Some of the language used to create the busy atmosphere is the line from the first serviceman.
“FIRST SERVICEMAN You are looked for and called for
asked for and sought for, in the Great Chamber.”
This repetition of words to the same meaning create the sense of tension and excitement, and is one of the key ways that Shakespeare uses to create different moods within the scene.
The next part of the scenes consists of Capulet trying to get the party off to a good start by getting everyone to dance. This creates an exciting mood, as the scene would look very extravagant upon stage.
Capulet talks in interesting and demanding language, which also helps this section maintain an exciting and funny atmosphere.
“CAPULET
Welcome Gentlemen! Ladies that have their toes
Unplagued by corns will walk about with you.”
This language that Shakespeare chooses him to speak, shows the audience a different side of Capulet’s personality. Here we see he is relaxed and joyful whereas earlier in the play we see him to be violent and angry all the time.
The next key important part of the scene is where Romeo glimpses Juliet for the first time. This is the first time in the play where we see the two main characters together on stage.
When Romeo sees Juliet he asks a servingman as to who she is.
“ROMEO (to servingman)
What Lady’s that, which doth enrich the hand
Of yonder knight?”
The servingman replies that he does not know and then Romeo begins to talk to himself in exaggerated, romantic language that rhymes well and creates a very romantic mood.
”ROMEO
O she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night….”
This is another use of language that Shakespeare has used to create mood within the audience.
After Romeo has finished his Sonnet about Juliet, Tybalt hears his voice and realises that Romeo is a Montague at a Capulet party. This enrages him and he feels he must uphold his family honour by teaching Romeo a lesson and even possibly kill him.
“TYBALT
This, by his voice, should be a Montague.
Fetch me my Rapier, boy…..
…To strike him dead I hold it not a sin.”
This threatening language and body language changes the mood from a romantic one created by Romeo, to a tense and anxious mood made by Tybalt, all done through Shakespeare’s use of language.
This reveals to the audience that Tybalt is the kind of man who acts without thinking and resolves problems with violence.
This leaves the audience in suspense on whether there is to be a large fight between Romeo and Tybalt.
Capulet then asks Tybalt what the cause of his anger is, and when he replies that a Montague is disrespecting the Capulet family, Capulet tells Tybalt to think nothing of it and leave Romeo alone.
“TYBALT ‘Tis he, that villain Romeo.
CAPULET
Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone.
‘ Abears him like a portly gentleman.”
Capulet diffuses the situation and calms Tybalt down, this then lightens the mood and shows a much more considerate side of Capulet, compared to his attitude at the beginning of the play.
After this, Tybalt exits the scene and Romeo begins to talk to Juliet.
Then they begin to flirt with each other indirectly using romantic poetic dialogue.
“ROMEO
O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do!
They pray: grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.”
The language and body language used by both characters once again changes the mood to another romantic one. The audience also learn about the characters feelings for each other and that a strong love story will follow in the rest of the play.
Once Juliet is then called away from Romeo the mood changes once again to one of despair and frustration, as well as anticipation within the audience.
The reason for the mood change is that once the two characters depart from each other, they then find out who the other person is.
“ROMEO Is she a Capulet?
O dear account! My life is my foe’s debt.”
Within the audience, we know that the two families are great enemies and therefore any romance between the two characters would cause trouble and end in tragedy, so the mood at the end of the Act 1 scene 5 is one of suspense as we are left wondering what is going to happen between the two characters and families.
In general, this scene reveals key information about some of the main characters in the play by the way Shakespeare uses language and actions upon stage.
Shakespeare also uses these devices to create many different moods on stage and within the audience to make the scene an important and interesting one which plays a key part in the rest of the play.
