Essay question: Be referring in detail to Act 3 Scene 5; describe Juliet’s changing emotions in this scene.
In Act 3, Scene 5, of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ William Shakespeare places emphasis on Juliet’s changing emotions. Juliet is passionate yet distressed with Romeo, equivocal and insolent with Lady Capulet, despondent and desperate with Capulet and disloyal to the Nurse. William Shakespeare utilizes diction, dramatic irony, rhetorical questions and connotations to portray Juliet’s emotions as well as creating tension. The theme of loyalty is emphasized heavily in Act 3 Scene 5, as Juliet’s emotions change, so do her loyalties.
Juliet feels passionate and distressed when she is with Romeo; this is presented by diction and dramatic irony. Her passionate feelings for Romeo cause her to convince him that “it was the nightingale and not the lark”. By trying to convince Romeo to stay, she is selfish in risking his life, depicting her passion for him. As she convinces him that it is the “nightingale and not the lark” she soon realizes that it is in fact – morning. Juliet returns to her sagacious self, understands that Romeo must ‘be gone and live’ or ‘stay and die’. The alternative is not an option for her, being a rational person. As he leaves, she becomes distressed because she sees Romeo “as one dead in the bottom of a tomb.” The dramatic irony and diction creates tension as the audience knows what is meant by this. The diction ‘one’ refers to Romeo, indicating that he will die before her and their relationship will not work as it takes two people to make it work. However, the word one refers to 2 people combining as “one”, hence foreshadowing both their deaths. This is also accentuated by the diction ‘bottom’ as the bottom also refers to something being a foundation or fundamental. Romeo is a fundamental part to their relationship, without it is it non-existent. Usually if things have a bottom, they have a top – Romeo is the “bottom” while Juliet is the ‘top’. The parallel of this is Juliet’s suicide and her body falling over his. The tension is increasing as death is foreshadowed by Juliet’s passion and distress.
Juliet’s passion and distress changes to equivocacy as she converses with Lady Capulet. Her loyalties lie with Romeo rather than her mother which is seen in the diction. Her wit and intelligence is revealed as she becomes ambiguous, insulting her mother without her mother realizing it. She ‘shall never be satisfied with Romeo until I behold him –dead- is my poor heart for a kinsman “. The word ‘satisfied’ depicts that she will only be satisfied until she is with Romeo, exemplifying her true loyalties. The hyphens on either side of “dead” imply that it can be perceived both ways; Juliet will never be satisfied with Romeo until he is dead, her heart is aggravated for Tybalt or Juliet will never be satisfied with Romeo until she is with him, dead is her heart for Tybalt. Lady Capulet believes the first interpretation while Juliet means the other. Juliet loses her ambiguity and becomes impertinent as she refuses “by Saint Peter’s church…he shall not make me there a joyful bride.” Saint Peter is the Saint that determines who goes to heaven or hell, Juliet will go to hell if she commits bigamy. By swearing on his name, it reinforces how she would like to stay loyal to Romeo and decline the marriage with Count Paris. Juliet acts insolent towards Lady Capulet which depicts her change in loyalties.
