The Significance of Act One Scene Five in 'Romeo and Juliet'.

Authors Avatar

Gurpal Singh Bhogal                12.3

The Significance of Act One Scene Five in ‘Romeo and Juliet’

Romeo and Juliet is a story about two star-crossed lovers that end up in tragedy. The tragedy begins when they meet in act one scene five at Capulet’s ball. The others are the balcony scene (2.2), the short wedding scene (2.6) and the opening of Act 3, Scene 5. The lovers are both in Act 5, Scene 3, but Romeo kills himself before Juliet wakes.

Shakespeare prepares for this scene by showing Romeo's infatuation with Rosaline, a very strong “crush” on her, with Romeo being miserable it has a big effect on the audience, he foresees his own death at the end of act one scene four. The audience feels sorry for Romeo, so they also feel upset and miserable. On the guest list for the party, Rosaline is described as Capulet's “fair niece”, but she never appears in the play. Benvolio in 1.2 has promised to show Romeo a more attractive woman, but doesn't really have anyone special in mind, as far as we know. Similarly, we know that Juliet is there because Capulet wants to give Paris a chance to meet her.

 

Capulet's speech to Paris in 1.2 suggests that Juliet has not been out of her house much. Only, perhaps, to go to worship and confession at Friar Lawrence's cell. Maybe this is why Paris has noticed her, but Romeo has no idea who she is. Immediately before this scene, Romeo has spoken of his fear that some terrible “consequence yet hanging in the stars” shall begin at “this night's revels”. Tybalt's behaviour has also been prepared for by the brawl in the play's first scene.

Join now!

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 ...

This is a preview of the whole essay