In What way has Shakespeare in Act 1 Scene 1 introduced dramatic tension and some of the key themes in Romeo and Juliet Essay Example For Students

In What way has Shakespeare in Act 1 Scene 1 introduced dramatic tension and some of the key themes in Romeo and Juliet? Essay There are many themes in Romeo and Juliet, the main one is love. The play focuses on romantic love, especially on the concentrated passion that comes up at first sight between Romeo and Juliet. In Romeo and Juliet, love takes over everything for example families, friends and other loyalties. Deft thy father and refuse my name? this shows us that Juliet is contemplating her name as a Capulet. Love takes over Romeo as after the party Romeo abandons Mercutio and Benvolio to go to Juliet. Also Romeo risks his on life coming back to Verona when the Prince exiles him because he avenged Mercutios death. There is also a relationship in the themes of love and death, passion and violence. The connection between hate, violence and death is very obvious in the play. Even in the first scene, we can see the hatred between the Montagues and Capulets. The violence breaks out and one of the Montague servants is hurt. The relationship between love, hate and violence is easily seen in the play as later on in the play, Tybalt and Mercutio fight there is violence, Tybalt hates Romeo and Mercutio is sticking up for him so Tybalt takes it out on him. Mercutio says as he dies A plague on both your houses they have made worms meat of me Romeo then goes after Tybalt for he has slain one of Romeos dearest friends. One last plat is fate. We know that this comes in right from the start Star- Crosses this is to say that fate controls them. When Romeo believes that Juliet is dead he cries out then I defy you, stars completing the idea that the love between Romeo and Juliet is in opposition with the decrees of destiny. From Forth the fatal loins of these two foes a pair of star crossed lovers take their life, whose misadventure piteous overthrows. Doth with their death bury their parents strife. O, I am fortunes Fool! (ROMEO) Then I defy you stars. (ROMEO) These quotes show us that the theme of fate as it plays out through the story. The chorus quote informs the audience that the lovers are destined to die tragically which would build up tension in the audience, as they will contemplate how they will die. The second quote illustrates the fact that Romeo sees himself as subject to the whims of fate. The third quote is just after he hears of Juliets death he declares himself openly opposed to the destiny that so grieves him. Shakespeare chooses a sonnet for effect in the prologue; a sonnet is a poem of 14 lines with a fixed rhyme scheme. Shakespeare also used a sonnet because they were very popular in Elizabethan times. Shakespeares prologue carries a message and a sonnet would make it interesting and it was also appropriate for a serious love poem. Also the prologue tells us whats going to happen in the play. This is a very good idea as it builds up dramatic tension in the audience because the audience now begin to contemplate how the plot comes together. Shakespeare introduces your imagination into the prologue by saying, From ancient grudge break new mutiny this makes us ponder on what the grudge is and would also make the audience ponder what the grudge was. As I said earlier fate plays a big part in the play as when it says A pair of star crossed lovers this means it was predicted in the stars and there was nothing that could have been done to stop it. Elizabethan and modern audiences find this interesting, as they would question again how they would die. The language would build up tension in this fatal take their life this shows us that there will be death and destruction in the play. It is also emotional death Markd love for loving each other they die. It was important that Shakespeare raised tension at the beginning of the play so people wouldnt be bored and leave the theatre as Shakespeare wanted people to come back and tell their friends to go and see it just like directors now a days want people to go back and tell their friends it was fantastic for example the Lord of the Rings. Examine how Shakespeare uses key features of language to create tension, drama and atmosphere in Act 1 scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet EssayTis true and therefore women being the weaker vessels are ever thrust to the wall. This shows us that not only do they think of women as weaker but also sex toys that they can use whenever they want, basically just rape them. It is important to the rest of the play that the audience know that women have no respect as Lady Capulet and Lady Montague both break before their husbands. But Shakespeare put Juliet into the play, which contradicts this, as Juliet is a strong, dominant and stubborn character. When the officers, Lords and Ladies enter the atmosphere would be chaotic as you would have the Lords wanting to join in and the Ladies trying to stop this brawl before anyone gets hurt. Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe. Prince Escales then enters and immediately tries to stop the fight he is very angry that blood has been spilt again Throw your mistemperd weapons to the ground and hear the sentence of your Prince. He is upset and angry that this has caused old people who cannot fight to go out and try and stop it but will properly get hurt. He orders that the next time the streets are disturbed someone will die for it. If you ever disturb our quite streets again your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. The Montagues then speak with Benvolio as their concerns over Romeo come out as they never see him as he sleeps during the day and lives during the night. Romeo is a stereotypical Italian as he is a young spurned lover, he also acts before he thinks about his actions. Lord and Lady Montague send Benvolio to speak to him as in the whole of the play we never see a bond between the parents and the children. The parents can connect with other children but not their own, we can see this in a classical example with the Nurse and Lady Capulet. Nurse give leave a while, we must talk in secret. Nurse come back again. Lady Capulet cannot be in the same room with Juliet on her own and talk to her as we can see the Nurse has to be there. We can only presume that this was because the rich and powerful had servants to look after their children so there was no bond between them. Lady Montague is concerned with Romeos welfare, as it seems to be upset. She also wants Benvolio to convince him to come out of his depression. Black and portentous must this humour prove unless good council may the cause remove This shows us she cant do it herself she wants Benvolio to convince him to get out of the mood he is in. Benvolio is trying to get Romeo out of him depression Benvolio is trying to find out what is wrong with Romeo why is he in this depression. Romeo is feeling unrequited love for Rosaline. Out of her favour where I am in love. He is out of favour with Rosaline as she will be chaste and will have nothing to do with Romeo. Romeo is feeling in the depths of depression. Romeo is in a mixed up mood and doesnt know what he is talking about. This would prepare the audience for the rest of the play as we have already had builds up of tension in the play and the audience would know this and expect it more. I think the audience would find the ending of the play really emotional as the lovers die but many audience members would be left with many whys? For example Why didnt the letter get there in time I think the audience would find the ending horrible and would want a different ending.