“Romeo and Juliet” starts off with a prologue, an introduction of what is going to come up in the play. Straight away we know that it is about violence and conflict and is sidelining the play always. “Ancient grudge”, “strife”, and “mutiny” all show violence in some way. Fate is also mentioned “star crossed lovers”. This idea is that Romeo and Juliet should never of got together as it is against the stars and is tampering with Gods idea. The Elizabethans believed strongly that their life was mapped out among the stars. This is very much connected with the notion of destiny and fortune, which is a key theme, is “Romeo and Juliet”.
In Act 1 Scene 1, some Montagues and Capulets have a fight, which Benvolio tries to break up. Then he talks to Romeo’s parents about Romeo, as he is being moody because he loves a girl called Rosaline who doesn’t love him back. Scene 1 builds up the status of the people who appear in the scene, starting with the servants leading to the Prince. Just after the fight Lord Montague is talking to Benvolio and adds nice little cheery words like “sun”, “clouds” “daylight” which suggests happiness, which contradicts with the fight that has just happened.
Act 1 Scene 5 is the scene where Romeo and Juliet meet at the party in Capulet’s house and where they find out who both of them truly are. A key theme is used in this scene, which is love. When Romeo and Juliet first meet they both declare that it is love at first sight. The poetic language in the balcony scene helps to create a romantic atmosphere and convince the audience that it is true love in Act 2 Scene 2.
In Act 3 Scene 1 Tybalt’s looking for a fight with Romeo, who refuses to fight as he is Juliet’s cousin, so Mercrutio fight Tybalt and is killed. Fuelled by anger and wanting revenge Romeo kills Tybalt and the Prince banishes Romeo from Verona. In this scene violence and hate is very central as deaths has happened because if it. Violence is also regarded central to the play as it helps move the story onwards; it has an entertainment value and is visually necessary for dramatical purposes. It also contrasts with romance, which has a very emotional and dramatic effect. Friar Lawrence is a Catholic monk who was regarded as being a fool and laughable as that’s how Catholics were seen in the 1600s. This created problems, which lead to violence and deaths. He was trying to do the right thing, help the state or Romeo and Juliet.
In Act 3 Scene 5, Romeo is in Juliet’s room but has to leave, as it was morning. Juliet pretends to her mum that she is upset about Tybalt being dead, and that she hates Romeo. Her dad’s arranged for her to marry Paris, but she doesn’t want to and they have a big row about it. Mr Capulet has all the power in this scene and enjoys it. He has power over all the women in his house and tells them what to do and most of the time obeys. There is also the theme in this series that the older generation do not understand the young. Juliet is crying for Romeo and not Tybalt, which her mother thinks.
In this scene Act 5 Scene 3, everything has gone wrong. Romeo kills Paris, then himself as he wants to be with Juliet as he thinks she is dead, but then she wakes up. She then kills herself too. Then the Montagues and Capulets turn up and bury their “ancient grudge”. This is the final act of love we see in the play. Its frustrating to think that the “star crossed lovers” were moments apart from realising that they could have been together and not of died. They went against fate and became a couple however the consequences. This shows how tough their love was for each other. The tomb where the dying scenes happened was a beautiful, sanctiful, religious place that contrasted with the deaths and sorrow.
What would the play be without violence? Violence is central to characters, language and themes; it is everywhere and you cant get away from it. It backs up the themes and empowers them to make them stronger. Religion, characters and Mr Capulet without violence and conflict these things wouldn’t have been strong and overpowering throughout the play, therefore drives the play on.
