Romeo and Juliet’ is a tragic love story set in Verona, Italy. The
play centres around two youths that fall in love despite they are from
rival families which ends in their ‘untimely deaths’. Written by
William Shakespeare this play is a classic that has been turned into
films and set on stages around the world.
Two of the plays main themes are love and hate, these are two
universal themes that are still relevant today and in Act 1 Scene 5
both of these themes can be found, combined to make an effective piece
of drama.
Act 1 Scene 5 is set in the Capulet Household during a masker’s ball
and in the beginning of this scene Capulet is encouraging his guests
to dance, and ordering his servants around ‘more light you knaves’
trying to be a good host. In Elizabethan times a ball like this was
one of the best ways to show of your wealth and because Capulet is a
rich man from a rich family Shakespeare’s audience would have been
expecting a lavish party with music, dancing and so would of Capulet’s
guests, so Capulet is trying hard to get his party going. In this
part of the scene the mood has changed from the ‘public brawl’ and
Romeo’s lovesick depression, now everyone is busy rushing around
trying to make sure the party runs smoothly.
After Capulet manages to get people dancing, we see him reminiscing
about his youth with a cousin we move onto Romeo’s first sight of
Juliet. This is truly a case of love a first sight as Romeo is
transfixed by Juliet’s beauty and proclaims he ‘ne’er saw a true
beauty till this night’ however the audience might just dismiss this
as a mix infatuation and lust rather then true love, because just
moments before Romeo confessed his unrequited love for Rosaline and
swore to Benvolio he would only ever love her and couldn’t even think
about looking at other girls. So hasty declaration might shock the
audience However this is a significant moment in the play as its here
when Romeo...