The language of conflict used in the prologue are words like ‘Mutiny’ and ‘Ancient Grudge’ These words and many others are all words which are involved with conflict. These words are used to tell the audience how much conflict there is in the play.
The sonnet is important because a sonnet always involves love, and love is another main art of the play. The sonnet, like all other sonnets, always has a quatrain, this is a group of four lines which are placed together and rhyme with each other, there is then another quatrain. After three quatrains, there is then a rhyming couplet, which is similar to a quatrain but only has two lines which rhyme. There is always a rhyming couplet at the end of a sonnet. This sonnet however is unusual as all sonnets are all about love but this sonnet is more about hate than love.
The prologue tells us we are supposed to learn from the play; I believe that what we are supposed to learn is that the play Romeo and Juliet is going to end in tragedy, as the prologue says, ‘Which, but their childrens end, nought could remove’. This tells you that the children of the Montague and Capulet families are going to die. Also that nothing will be able to change it.
The effect that the prologue has on the audience is quite dramatic, the mood that is felt whilst reading the prologue is tense and this makes you more aware of the conflict between the Montagues and the Capulets. The tone and the prologue is aggressive, and this makes you more aware of the conflict between the Montagues and the Capulets. The tone used in the prologue is aggressive, and so also makes the audience more aware of conflict between the Montagues and the Capulets.
The effect this has on the audience is that it suggests that conflict is, and will be important in the play.
Act one, Scene one is straight after the prologue the plays structure is important, this is because all plays start with an introduction to the characters, this is important because not only does this give you a brief idea of what is going on but it also informs the audience of who is who in the play. The structure of the main part of the play in which a lot of things happen and change the outcome of the end of the play. The end of the play is an important part of the play too, as this is where the play is summed up and is an end to all problems in the middle part of the play.
By the end of Act one scene one; the audience are expecting Romeo to be more interested in other girls, and to stop thinking of the woman he loves, as she does not love him. This is what Benvolio asks Romeo to do and so the audience cannot be sure that this is going to happen. This play has the a theme of oxymoron as an oxymoron is like two different things put together which may mean two completely different things like ‘an easy problem’. In this case Romeo and Juliet are the oxymoron as they are both from two completely different families.
The audience is interested in conflict; this is because conflict in a play makes the story tense, it involves the audience as they know what is going on in both sides of the arguments, and so this interests them more. Conflict also makes the audience want to find out how the fighting will be resolved.
Sampson and Gregory are both carrying swords in this scene. The conversation they are having is about violence; Sampson says ‘A dog of that house shall move me to stand. I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague’s’. This shows obvious conflict between the Montagues and the Capulets.
The action Sampson and Gregory take towards Abraham is biting their thumb. This is disrespectful to Abraham, as in Shakespearean times this was a sign of disrespect.
Sampson deliberately provokes Abraham by biting his thumb. This starts a big fight.
The type of physical conflict used in this scene is of Sampson, Gregory and Abraham drawing their swords and fighting. Benvolio then enters and tries to stop the fight; ‘part fools, put up your swords, you know not what you do.’ After Benvolio says this Tybalt enters the scene.
Tybalt speaks to Benvolio and threatens him by saying; ‘Turn thee Benvolio, look upon thy death.’ Benvolio then says to Tybalt; ‘I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword or manage it to part these men with me.’ This means that Benvolio is asking Tybalt to keep the peace and help him to separate the fight. It also shows the audience that Benvolio is a mere peaceful character.
Tybalt replies by saying; ‘What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. Have at thee coward!’ This shows that Tybalt does not understand why Benvolio has his sword out but is asking for peace. Also this shows Tybalt is telling Benvolio that he will not keep the peace as he hates the Montagues, it also shows that Tybalt is a violent and aggressive character.
Lord Capulet has a desire to get involved with the conflict, he asks for his sword and tries to get involved and says; ‘What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho!’
Lord Montague also has a desire to get involved with the conflict he exclaims; ‘Thou villain Capulet! Hold me not, let me go.’ Lord Montague is calling Lord Capulet a villain and tells Lady Montague not to stop him from getting involved.
This tells us that the two characters could be where all the conflict begins between the Montagues and the Capulets. This also tells us that these two characters are aggressive.
The conflict in act three, scene five is very different from that in act one, scene one. This is shown as is starts with the two lovers, as they try to tear themselves away from each other before Romeo is discovered and put to death. Romeo and Juliet in turn try to persuade each other that it is not time for them to part. Examples of this is; ‘It was the nightingale, and not the lark, that pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear.’
Juliet has a premonition that she sees Romeo lying dead; ‘Methinks I see thee now thou art so low, as one dead in the bottom of a tomb.’
The effect this has on the audience is that it lets them know Romeo may die soon.
