Romeo and juliet.Act III scene V is a key part of the play for many reasons

Romeo and Juliet course-work piece Page 09/05/2007

‘How do people of different generations behave or react to circumstances’ Act III Scene V

Act III scene V is a key part of the play for many reasons. It explores facets of the relationships between Romeo, Juliet, Lady Capulet and Capulet, as well as the Nurse. It encompasses various societal and moral issues that were evident at the time. It shows the ways in how the different generations react to the situations present in the scene and subtly hints at forth-coming events.

As the scene opens Juliet and Romeo have consummated their marriage and they are just waking. Romeo says in reply to Juliet ‘ let me be tae’n let me be put to death’ This statement shows a new side of Romeo to the audience. It shows commitment that he has not shown heretofore, as he has been earlier in the play by swearing upon the moon, which Juliet frowned upon, as it is inconstant, and by switching without thought from Rosaline to Juliet. He now shows that he is truly in love with Juliet and it is not just a simple infatuation as it was with Rosaline. Romeo kept to his vow to Juliet as later in the play he kills himself when he believes that Juliet is dead he says ‘ here, here I will remain’ this shows us that Romeo, again truly did love Juliet. The time from when the couple first met was spans only four days yet Romeo already proclaims his undying love for Juliet. In the Elizabethan epoch the haste of the marriage of Romeo and Juliet would have perhaps been uncommon, however would the age of the two when they marry and consummate their marriage would not. Whereas in the 21st century this would be almost unheard of in most parts of the world, apart from some Asian communities which still encourage arranged and young marriages.

I believe that the language in the opening part of the scene shows, in a way, the maturing of Romeo and Juliet’s relationship. The first time the couple met they exchanged sonnets, which I believe Shakespeare has chosen to represent the purity of their love. I believe that these lines from sonnet XCVI reflect Shakespeare’s thoughts on the purity and in the end faults of Romeo and Juliet’s love: some say, thy fault is youth, some wantonness;

Some say, thy grace is youth, and gentle sport;

Both grace and faults are lov’d more and less:

Thou mak’st faults graces that to thee resort.

This sonnet exemplies for me the essence of Romeo and Juliet’s purity, as Montague says in Act V scene III ‘ I will raise a statue of her in pure gold’ the emphasis being on the pure gold.

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Some say, thy grace is youth, and gentle sport;

Both grace and faults are lov’d more and less:

Thou mak’st faults graces that to thee resort.

This sonnet exemplies for me the essence of Romeo and Juliet’s purity, as Montague says in Act V scene III ‘ I will raise a statue of her in pure gold’ the emphasis being on the pure gold.

Yet in this scene, the final scene that the lovers will be together, he has chosen long immaculately formed sentences which seem to flow effortlessly into each-other as if they are complete, showing that Romeo and Juliet are one, they are truly in love. In the latter parts of the scene when Juliet is talking to the Nurse she says ‘unless that husband send it me from heaven?’ Juliet is talking about how obtain get Romeo’s love this another instance of foreshadowing, as they both die in the end. My final point on Juliet is that of a slight ironic instance; ‘ indeed, I shall never be satisfied with Romeo until I behold him dead’ This is dramatic irony as the next time she sees Romeo he actually is dead.

Juliet in this scene seem never to want the night to end as she says ‘ yon light is not daylight, it is some meteor the sun exhales’ I believe this highlights Juliet’s love for Romeo, but Juliet has always appeared to stay constant and true to Romeo throughout the play so this piece simply emphasises this. In the Baz Lurhman version of the play, Juliet’s room is littered with religious idols and statues, this reminds us of her religiousness and links in with the purity and innocent nature of Juliet.

Juliet and Romeo seem to be a lot more mature than when we first met them, yet in the zeferrelli production of the film he chooses to use white bed sheets and play serene music to outline their youthfulness still evident. Lurhrman also portrays their immaturity and youthful tendencies as they play under the covers, which I perceived, as quite a childish game. I believe that Lurhman have recognised the immaturity still present from later in the scene when Juliet is talking to her mother and throws quite I childish strop in which she says ‘ Now, by Saint Peter’s church and St. Peter too, He shall not make me a joyful bride’.

Lady Capulet tries to give solace to her daughter, misunderstanding where her grief stems from; she attempts to comfort Juliet but clearly shows little regard for her daughter’s feelings. For example Lady Capulet says ‘ some grief shows much love: but much grief shows still some want of wit’, this shows the distance from Juliet, as she has not cared for her herself and she has not dealt with her daughter’s feelings like this before. Zefferrelli chooses to show this distance as a netting between the bed where Juliet is and her mother as they speak. Whereas Lurhman chooses to have lady Capulet sitting quite closely and tenderly with Juliet as they speak. Luhrman may have done this to connote that lady Capulet did make some attempt to console Juliet, or he may have wanted the audience to focus more on the dialogue.

In the 15th century this removed feeling between mother and daughter would have been the norm for upper class wealthy families, as they would have employed somebody to look after the child from birth. To relate this to the 21st century would be to relate it to businesswomen or women with an other auspicious career that allows little time to converse with their children.

Lady Capulet is very anxious to marry off Juliet, this may have something to do with her situation at Juliet’s age, and she was married off at a very young age and was pregnant by 13.

A more sinister side of Lady Capulet is portrayed in this scene as she says ‘ I will send such an unaccustomed dram that he will soon keep Tybalt Company'. She changes her attitude from attempting to comfort Juliet to commanding and threatening, yet when she is in the presence of her husband she becomes timid and almost scared of the consequences of speaking out of turn with Capulet. Yet during the feud between Capulet and Juliet, she speaks out against him ‘ you are too hot’ .I don’t believe this is because of her love for Juliet. I believe it is simply what’s left of her maternal instinct kicking in for a split second, but by the end of the scene it is gone and she returns to her distant cold self as she says to Juliet ‘talk not to me, for I have done with thee’

Capulet is shown as somebody who cares for his daughter earlier in the play, when he is speaking with Paris he says ‘ Pray, let two more summers wither in their pride, ere we may think her ripe to be a bride’. This may be due to his view on his own marriage, which happened very early in both lady Capulet's and Capulet's lives. Yet after he has befriended Paris and the suggestion that has been drinking with him he has changed his mind, this illustrates the almost ‘manly code of honour’ which still exists to the present day.

But as we see in the chosen scene, he has a very belligerent and abusive side to his character, he hurls abuse and insults at Juliet ‘ young baggage, disobedient wretch’ and the Nurse ‘ peace you mumbling fool’. Furthermore, in the Baz luhrman film version he actually strikes his wife which I think adds an extra edge to the scene that would appeal to the 21st century audience more than any previous, he may have added this seeing the intensity of the language being used and felt that a strike would add to the scene. I believe Capulet is afraid of the social implications of Juliet refusing to marry a man she was promised to, especially as he is the head of the Capulet household. As far as he is concerned, he is the man; he has the final say on any matter. Shakespeare obviously wished to highlight the hierarchy in most families at the time, the man was the leader and had complete control, By emphasising this he gives us an insight to his belief and stance on the matter which in turn helps us to realise why it was put in the play.

The final character I am going to analyse is the Nurse, she is one who has brought up and nurtured Juliet from birth, she knows all the important dated of Juliet’s life. When she began to eat solid food, when she took her first steps and her birthday among others. She is the one that usually gives comfort and advice to Juliet and is known as a funny character that in the past has made some quite crude and inappropriate comments ‘ thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit, wilt thou not, Jule?’ Baz Luhrman chooses to play on this crude side by showing her ‘eyeing up’ Romeo when he falls out of bed. Even though the Nurse usually gives a ‘words of joy’ to Juliet, she holds herself back in this scene and goes along with what Capulet and Lady Capulet are suggesting as in the end the Capulets are the people who are actually paying her wage and keeping her alive, in the Baz Luhrman production, he shows the nurse to have an eastern European accent, as this is the norm for nanny’s in the 21st century. She seems to go along with the Capulets with some reluctance as shown in the Zefferrelli production by her making the sign of the cross before speaking to Juliet.

In conclusion, I believe Shakespeare had very modern views on women, class and arranged marriages. He shows throughout the way different generations react to different situations. I believe he was trying to put across these views through ‘ Romeo and Juliet’, but without being bias or too trenchant of the views of the time. Many of the messages that he portrayed can be carried through to today’s society, for they are not confined to one era of mankind but show us the common traits of humanity itself. This is the reason we can relate to the play on so many levels and with such ease.