Act 1 scene 5 begins with the servants talking, this part of the scene starts with comedy to lift the moods of the audience up from the last scene, it is a sign of things to start looking up. The talking of the servants is written in prose possibly because the servants have a low status and they are not that important in the story. At Capulet’s ball, Capulet is greeting all his guests and is in a good mood. He is trying to keep his guest entertained and for them to enjoy themselves. This is where Romeo first sees his love Juliet. When Romeo sees Juliet he asks a serving man who she is. Romeo says that ‘she doth teach the torches to burn bright, like a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear’.
Tybalt hears Romeo talk about his cousin, and gets very angry. He asks for his rapier his sword. He goes to tell Capulet knowing that Capulet will back him up against Romeo. But to Tybalt’s surprise Capulet tells him to not to cause trouble because he doesn’t want to ruin his party. Tybalt gets even angrier when he hears this and calls Romeo a ‘scorn’, ‘sin’, ‘slave’ to show his anger. Capulet is shouting at Tybalt one minute and the next he turns around and is all happy with his guest. Tybalt doesn’t want to accept this. Capulet says you will respect my will. This shows that Capulet is able to change his moods very easily. Capulet knows that it’s not good to show his guest his bad mood. Tybalt, Romeo is “virtuous and well-governed” [well-behaved]. Tybalt is angry at losing the chance for a fight, and blames Romeo for this, especially when he is made to look silly by Capulet, who tells him off and calls him a “saucy boy”. Tybalt says that he will leave it now and get him later, he seeks his revenge.
Once Romeo and Juliet get together they kiss. Juliet says to Romeo that he kisses by the book. She is saying that he kisses not with his heart but as if he has read a book about how to kiss. Romeo compares Juliet is a holy shrine, he has compared her to religious things. Juliet compares Romeo to a pilgrim. This makes it look and sound more serious.
Nurse tells Juliet that her mother is calling her, this is the start to the nurses involvement into Romeo and Juliet’s affair. The nurse tells Romeo who Juliet is (Capulet’s daughter) and tells Juliet who Romeo (Montague’s son). At this point the audience start feeling worried even though they already knew this. The nurse says to Romeo he who ‘ lays hold of her will have the chinks’ which means who ever gets with Juliet will be very wealthy. But this doesn’t mean anything to Romeo because he likes Juliet for who she is not for what she has. Where they have just found out about each other’s identities is very important to this scene because they’re both from the families that are enemies.
Juliet says that if she cant marry Romeo then she will die. This is ironic because by marrying she dies rather than not marrying him and dying. This is similar to modern days because it is just like trying to marry some one that is a different religion.
Shakespeare used images in many of the lines in this scene. Romeo says, “She doth teach the torches to burn bright”. This tells us that Juliet's beauty is much brighter than that of the torches, so she is very beautiful. She is so much brighter that she teaches the torches how to shine, a poetic exaggeration, since torches can't really be taught. It is important for Romeo to say this, as the audience cannot see Juliet's beauty.
There are other interesting comparisons. In 1.2 Benvolio has said that he will show Romeo women who will make his “swan” (Rosaline) look like a “crow” (supposedly a common and ugly bird). Now Romeo, in a very similar comparison, says that Juliet is like a “snowy dove” among “crows” the other women. She stands out in a dark room as a bright ‘jewel’. The contrast of light and darkness in these comparisons suggests that Juliet is fair-skinned and perhaps fair-haired while most of the other women are dark.
When Romeo speaks to Juliet he compares her hand to a holy place “shrine” which he may defile “profane” with his hand. He compares his lips to pilgrims that can “smooth” away the “rough touch” of the hand with a kiss.
“Gentle sin” is what we call an oxymoron, a contradiction, because “gentle” means noble or virtuous in the 16th Century while a “sin” is usually the opposite of noble. Juliet explains that handholding is the right kind of kiss for pilgrims, while lips are for praying? Romeo's witty response is to ask for permission to let his lips do what his hands are allowed to, and Juliet agrees to “grant” this for the sake of his prayers. When Romeo kisses her, Juliet says she has received the sin he has “purged” from himself. Romeo insists at once that he must take it back and kisses her again!
There are many named characters in this scene, but you should concentrate on four of them mainly: Romeo, Juliet, Capulet and Tybalt. The Nurse gives bits of information, and Lady Capulet tells Tybalt off briefly. But the most important pair is Romeo and Juliet, look at their speech for evidence of their feelings. Romeo has told us he is attracted to Juliet. Her reaction shows that she is interested in him, she allows him to take her hand and to kiss her. Anything more in a public situation could make us think Juliet to be promiscuous.
The next most important pair is Tybalt and Capulet. Capulet may dislike the Montague’s, but he is trying to obey the Prince's command. But as a host, he cannot allow even an enemy to be attacked under his own roof.