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Example research essay topic: Act Iii Scene Act Ii Scene Ii - 1,976 words

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The popular thought that Romeo and Juliet is a romantic play is inaccurate because over time people tend to want to make everything happy and especially in the modern-day world, people prefer romantic themes with happy endings, not a story about two lovers who commit suicide. An Elizabethan audience, around the time of Shakespeare would have reacted very differently to Romeo and Juliet than we do as laws and customs have changed over the 400 years since Shakespeare. The Elizabethan reaction to love would be different, as true love did not really feature in a marriage. A Tudor husband would decide whom his daughters would marry for financial gain or uniting old enemies as the friar hopes to do by marrying Romeo and Juliet. These days marriage, in most countries, is free and based on true love. STAGE CRAFT A theme throughout Romeo and Juliet is the use of Stage Craft.

Examples of Stage Craft are: Dramatic irony: where the audience knows what will happen but the characters do not. Foreboding: where, through a characters speech, a message or reference of violent things to come appears. Soliloquy: a monologue or long speech performed by a single character normally to his or herself. Word Play: such as a pun which is a play on words used for either comical or sinister effect, or an oxymoron, a word couplet that seems to contradict each other, for example; only choice- you cannot make a choice when there is only one option. VIOLENCE The theme of violence in the play is present from the very beginning. In the prologue it has the quote From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

This refers to the feud between the houses and how it is creating turmoil in the city. When Samson and Gregory, two Capulet servants, are walking through Verona, Samson is talking about killing the men of the Montague household and raping the Montague women; women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push Montague's men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall. The hatred between the two houses is also very prominent as when Gregory says; draw thy tool! Here comes two of the house of the Montague's. This scene sets the tone for the rest of the play due to its violent nature. In Act III.

Scene i. Romeo slays Tybalt in return for him killing Mercutio, Romeos best friend. Romeo personally feels responsible for Mercutio's death as he was holding his arms back when Tybalt stabbed him. Romeo lets anger take over; and fire-eyed fury be my conduct now! This leads to Romeos exile from Verona.

Another good example of violence is when Lord Capulet finds out about Juliets unwillingness to marry Paris. Capulet flies into a terrible rage; Out, you green sickness carrion! Out you baggage! You tallow-face!

and And that we have a curse in having her: Out on her, holding! Furthermore, the play ends in violence with the murder of Paris by Romeo and the suicides of both Romeo and Juliet. As Paris says to Romeo; Stop thy unhallowed toil, vile Montague! Can vengeance be pursued further than death? Condemned villain, I do apprehend thee! Obey, and go with me, for thou must die!

this shows that even unrelated citizens took sides in the Montague-Capulet feud as Paris did because he was betrothed to Juliet. LOVE Love is considered to be the main theme in Romeo and Juliet and although this is not the case, love is very prominent throughout the course of the play as is seen in various scenes such as the ball in Capulets mansion, the ever-famous balcony scene where Romeo and Juliet declare their undying love for each other and the lovers wedding plans. As is obvious from these quotes; 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. This is when Romeo first meets Juliet at Capulets mansion and right from the start of their relationship it is obvious that they are deeply in love.

In the course of the play, the young lovers are driven to defy and disobey their entire social world: Their families Deny thy father and refuse thy name, Juliet asks, Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And Ill no longer be a Capulet; their friends, when Romeo abandons Mercutio and Benvolio after the feast in order to go to Juliets garden; and their ruler, when Romeo returns to Verona for Juliets sake even though he was exiled by the Prince on pain of death if he returned. The language of love in this play, as with any play of the time, is very flowery and poetic, incorporating metaphors, similes and other allusions. An excellent example of this is when Romeo talks to Juliet in the balcony scene (Act II. Scene ii) Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief that thou her maid art far more fair than she. Be not her maid, since she is envious, her vestal livery is but sick and green, and none but fools do wear it. Cast it off.

This speech illustrates the love that Romeo has for Juliet and his attempt at persuading Juliet to engage in sexual activity with him. He tells her to kill the envious moon because the Roman goddess of the moon, Diana, was also the goddess of chastity and by therefore telling Juliet to cast off Diana's clothes (livery), he is asking her to give up her virginity. THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE IS ALSO THE LANGUAGE OF VIOLENCE All throughout the play, Shakespeare employs the use of double entendre's, allusions and various types of pun to convey foreboding. In the play, Shakespeare uses these double meanings in the Prologue where it mentions death-make love, love that is marked with death or doomed and star-cross lovers / whose misadventure d piteous overthrows / Doth with their death bury their parents's time. The couple have fate against them and only with their death as foretold by the stars will everything be mended, which is found in Act I. Prologue, line 14.

When Romeo first sees Juliet at the ball his behaviour is predatory because of his love for her. He almost stalks her, So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, as yonder lady o'er her fellows shows. The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand, He says that she stands out like a dove that is white against crows that are black and that he will watch her. The best example of double meanings and foreboding is the famous balcony scene between Romeo and Juliet in Act II. Scene ii. Romeo continually likens Juliet to an angel and a holy object; O, speak again, bright angel, Her eyes in heaven, My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself.

The foreboding in this scene is also very detailed; My life were better ended by their hate than death prorogued, wanting of thy love. Romeo explains to Juliet that he loves her so much that without her he would rather die. In Act III. Scene ii. , when Juliet is waiting for Romeo, she uses violent language to convey her romantic emotions for him. Give me my Romeo, and when I shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars, This supposedly vicious premeditation of murder is actually Juliet referring to her having an orgasm (the French for this is petit mors, little death). This same quote also makes a reference to fate (little stars) and the foreboding that they will die (when I shall die, take him).

When Juliet misunderstands the Nurse, thinking that Romeo is dead but in actual fact Romeo has killed Tybalt, the aggression in her language increases as her only love is dead; Vile earth to earth resign! End motion here! And thou and Romeo press one heavy bier! She wants to kill herself and be laid next to Romeo at his funeral. THE CONCEPT OF FATE Shakespeare makes the audience aware that Romeo and Juliet are going to die by indicating this in the Prologue. He repeats this example of foreboding constantly throughout the play to remind the audience and to illustrate the Elizabethan philosophy of fate.

The concept of Fate is the belief in a pre-destined life, and although you have free will, you realise your fate through hindsight. This applies to Romeo where he curses the stars, the controllers of fate, in taking Juliet from him; Is it e'en so? Then I defy you, stars! and O, here will I set up my everlasting rest, and shake the yoke of inauspicious stars which means that only by killing himself will Romeo be freed of the burden of his fate. This reaction can be portrayed as both romantic and violent as Romeos anger clearly illustrates his love for Juliet. In the last scene there is also a good example of dramatic irony, where the audience knows that Juliet is in a coma but Romeo thinks that she is dead.

Some of Romeos speech in the last scene incorporated both the language of love and violence; Shall I believe that unsubstantial Death is amorous? CONCLUSION Shakespeare has shown that love can be a violent and dangerous thing as well as beautiful because of the use of double meanings. These plays on words can be interpreted in many different ways so the overall meaning of the play is different to everybody. Customs of the time also come into play as seen in the scene where Juliet defies her father by refusing to marry Paris. An Elizabethan audience watching at the time would have thought Juliet insane, going against her fathers wishes. They would have also thought that true love spells a sticky end as is the case portrayed by Romeo and Juliet.

Nowadays in the western world, an audience would be drawn to think that oppression of freedom of speech is the cause for violence as Romeo and Juliet cannot express their love for each other due to the social order of the Tudor world. Although in some parts of the world today, marriage is not free, therefore the inhabitants of these countries would look at the play like a Tudor audience due to their social customs and laws. The supposed age difference between Romeo and Juliet would be considered unacceptable in western culture, bordering on pedophilia. But in the Elizabethan era, the relationship between an older man and a teenage girl was considered the norm as men married when they had established themselves in their careers. This was so they could afford to keep households as in Romeo and Juliet. In Ancient Greece the practice of pederasty, the relationship between an older man and an adolescent boy, was common but again, it is unacceptable in Western culture.

Overall, love can be a dangerous thing but it depends on which society you live in. Different societies have different customs and laws regarding love so different people view love in a different way. This applies to the individual as well. Each person is a microcosm of the world they live in so every person has separate views on particular issues. Love is one of the most complicated agendas - what causes it? Why does it happen?

Everyone, whether they know it or not, views love in a unique way and this viewpoint affects the way we live and how we interact with other people. Therefore from Romeo and Juliets free love, much violence and strife has been caused and this overrules the love shared between the two lovers, thus Romeo and Juliet is more about violence than of love.


Free research essays on topics related to: act ii scene ii, act iii scene, language of love, concept of fate, romeo and juliet

Research essay sample on Act Iii Scene Act Ii Scene Ii

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