My dismal scene I needs must act alone.
Come, vial.
Act 4 Scene 3, Lines 19 and 20.
This quote shows the sinister atmosphere of Juliet’s soliloquy and her state of mind. She knows that she is not in the ideal situation and she wants to be alone so that she can think about all of the possible outcomes of drinking the poison. It is at this point in the play when the audience realise that Juliet is serious about taking the poison.
Juxtaposition is a theatrical device used to give effective comparisons and throughout “Romeo and Juliet” Shakespeare has used it to great effect by mixing scenes of great tragedy with scenes of everyday life or even comedy. Act 4 Scene 5 contains a perfect example of this as it begins with Juliet being found dead by the nurse and ends with the wedding musicians having a comical argument.
She’s dead, deceased, she’s dead, alack the day!
Alack the day, she’s dead, she’s dead, she’s dead!
Act 4 Scene 5, Lines 23 and 24.
The Nurse says this after she has first realised that Juliet is ‘dead’. The reason for her repetition could be sorrow or hysteria. However I believe that Shakespeare also wanted the Nurse to use repetition in order to compliment her over reactive character and enforce the audience’s view of the Nurse as being melodramatic and sometimes untrustworthy.
In contrast when Shakespeare uses comedy in Juxtaposition like he has in Act 4 Scene 5 it does not only provide an effective comparison but also gives the audience some light relief from the previous tragic conversation regarding Juliet’s death. Shakespeare has chosen to include a group of musicians who jest with each other using puns on musical terms.
Then will I lay the serving-creature’s dagger on your pate. I will carry no crotchets, I’ll re you, I’ll fa you. Do you note me?
Act 4 Scene 5, Lines 113 and 114.
In Shakespearian times the audience would have found these puns very funny and although most modern audiences can’t appreciate the comedy of these puns they can appreciate the break from the high drama of the previous scenes. If I were to direct this part of the play with the musicians I would soften the lights and remove most of the props from the stage. This would make a noticeable change not only in the atmosphere of the theatre but also in the appearance of the stage and the characters on it. This would enforce the feelings of relaxation in the audience and they would also be able to concentrate more on what the characters were saying. When choosing actors to play the parts of the musicians I would choose jolly, bouncy people who would be able play the musicians perfectly. I also think that they should have rough accents so that they provide a contrast with the characters of the higher classes such as Capulet.
Throughout Act 4 Scene 5 Lady Capulet almost seems to copy what the Nurse says.
O lamentable day!
O woeful time!
Act 4 Scene 5, Lines 29 and 30.
Shakespeare could have wanted Lady Capulet to copy the Nurse to show how similar their characters are when concerning Juliet. However during a performance of “Romeo and Juliet” Lady Capulet and the Nurse would need to appear as total opposites through their costume, speech and actions until they discovered that Juliet was dead. This would then prove to the audience that they are only united in their grief for Juliet just as at the end of the play the Capulet and the Montague families are united in their grief for Romeo and Juliet. However this unity between the Nurse and Lady Capulet does not last for long as Lady Capulet is left once again feeling isolated and shocked.
And cruel Death hath catched it from my sight!
Act 4 Scene 5, Line 48.
Lady Capulet not only feels alone from the Nurse and her husband but also from God, as she cannot understand why he has taken her only daughter. If she cannot seek solace in God, then who can she seek solace in?
The actress playing Lady Capulet would need to appear to soften and connect with the Nurse for a short moment and then quickly correct herself. This would prove to the audience that Lady Capulet and the Nurse are similar in many ways and that Lady Capulet is not what she seems to be and is hiding her true character. This use of repetition isolates Lady Capulet from the other characters. She is shown as an outcast and for the first time in the play her status is not important and she does not have power over any of the other characters.
Hold, take these keys and fetch more spices, Nurse.
Act 4 Scene 4, Line 1.
When Lady Capulet gives the Nurse this order Juliet is still alive and Lady Capulet still has the power that she loves. She is able to order the Nurse and moreover her status is being proved as spices were incredibly expensive in Shakespearian times and only the richest families could afford them. However when we look at Lady Capulet’s behaviour after Juliet’s death it is understandably different but it is almost as if there has been a role reversal as the Nurse has taken charge and Lady Capulet is following orders by repeating what the Nurse is saying.
If I were to direct this scene the actress playing Lady Capulet would be wearing a magnificent gown to add to the comparison between her and the Nurse as the actress playing the Nurse would be wearing an all blue gown with new jewels or any pattern. However they would both be wearing jewellery to show the small connection between them. In addition the actress playing Lady Capulet would need to speak quickly to show that Lady Capulet isn’t really thinking about what she is saying and is just mindlessly repeating what she is hearing because it seems like the right thing to say at the time. This would again enforce Lady Capulet’s feelings of shock to the audience. Without these comparisons in the play this scene and other scenes would certainly not reach their full potential and their performance would be boring and bland. In order for this scene to be performed well the comparisons within it must be exaggerated and over emphasised.
In addition I would also have Lady Capulet standing under a spotlight with the other characters in the dark adding to the feeling that she is isolated from them and is in shock, as she did not expect Juliet to die.
Death lies on her like an untimely frost
Upon the sweetest flower of all the field.
Act 4 Scene 5, Lines 27 and 28.
Capulet says this and he means that Juliet has died too soon and he does not know why it has happened to her. Comparing Juliet to a flower also makes her seem innocent but the audience knows that she is not as innocent as her parents believe. Here Shakespeare has used dramatic irony and the audience experiences mixed feelings for Juliet. They aren’t sure if they should forgive her for what she has done and feel sorry for her or if they should stay feeling shocked and annoyed with her for marrying Romeo without her parents consent. In Shakespearian times an audience would have definitely have stayed feeling shocked at what Juliet has done whereas a modern day audience may be more willing to forgive her. This difference in opinion may be because it was very common in Shakespearian times to marry for a better social status and not for love. If you had been lucky enough to have a husband chosen by your parents you most certainly would not have refused to marry. In conclusion it was not common to marry for love and perhaps this scandal was part of the reason as to why Romeo and Juliet was and still is so popular.
As Shakespeare used dominant images in his plays they can be divided into separate clusters. The previous quote belongs to an imagery cluster called nature. Imagery clusters are used to add to the image that is being created and they help to build up the final image slowly and effectively.
Characterization is another name for character function and in Act 4 Scene 3 – Act 5 Scene 1 of “Romeo and Juliet” Shakespeare has chosen Juliet to have a number of functions such as setting off a chain of events, which eventually leads to Romeo visiting the Apothecary for poison so that he can commit suicide next to Juliet’s ‘dead’ body. Without Juliet or a similar impulsive character the play “Romeo and Juliet” would have no major events, excitement or surprises. The performance would be boring and not much could be acted out. Juliet also builds tension and suspense throughout the play and especially in Act 4 Scene 3 where she has a soliloquy. The audience feel anxious about what Juliet is going to do in this scene as she is speaking her mind.
What if it be a poison which the Friar
Subtly hath ministered to have me dead,
Act 4 Scene 3, Lines 24 and 25.
Juliet is contemplating whether or not she should take the ‘remedy’ from the Friar. This uncertainty helps to build a tense atmosphere and there is plenty of suspense until she eventually drinks the cordial. As I have already mentioned Juliet also sparks off the events, which eventually lead up to Romeo’s death. Some might say that if Juliet had never taken the poison that the Friar gave her the play Romeo and Juliet would not be one of tragedy. Juliet also reminds the audience that things are never as they seem because when she has taken the potion and her funeral takes place the audience begin to relax and think that maybe things will be alright. However due to unforeseen circumstances Romeo does not get the letter that the Friar sends to him and he kills himself believing that he will be with Juliet in death. Overall Juliet’s character is the most important in the play. Shakespeare chose to include an impulsive character like Juliet, as it would make a performance of Romeo and Juliet exciting and interesting.
I think that in order for a performance of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to be successful it must be performed so that it compliments the original script and the literary devices within it. Its performance must be subtle and the actors and actresses need to be able to portray their characters the way in which Shakespearian actors would have and the way that Shakespeare imagined them to be when he wrote it. Although modern audiences have modern needs Romeo and Juliet is a timeless classic and does not need to be changed for the modern world. In my opinion the perfect performance of Romeo and Juliet is one with little or no scenery and little or no props. In this way there are no distractions and audiences can concentrate on what the characters are saying and what the characters mean. Shakespeare chose to craft these scenes with plenty of imagery and theatrical devices. These literary devices have a huge effect on the play’s performance. They were used for a reason so they must be enhanced to gain their full potential. Without them a performance of Romeo and Juliet would not allow the audience to engage in the play and it would have no originality.
