Capulet is not sympathetic, so this then puts the audience off liking him. Capulet becomes very angry at the thought of his daughter disobeying him. Alliteration is used to show this anger and also the pace of his speech. He insults Juliet ‘Out, you green-sickness carrion! Out, you baggage! You tallow-face!’ In this scene Shakespeare needs to use powerful words to emphasize the verbal violence. This also shows Capulet’s angry side, this again would make the audience sympathise with Juliet. The audience would want Romeo and Juliet to be together.
Shakespeare uses very few stage directions so that directors and actors are able to interpret the words in different ways. They are able to use the texts but the words can be made to be interpreted in another way. Some versions of the play interpret the words ‘My fingers are itching’ as a sign of physical violence and they use this and have the father hit Juliet. I don’t believe that these words do mean he slaps her but it shows that he is very near physical violence that it is hard for him to stop himself from using physical violence which is more dramatic. Other directors have used this opportunity for Capulet to hit Juliet. This helps the audience to continue to side with Juliet and Romeo.
Capulet finally threatens to disown his only child as he believes that Juliet is disobeying him just because she doesn’t want to get married. She still hasn’t told him that she is already married to Romeo. ‘And you be not, hang! Beg! Starve! Die in the streets! For by my soul I’ll ne’er acknowledge thee, Nor what is mine shall never do thee good. Trust to’t, bethink you. I’ll not be forsworn.’
I believe that violence plays a big part in Romeo and Juliet. It not only gives the audience entertainment but it gives the plot more exciting twists. Shakespeare uses amazing language to show status, feelings, and comedy. The whole play consists of rhyming couplets and iambic pentameter; this gives certain words emphasis that makes the audience gain a complete view of all the different interpretations. My favourite violent scene is Act three, Scene five because it uses metaphors and gives the audience the chance to use their intelligence in working out the interpretations of the speech. In conclusion violence and conflict in this play are used to show anger, to draw the audience in and to get rid of unnecessary characters. All of the violence scenes are important because the give the audience a chance to be entertained and to give tension to the plot.
