Dialogue Between Romeo And Juliet example essay topic

How Shakespeare Makes Act 1 Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet Dramatically Effective At the start of Act 1 Scene 5 the guests at the Capulets' ball have just finishes dining and Sampson and Gregory, the two head servants, are complaining that a number of the servants, especially Potpan, are not helping to clear up: "Where's Potpan that he helps not to take away?" Most of the servants are trying to clean up quickly because they want to have their own party later. The scene then moves on to Lord Capulet inviting all of the guests to come and dance, he is making jokes and the mood seems quite relaxed and jovial: "You are welcome, gentlemen. Come, musicians play". This first part of the scene presents the audience with a lively, laid-back and fun atmosphere and is more light-hearted than the previous scenes. It is a complete contrast from the fighting and arguing in the first scene.

One of the ways Shakespeare makes this scene dramatically effective is the way he portrays Romeos thoughts when he first meets Juliet. Romeo uses very poetic language and appears to be a bit of a romanticist. He likens Juliet to a dove among ugly crows: "Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear, So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows" Romeo is stunned by Juliet's beauty. It is a case of love at first sight and Romeo is smitten with Juliet after this first passing: "Did my heart love till now?" Romeos form of speech is far more poetic then Lord Capulet's jesting language.

Capulet talks in a fun, musical way whereas Romeo is very dramatic and serious about what he is saying. On finding that Romeo is present at the Capulet ball Tybalt flies into a rage and immediately goes to tell Lord Capulet: "Uncle this is a Montague, our foe; a villain that is hither come in spite to scorn at our solemnity this night". Tybalt is further enraged at the fact that his uncle refuses to eject Romeo from the ball and objects to Tybalt doing him any harm: "I would not for the wealth of all this town here in my house do him disparagement". After crossing Lord Capulet and being reprimanded, Tybalt swears revenge on Romeo: "I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall, now seeming sweet, convert to bitterest gall". The language Tybalt uses is the exact opposite of Romeo's romantic, poetic verse.

Tybalt's language is filled with hatred and vengeance. The audience, already having witnessed his viciousness, hatred and violence toward the Montagues are most probably bracing themselves for a showdown between Romeo and Tybalt. Some of the most dramatically effective lines in the play are those between Romeo and Juliet during their first conversation at the ball. The imagery used is very effective and imaginative. At first Romeo takes Juliet's hand and then asks for a kiss: "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 declines Romeo's first offer of a kiss and says that pilgrims also have hands: "For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, And palm to palm is holy palmers kiss".

Shakespeare makes interesting use of rhyme in the sonnet between Romeo and Juliet. It is unusual how they are able to play on each others words like Romeo and Mercurio. Although the two talk in a romantic and poetic way and express 'love for each other I do not think that at this stage it is real love yet. They have only just met and Romeo was probably still upset about Rosa line so he convinces himself that he has found new love. From what we have seen in this play so far it appears that Romeo is more in love with the idea of love rather than love itself.

It would seem that he falls in love rather easily from what I can see in this scene. It appears that Juliet is very upset when she finds out that Romeo is a Montague: "My only love sprung from my only hate... That I must love a loathed enemy" She already knows that the feelings she harbours for Romeo are forbidden and that a relationship between them could never work properly. I think the news that Juliet was a Capulet does not have as much of an effect on Romeo as it does on Juliet. Romeo is probably too 'in love' for this to bother him too much.

I do not think that this entire scene is particularly dramatically effective. The way Romeo and Juliet fall in 'love's o quickly seems very artificial. However the lines of conversation between Tybalt and Lord Capulet are quite the opposite. Shakespeare manages to give an excellent portrayal of Tybalt's hate for the Montagues and I think this effect is made even better during his last lines in which he swears to take revenge on Romeo. Overall this scene is quite good but I think Shakespeare could have made the dialogue between Romeo and Juliet longer and more realistic.