What is the impact of the balcony scene in 'Romeo and Juliet'?

Stuart bird 5/8/2007

What is the impact of the balcony scene in ‘Romeo and Juliet’?

In this play of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ each scene is a huge contrast to the previous. Not only the scenes, but almost every aspect of the play is countered by another body/scene/setting that gives the whole idea of opposites that capture the audience’s attention and makes it ever so more interesting and more impactful. The balcony scene, possibly the most well known and loved, not forgetting intelligent love scenes in the English language has a huge impact upon the audience and the story line in the play. It comes at a time where one sees in the main characters another side, a contrast to before. The setting is completely different to the previous scene as well as the atmosphere, actions, mood and even language used.

The atmosphere of this scene is very leisurely. It is all so calm, peaceful, and romantic. Romeo and Juliet are under the stars. It’s so beautifully written and perfectly molded into the play. The previous scene was the party and within that the atmosphere was completely the opposite of this, everyone was shouting, hardly romantic, loud noise and music contributed to the mayhem and everyone was having a good time.

Aside from the atmosphere the actions of this scene are that of a very different matter. There are so many different movements going on and there are mixed feelings and obviously contrasts to the next scene. There is lots of excitement as Tybalt gets angry as he sees Romeo in the party ‘This, by his voice, should be a Montague. Fetch me my rapier, boy’.

Romeo and Juliet are talking together, un-doubtly flirting with each other. The party would have seen people flirting with each other, but not in such a meaningful and loving way as Romeo and Juliet. People would have been shouting at each other, in order to be audible as there was very loud music and there would have been several guests drunk as a peacock prancing around like a gazelle. In the end the two decide to escape all this, avoiding parents and nurse alike to be alone together where they can express their love to each other.

This scene is made up of less action and more words. Romeo even prompts her to carry on, ‘She speaks, yet she says nothing ;what of that?.......................O speak again bright angel, for though art as glorious to this night, being o’er my head as is a winged messenger of heaven’. During the party and even going further back to the very first scene, where the two families battled it out in a public place everything was sword play and movement. This scene is solemn, set in a quiet secluded orchard. Segregated from the rest of the house and almost as private as any two lovers would want it be. It is simply the usage of just one setting but they use it to the full. But the focus is not so much on the setting as it never changes in this instance but simply on the lovers words and actions.

The scene’s tempo is so much slower than that of the previous one. In the last one Romeo was so active, and everything was going too fast that he needed something to bring him back down otherwise he would have actually collapsed. The balcony scene is much slower and melancholy that yet again we have seen the two far ends of the equations with these two hugely different changes.

The fact that in this scene there is a huge danger that lurks around everywhere and this is made clear all the time in the vocabulary used,

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The fact that in this scene there is a huge danger that lurks around everywhere and this is made clear all the time in the vocabulary used,

’ The Orchard walls are high and hard to climb,

and the place death, considering who thou art,

If any of my kinsmen find thee here’. Romeo, if caught would be shot on sight being who he is to Juliet’s family. The fact that there is this ever looming sense of danger that they might be caught, makes the whole scene more exciting and interesting. It gives a great impact to the story that there is now this new kind of danger as opposed to these silly playful sword fights in the streets of Verona. ‘If they do see thee, they will murder thee’.

Aside from this huge danger of being caught on the balcony by Juliet’s kinsmen there is this ever sense of foreboding doom. That no matter what the two will suffer, and we are told this very early on ‘A pair of star crossed lovers take their lives’. It is made clear from the very beginning that it is fate that will make these two people fall in love, but then perish for them doing so, and every now and again we are subtly reminded of this ‘Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye than twenty of their swords.’ Here Romeo is hinting that although there is a chance that he might be in danger from Juliet’s kinsman there is an even bigger change of him becoming in danger just by looking in Juliet’s eyes. Just being together will get them both killed. This gives the scene a great excitement about it and again you are reminded that this relationship is doomed to failure but still you want to read on because there obviously is always this chance that the two might succeed with their love. This gives the audience great pleasure from this and hits hard the message that was conveyed in the prologue. Namely that being the few mentions in the prologue how the two will perish for their actions ‘A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life:……………………….The fearful passage of their death-marked love,’ Here there are several references to their death.

The whole impact of the balcony scene is achieved through contrasting every detail with another and making it almost the exact opposite to what it could be. For example, the atmosphere from a party bustle to a quiet secluded balcony, also the way the two act around each other compared to the way they act around friends and family shows a great opposite. It is this that gives the scene its individuality and which gives it its great impact as compared to the rest of the play.

Romeo’s previous love affairs had been with another girl who we actually never directly meet in the play, her name is Rosaline. Romeo talks about her constantly. They never meet and he is constantly merely fantasizing, ‘Alas that love, whose view is muffled still. ’. When talking about Rosaline he uses constant oxymoron’s,’ O brawling love, O loving hate, O any thing of nothing first create!’ This language changes as soon as he meets Juliet and he never speaks in this way again. When he finds Juliet he has found a new sort of love, real love. Again a contrast as love is almost make believe in his mind whereas this love is real and most definitely what he most wants and suits best to. When he is with Juliet he talks passionately to her and talks in this poetic language, always comparing her to huge necessities of life such as the sun

‘It is the east, and Juliet is then sun .

Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon’.

There are other comparisons such as ‘O speak again bright angel, for thou art as glorious to this night, being o’er my head. As is a winged messenger of heaven Unto the white-upturned wond’ring eyes.’ In this he compares her to an angel, a glorious bright angel. He speaks of her as his sun, the light and energy of his life, his angel, the most religious figure that a pretty maiden can take. These comparisons are huge comparisons to make and give this idea of Juliet and their love being larger than life. The fact that he brings religious imagery into his use of words means that he thinks that fate and god is most definitely involved. It gives the language and the scene a huge impression of his thoughts.

In this scene we see that both the characters have developed and even matured from previous appearances. The two are both extremely love sick and adore one another. Romeo has matured in his ways of love and is now experiencing true love, the sort that is real and this makes him almost another person. Not the sort of love that one puts on when around others, but an actual real different side. He is much bolder and talks about his friends and Juliet so much differently. ‘He jests at scars that never felt a wound’-here he is criticizing Mercutio for teasing him about something he has never experienced.

Before Juliet comes out he talks to himself but is almost giving Juliet commands ‘Arise fair sun and kill the envious moon’. This command makes him seem much bolder and confident individual whereas before as a contrast in the previous scenes one always sees him with his gang of brothers, his previous life line. Now it seems that as he is on his own with Juliet she is becoming more important in his life. A great change to before.

Juliet has also matured, she has also become much more practical and a lot more grown up, ‘And the place death, considering who thou art.’ Romeo does not care for this danger as he is too love sick and excited. Juliet is also but as well takes these dangers into account. Also she has developed in many ways that Romeo has too. They have both developed to become each others needs. Juliet here is much more practical and is mostly the one that realizes the danger of there meetings and this doom that is forever looming over the couple. ‘Deny thy father and refuse they name; or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I’ll no longer be a Capulet……………………..This but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague, what’s Montague? it is nor hand nor foot, nor arm nor face, nor any other part belonging to a man. O be some other name.’ Whereas we have not seen Romeo ponder on this problem Juliet is the first to mention this interference and it is the first words she speaks to herself after meeting Romeo. This problem is the only thing that’s stopping them. This name that they both hold is the key to their death, and they both know it, more so Juliet. But these two are so deeply in love that they seem to put this idea of their name and the danger their names carry with them to the back of their mind and just seem to concentrate on then being together and how in any way they can find happiness together. For they both know that the only reason stopping them being together is this name and the feud between these two great families,

‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy,

Thou art thyself, though not a Montague’.

But this feud was originally for a very silly reason and now goes on just for the sake of going on. There is no real reason. The two lovers have realized this and are now questioning why it is still so.

The success of this scene is not due to its setting, but more because of the integrity of its language, for that is the main variable in this scene, for it is really the only thing that changes. Romeo talks poetically- which is considered the language of love. And the way he talks, with all the comparisons and poetic devices he uses makes it sound very much like a modern day musical. It is very flowing, very mellifluous and is in contrast to previous scenes and conversations.

‘Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face,

Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek

For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight. ‘ Here we can see very nicely an example of enjambment which helps give the phrase a sense of speed and passion, which of course makes it sound very musical.

‘Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny

What I have spoke, but farewell compliment.’ This extract uses the devices of alliteration and also repetition, which gives a rhythmic and musical quality to the poetry.

The extracts are taken from when Juliet talks to Romeo and the conversation from her is around 25 lines long continuously. This sense of flowing comes from the use of enjambment-which we see above. Where the lines flow from one to the next without a break. There is usage of a couple of commas but I only suspect they are there where Juliet would actually breath.

This contrast is what gives the use of language its integrity.

The two characters of Romeo and Juliet are both extremely clever people and they use this so much more in this scene. With their use of language and the way they construct their sentences together with all their poetic devices. One sees a new light in them. One that conveys new virtues about themselves, whether it be them being bolder, more practical for example ‘If they do see thee, they will murder thee’. Or even being modest-when Juliet finds out that Romeo has heard her ranting about him she becomes quite embarrassed indeed ‘Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face, Else would a maiden blush bepaint my check for that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.’ Here we have a new side of Juliet, expressing her feelings more. Rather than being what she was brought up to be by her mother, an obedient young lady.

The impact in this scene is massive. It is completely different to any previous scene or setting in this play and as I have said many times before it is this idea of contrasting details that gives it this impact. In films and other forms of media the thing that stands out the most is an interesting or different section or scene that stands out from the others. The same in music with loud and soft, fast and slow.

I personally like this scene because it symbolizes the whole play very subtly and this whole meaning of wanting but not getting. Juliet is on the balcony and Romeo is down below but they cannot reach each other. It is this idea of being so close but yet so far, which portrays the rest of the play as well.

The fact that ‘star crossed’ lovers comes into usage serves well in this scene as they are under the stars. It is fate that brought them there and fate that will end it, it is inevitable.

This love to them is rather sudden ‘Too like the lightening, which doth cease to be’. But still they cannot help themselves and still give in to each others lust and even prepare to marry the next day, ‘Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow’.

This whole scene is full of danger, tension, lust passion and most of all contrasts. It is these that give this scene its immense impact.