Violence and conflict are central to Romeo and Juliet. Discuss.

Danielle Leahy

English Coursework

Romeo & Juliet

Violence and conflict are central to Romeo and Juliet. Discuss this theme with references to at least three scenes in the play.

Romeo and Juliet is a play written by William Shakespeare. It is a tragic play about two feuding families who are both described as ‘ both alike in dignity’. This meaning the two families who are both noble in society and are wealthy households. They should both really know better than to carry on in this child like manner. The two families are known as Capulet and Montague. Juliet is the beautiful daughter of the Capulets who everyone loves, then there’s Romeo, young handsome and loveable who cares about everyone. The play is set in the city of Verona, the opening scene opens with a prologue, in a modern day story the prologue would like be the blurb on the back of the book, it gives us an idea of what is going to happen in the story. However it does tell us the ending of the story ‘ Two start crossed lovers take their lives’. Romeo and Juliet marry in secrecy this leading to their death. The prologue also hints to the audience on what to expect during the play, this being violence, conflict and love. In this essay I will discuss the violent key scenes and ways in which Shakespeare creates dramatic irony in the play. This makes the audience question their own individual life.

Act 1 Scene 1 is so important in the novel as it introduces all the violence conflict and love; it opens the play with a feeling that lasts throughout. It shows us how sever the feuding is, so bad even the servants are involved. ‘ A dog of the house of Montague moves me.’ The city of Verona is fed up of all the fighting and arguing. With two households so high up in Society it is very childish for them to act like this, you would expect better from them.

It is evident from the start of the novel Benvolio is one of the peacekeepers. ‘ I do but keep the peace.’ Even though he tries his hardest to do this, other characters ignore him and continue to create further violence and conflict. He never gets involved in the fighting the only thing he ever does is to try and split it up. However he doesn’t always take Romeos side, he seems to review both sides of the story. But to no surprise there are still deaths in the play. This encourages the audience to ask what Benvolio could do differently? Maybe Benvolio thinks he is doing the right thing by trying to keep the peace but he is obviously wrong, maybe Shakespeare included him as the peacekeeper for a reason, maybe so the deaths would happen. We don’t know this.

On the other hand Tybalt is the total opposite to Benvolio, he is an extremely violent person and is always up for fighting, he never seems to sit down and talk about it, and his only answer is to fight. ‘What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word. As I hate hell, all Montagues and thee. Have at thee, coward!’ He always seems to make little sly comments and makes himself look like the big I am! I think Shakespeare has included this character purposely so we have two totally different characters to look at. These two characters being Benvolio and Tybalt.

The feuding families exasperate the whole city of Verona. This is shown when the officer gives the families a warning. ‘ Down with the Capulets, Down with the Montagues’. This shows that the feud has been taken to far and the Prince is fed up of it all and demands it to stop. Even though the Prince is fed up of all the fighting and violence he doesn’t seem to sit the families down and talk about their issues with each other, he just threatens them with death. ‘ Rebellious subjects enemies to peace, on pain of death.

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Throughout the novel Capulet encourages the feud by asking ‘ Give me my sword, ho’ this shows us that the feud has got so out of hand even the adults are getting involved, they really should be setting a good example to their children. Montague also attempts to join in when he says to his wife ‘ Thou villain Capulet, Hold me not let me go’ However Lady Montague tries to stop her husband from getting involved in the fighting, throughout the play this is the way she carriers on. ‘ Thou shall not stir one foot to seek a foe’ Her small part in this play emphasises to the audience the role of a women in these Elizabethan times. Furthermore at the end of the scene she expresses her feelings of happiness that Romeo was not involved in the fight when she states ‘ Right glad I am he was not at this fray’. Lady Montagues second and last lines in the play are poetic this empathises her love for Romeo and how much she cares for him. Her anxiety for his safety explains her death to us at the end of the play this being caused by the shock of Romeos death. To compare her with the role of Lady Capulet ensures that Lady Capulet is viewed as a contributing factor towards the feuding as she shows a lack of love towards her daughter Juliet and selfishness as a person.

In the whole of Act 1 Scene 1 Romeo is not involved in any of the feuding, he is to wrapped up in his love life. He is deeply in love with a young beautiful girl Roasalyne, but he is heartbroken it only seems to be a one way love, she doesn’t love him back and this is why Romeo doesn’t fight his mind is stuck on this girl, all he wants is for her to love him back. ‘ Ay me sad hours seem long…out of her favour where I am in love.’ This shows us how much he cares for Roasalyne and how heartbroken he is. He just wants to lock himself away until she loves him.

This scene overall establishes the importance of violence and romance because at the end of the scene when all of the characters but Benvolio have left the stage, Romeo enters and explains why he is so upset. This tells us two things, one being that he has no involvement in all of the violence and the second being that he is a very romantic and loveable person who is more interested in his love life more than the feud. Immediately the audience are asked to question his forthcoming death. If he is not directly involved in the fights and arguments then how does the death manage to occur? By asking this question a link is formed between violence and romance.

I am now going to discuss Act 3 Scene 1.

Act 3 Scene 1 opens with Benvolio the peacekeeper claiming that he can sense trouble ‘ is the mad blood stirring’ he is urging to the others to leave before the feuding takes of once again. Mercutio is talking to Benvolio, he is not afraid of the feeling Benvolio has; he is in a crazy mood and is always up for fighting.

Shakespeare heightens the dramatic irony in this scene with Benvolio’s first line to hint to the audience that in this scene the violence and conflict is at its worst.

Mercutio shares similar qualities to Tybalt; he thinks violence is the answer to everything, as does Tybalt. However Mercutio sees violence as a solution whereas Tybalt sees it as sheer enjoyment.

Tybalt enters the scene looking for trouble ‘ for I will speak to them’. Straight away Benvolio attempts to stop the violence ‘ here all eyes gaze on us’ but it seems like his words are said in silence as nobody listens to him. Does he do everything he can to prevent the violence? Even Mercutio chooses to ignore Benvolio ‘ I will not budge for no mans pleasure’. Shakespeare is encouraging the audience to question each characters actions and attitude.

The dramatic Irony heightens again when Romeo enters, he has just returned from being married to his great love Juliet. To Tybalts surprise Romeo does not want to fight, as he is now part of Tybalts family. Romeo has now frustrated the audience because he too is trying to stop the violence, ‘ Villain am I none …. Bid love thee better’. This is Romeos attempt to try and explain to Tybalt that he does not want to fight however he can not tell him the right reason this being that has just married Tybalts cousin in the scene before. Romeo could overcome the situation he has gotten himself into by telling Tybalt about the marriage at the risk at his own life. Instead he stands aside and chooses to watch his best friend die. Mercutio cannot stand Romeo being a wimp and walking away from Tybalt so he decides to fight for him. This leading to the forthcoming tragedy. Romeos character is again questioned in this scene when he selfishly allows is best friend to die and then after his death drastically kills Tybalt. While Mercutio is dying he responds to Romeos actions with a curse ‘ A plague on both your houses’. At the time the Elizabethan audience believed in curses and would have believed this curse was the contribution to the last and final tragedy.

In this scene Romeo has changed from being the sensitive boy at the beginning of the play into an aggressive fierce Romeo. This being shown when he strikes Tybalt and kills him. The violence seems to spread from person to person this again being shown as the play progresses on.

The prince makes a promise at the start of the play this being if anyone was to break the peace again in Verona they would be sentenced to death. ‘ If ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace’. So why doesn’t this happen to Romeo? The prince goes back on his words and sends Romeo into exile ‘ Immediately we do exile him hence’. The people of Verona learn that the Prince does not stick to his words and this angers some. Furthermore Romeo is sent away before anything more can be said.

Next I am going to discuss Act 3 Scene 5.

Act 3 Scene 5 opens very dramatically Romeo and Juliet have just spent there last night together. They are unwilling to say goodbye to each other as this may be the last time they even look at one another. The language used is very romantic and poetic this is used to heighten the tension. It also ends with harsh words and Juliet’s last lines, ‘ if all else fail myself have power to die. This shows how desperate she is. She is predicting the fatal ending in the play; this is Shakespeare’s way of adding further dramatic Irony.

Juliet says ‘ O God, I have an ill-divining soul! Me thinks I see thee now, thou art so low, as one dead in the bottom of a tomb’. She can see their love ending with Romeo dying. Both Romeo and Juliet know that their love for each other is at the expense of their lives.

The nurse also plays an important role in this scene because she knows about Romeo and has been giving Juliet advice about her love for Romeo. At the beginning of the scene she supports Juliet by saying to Capulet ‘ you are to blame my lord to rate her so’. However she turns on Juliet and then says ‘ Romeo a dish clout to him’. This really upsets Juliet and makes her feel unwanted and isolated. Her last option is to visit Friar Lawrence; again the audience are reminded of the dramatic irony in the play. Friar Lawrence is the only person that could prevent the deaths from this point on, but as I have previously stated, the audience already know the ending. Shakespeare has heightened the drama in the play to evoke emotions from the audience it also makes them think about their own individual lives and also it lets them adapt to other characters minds.

Lady Capulet is not very understanding to her daughter’s feelings. She reacts in an aggressive, nasty way and informs Capulet that Juliet is refusing to marry Paris straight away. Although Lady Capulet know that Caplet is extremely bad tempered she chooses to ignore this and tells him. This shows how little she cares for Juliet, she is not very maternal, and this must make Juliet feel even more isolated. This again compares her to Lady Montague as Lady Montague cares and has much love for Romeo whereas Lady Capulet is very cold and selfish towards Juliet.

When Capulet is informed about Juliet refusing to marry Paris he is furious and takes it out on Juliet, he really does have a go at her. Juliet gets really upset; he even threatens to throw her out of the house. To Juliet’s extent this is over reacting but Capulet thinks a lot about Juliet marrying Paris.

The only people that Juliet can rely on are the people that are not significant and too weak in the play.

Although this scene is not violent it does add to the conflict in the play and creates tension for the following violent scenes.

Now I was given the chance to direct a scene, I had to describe what I would set it out like and why I would do this. Also if I would have it modern day or Elizabethan times.

If I had the chance to direct the final scene of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ I would set the play in modern day time as I believe that today’s audience would be able to relate to the themes in the play a lot easier. The modern world that I live in has equal rights to both women and men, marriage is allowed to take place when you are over the age of 16 without parental consent and also laws are in place to try and stop murders from taking place. The audience of this time know this therefore I think it would be easier for them to understand the play and its themes.

I would place the gravestones scattered around the theatre some in the audience and some on the stage. (Juliet’s grave would be on the stage). By putting graves amongst the audience it would attract their attention and also evoke emotions from them. The stage will be partly lighted; like it’s getting

darker and darker the further you walk into the cemetery. As Paris and his page enter speaking their lines they will be walking slowly and looking sad.

This makes the scene dramatic and again will evoke emotions from the audience. The stage area would then have a blackout and they would disappear. The lights will then come back on as they were before. The stage would be now decorated quite bright (as it is a cemetery) as will the audience space be because as I said before they to are part of the cemetery. Romeo enters talking about his great love Juliet who is now dead (well this is what Romeo thinks). The violence now starts to heighten again. Romeo kills Paris; he blames him for the death of Juliet. Romeo then gives a speech, whilst he is saying this, the stage area is empty and he is in spotlight. He then kisses Juliet and wraps himself around her and dies. The audience’s emotions are brought in again because as he does this they can see Juliet beginning to wake up. She then tries to kill herself by kissing Romeo hoping for some of the poison to still be on his lips but it fails she then takes his gun and shoots herself she falls on top of Romeo. Whilst all of this is taking place the rest of the characters are stood amongst the audience speaking their lines this is done to heighten the tension. Once Capulet and Montague enter the graveyard it is dark and nothing can be seen, they will react with a great shock and scream with great surprise to see their children laying their covered in blood, as they scream the lights will come on. This will draw a gasp of shock from the audience. Lady Capulet drops to the floor with shock whilst the fathers lay their children side by side. The lights will slowly fade out leaving the characters stood there in shock with a slow, sad song playing in the background.

This essay has assessed how the violence, conflict and romance have linked together throughout the play and has questioned characters inner feelings and reactions to certain things. The prologue initiates the dramatic irony of the play this being Shakespeare’s intention of performing the violence and conflict in the play in a way that it encourages the audience to not only question why the tragic deaths occur but too also ask what can Verona as a society do to prevent all of the chaos that happens.

Benvolio’s attempt to stop the conflict may as well be said in silence as he is ignored, Mercutio is stubborn but loyal and matches the fierce and aggressive nature of Tybalt who is too immature to notice the consequences of his actions. Juliet’s mother’s angry nature adds to the feud, her father’s stupidity prevents the feud from stopping. Romeos mother is to soft and caring to notice how bad the violence is, her husband wants to get involved but is not allowed. The Prince is not reliable and does not keep promises, the Friar makes foolish decisions. This leaves us with the ‘two star crossed lovers’ Romeo is to late when he reacts to the violence and Juliet’s naivety and stubbornness creates further tension and violence.

The reactions from all of the characters involved leads to the big dramatic ending were the tow central characters die arm in arm. It takes this for the fathers to realise what all of this violence and conflict has caused and they both decide to make up. But it is still too late as they have both just lost their two adorable children. The audience are now left with their final decisions and judgments of the play. Shakespeare wanted them to leave thinking about their own individual life and how they live in their own society.