How is act 3 scene 1 of “Romeo and Juliet” especially dramatic? What techniques do you think are practically successful in creating dramatic tension?
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy, they are from Verona in Italy. They are young people that fall deeply in love, but the problem is that they are from different families that like to fight each other. Romeo and Juliet are so madly in love that there love leads to death.
Act 2 ends on a note of happiness the audience have seen Romeo and Juliet get married by friar lawance, but no one know about their marriage. The story seems to be heading to a good start despite what the prologue says.
Act 3 scene 1 changes every think, this is a very important scene, it can be split up into six sections. The first contains Mercutio talking to Benvolio, winding him up. This part of the scene is light-hearted, although Benvolio is worried about the events that may follow due to the hot weather. Mercutio accuses him of being quarrelsome when he himself is the quarreller of the pair. The second section begins when Tybalt enters the scene. He and Mercutio have a battle of words in which Mercutio clearly ties him in knots. The third part starts when Romeo enters. The third, forth and fifth sections are the fight between Mercutio and Tybalt, Romeo’s revenge and the Prince’s judgement. This scene happened so quickly that it draws dramatic tension.
Honour is a very important part of the play, at the start of the play the servants of the capulets and Montague’s meet. This isn’t good because it leads to insults, which therefore fights start. In act 1 scene 1 Sampson says,” draw if you be men” this means that any man that doesn’t fight is not a real man.
It is quite oblivious that the play, so far in our discussion has contained much tension and drama. As a result it would be very approprite to examine the techniques that Shakespeare uses to create and continue the tension associated with the turn of events in this scene. Shakespeare uses blank verse, prose and rhyming couplets in this scene. Although Mercutio has great status, he talks in prose, perhaps in order to allow more room for him to play with words. He also uses similes and metaphors such as “my fiddlestick” and “deep as a well”. These effectively portray him as a troublemaker who is good with words. Romeo’s language is his usual romantic style, even when he is overcome with fury he talks of Mercutio’s soul. Benvolio talks in blank verse, as he is something of a boring character, but quite important to the play.
Dramatic irony is very important part in Romeo and Juliet. There is dramatic irony in the prologue, which is based throughout the play. A good piece of dramatic irony is act 3 scene 1 this is the turning point in the play hastening the progression towards the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. The death of Mercutio in this scene removes the subplot. Shakespeare removed him so that he would no longer distract the audience or wondering what humorous comments he would come out with next. Romeo still needs to tell his friend about the marriage to Juliet. Shakespeare uses dramatic irony exceptionally well in this scene, by making sure that the audience know what is going to happen.
Shakespeare makes the atmosphere by the disturbance of act 3 scene 1. Mercutio’s role in the play comes to an end, as does Tybalt’s. Mercutio is the main character in this scene, joking with everyone, be it light-heartedly or serious. It is because of Mercutio that Romeo loses his temper and kills Tybalt. Benvolio the peacemaker does not draw to “beat down their weapons” as Romeo tells him to. His main role here is at the end when he explains to the Prince what has happened here. Benvolio’s account is not entirely truthful. He exaggerates the innocence of Romeo and leaves out most of Mercutio’s part. Shakespeare included these explanations of what has happened in case his audience had not been paying attention. Tybalt is an angry young man that has been insulted, and wants revenge. He is killed to doom the love of Romeo and Juliet. Lady Capulet stirs the feud at the end, demanding revenge and insisting that more of them were there.
Romeo and Juliet as a play was very much influenced by the time in which it was written. Sword fighting was still popular, so Shakespeare included fighting scenes and also some fencing terms; he used lots of rhythm, rhyme, honour, prose, puns and dramatic irony to successfully create dramatic tension. Shakespeare’s technique was extremely successful.
