William Shakespeare, the well-known play writer and poet, had a knack for knowing how to engage his Elizabethan audiences, and it still works today. Romeo and Juliet, a romantic tragedy, is one such play, and I will be exploring the ways that Shakespeare attracted audiences, and the skills and techniques he used in his writing. Act 3 Scene 1 is a very important part of Romeo and Juliet. There are various mixed emotions the audience will endure throughout the scene and I will mainly be using it to discuss how Shakespeare makes Romeo and Juliet dramatically effective. Firstly, I will look at pivotal points. Act 3 Scene 1 is full of pivotal points, the most important one being the alteration of the play from romance to tragedy. A clear …show more content…
Shakespeare DID make most of these character changes for the worse. For instance, Mercutio’s end of allegiance to the Montague house is very sudden, and would’ve shocked both the characters and audience. When he dies, he is blaming families for what has happened, when it was his fault for getting caught up in the feud. At death, Mercutio is shouting ‘a plague o’both your houses,’ which would’ve deeply disturbed and Elizabethan audience. ‘Plague’ can also mean ‘curse’, so it’s as if Mercutio is putting a curse on their houses, which can be associated with witchcraft. In Elizabethan times, witchcraft was punishable by death, so Elizabethans would be furious at Mercutio. Another interpretation of the word ‘plague’ is just that – the plague. Although big outbreaks happened in 1665 and 16766, it had still been occurring in islands and coast towns of England whilst Shakespeare was alive. The plague affected many people, so for Shakespeare to bring up in his play would be a disrespectful thing to do. Surprisingly, Shakespeare used the word ‘plague’ a lot in his plays, and other words like ‘wicked sin’ and ‘damnation’. Living in a contemporary society, we do not think much of these words, but for a widely Christian audience in Elizabethan times, it would be very
In this essay I will address how conflict is successfully used in Act 1 Scene 1 to prepare the audience for the rest of the play. It will firstly show how Shakespeare uses physical conflict between the two feuding families. Secondly I will demonstrate the idea that Shakespeare introduces emotional conflict through the character of Romeo, and his outpourings of love for Rosaline. Finally I will show that the character of Romeo demonstrates both physical or external conflict and emotional or internal conflict. The purpose of the prologue is to clearly outline the plot of the whole play in fourteen lines and it also allows the audience to be settled before the actual play
Explain the use of language and the way the actors convey suspense and excitement. Refer specifically to Act 3 Scenes 4 and 5, to illustrate your views. The story of "Romeo and Juliet" appeals to people because it contains so many things, which they can relate to. The story contains emotions such as love (between Romeo and
In Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare portrays the inevitability of fate and futility of resisting one's identity. This is evident, first of all, when Romeo, after slaying Tybalt, says "O, I am fortune's fool." This is an example of alliteration, which is a sound technique that relies not on repeated letters, but repeated sounds and is produced when a number of words with the same first consonant sound occur close together. Shakespeare uses this technique of alliteration to create rhythm and mood to the dialogue, as well as trying to engage the audience. Shakespeare also portrays this theme, when Romeo says "Some consequence yet hanging in the stars/ shall bitterly begin his fearful fate/ with his nights revels."
‘Clink’,’Clink’ It sounds like swords,It’s a duel let’s go and check it out.Oh no! It is the Capulets and Montagues again.We must get Prince Escalus.This is a play and movie about two lovers.The male is Romeo he is 16 years old.The female is Juliet she is only 13 but she turned 14.Their feud between their families ended their lives so Romeo and Juliet cannot be together.I’m comparing and contrasting the movie and play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.The topics that I chose to compare and contrast was the setting,character,and the plot.
William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is undeniably one of the most eminent tales of tragedy ever written. Act 4, Scene 3 has ingeniously demonstrated how the plot and themes, and characterization
meant to be. The first in scene two on page sixty five, and the second
In this essay I will be looking at how Shakespeare presents love in Act 2 Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet from lines 18 through to 127. After reading the majority of act 2 scene 2 we are now able to understand and interpret Shakespeare’s language and language devices further. Act 2 Scene two is set in the shadow beneath Juliet’s bedroom window, with Romeo hiding in the darkness. Romeo listens on as Juliet speaks of her love for Romeo to what she thought was the darkness however as we as the audience know Romeo is able to hear everything she is saying. Once Romeo has revealed he is below Juliet in the garden the two begin to exchange expressions of devotion for one another, this is what we will be unravelling in this essay to understand and
In the 1300’s, the plague first started in Europe. After the plague killed many people, they changed their culture and the way they lived to stop it from spreading. Everyone had many ideas on what causes it but it was mainly from rats and pollution. There was waste in the streets and the water was polluted.Also the houses were so crowded together that if one person got the disease it would spread fast. They also thought it was a punishment from God. So they tried magic spells,charms and talismans to try to remove their sins. People also burnt herbs because they thought the smell of the dead bodies caused the disease. Everyone had different opinions on what caused it and there are many ways it could have happened (The Black Death).
In 'Romeo and Juliet', Shakespeare portrays different aspects and types of love in many ways. The obvious love is the fateful love between Romeo and Juliet although the play also displays platonic love, maternal love and aspects of adolescent love.
Act III, Scene I is seen to be the ‘turning point’ from comedy to tragedy in the play. Tragedy is used furthermore to expand on true human experience as Shakespeare uses family rivalry and warfare as well as fate and fortune to contribute to the effect.
The fear of disease caused the people to have erratic and emotional feelings. They blamed people and things that had no piece in the cause of the plague. People who were blamed for the plague would publicly kill or beat themselves because they believed what people would say.(Historic World Events) Knowing what we do now we know, in reality, people brought the spread upon themselves. The disease itself would infect airborne objects like fleas. The fleas would bite people and other animals continuing the spread of the disease. Rats were another big issue for people. The rats would get bitten by the fleas and then move to the farms and boat areas and bite people. The rats would also be in the markets and then the food the people would eat would have the disease in the area where it originated (Hoyle). Ships crews would all die out at sea, then float to shore. According to Jacob von Königshofen, that’s the way it would get across the seas and oceans to certain islands and port cities. Lastly, and the most disgusting thing that caused the spread of the plague, was the unhealthiness of the people. They would dump their bodily fluids in the streets causing an unhealthy environment. Also, there were so many deaths that they would just leave the dead bodies lying around until they could get a proper burial day. These practices accelerated the exposure of millions. (Historic world
Throughout the play, Shakespeare uses many different methods to enable the reader to feel sympathetic towards Romeo and Juliet. The various plot twists provide a dramatic
Act One immediately engages the audience. Do you agree with this statement? How does Shakespeare achieve this? Act One of 'Romeo and Juliet' by William Shakespeare does indeed immediately engage the audience. Shakespeare does this by using several language techniques to create an interesting opening scene.
William Shakespeare lived and wrote over 400 years ago, but his wonderful plays continue to entertain and influence the audiences of the Twenty-First Century. Despite the outdated content and language of his works, Shakespeare’s plays remain popular with modern readers and play watchers for another reason. In all of his works, including William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, he uses countless literary devices and techniques to affect the mood of the audience and enhance their enjoyment. He utilizes puns and juxtaposition to create a comical or light hearted mood. He also uses dramatic irony and oxymorons for a dramatic or serious mood. Although Shakespeare’s work does not include modern language or modern situations, the literary devices that he uses work to keep an audience of any time feeling involved
The Dramatic Effectiveness of Act 1 Scene 5 of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet In this essay, I am going to analyse the dramatic effectiveness of Act one Scene five of ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ This is one of the most important scenes of the play as Shakespeare has instantly created an atmosphere of romance and danger, through Lord Capulets banquet, which then sets up a chain of reactions. Romeo and Juliet first meet here, and immediately fall in love from first sight. Their conversation provides a glimpse for the audience of the roles each of them are going