Consider the dramatic significance of Act 1, Scene 5

Authors Avatar

Tangena Sultana

English Coursework- Shakespeare

Consider the dramatic significance of Act 1, Scene 5

William Shakespeare introduces the story of Romeo and Juliet by using a prologue. The function of the prologue is to explain the situation, setting the scene in Verona and the quarrel between the families is old, ‘ancient grudge’. The prologue informs the audience that the lovers are ‘star-cross’d’ and that their death ends the feud between the families; the prologue creates the dramatic back-drop of the play. By using a prologue, Shakespeare introduces the theme of love, informing the audience of the lovers. During Shakespeare’s time, it was not unusual to introduce the play by using a chorus. The chorus would silence the audience and create an appropriate mood for the first scene. The chorus emphasizes that the lovers are fated and their love is ‘death-marked’. The prologue helps create dramatic irony, the audience are aware that the play is a tragedy. Shakespeare’s audience did not mind being given the same narrative structure; however, Shakespeare introduced a new level of contemporary entertainment. It is said that for this particular play, Shakespeare relies upon a narrative poem, “The Tragicall History of Romeus and Juliet” published in 1562 and translated into English. However, Shakespeare’s play is not an adaptation of the poem because the relationship between Romeo and Juliet is much deeper and dramatised; the couple do not have many scenes together.

In Act 1 Scene 1, two Capulet servants wander through the streets of Verona. They see servants from the house of Montague, they quarrel. This scene is opened by fighting; this is a dramatic opening and shows how deep the feud between the Montagues and Cauplets is. The speed in which the fighting breaks out prepares the audience for the way haste and speed plays a big part in the coming tragedy; the play starts on Sunday morning and ends on Thursday afternoon. This quarrel begins almost as a farce; biting your thumb at someone is an ancient Italian insult. In Romeo and Juliet’s world, the old and foolish overrule the young; Capulet and Montague’s quarrel is shown in a foolish light, however this also heightens dramatic tension.

Join now!

The town’s people and the Prince are tried of this enmity. Escalus, Prince of Verona, is the representative of law and order in the play. Escalus is furious with both families; he compares their behaviour to that of beasts. He is angry because their pointless fighting is disrupting the social life of the city. The Prince commands them to restore the peace or it will end in death. This dramatic irony allows the audience to be aware that the feud will end in death and no family will succeed, but they will cause problems for themselves. The families are ...

This is a preview of the whole essay