Romeo and Benvolio arrive with their close friend Mercutio, and are standing in the background concealed amidst the masquer’s, watching the dancers, the climate here is one of suspense and tension, as Romeo and Benvolio have not been invited to Lord Capulet’s ball, as they are both Montague’s and bitter enemies. Romeo notices Juliet dancing and asks a servant, “What lady’s that doth enrich the hand of yonder knight?” the servant replied “I know not, sir”, Romeo at this point does not realise that Juliet is a Capulet. The tension of Romeo’s arrival now changes to a light-hearted and romantic mood, as he speaks of Juliet in a series of new and vital images in rhyming couplets, with a theme of light and darkness that later lead into the characteristic features of the play; which derive from the light issuing from the sun. Romeo’s heart is racing as he exclaims a soliloquy, in a blithesome and romantic tone, “O doth teach the torches to burn bright. It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night (metaphor), as a rich jewel in a Ethiop’s ear” (simile). Rosaline is now forgotten and Romeo realises his love was not true, “Did my heart love till now”, Romeo’s words when he first sees Juliet, are a complete contrast to the chatter and noise of the party.
Tybalt, Lord Capulet’s nephew, recognises Romeo’s voice and threatens violence, which creates an air of tension and suspense. Lord Capulet, not wishing to ruin the party steps in to keep the peace. Capulet evoking the rapidity of the tragedy quells Tybalt’s rage against Romeo’s intrusion. Lord Capulet is not as hostile towards his perceived enemy as his violent and headstrong kinsman, and quickly defuses Tybalt’s aggressive mood. Tybalt is disgusted by Capulet’s weakness and leaves the party in a rage. His language is chipped and harsh compared to the soft poetry in Romeo’s speech. Tybalt reflects the aggression and rancorous state of affairs between the two families, in his aggressive attitude towards Romeo; this also sums up his character as when he stated in Act one scene one, “Peace? I hate the word. As I hate hell, all Montague’s, and thee”.
Juliet, meanwhile, has noticed Romeo and fallen deeply in love. She and Romeo exchange words that seal their love, and the tone of the play calms, as there is a shift in the language to one of love, and the theme of light, and darkness. The lovers speak in a form of a conventional sonnet, which has previously been seen in the prologue to Act one. The imagery of the sonnet turns from light to that of religion. Romeo and Juliet’s words to one another are tender and intimate and create a mood of love. Romeo dressed as a pilgrim to the holy land addresses Juliet in character, pretending that he has just come from a holy shrine, “If I profane with my unworthiest hand, this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: my lips two blushing pilgrims, ready stand, to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss”. Juliet replies, “Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss”.
Romeo and Juliet take it in turns to speak the lines of the sonnet, this shows how pleasantly in tune they are with each other; the sonnet ends with a rhyming couplet, and is accompanied by a kiss; which creates a romantic and light-hearted atmosphere within the scene. Juliet is promptly called away by her mother; and Romeo learns from the Nurse that she is the daughter of his father’s enemy; Capulet. Deeply troubled by this knowledge he exclaims, “Now I’m pledged to my enemy”, Romeo then leaves the ball with Benvolio and Capulet’s guests. When everyone has left, Juliet anxiously probes the nurse for information about the stranger with whom she has fallen madly in love. As Romeo is leaving, Juliet follows the theme of haste and sends her nurse to discover his identity. Like Romeo, Juliet is grieved to hear such news; and she cries, “My only love sprung from my only hate, to early seen unknown and known too late.” and the first act draws to a close. Here there is a theme of love and hate; love of Romeo, hate of the feuding families.
This act is followed where Juliet unburdens the weight of her thoughts with the most famous line of the play “Oh Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?” This scene is set in the dark at Juliet’s balcony, where Romeo is hidden amongst the shadows outside Capulet’s house. The lovers speak to each other, exchanging their vows of absolute and undying devotion, and they plan to marry in secret, clearly indicating their feeling are of true love, unlike Romeo’s love for Rosaline.
The atmosphere of the setting in Act five scene three is a complete contrast to what has been seen, in Act one scene five, which begins in a extravagant ball where the room is occupied with many people laughing, talking, and dancing with cheery music playing; the room is full of light. Contrasting this, in Act five scene three the play is set in darkness, at early morning before dawn; when Verona is peaceful and still. The scene begins in the churchyard where Juliet is laid to rest in the Capulet family tomb along side her ancestors; and there is an eerie, morbid feeling in the air.
Juliet foreshadowed these gothic horrors in her speech before she drank the potion, which would temporarily allow her to appear dead, “The horrible conceit of death and night, together with the terror of the place – as in a vault, and ancient receptacle, where, for this many hundred years, the bones of my buried ancestors are packed.”
Paris arrives in the churchyard at the Capulet’s tomb, accompanied by his page he is holding a torch as the macabre setting is in complete darkness, he stands alone and strews the vault with flowers then speaks to Juliet. “Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew”, the atmosphere of emotion is high as Paris grieves for his dead bride; “Nightly shall be to strew thy grave and weep”. He is interrupted as he hears someone coming in the darkness, and hides, as he does not wish to be seen. Romeo and Balthazar approach the tomb, with a torch, a mattock, and a wrenching iron. Romeo is grief stricken and threatens Balthazar to leave him and not to return. Romeo then leaves Balthazar with a letter to deliver to his father, and money to “Live and be prosperous”. Romeo informed Balthazar he only wishes to see Juliet and retrieve a ring from her finger. Balthazar then leaves, but hides in the shadows of the churchyard; he is concerned for Romeo's welfare. The atmosphere created here is tense as Paris is hiding in the shadows; there is also a feeling of suspense as this is the last scene of the play, and as suggested by the prologue, the lovers will soon reach their fateful deaths.
Romeo then turns to the vault where Juliet lies inside, and curses the tomb as if it was a human that has eaten Juliet, and holding her in it’s belly of death, Romeo then offers himself as more food and opens the tomb. This is probably the most atmospheric and powerful episode in the play; it is full of suspense and tension as Romeo enters the tomb. Will he find Juliet alive or has the potion killed her; as her fears suggested it would? What will Paris or Balthazar do now? How will they both reach their fateful deaths, as star-crossed lovers?
Paris, who still believes Romeo to be the murderous villain, who has slain Tybalt and indirectly Juliet, steps out of the darkness to challenge Romeo to a dual. Romeo talks of peace which is misunderstood by Paris, “Good gentle youth, tempt not a desperate man”, but Paris attacks, and proceeding this another young life is taken as Paris falls to the ground, he requests a dying wish to be laid by Juliet. Only then Romeo realises from the torchlight, the dead man lying before him is Paris, Mercutio’s kinsman, who was to have married Juliet. Romeo then speaks to him as a friend, “O, give me thy hand, one writ with me in sour misfortunes book”, this indicates fate allowed Paris to die, and as it will Romeo. Romeo then takes Paris into the Capulet family tomb; the room is in complete darkness and all around lay rotting corpses in an eerie and morbid setting. This powerful scene is full with emotion, as the lovers will now take their lives, which was made clear in the chorus, and adds to the suspense. Romeo then sees his beloved Juliet in the dark and depressing vault; and talks to her, describing her beauty as transforming the tomb into a feasting presence full of light; which is a complete contrast to the ball in Act one scene five, and again referring to the imagery of light and darkness, that have been notable in other parts of the play.
Romeo then takes one last look at Juliet saying, “O my love! My wife! Death, that hath suck’d the honey of thy breath, hath no power yet upon thy beauty: Thou art not conquer’d. Beauty’s ensign, yet is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks, and deaths pale flag is not advanced there”. The feeling here is very sad and melancholic as Romeo has lost the love of his life so quickly. Yet again the theme of haste comes into play, as Romeo’s timing is tragic. Juliet’s is beginning to wake as the colour returns to her lips and cheeks; Romeo gives her one last kiss and drinks the poison then falls dead to the earthened floor of the tomb. The atmosphere is now emotionally at it’s highest and most tragic, as it is believed both Romeo and Juliet are dead; but then remarkably Juliet awakes; in the tomb she had previously foreshadowed in her soliloquy speech, she is surrounded by the dead ancestors in a gloomy, morbid and frightening crypt.
Juliet then sees’s Frair Laurence arriving for her and she is eager to see Romeo. The Friar encourages Juliet to leave the crypt of death and disease, and informs her of Romeo death; his untimely hasty death, as Romeo did not receive the Friar’s letter of Juliet’s plan. Friar Laurence foreshadowed a fateful end in his speech in Act two scene six, “These violent delights have violent ends”. The Friar then hastily leave’s Juliet as he hears the watch approaching the tomb; this adds to the suspense of the moment as the tension mounts, as the Friar’s words of haste are a complete contrast to his usual slowness and caution. Juliet is now left alone in the tomb, she looks at her love and kisses him, hoping for enough poison on his lips to end her life, but there is no poison left. Juliet then reaches for Romeo’s dagger as the watchmen come closer; the powerful mood of the scene emphasises her desperation, therefore esenuating the hasty tragedy as it unfolds. Juliet then monumentally states, “O, happy dagger, this is thy sheath. There rust, and let me die”, She then stabs herself and falls.
The night watchmen arrive too late to save Juliet, and so discover the bloody scene with Juliet’s body “newly dead”. The powerful setting is sad and mournful for the tragic events that have taken place. The watchmen then send for the Montague’s, Capulet’s and the Prince of Verona. The whole company then view the terrible brisance of their hatred; as the Friar blames the feuding families for the deaths that have taken place, and have brought it’s own punishment in the deaths of it’s own children. Both families then agree to reconcile their differences, and decide to erect gold statues of the star-crossed lovers, as a beautiful yet painful reminder of their lives and extradinary love. The play then draws to a close, with the mournful words of Prince Escalus of Verona; “For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo”.
When both scenes are contrasted against one another, it can be seen that they have many similarities and many differences; as they both have feelings of tension, violence, love and romantic episodes within them. The intensity of emotion increases in the ball scene in Act one scene five, as Romeo and Juliet see each other for the first time, against the backdrop of malignity Romeo and Juliet declare their love for one another, this scene is similar to Act five scene three when they separately see each other, during their untimely tragedy in the tomb. Both of these scenes are powerful as they compel the theme of love and hate, as the fate of their love cannot be; due to the hatred of their two families.
There is an element of tension as Tybalt recognises Romeo in the ball, and wants to confront him, similar tensions are also seen in the tomb setting as Paris confronts Romeo, and also when Juliet begins to wake; but Romeo takes his life too soon as untimely fate has chose. Friar Laurence foreshadowed these events as he condemned the hatred between the two families and foresaw the death of Romeo and Juliet. Love, conflict, fate, time and death, all add to the tension and the power of the atmosphere in both of the scenes. In tragedies thoughts come true, as actions follow feelings, as the fatal stars foreshadowed.