20.04.2009

Analyse of the first conversation between Romeo and Juliet

Act I Scene V is a very relevant scene in the play. It contains Romeo and Juliet’s first meeting, which is of course an important event.

The scene begins merrily and busily, the servants are rushing around preparing things, and serving, as servants tend to do. Capulet greets all the guests warmly and in good humour. He makes a joke about how if a Woman won’t dance, she must have corns: “She that makes dainty, she, I’ll swear, hath corns…” (Capulet, line 19-20)
Capulet joking with his guests shows he is in a good mood and intends this to be a good party.
Perhaps Capulet starts to feel his age around line 35. Whilst talking to a relative they discuss when they last wore masks, Capulet is told it was longer than he thought. In act I scene I, he asks for his sword to join in the brawl, but his wife tells him basically he is too old. Perhaps Capulet is now feeling somewhat sadder as he remembers better days. Maybe this makes him more willing to not cause trouble when Romeo’s presence is bought to light later.
Romeo went to the feast because Benvolio persuaded him to do so. He found out the Romeo was longing for Rosaline, and suggested they go to the feast so that Romeo could compare other women with Rosaline. Romeo agrees to go, but probably only because he knows Rosaline will be there, and he just wants to see her. This is similar to what Lady Capulet told Juliet to do at the feast; Juliet was asked to go to the feast, look at Paris, and see what a great Husband he would be. However, neither Rosaline nor Paris feature in the scene. It is love at first sight for Romeo and Juliet and Shakespeare doesn’t confuse the matter by giving them the chance to make comparisons.
Romeo sees Juliet for the first time at the feast. He describes her as “a snowy dove trooping with crows.” He is saying here that she stands out from all the other women as a dove would stand out from crows. Earlier, in Act I Scene II, Benvolio says something similar to this comparison when he is trying to persuade Romeo to go to the party:“…And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.” (Benvolio, line 87)
This is in fact exactly what happens. When Romeo says that Juliet is a “dove trooping with crows”, he is saying that every other woman in the room is a crow compared to Juliet, including Rosaline. So now, as Benvolio said, he thinks Rosaline (his “swan”) to be a “crow”.
Also he immediately distinguishes his feelings for Juliet from those he had for Rosaline: “Did my heart love till now?” (line 52). He is saying there that what he feels for Juliet is greater than he felt for Rosaline. It is like he didn’t love Rosaline at all compared to Juliet now.
Romeo Likens Juliet to a jewel in an Ethiop’s ear, and says that “she doth teach the torches to burn bright”. The first of those examples is a lot like the one saying how Juliet is like a dove and the other women are crows. An Ethiop being a black person, a jewel would probably stand out clearly against the dark background of the ear. In the same way, Juliet seems to stand out from the other black crows like a white dove would. What Romeo says about Juliet teaching the torches to burn bright suggests that she lights the room more than the torches do, and stands out more as well. It is like the torches, which provide the light and warmth, are humbled and forgotten by Juliet’s presence.

Such ethereal moments of the expression of true love never last long within this feuding society. The threat of violence immediately interrupts the romantic atmosphere created by Romeo's sonnet when Tybalt recognizes Romeo's voice and wants to kill him then and there. Although forced to accept Capulet's decision as head of the family to allow Romeo to stay, Tybalt utters a threat that indicates that he will disregard Capulet's command, as he does in Act II, Scene 4, when he sends a challenge to Romeo. In presenting these complex social interactions in a public space, the play explores not only the conflict between the two feuding families but also the conflict within the families and across the generations. All the intertwined motivations become a snare for Romeo and Juliet's newfound love.

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We are then made to forget the hustle and bustle of the party going on around them as Romeo and Juliet talk. Romeo takes Juliet’s hand and says:
“If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.”
(act I scene 5, lines 93-96)
Romeo offers to pay the “fine” for touching her hand (“This holy shrine”) without her permission. He asks for her forgiveness by offering to “smooth the rough touch” of when he seized her hand without her permission, with a kiss. ...

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