Romeo And Juliet Act 1 Scene 1 Essay

In Act III, scene 3 of Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence informs Romeo that the Prince has decided to punish him with banishment from Verona. Instead of feeling joyful of escaping capital punishment, Romeo mourns over the fact that he could never see Juliet again. While the two discuss the Prince's decision, the Nurse arrives and tells Romeo that Juliet is also heartbroken over Tybalt's death. Guilty of hurting Juliet, Romeo threatens to commit suicide. To stop Romeo, the Friar suggests that he and Juliet should consummate their marriage, and afterwards, they can try to get the Prince's pardon. Comforted, Romeo agrees and prepares to see Juliet. As the director, I will ask the three characters to showcase the difference between the youth and

He says that force is necessary when the law fails. A prince can use these interchangeable traits to deceive people and break promises.

Shakespeare uses humour, action and romance all in Act One and it is this variation that keeps the audience's attention. The play begins with a prologue that is written in the form of a sonnet. The Prologue gives a summary of the play but does not give away too much of the plot, in order to keep the suspense. Shakespeare tells of the great tragedy that will follow.

However, Tybalt (Capulet) comes along and will not “talk of peace! I hate the word,” leaving Benvolio with no choice but to continue the conflict. The citizens of Verona are obviously sick of the conflict that exists between the Capulets and Montague, as they shout “Down with the Capulets! Down with the Montague!” So it is clear that the people of Verona do not like the frequent civil wars. This negativity towards conflict could also be seen as a metaphor for maintaining the peace in Shakespearean society.

'I do but keep the peace put up thy sword, or manage it to part these

something make it a word and a blow’. Here we can see that he is

The prince expresses displacement with the people as they refuse to listen to him. Therefore, he announces that unless the people listen to him and do as he says that he will have them executed.

The scene opens with a brawl between the servants from the Montague and Capulet households. Benvolio, Romeo’s cousin, attempts to stop the fight but is drawn into the fray by Tybalt, kinsman of the Capulets. More citizens become involved and the fight escalates rapidly and soon the heads of both household appear on the scene. The riot is stopped when Prince Escalus arrives and forbids anymore outbreaks of violence on pain of death.

wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I’ll no longer be a Capulet’. The

The play starts with Sampson and Gregory, two of Capulet’s servants, beginning a quarrel with two servants of Montague. This shows that from the working-class to the upper-class in the two families, they still hold a grudge against the opposite family. Tybalt arrives at the scene, speaking of his loathing of the Montagues, “I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee”. A furious riot develops with Lords Capulet and Montague joining in and officers clubbing both sides of the fight, only for it to be stopped by the neutral Prince Escales. The riot further emphasises the vast level of hate between the two families.

“It is very true that, after acquiring rebellious provinces a second time, they are not so lightly lost afterwards, because the prince, with little reluctance, takes the opportunity of the rebellion to punish the delinquents, to clear out the suspects, and to strengthen himself in the weakest places.”

Shakespeare creates effective drama by introducing the speech of Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt. Tybalts speech is strong and hateful towards Romeo, as he is now aware that there is one, if not more Montague’s present. By using dialogue such as ‘ what dare that slave come hither’ and ‘uncle, this is a Montague, our foe’ Shakespeare is able to translate the hate and rivalry, possessed between Romeo and Tybalt and generally the drama and conflict between Capulet and Montague. This is very dramatically effective. Capulet’s response to Tybalt, is to say that he has heard only good things about Romeo, therefore the party must go on. More time for more drama is allowed with no interruption of the party, therefore the passionate meeting of Romeo and Juliet is allowed to take place.

In the first scene of Act one there is the servants Sampson and Gregory talking about sexual love. As they both talk about taking girls virginity. They both sound arrogant as they talk as if it is through experience. To them the thoughts of taking a girl’s virginity seems a joking matter.

Romeo is saying he has a premonition that he will be controlled by fate and eventually lead to a

They boast to each other about their bravery and sex appeal. Their conversation is full of puns and sexual jokes. Sampson and Gregory then meet up with two Montague servants and a fight begins. Next we meet another Montague, Benvolio, who tries to stop the fight. From Benvolios's first words, "I do but keep the peace.