In Act 3 Scene 1 of 'Romeo and Juliet', Shakespeare uses language to make the fight scene dramatic. How does Baz Luhrmann draw on this and use other devices to create tension for his audience?

In Act 3 Scene 1 of 'Romeo and Juliet', Shakespeare uses language to make the fight scene dramatic. How does Baz Luhrmann draw on this and use other devices to create tension for his audience? 'Romeo and Juliet' is about two families, the Montagues and the Capulets, who have been introduced to a physical and verbal war. The play starts off with the prologue, where a man comes onstage and reads out the plot of the play and the key ideas, although this gives away the surprises, it builds tension at the crowd are constantly on the edge of their seats waiting for the events to happen that they have been told about. The opening scene sees the two families, who have been fighting for generations, in another battle, this takes place in public and is witnessed by the prince who decides anymore fighting will end in exile or death. This creates tension as anymore fighting carries a more drastic punishment and so the tension is built because certain members of the family become more conscious about where they are fighting and the possibility of the prince seeing them. The first fight scene is the first scene of the play; this is a much smaller fight and creates more tension in the way as you expect more fight scenes that are bigger. The first fight scene starts off the Montagues saying to the Capulets 'Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?' this shows that fights between these two

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 2881
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

How does Shakespeare use dramatic devices in act 3 scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet

How does Shakespeare use dramatic devices in act 3 scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet in order to make it such an interesting, exciting and important scene? Romeo and Juliet the story of a young couple who are so very much in love however their families are feuding over at an ancient grudge. Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet fall deeply in love at an early age but their lives are short lived as they die tragically. Tragedy is defined as "a play or dramatic form of a play, or the dramatic form it represents, in which the leading character suffers intense conflicts and a wretched fate, often because of some weakness." Romeo and Juliet fits into the tragedy genre because at the climax of the play the two main characters die unnecessarily. Up until act 3 scene 1 Romeo and Juliet is passionate and romantic play. In Act 3 scene 1 the complete opposite as both of the main characters suffer from the weakness of their families. This occurs when Tybalt Capulet tries to kill Romeo. This shows the tension between the two feuding families and how passionately loyal the family members are. After Tybalt is killed lady Capulet says "for blood of ours, shed blood of Montague." This hints at the continuing theme of tragedy throughout the play. This is also a use of dramatic irony because at the end of the play Romeo and Juliet die and they are from both families. The Capulets and the Montague's

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 2512
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

How does Shakespeare show Romeo's mood change in Act 3 Scene 1. You should consider his language, his actions and how you think the role should be acted.

How does Shakespeare show Romeo's mood change in Act 3 Scene 1. You should consider his language, his actions and how you think the role should be acted. In this Essay I shall be talking about this very important part in the play, Act 3 Scene 1. This part in the play show's a how Romeo's mood changes from being happy, to being devastated in a very short time. My aim is to explain why Act 3 Scene 1 is such an important part of the play. At the beginning of the play we learn that Romeo was deeply in love with someone called Rosaline. He was very depressed because he wasn't going out with Rosaline, then as soon as he saw Juliet he totally forgot about Rosaline and he got hooked on Juliet. When he first saw Juliet he thought that she was the most beautiful person in the world, He'd never seen such beauty in all his life. "O she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night..." Romeo used a metaphor in this sentence, because Juliet doesn't teach the torches to burn brightly, Romeo is actually saying how is so beautiful she is. When Romeo enters in act 3 scene 1 on line 49, he would come onto the stage quickly, almost skipping because he is so happy, he is so happy because he has just married the girl of his dreams, Juliet. We know she is very special to him, because when Romeo saw Juliet he said; "Did my heart love till now? Forswear

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 1010
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Analyse how the music, camera angles, special effects and presentation of characters create a dramatic fight scene in the Baz Luhrmann version of Romeo and Juliet

Analyse how the music, camera angles, special effects and presentation of characters create a dramatic fight scene in the Baz Luhrmann version of Romeo and Juliet Baz Luhrmann's version of Romeo and Juliet uses various aspects of Act 3 Scene 1 to create a dramatic fight scene. This film, from 1996, displays the Shakespearian play in a modernised world, with the film set in Los Angeles, and various modern props are used, such as guns and cars. This film, like the play, presents the rebellious feud between two rival families: the Montagues' and the Capulets. This leads to conflict created by the younger members of the families and, with the introduction of modern weaponry, creates a more violent action scene. Luhrmann tries to emphasise the significance of this pivotal scene through his choice of soundtracks, camera angles, special effects and presentation of characters. Firstly, Baz Luhrmann creates a dramatic fight scene through the ways the characters are depicted along with their costumes. The first character shown in this scene is Mercutio who, at this point, is shooting bullets into the sea, which could convey that he is the troublemaker who starts the brawl between the Montagues and the Capulets to create a dramatic fight scene. Although his actions convey acts of trouble, his shirt emphasises his innocence. Mercutio wears a plain white unbuttoned shirt, displaying his

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 2020
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Media Studies
Access this essay

How Does Shakespeare Use The Idea Of Opposition As A Dramatic Device In 'Romeo and Juliet'? What Are The Effects Of These Techniques?

How Does Shakespeare Use The Idea Of Opposition As A Dramatic Device In 'Romeo and Juliet'? What Are The Effects Of These Techniques? Shakespeare uses an immense amount of opposition in the play, 'Romeo and Juliet'; this creates dramatic impact. The oppositions have a major effect on the play and cause some of the turning points in the plot, such as the fight scene where Tybalt and Mercutio are killed. There is also a clash of oppositions such as when Romeo tries to make peace with Tybalt in the fight scene in Act Three, Scene One. This shows the oppositions of love and hate. Even during the prologue, many oxymorons are used. The prologue is meant to give the audience an idea of what the play is going to be about, " From forth the fatal loins of these two foes / A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life." This sums up what the entire play is about. Although the audience know what is going to happen their still intrigued to watch it as the Prologue is very dramatic. "Fatal loins" means deadly birth, this relates directly to Romeo and Juliet because the birth of their love is basically the death of it because of the hatred between their families. The meaning of the Prologue directly opposes the style in which its written. It is written in the form of a sonnet, a popular form of sixteenth-century love poem that often explored themes such as love in conflict. Shakespeare

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 2213
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Explore the dramatic presentation of love in Romeo and Juliet(TM)

In the Prologue of 'Romeo and Juliet' we are immediately introduced to the theme of love that runs throughout the play. "Two star-crossed lovers". Shakespeare introduces us to various types of love, portrayed through different character relationships. For instance, we see conventional love through Romeo and Rosaline and the idea of the Patrachan lover, romantic and sexual love, which is seen between Romeo and Juliet and, finally, parental love, portrayed in Capulet and Lady Capulet and Juliet. We also see love from a more cynical view, through Mercutio. In 'Romeo and Juliet' two characters primarily link love and sex. They are the Nurse and Mercutio. At the mentioning of love these two people always talk about sex. This can be seen mainly in Act 1 Scene 4, and how Mercutio thinks about love. At this point in the play Romeo is very distant and unhappy, Mercutio uses this as an opportunity to try and humour Romeo, using wit, sexual innuendo and imagery. "O'er ladies lips, whos straight on kisses dream". He uses more sexual innuendo throughout the play when the subject of love is mentioned. This is also seen when discussing Rosaline outside Capulet's mansion. He uses sexual images, for example, "Quivering thigh". This suggests a cynical attitude towards love, as he is never heard to mention non-sexual attributes when talking about a woman. The Nurse also links love and sex

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 1380
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

How does Shakespeare make Act3 Scene1 of Romeo and Julliet dramatic for the audience?

Shakespeare assignment: J. Thompson: "How does Shakespeare make Act3 Scene1 dramatic for the audience?" intro: Shakespeare is a very dramatic playwright and his works continue to affect people today. He evokes his audiences' emotions, through the use of many dramatic techniques. Romeo & Juliet is an especially dramatic story of "two star-crossed lovers"; And Act 3 Scene 1, on which we are focusing this assignment, is particularly powerful. Before act3sc1: Due to the theatre enacted in the previous scenes; much knowledge is brought through by the audience into Act 3 Scene 1. For example the Prince's warning in Act 1 Scene 1, lines 98-99 "If you ever disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace!" foreshadows this scene as a prediction of the future, making the scene dramatic as the audience are kept in suspense as to whether it will come apparent or not; the warning also serves as an ultimatum used to discourage the vengant characters (i.e. Tybalt and Mercutio) from causing more trouble. Another example is that of the preceding nuptial scene of Juliet and Romeo which we as an audience are aware of but the other characters, excluding the aforementioned and Friar Lawrence, are not. We as an audience therefore know that the two feuding families (the Montague's and the Capulet's) are now related and so this installs a sense of hope that the

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 1373
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

How does Shakespeare convey the theme of love and conflict in the Prologue, Act 1 Scene 5, Act 3 Scene 2 and Act 3 Scene 5 of 'Romeo and Juliet'?

HOW DOES SHAKESPEARE CONVEY THE THEME OF LOVE AND CONFLICT IN THE PROLOGUE, ACT 1 SCENE 5, ACT 3 SCENE 2 AND ACT 3 SCENE 5 OF 'ROMEO AND JULIET'? When writing about love and conflict in the play, I will focus on four parts of it; the Prologue, Act 1 Scene 5, Act 3 Scene 1 and Act 3 Scene 5. In each of them, I will look for love and conflict, and how is it related to many other things in the play, such us the development of characters or Shakespeare's dramatic style. The essay should help those who will read it understand what is hidden, or seems to be hidden, beyond Shakespeare's use of language, form and other things. All of my points are based on the different bits of the play and how I myself interpret them in relation to the theme. The whole play is introduced by the Prologue. In the 20th century film I saw with my class, the Prologue was given in the form of TV news, where a woman was introducing the story, as they usually do in the news, saying things like ''Three Italian soldiers died in Iraq in an explosion yesterday. Protests against the war rise.'' or ''Famous footballer X stopped playing football. Millions of fans wail.'', and then showing and speaking about the whole story. This quite well explains how the Prologue works. It tells us the destination of the story (''In fair Verona, where we lay our scene.''), explains who the story is about (''Two households, both

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 3260
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Romeo and Juliet as a tragedy of fate.

Romeo and Juliet as a tragedy of Fate It has always been the dearest hope of mankind that the twists and turns of life, a seemingly random progression of sheer coincidence, are in fact a part of the designs of some higher order. Somewhere, we reason, there must exist an emergent pattern to the chaos of our existence. To this intangible being who directs our course we have assigned the name of fate. It is fate, and not humble human choice or character, that steers Romeo and Juliet to the tragedy of their deaths. Shakespeare creates a clear path for us to follow, as omniscient spectators, to watch as fate manifests herself through a tightly knit web of chance events. Shakespeare makes it clear on several occasions that fate is in control, and that destiny and not flaw in character directs the tragedy. Fate controls the destiny of Romeo and Juliet through a series of coincidences, which is set into motion by the opposition of the houses of Montague and Capulet. Fate leads the plot from one "chance event" to the next in a closely related sequence. The illiterate servant by pure chance asks Romeo to read him the invitation to the Capulet masque. Romeo and Juliet are joined in union just as Paris coincidentally begins to take an interest in Juliet. Mercutio dies for honor, forcing Romeo to avenge him. By chance Friar John is detained at Mantua, and equally by coincidence

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 1019
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Romeo's letter to his father - Romeo and Juliet.

Dear Father, As you read my last words to yourself I am lying dead not because of a sword wound but because of a broken heart. Confusion and puzzle must be swarming through your head like a beehive but as you come to the last word of this letter you should hopefully understand and forgive me. I received an invitation that invited me to my only foes mansion but I met my only true love there. Rosaline was the one that I thought had my heart but my thoughts were deceived and my eyes saw the truth. As I gazed through my mask I saw her. I asked myself 'Did my heart love till now?' only about a quarter of an hour later I knew the answer to this question. I asked for a kiss and was denied at first. When going to kiss I said thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged. Our lips touched and my heart throbbed I pleaded 'Give me my sin again.' As I requested she did. A women interrupted our moment and told Juliet that her 'mother craves a word' with her. 'What is her mother?' I asked with curiosity and the answer that I got was like a sharp pain through my heart. A Capulet I asked myself how can this be? 'my life is my foe's debt' A Capulet or not I had to go and see my lady again and see I did. She appeared at her balcony. She gazed into the star night as I looked into her eyes 'Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,' I fell more in love. She spoke 'Ay me!' I muttered to

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 1883
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay