Romeo and Juliet – Scene Analysis

The Prologue

“Two households, both alike in dignity’” – PERSONIFICATION – emphasises from

the beginning the families’ similarities in order to highlight the flawed nature of
their ‘grudge’.

“Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.” REPETITION – the use of ‘civil’
stresses the irony of the conflict – ‘civil’ suggesting noble people of status and
polite/accommodating behaviours. SYNECDOCHE/SYMBOLISM – ‘hands’ and
‘unclean’ – depict the guilt of supposedly good people.

“From forth the fatal loins of these two foes” – ALLITERATION – emphasises the
terms ‘fatal’ and ‘foes’ in order to foreshadow their demise as well as illustrates
the idea of fate, destiny and predestination.

“A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;” - EMOTIVE

LANGUAGE/ASTROLOGICAL REFERENCE – accentuates the theme of
uncontrollable fate/destiny (This was a typical belief during
Elizabethan/Jacobean times - http://prezi.com/altqtnowsx3m/fate-and-destiny-
the-idea-of-predestination-in-the-elizabethan-era/)

Shakespeare from the opening presents his idea of ANTITHESIS – depicting the
existence of opposing forces: ‘dignity’  ‘mutiny’, ‘life’  ‘death’, ‘love’  ‘rage’
This presentation perhaps is done by Shakespeare to highlight the good and evil
in existence and (unlike his times) he suggests that one must make a CHOICE in
order to counter tragedy.
ACT 1 SCENE 5

“That I have worn a visor and could tell

A whispering tale in a fair lady’s ear
…’tis gone, ‘tis gone, ‘tis gone.” – MOTIF – the symbol of the mask is represented
here to show the idea of appearance vs reality – perhaps a social comment by
Shakespeare on the perils of not being truthful or illustrates a need to fulfil
societal expectations notwithstanding an individual’s own moral code. The
ANAPHORA of “‘tis gone” suggests time passing and depicts Capulet’s advancing
age.

“…quench the fire, the room is grown too hot.” PERSONIFICATION/MOTIF – fire
imagery exists throughout the play here it indicates excitement and celebration –
the changing use of this symbol throughout the play illustrates the changeable
nature of passions – from love to hate etc.

“O she doth teach the torches to burn bright!” HYPERBOLE/ ALLITERATION –

portrays the moment of Romeo seeing Juliet presents the idea of love at first
sight – which was a popular idea with the youth of the time.

“So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows,” JUXTAPOSITION / METAPHOR /

ALLITERATION – Romeo’s effusive descriptions of Juliet further develop his
propulsion to her as she is a ‘dove’ (white) amongst the ugliness of all other
‘crows’ (black) – the symbolism of the bird imagery also creates the idea of light
and dark – there is now only light where there is Juliet for Romeo.

“Did my heart love till now?” RHETORICAL QUESTION – presents a new aspect of
love – not sexual, nor an infatuation but true for Romeo

You could CONTRAST the speeches here – while Romeo is in a kind of ecstasy of
love for the vision of Juliet, Tybalt takes the audience back to the idea of hate in,
“Fetch me my rapier…
…
To strike him dead I hold it not a sin.” EMOTIVE LANGUAGE ‘rapier’, ‘dead’
coupled with BIBLICAL REFERENCE ‘sin’ – exemplifies the paradox and perhaps
the hypocrisy of violence in the name of God – again this could be Shakespeare’s
social commentary about revenge, violence and familial grudges at the time.

“…Verona brags of him

To be a virtuous and well-governed youth.” PERSONIFICATION / POSITIVE
DICTION – Capulet’s depiction of Romeo is in stark contrast to Tybalt’s word
choice: ‘slave’, ‘villain’ – again the idea of calm vs violence, love vs hate is present
here.

“I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall,

Now seeming sweet, convert to bitt’rest gall.” RHYMING COUPLET – foreshadows
the conflict between Tybalt and Romeo. ALLITERATION / ANTITHESIS ‘sweet’
‘gall’ – this underlines the binary opposition present in the play of love and hate
– compelling the audience to consider both choices and the consequences of
them.

The next dialogue moves back from hate to love:

“This holy shrine, the gentle sin…
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.” RELIGIOUS IMAGERY (‘holy
shrine’, ‘sin’, ‘pilgrims’ / METAPHOR – his lips are pilgrims / ANTITHESIS –
‘rough’ & ‘tender’ – combine to reveal this union between the two as a religious
experience – Romeo suggests he will be absolved of sin if he could kiss Juliet –
Religion is replaced with R & J’s relationship/love. Could this suggestion of
blasphemy lead to their desperate end?

“And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss.” RELIGIOUS IMAGERY – prayer is like
kissing – further highlights the above idea.

“Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged.” RELIGIOUS IMAGERY – R & J’s
love is a type of baptism into their new love faith – perhaps here you can link
Luhrmann’s positioning them in water to highlight this idea in the modern text.

“Is she a Capulet?

O dear account! My life is my foe’s debt.” EMPHATIC LANGUAGE – reveals the
truth and foreshadows the penalty of this relationship.

“My grave is like to be my wedding bed.” FORESHADOWING – builds dramatic

tension in the fast paced plot sequence. Again emphasising the role of
fate/destiny

“My only love sprung from my only hate!

Too early seen unknown, and known too late!” RHYMING COUPLET /
PARADOX - the idea of destiny is strongly presented here – Juliet has fallen in
love with Romeo and cannot, even with this news stop loving him. The audience
sees the IRONY of this development. Shakespeare presents this to identify good
amidst evil and visa versa.
ACT 2 SCENE 2

“But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.” METAPHOR – paints an image of Juliet being
the only source of heat and light – life giving – essential for existence.

“Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,

Who is already sick and pale with grief” METAPHOR/PERSONIFICATION – as
above – Romeo’s desire for time to pass quickly so he can see Juliet again (TIME –
MOTIF) – also ironic in that the rush of time is propelling them to their death.

“Deny thy father and refuse thy name

…
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.” NEGATIVE VERBS/HIGH MODALITY – brings to
light the theme of familial expectations and the rebellion against them. (Common
in modern times certainly not in Elizabethan times)

“’Tis thy name that is my enemy;” PERSONIFICATION – transfers the focus from
the individual to reputation instead. Shakespeare’s criticism of social
expectations and pressures is evident here.

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet;” RHETORICAL QUESTION /
METAPHOR /SENORY IMAGERY (olfactory) – grapples with the idea of
representation not being the true individual (appearance vs reality)

“Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptised;” RELIGIOUS REFERENCE – love
replaces religion. Perhaps one could suggest that the intensity of this passion and
misguided choices FORESHADOWS the coming tragedy.
“For stony limits cannot hold love out,” VISUAL IMAGERY / SYMBOLISM – the
wall represents the Capulet family, also the strength and power of his love for
Juliet – overleaps social expectations and familial responsibilities.

“My life were better ended by their hate,

Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.” ANTITHESIS – illustrates binary
oppositions in the play ‘life’, ‘death’, ‘hate’, ‘love’ – Shakespeare presents his
universal idea of the duality in life (there exists two opposing sides to all
realities).

“And not impute this yielding to light love,

Which the dark night hath so discovered.” CONTRAST / SYMBOLISM – Portrays
love positively and accentuates the powerful connection to each other – was it an
act of fate and destiny or rather the actions of adolescent impetuousness?

“…swear by thy gracious self,

Which is the god of my idolatry,” RELIGIOUS REFERENCE – again highlights the
replacing of Christian values to individual worship.

“It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden,

Too like the lightning…” ANAPHORA / SIMILE – builds the idea of escalating
momentum and stresses the idea of fate and destiny. While both characters
understand the speed of their decisions, neither consider stopping.

“Parting is such sweet sorrow,” OXYMORON – again presenting life’s duality and
illustrates the joy and difficulty of a forbidden love. Ideas such as familial
duty/responsibilities, social expectations can be discussed with this example.
ACT 3 SCENE 1

This scene begins immediately after the marriage of R & J – antithesis

(love/hate)

“And if we meet we shall not scape a brawl,” EVOCATIVE LANGUAGE – portrays

an aspect of conflict in the play – the feud between the families – this occurring in
parallel to R & J’s love story foreshadows that both love and hate lead to their
demise. Shakespeare is critical of senseless discord.

“Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford

No better term than this: thou art a villain.” CONSIDERED LANGUAGE –
controlled and artistic, illustrates Tybalt’s measured character and lust for
violence.

“Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee

Doth much excuse the appertaining rage” SIMPLISTIC / YET AMBIGUOUS
LANGUAGE creates confusion and ‘enflames’ the impassioned moment – again
paradoxical ideas are presented – ‘love’ ‘rage’ – Perhaps the audience is being
challenged to consider if there is a possibility for such opposing extreme
passions can coexist.

“O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!” TRICOLON – demonstrates Mercutio’s

disgust in Romeo’s inaction. He is clearly verbalising the view of the Elizabethan
audience who considered Medieval chivalry as essential (an eye for an eye etc).
Represents the idea of the morality of violence.

“I am hurt.” – TRUNCATED SENTENCE – presents the consequences of violence –

Shakespeare creates a tragedy where the two titular characters in their
uncontrolled acceleration to their demise, destroy innocent lives in their path –
Mercutio is one of the innocent victims.
“A plague a’both houses!” – CURSE / EXCLAMATION / REPETITION – portrays
the responsibility the feud between the families has had on innocent lives.

“Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man.” – DARK HUMOUR /
PUN – innocent lives lost are evident here.

“A plague a’both your houses!

They have made worms’ meat of me.” As the above two quotes

“O sweet Juliet,
Thy beauty hath made me effeminate,” APOSTROPHE /EXCLAMATIVE
STATEMENT – Romeo is distraught at the loss of his confidant considers his
weakness as ‘female’ – this is a typical notion for the period – women were
considered weak – Romeo returns to his primal state rejecting his gentle
morality and ‘love’ for his now cousin Tybalt.

“…fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!” RESOLUTE TONE / FIRE MOTIF /

ALLITERATION - depicts Romeo’s shift from love back to hate – illustrates
Shakespeare’s consideration of individual’s fickle nature.

“Either thou or I, or both, must go with him.” HIGH MODALITY / EMPHATIC

LANGUAGE – portray Romeo’s hatred and fury as he avenges his friend’s murder.
Violence replaces love and has a blinding effect of reason.

“O, I am fortune’s fool.” EXCLAMATIVE STATEMENT / PERSONIFICATION – after

the impetuous action of murdering Tybalt, Romeo realises the error of his ways –
this follows Shakespeare’s formula of the tragic hero who falls as a result of the
poor or little thought through choices made. Shakespeare often grapples with the
idea of man’s hamartia (tragic flaw).

“Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live.” Individual’s hamartia is further
illustrated in the Capulet’s reaction to the death of Tybalt and highlights the
spiral created by violence.
ACT 5 SCENE 3

“The time and my intents are savage-wild,” EMOTIVE LANGUAGE – further

illustrate Romeo’s loss of control and transformation from love to violence.

“Thou detestable maw, thou womb of death,

…
Thus I enforce thy rotten jaws to open,
And in despite I’ll cram thee with more food.” PERSONIFICATION of death – he is
resolute to kill himself and anyone in his way – this decision is certainly counter
Christian thought of the period – those who committed suicide were damned to
hell and were not entitled to a Christian burial.

“O, I am slain! If thou be merciful,

Open the tomb, lay me with Juliet. [dies]” EMOTIVE LANGUAGE – Paris is
represented as a collateral victim in the ‘star-crossed lovers’ journey to their
destiny. Note in Luhrmann’s version this part of the scene is not present – by
doing this Luhrmann makes the focus far more on the two title characters rather
than the innocent victims and their love and loss.

From V, iii, 74 Romeo’s APOSTROPHE/SOLILOQUY is full of fatalistic terms:

‘Death’ is personified, ‘pale’, ‘bloody’, ‘dark’, ‘dim night’, ‘world-wearied flesh’

“Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath,

Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty:” PERSONIFICATION /HIGH MODALITY
– depicts Juliet still as immortal – perhaps suggesting the eternal nature of love.

“O, what more favour can I do to thee

Than with that hand that cut thy youth in twain
To sunder his that was thine enemy?” RHETORICAL QUESTION / APOSTROPHE –
Romeo speaks to the dead Paris and offers his own life in payment for his loss –
Again Shakespeare following formula depicts Romeo returning to being a valiant
hero before his death in order to develop empathy in the audience – perhaps
Shakespeare wishes his audience to view man’s flaws but also to sustain hope in
man’s innate good values.

“…I’ll be brief. O happy dagger,” – TIME MOTIF (Speed) / PERSONIFICATION –

Juliet goes against Christian teaching and kills herself as she cannot exist in a
world without her true love.

“See what a scourge is laid upon your hate,

That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love!” ANTITHESIS - Duke is the
voice of morality in the play and outlines the tragedy of the loss of innocent lives
due to the futility of conflict.

“All are punished.” TRUNCATED SENTENCE – emphatic about the consequences

of choice, violence and uncontrolled passions (both love and hate)

“..glooming peace” “sun of sorrow” OXYMORON - again illustrates the duality of

existence – one of Shakespeare’s ideas that carry through many of his plays. Life
consists of the full spectrum of feelings/thoughts/actions – one must strive to
find balance.