Explore the ways that Shakespeare makes Act 3 Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet dramatically effective

Authors Avatar

Laura Hood

Explore the ways that Shakespeare makes Act 3 Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet dramatically effective

Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare in the 16th century. It comes under the genre of romantic tragedy. Romeo and Juliet is derived from “The tragical history of Romeus and Juliet” by Arthur Brooke in 1562, written two years before Shakespeare was born.

“Love hath inflaméd twain by sudden sight,
     And both do grant the thing that both desire
     They wed in shrift by counsel of a friar.
     Young Romeus climbs fair Juliet's bower by night.
Three months he doth enjoy his chief delight.
     By Tybalt's rage provokéd unto ire,
     He payeth death to Tybalt for his hire.
     A banished man he 'scapes by secret flight.
New marriage is offered to his wife.
     She drinks a drink that seems to reave her breath:
     They bury her that sleeping yet hath life.
Her husband hears the tidings of her death.
     He drinks his bane. And she with Romeus' knife,
When she awakes, herself, alas! she slay'th.”

In an irregular sonnet from the poem named “the argument” Brooke sums up the entire story showing exactly how similar the plot of the poem and the play are.

In 1594 when the play was first performed, theatre was the only form of entertainment available to people of all classes. During this period of time people were in great fear of the bubonic plague, having episodes crop up in London and all around the country. The disease was a fast and painful killer and wiped out hundreds of people, for the Elizabethans who first witnessed the play’s plague references this would have brought huge paranoia and shock, “Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?”. Shakespeare also uses insults that nowadays would simply be looked over whereas at the time caused great offence, if someone were to be called  a “villain” they would not be overly fussed however to the Elizabethans that would be in the same category as particular modern cursing words that make our parents flinch every time they are uttered.

        

Romeo and Juliet opens with a civil brawl, after the infamous prologue, and instantly informs us of the tension linked between the two families and how far the “ancient grudge” is taken. At the beginning of the play we learn of Romeo’s love for Rosaline, a mystery girl whom we never encounter; this allows us an insight into the character of Romeo, showing us that he is a sensitive young man. Meanwhile Juliet is set to marry Parris, although she does not wish to “It is an honour I dream not of” however she later agrees to give Parris an opportunity to woo her at the Capulet party. Mercutio, Romeo’s friend, decides they should gatecrash the Capulet party in an attempt to cheer up Romeo. At the party Romeo crosses eyes with Juliet and they later start talking and fall in love. Tybalt, a Capulet, recognises Romeo and tells his uncle, Lord Capulet, that a Montague has intruded; Lord Capulet simply laughs this off and calls Tybalt a “saucy boy” mocking him in front of many people, this angers Tybalt and later is the reason for Tybalt going after Romeo. Romeo and Juliet secretly get married by Friar Lawrence who hopes this marriage between the two young lovers would end the ancient grudge and civil brawls. Act 3 Scene 1 is the defining moment of the play, where it reaches its climax and changes from romance to tragedy, Romeo comes straight from marrying Juliet where he finds Tybalt. Mercutio had already been arguing with Tybalt, who only came to kill Romeo, and Mercutio and Tybalt get into a fight where Tybalt kills Mercutio. Romeo feels his love for Juliet meant he had gone against his friend and chases Tybalt, Romeo then stabs Tybalt and realises the impact of what he had done. The Prince of Verona earlier threatened with the consequences of another civil brawl “If ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.” Romeo is then banished from Verona. Juliet meanwhile had been planning to fake her death with a potion to run away with Romeo however Romeo hears she has died and then gets a hold of some poison and drinks it over her grave, Juliet then awakens and see’s her dead husband lying next to her and stabs herself.

Join now!

Act 3 Scene 1 is a vast contrast to the previous scenes, being a lot more violent and a lot less sweet. At the start of the scene Benvolio has a premonition and contextualises what is going to happen. “The day is hot, the Capulets abroad, and, if we meet, we shall not scape a brawl; for now these hot days, is the mad blood stirring”, Shakespeare uses pathetic fallacy with the mention of the hot weather being an indication of the mood of the characters. The hot weather is a warning of a storm brewing; the audience would ...

This is a preview of the whole essay