Romeo and Juliet starts with Romeo lovesick over a woman called Rosaline Essay Example For Students

Romeo and Juliet starts with Romeo lovesick over a woman called Rosaline Essay Romeo and Juliet starts with Romeo lovesick over a woman called Rosaline. Romeo is in love with her but she feels nothing for him, furthermore, she is to enter into a convent for women, which explains why he is so upset. Benvolio walks pass Romeo and sees him in distress and tries to make him forget about her. He says to Romeo near the end of Act 1 Scene, line 217, By giving liberty unto thine eyes, examine other beauties. He is basically saying that Romeo needs to look at other women to forget Rosaline. At that moment, a servant walks pass and asks Benvolio to read out a notice to fulfil the servants curiosity. The note states that there will be a party at the Capulets, which is fancy dress. The Montagues then decide to invite themselves in the hope that Romeo will find and fall in love with another woman. At the party, Tybalt sees them, who becomes furious by their intrusion and tells his uncle, Capulet. Capulet tells Tybalt to ignore him, or the quote reads on line 70 of Act 1 Scene 5, take no note of him. Tybalt defies this and says that he is dishonouring the family name, but Capulet double-insults Tybalt and tells him to leave his sight. This makes Tybalt even more furious and in a sense sets the ball rolling for his revenge on Romeo. Shakespeare was a playwright and a genius in his own right. He wrote many plays and they all had the same thing in common; they became very popular and had little stage directions. He didnt put any stage directions, because he was the director and he knew how he wanted the play to be acted. By not putting in any stage directions he enable two thinks. He allowed other directors to direct the play how they want, as well as giving the director and infinite amount of freedom, so the actors could make up their own motivation to have the greatest effect on the audience. This freedom the director got made him able to put his own twists into the appearance, accent and body language of the actors which resulted in, for example, in the Baz Lurman production, the Montagues wore Hawaiian shirts and Tybalt was killed by a gun that had a picture of Mary on the handle. These are just two examples on how the director can interpret Shakespeare actions with little stage directions Because the actors get very little directions on how to act, they can use body language and their hands to symbolise anger, frustration, confusion, happiness and sadness, this makes the play a lot more understandable for the viewer/audience. Another advantage is that everyone (director and actor) is that they can express themselves so the audience will understand the story line. For example, at the beginning of Act 3 Scene 1, line 1-30, when Benvolio and Mercutio are arguing, they go through several emotions and expressions, which are all, used to emphasise their point and reactions. The Characters The name Mercutio is taken from the word Mercury, which in Ancient Greek civilisation was the name of the messenger for the gods, and the name Benvolio means good will. Shakespeare could have purposely used these names to reflect their personality. There are four main characters that Act 3 Scene 1 revolves around; they are Mercutio, Benvolio and Romeo, who are all Montagues and Tybalt who is a Capulet. Benvolio is a kind and sensible young man. He is depicted in a bitter part of the scene as a non-violent and caring person. However, this is the total opposite of what Mercutio was accusing him of, in lines 1-29. In this sections Mercutio says things like. Thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath more a hair or a hair less in his beard than thou hast. Mercutio is saying here that Benvolio is a fighter and will start trouble for any trivial reason. However, this quote, were not sure whether Mercutio is being serious, ironic or sarcastic. The facial expressions of Benvolio are not exploited. In other words we do not get the impression that he is smiling or staring etc. this sense of ambiguity lets the reader of the play understand him differently. This is also the case with his body language; he will say something, but he could say it a number of ways so it reaches the other characters and the audience in different ways. For instance, he could say something quick as a come back to shock the other, or slowly, as if passing judgement, comparing or as if in disgrace. The motivation Benvolio has is to be the group leader and to take responsibilities for their actions. I feel that Benvolio likes to avoid conflicts this will reflect in his body language i.e. not to stand threatening. I want the audience to see Benvolio as more or less the leader. To do this, I will make him look big, by standing closer to the audience. I want Benvolio to look intellectual and mature, I will do this by making him speak clearly, wear good clothes and have a good posture. Benvolio and Mercutio have a love-hate relationship, which is emphasised throughout the play. Mercutio is the loudest one. He comes across as a street fighter, hot headed, a show off and as over confidant. Because of his flamboyancy, he does many plays on words (puns). We feel that his facial expressions and body language to show and express these qualities and does many things to get a reaction, either from his friends or the audience. For example, lines 5-6, he says, when he enters the confines of a tavern the relevance this has is that it is said when he is in a group and the he is that he could be talking about someone else and expecting a reaction. For example, he could be nodding or tilting his head towards Benvolio when he says it, but keeping eye contact with the others as if waiting for them to agree. Speech wise, Mercutio uses puns a lot; a pun is a play on words that are alike in sound but mean different things. For example, line 29, Mercutio says, the fee-simple? O simple! The effect that puns have on the audience is that they are likely to laugh and add to the mood of the scene. His motivation throughout the scene, especially during the confrontation is to not show fear and to stir up the mad blood stirring. Mercutio acts as though he is competing for the limelight and attention with the others especially Tybalt. I will tell Mercutio to keep moving and try not to stay still. The effect this will have on the audience is that Mercutio will seem to be frantic, joking and maybe furious. This will make the audience wonder if its all a front or his way of showing fear or even to intimidate Tybalt. I want to audience to love Mercutio because I feel he will bring a lot of comic relief for the time that he is in the play. Furthermore, it will mean a great loss when he dies and the romantic-tragedy theme of the play will slowly becoming true Romeo enters the act half way through the confrontation between Mercutio and Tybalt. He has just come back from marrying Juliet so he would be in a happy mood. From the beginning of the play, Romeo comes across as a humorous and caring character, but this is covered up because he is hiding a secret. I feel that Romeo is a fighter but only when needs call. Romeo will not make eye contact with Tybalt because that would symbolise him wanting to fight. This is all part of social and historical context; avoiding eye contact will show humbleness and fear and make Tybalt not want to fight. The way that Romeo talks makes the reader and viewer think that he is quiet and not meaning to be threatening. This relays on the audience because they think that he is a coward; an example of social and historical context. Being called a coward is an insult because it shows that the person is afraid. I want the audience to feel mixed emotions for Romeo, because I feel that there is a certain ambiguity of what he feels, i.e. frustration because he cant fight/ kill Tybalt. Confusion as he is not sure why Tybalt wants to fight. Romeos relationship with the other characters is love-love. They respect him because he respects them and they are all good friends who would and have fought for Romeo. Benvolio and Romeo are cousins. In Act 1 Scene 1 line 51, Benvolio says, Good morrow, Cousin. This shows that they have more than a friendship relationship. Because Romeo is forced to love Tybalt, as he is now his cousin and no one else knows it, dramatic irony is used to make us pity him. Dramatic irony is a poetic device that can be used to create tension and drama amongst other things. It is when the audience knows the truth about something that the characters dont. In Act 1, scene 1, Romeo talks about his love for a woman. During this time, he talks in rhyming couplets e.g. for beauty starved with her severity, cuts beauty off from all posterity. It strikes me as him being very true and sincere, because he is complementing her on many aspects, but focusing on her beauty (lines 210,211,206,207 etc) Tybalt is the cousin of Romeo, but he doesnt yet know it. The impression I got of Tybalt is that he is all a front, in other words he gives the impression of a very arduous and harsh person and then says something that symbolises he is afraid, such as in Act 3 Scene 1, line 32, follow me close, for I will speak to them he says to his followers. This shows that he needs other people so he looks intimidating. Through both of the productions of Romeo and Juliet, Tybalt is portrayed as a stiff, focused and very confrontational. I think that the directors got this impression because he does everything in numbers i.e. to confront people. Tybalt always looks mad, serious and strong. I would like those qualities to come across because it would reflect that he was annoyed with Romeo and his friends. Prologue why does the play keep its audience enthralled to the end? EssayIt is very important that Mercutio shouts out, nearly crying the line: A plague aboth your house. In Elizabethan society, many people were superstitious and that line, which is putting a curse on both of their families. The last words from a dying person are considered to be worth the same as a prophecy. The actual fight will be short, because I feel that a long fight will not convey a fierce and brutal theme. I want Mercutio to die on stage, but very near to the audience, the reason for this is for two reasons. 1) I dont want there to be any ambiguity over his death; I want everyone to know that good Mercutio has died. 2) It will change the atmosphere in the play and make everyone dislike Tybalt and therefore rejoice when he is killed and feel sorry for Romeo when he is expelled. The audience and the characters will know that Mercutio has died because his page will look up at Romeo crying and shaking his head from left to right. Throughout the confrontation a sense of dramatic irony is created. Dramatic irony creates tension because the audiences are waiting for something to happen and for the character to understand and react. Furthermore dramatic irony adds to the drama of the play, in a sense that the audience is involved in the play and they say among themselves things like, No! Dont go there! or Dont say that. Dramatic irony is used excessively in line 45, when I make Romeo turn away and walk from Tybalt. The audience knew why he is walking but no one else does, I will represent them not knowing by everyone looking around. The Fight The fight between Romeo and Tybalt is an important one. It sends emotions running and the understanding of characters of the trail. Because Tybalt killed Mercutio and Romeo accepts all the blame, I want him to fight for revenge and emotional distress. I will make Romeo block out the fact hat they are cousins; it will play no significance in Romeos actions. Taking all of this account, therefore I want the fight to be quick, brutal and one sided. I want the fight to be quick because it will show skill and cancel out any feelings that Romeo is a coward. I would stage the fight to be brutal, because t would represent Romeos anger at the death of his friend. This is also his motivation; to express how he feels about his friend dying, under Romeos arm. Having the fight one sided, shows how merciless Romeo acts; this is how I interpret how Shakespeare wrote. Romeo says in line 120 either thou, or I, or both must go with him referring to Mercutio, and meeting him in heaven. Romeo is saying here that they will fight to the death, again this shows his frustration. I want Romeo to say this line slowly and deeply. And pausing between each personal noun. Romeo will be strong and not making any sort of movement. In Act 2 Scene 4, line 15-31, Mercutio jokes about Tybalts style of fighting, on line 19, he says, he fights as you sing prick-songs, keeps time, distance, he rests at minimum rests. Mercutio is making an elaborate comparison between music and Tybalt fighting; both played strictly by the rules. Mercutio mocks Tybalt fighting to show two things. Firstly, to represent how little Mercutio likes Tybalt and secondly to show Benvolio of his knowledge of sword fighting. This scene contradicts Tybalt for the way that he killed Mercutio; as he thrusted in, not using the stocatta stance. The way Mercutio fights suggests that he is lethal and will, more or less, do anything to win, on the other hand Mercutio could be mocking Tybalt in a way that he is being sarcastic and saying Tybalt fighting style is that of an amateur. He says that the new fighter (Tybalt) has very stiff posture, or as he said on line 28, these fashion mongers, these pardon mes, who stand so much on the new form, that the cannot sit at ease at the old bench he is basically saying that the way that their posture makes it very uncomfortable to sit and do anything. He disagrees with them a lot. The way that Tybalt fights suggests that he is distinguished and elaborate, much like Mercutio. Showing that he can get the job done with style and finesse; just like footballers, they can easily score a goal, but they will put a curl on the ball and dummy it to show off. This is how I interpret Tybalt fighting, but not how I will show it in the play. Mercutio makes a joke about being a grave man; by turning it into a pun. A pun is a play on words that involve to words that are spelt the same but mean different things. The word grave as in death or someone dead as well in the sense of serious danger. I would try and make Mercutio try and laugh at himself, as though mocking his wound and not showing any fear, because that will make him look weak and guarantee Tybalt won. Just like keeping eye contact with a dog, because if it fears you it will not attack, but if you fear it, then it will attack. As Mercutio is dying, he says A plague aboth your house several times. It is basically a curse that wishes bad lick on both the Montagues and Capulets. This is a great example of Social and Historical context. The first time that this is said, is on line 82, Mercutio will say it slowly, as he will be feeling pain, but with a lot of energy. The next time that it is said (line 91) will be said shouting and fairly fast, whilst pointing at Romeo, as if 100% blaming Romeo for making him loose a battle. The last time its said is on line 97, it will be said in a remorseful way, as though he has to say it. The way that I will make Romeo act to him killing Tybalt, will be to go through a rush of many emotion. After Tybalt is killed, he will stare at the body, with and expression of anger, but a very slight smile. Romeo will then have a look of disgust, breathing heavily and fast, to represent the adrenaline rush. I would then tell him to totally change his look, he will turn away from the body and look at the floor, and take deeper breaths. I would then tell him to run his hands through his hair, to represent him thinking. This is when he realises the impact that it will have on Juliet, because he will be killed for he has murdered, or as the prince referred to it Once more, on pain of death, all men depart. When the Prince finds that Romeo killed Tybalt, he said on line 187 immediately, we do exile him hence. To show this rush of emotions and the realisation of what he has done ahs effected Juliet, I would tell Romeo to shout line 127; O, I am fortunes fool. Saying that he is a fool fo r doing what fortune wanted him to do i.e. kill Tybalt. In the Zeferelli version of the play, Romeo has the upper hand two-thirds of the way, and in the Baz Lurman version, Romeo has the upper hand all the way. I think the reason for these different interpretations all come down to Social and Historical context. I.e. in the 16th Century every child was taught how to fight and he wanted to show that the system worked. But Lurman portrayed that if someone lost a fight then its because the other person had the killer instinct. Another reason for Romeos brutality is because he doesnt mind of he dies, but he wants revenge or as he put it on line 120, Either thou or I, or both must go. Furthermore, he said, And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now! . Conclusion Act 3 Scene 1 is one of the most important scenes in the entire play, primarily because it loses two characters. The effect that these two characters have is really how the audience feels towards the rest of the characters. For example, is Romeo a villain or a friend and is Benvolio a coward, fighter or troublemaker? The audience will interpret these possibilities by the way that I make theme come across; with the use of facial and body expressions and poetic devices such as dramatic irony. This scene the climax of the other chain of events, which lead to the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare most probably killed off Mercutio early in the play, to create a seldom atmosphere among the characters and the audience. A seldom atmosphere usually means that more tragedy is coming, and it is really just getting the audience into the plot. Since the theme of the play is Romantic Tragedy, the majority of the play will play among these line, except for the end or the play where there is a total contrast of a reconciliation between the Montagues and the Capulets; the emphasis of the new-found friendship, to the highest degree. Mercutio dying sets the ball rolling for other tragedies, that the audience may come across. At the end of scene 1, I want the audience to be overcome with emotions and reactions. I will make the actors emphasise their facial and body language to such an extent that the audience feels sorry/ happy for the characters. I will try and make the audience ponder the question: who is the enemy? Mercutio, for starting trouble? Tybalt, for killing first? or Romeo, for revenging the death? I will try and achieve this by making the characters have menacing looks and malicious actions or way of speaking, but also give them tender tendencies. The audience will draw their own conclusions The audience will also try and predict how Romeo and Juliets marriage will decrease or improve. They will try and use evidence, on where their marriage will get better or worse by, for example, after Romeo killed Tybalt, he may have a less distressed look; this symbolises he is not that worried about Juliet, therefore he will make everything okay in the end.