In act 1 scene V, Romeo is at the Capulet’s party when he sees Juliet, ‘what lady is that which doth enrich the hand of yonder knight?’. Here Romeo expresses his feelings towards Juliet at first sight, ‘did my heart beat love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night’. Romeo does not realise Juliet is a Capulet. When describing Juliet, Romeo uses strong, descriptive language to show how he feels for her, ‘like a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear beauty to rich for use, for earth too dear!’. When Romeo previously described Rosaline, he used many oxymorons’ to do so, ‘o brawling love! O loving hate!’. Oxymoron’s’ were often used in love poetry at this time, but when used too often it made the poem appear fake, as if the poet were trying too hard, ‘o heavy lightness’, which tells us that his feelings for Rosaline may not have been as strong s he thought they were. When describing Juliet, Romeo uses no oxymoron’s, expressing his true love for her.
After this declaration of his love for Juliet, Tybalt sees Romeo and the conflictof the houses is again brought up, ‘this, by his voice, should be a Montague. Fetch me my rapier, boy. ‘What dares the slave’. Though Montague and Capulet are enemies, Capulet desists Tybalt from disturbing the peace in his house, ‘you’ll not endure him! God shall mend my soul! You’ll make a mutiny among my guests!’.
When Romeo an Juliet first speak, they start with a sonnet, which in Shakespearian times was the highest form of love poetry, ‘have not saint lips, and holy palmers too?’, this use of religious language is associated with god and at the time Shakespeare was writing, religion was very important in England. This symbolises Romeo’s real affections towards Juliet and shows the contrast between his feelings Rosaline and Juliet, in the way he writes about each of them.
After meeting one another, both Romeo and Juliet discover their lover’s identities. Before Juliet discovers Romeo as a Montague, she says, ‘if he be married, my grave is like to be my wedding bed’, saying she would rather die then be without him, representing her love for him. This is also prophetic of the future, as in order to be together, we know Romeo and Juliet die showing the effects of conflict and violence again.
In act 2 scene 2, Romeo and Juliet meet in the Capulet’s garden. Juliet says, ‘if they do see thee they will murder thee’, as Romeo took great risk in staying. ‘my life were better ended by their hate than death prorogued wanting of thy love’, Romeo tells Juliet that he’d rather his death be prorogued if he could not be with her. This is again prophetic of the future and what seems already so inevitable to happen.
Act 3 scene 1 begins the next brawl. ‘by my head, here come the Capulet’s’, Benvolio warns Mercutio, Romeo’s friend, of the coming of Tybaly, but Mercutio replies, ‘by my heel, I care not’. This is an example of Mercutios humorous character as he uses a play on words to make lines appear funny. Tybalt enters and he an Mercutio talk for a while till Benvolio steps in, ‘we talk here in the public haunt of men. Either withdraw unto some private pace, and reason coldly of your grievances or else depart her all eyes gaze on us’. Here again Benvolio is trying to recreate the peace, but Mercutio dismisses this, ‘ men’s eyes were made to look, and let them gaze. I will not budge for no man’s pleasure .I’. Romeo enters and Tybalt makes and attempt to fight with him, ‘Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford no better term than this, - thou art a villain’. Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt and tries to express his reasons for this, ‘Till thou shalt know the reason of my love. And so, good Capulet, which name I tender as dearly as my own’. Tybalt and Mercutio fight despite what has been said and as a result of this Mercutio is stabbed; Mercutio’s character is very big and loud and has a tendency to do things without warning. This name is associated with the element Mercury, which has similarities in the way it reacts. When this happens, and Mercutio is close to death, he blames both houses for his death, ‘I am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o’ both your houses!’. When Romeo realises Mercutio is dead he seeks revenge from Tybalt, ‘now Tybalt, take the villain back again…Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him’. Tybalt falls and is killed. ‘Romeo, away, be gone! The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain’, Benvolio encourages Romeo to leave, showing his good nature and caring side towards his as a loyal friend.
Romeo is then banished by the Prince forever. At this time, Paris, a friend of Capulet’s, wishes to marry Juliet. When Juliet learns of this she is of course completely against it, knowing she is married to Romeo and loves him, ‘now by St. Peters church and Peter too, he shalt not make me there a joyful bride’. She decides she cannot live without Romeo and seeks help from the Friar Lawrence. Word is sent to Romeo of her plan, but it is not delivered, and Balthasar, one of Romeo’s friends, mistakenly tells Romeo that Juliet is dead, ‘then she is well, and nothing can be her body sleeps in Capels’ monument’. Romeo returns to Verona and makes his way to an apothecary, ‘let me have a dram of poison, such soon speeding gear as well disperse itself through all the veins, that the life – weary taker may fall dead’. When he sees Juliet dead in the chapel, he takes the poison and dies, ‘here’s to my love! O true apothecary thy drugs are quick – thus with a kiss I die’. When Juliet wakes and Romeo is dead she already knows she cannot live without him, ‘o happy dagger’, she takes his dagger and kills herself, ‘there rest, and let me die’.
This scene has been predicted throughout the play by different characters, the very death of the two characters symbolises the unity of their love and how it overcame their family’s conflict and rivalry. Through there is a lot of conflict within the play; the love scenes balance this out, as they are so powerful. However, Romeo and Juliet would not be what it is today without both love and conflict as these are the two key elements that make the play.
