What makes Act 1 Scene 1 such a dramatically effective scene?

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Romeo and Juliet

What makes Act 1 Scene 1 such a dramatically effective scene?

A dramatically effective scene contains the build up tension between the two violent families. They behave aggressively towards each other to keep the audience thrilled and gripped to their seats. Shakespeare explores the themes of love, hatred and violence.

Firstly, the scene features Gregory and Sampson. We learn that the situation in Verona is full of argument and disagreement. It shows the conflict between the two families, Capulet’s and Montague’s. It is important to introduce this conflict at the beginning of the play, so that the audience would feel familiarised with the story so far, as the prologue has already talked of the ‘two households.’  

Furthermore, Shakespeare introduces the theme of violence and hatred. The conversation between the two men is very boisterous and involves them bragging about to each other about their ‘manliness.’ The men use puns in their conversation “Sampson- I will cut of their heads. Gregory- The heads of the maids or their maidenheads.” The use of the pun in the play shows that the speaker is using humour. The fact that the men are talking with humour about raping and murdering the women shows that disrespect and degrading attitude towards the women. This is also shows they are ruthless men who do not mind killing innocent people if it means hurting their enemies, the Montague’s.

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Abram and Barthsar are servants of the house of Montague’s. Sampson and Gregory meet them. Sampson insults Abram by biting his thumb at him; this would have been seen as a great insult and a provocative action. Abram does not retaliate at this point, which shows cowardice and makes it look like he is failing his family. When Abram asked Sampson if he had bit his thumb at him, Sampson replied, “No, sir, I’d do not bite my thumb at you, sir... But I do bite my thumb.” However when Benvolio enters, the men begin to fight. This exemplifies that ...

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