In Act 3, scene 5, Juliet finds herself in a terrible predicament. Her father insists that she marry Paris but she is already secretly married to Romeo. Examine the methods that Shakespeare uses to create tension in this part of the play.

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In Act 3, scene 5, Juliet finds herself in a terrible predicament. Her father insists that she marry Paris but she is already secretly married to Romeo. Examine the methods that Shakespeare uses to create tension in this part of the play.

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is a tragic love story. The story concerns the love between two young people, Romeo and Juliet. This is set against a feud between their two families: the Montague’s and the Capulet’s. This feud develops the themes of conflict, deception and dignity in the play. The play includes a lot of themes, love, family, hate, deception and revenge.

Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare between 1594 and 1596.

This period was ‘The Elizabethan Era’ which was also known as ‘The Renaissance’. A time of significant change in the fields of religion, politics, science, language and the arts. Both the story of Romeo and Juliet and Shakespeare's life take place during the Renaissance, a period that begins in the fourteenth century and extends into the seventeenth century. Woman in that era were not allowed to make their own decisions, as is Juliet’s predicament with her love life, as her father wants to make the decisions for her.

Romeo and Juliet are waking up together after there first night of being man and wife. A loving interaction is shown between Romeo and Juliet at the beginning of the scene. Juliet is trying to persuade Romeo not to leave saying that it is still night by referring to the background scenery. "It was the nightingale and not the lark that pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear." Romeo contradicts Juliet saying that it is the ‘‘lark – he bird of morning: It was the lark, the herald of the morn." However Romeo introduces an element of tension, which alerts the audience to the precariousness of their situation, this builds up tension as the audience know that if the couple are caught together, ‘nightingale’ is a metaphor for night, Romeo will be killed, it shows Romeo’s urgency to leave but Juliet’s will for him to stay, because she know’s this may be the last time they will be with each other and the precious time they have left must be spent together. This is shown when Romeo says "I must be gone and live, or stay and die’’. The tone of their voices is slightly worried and they are a bit frightened of the consequences they will suffer if they are caught. All this dialogue is going on while they are aloft at the window. This shows that Romeo and Juliet are deep in thought, because they are both looking out of the window, wondering carefully about their plan. Romeo and Juliet’s positioning is Shakespeare’s use of dramatic devices, to create tension. ‘‘Let me be tane, let me be put to death’’, Romeo says this. Future disturbance is hinted, it tells us that all is not well despite their declaration of love for each other, and there is a tense atmosphere.

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Shakespeare increases the tension when the nurse comes in to the room ‘‘hastily’’, this may be because she supports Juliet’s love affair with Romeo and believes she is more of a mother to Juliet than Lady Capulet. At this point I think the nurse is using hand gestures to make Romeo leave, which is a use of dramatic devices, you can feel a sense of urgency ‘‘Your lady mother is coming to your chamber. The day is broke, be wary, look about.’’ This is a warning from the nurse that Lady Capulet is coming. Romeo is aware of the ...

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