Romeo and Juliet
Act 1, Scene 5
Act 1 scene 5 is one of the critical scenes in the play of Romeo and Juliet; it is when Romeo sees Juliet for the first time and the moment where Romeo falls in love with Juliet. This scene has many contrasts in moods, atmosphere, pitches and tones of characters voices.
Act 1 Scene 5 starts of with a very busy and rushed atmosphere as the serving men are preparing everything for Capulet’s party. This part of the scene sets a much tensed atmosphere because the serving men are keeping such a nerve wrecking and quick pace which is in a way like a climax. The reader draws in waiting to see what happens next.
The mood suddenly changes from a loud, busy rushed mood to a cheerful, happy, welcoming mood. This is when Capulet is making a speech to his guest, greeting them to his party. At this point the mood has changed from the rushed busy mood to a more joyful mood. Capulet goes off with cousin Capulet and starts reminiscing about the old days when they were young and people they know that have grown and got older. “'Tis since the nuptials of Lucentio, Come pentecost as quickly as it will, Some five and twenty years; and then we mask'd. Second Capulet 'Tis more, 'tis more, his son is elder, sir; His son is thirty. This is when Capulet’s tone is still cheerful but also becomes slightly more personal as it is a conversation between him and his cousin.
Romeo sees Juliet for the first time and truly expresses how he feels for her. “O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!” This shows that Romeo sees Juliet as something or someone who stands in a radiant way, which is kind of like saying she teaches the other woman to be beautiful and that she can brighten up a room with her beauty. When we hear this, we as the audience really understand how Romeo feels about Juliet, how he feels that Juliet is extremely beautiful. During this part of the scene Romeo has set a romantic mood which gives a sweet and calm atmosphere which in turn gives a little less tension to the scene. Romeo thinks that Juliet as mre precious than a jewel “ Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear; Beauty too rich for use, for earth to dear” in this quote Romeo is saying that Juliet is precious as an Ethiope’s which is normally beautiful and exquisite and very valuable. Romeo is also saying how he also believes that Juliet is too beautiful for this earth. From this we see that Romeo sees Juliet as a lot more than meets the eye. It‘s like he sees Juliet and no one else and as if Juliet is to precious to be among all the other women of the earth. “So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, As yonder lady o’er her fellows show” This quote adds on to Romeo original thought of how Juliet is much more beautiful and superior to any other women around her.