Act 1 Flashcards
Act One - a fight and a fancy dress ball
There’s a fight between the Montagues and the Capulets which Prince stops
Romeo tells Benvolio he is unhappy because Rosaline doesn’t love him
Paris asks Capulet if he can marry his daughter Juliet
Capulets throw a ball. Mercutio is invited but Romeo and Benvolio gate crash. Romeo and Juliet meet for the first time. They talk and kiss - find out enemies afterwards
Scene one starts violently
sword fight between the Montagues and Capulets. Prince introduces a threat of violence. Tybalt - you can see is going to be trouble - always wants to fight. starting the play with physical violence makes the audience aware that more fighting could happen
There’s romance in scene one
In scene one Romeo’s upset because he’s in love with Rosaline, who doesn’t love him (unrequited love). The shows that Romeo is romantic and emotional. Romeo says that love is confusing - “a choking gall” (“gall” means bitter) and a “preserving sweet”
Act One Scene 1
trouble on the streets of Verona. 9 am Sunday morning. Public scene
“I will bite my thumb at them” scene 1
sampson-capulet. taunting/insulting image. contextual - law breaking - an insulting gesture at the time - the clicking of the thumbnail against the teeth
Benvolio scene 1
name means peacemaker “put up your swords”
Tybalt scene 1
opposite of Benvolio but same status. when Tybalt enters he forces Benvolio into a fight, so beins the ‘new mutiny’ of the prologue “look upon thy death… talk of peace! I hate the word” - death and violence
Capulet and Lady Capulet enter fight scene 1
“a crutch! a crutch!”-an early idea of Lady Capulet’s sharp tongue- thinks Capulet too ancient to be fighting in the streets-mocking husband. each new entrance symbolises how corrupt their society has become because of the ancient grudge
similarity between Lady Capulet and Lady Montague in scene 1
both try to stop their husband’s from fighting
Prince’s speech to stop violence scene 1
The Prince’s speech is powerful and full of rhetoric and exaggerated language, but it is also very realistic. demonstrates how the conflict between the two families comes from the slightest spark. “beasts… fire of your pernicious rage… bloody hands… mistempered weapons…canker’d hate” repeated imagery of blood, weapons, violence and threat of death- ancient grudge not just an argument but life threatening. “your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace”-power-people to deatj
“underneath the grove of sycamore… stole into the covert of the wood” scene 1
Benvolio telling Romeo’s parents. suggesting Romeo is sick with love and hiding himself away- courtly lover
“makes himself an artificial night… to himself so secret and so close” scene 1
Montague. mood due to his apparent love to Rosaline. the use of the word ‘artificial’ implies that Romeo is indulging himself in this passion. secrecy-narcissistic way of living-self absorbed (sad and self obsessed lover)
“O brawling love! O loving hate!” scene 1
Romeo doesn’t understand love. conflict of oxymorons -in love lies conflict. the over-elaborate style of the language suits Romeo’s present superficial form of romantic love
“Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast… a madness most discreet… a choking gall… a preserving sweet” scene 1
repetition of personal pronoun shows Romeo is self obsessed. audience can compare his love here to his true love. Romeo doesn’t understand. choking gall is a negative image of perceived love. in this speech Romeo continues to play with words and act the conventional part of the courtly lover-classic trope
“do I live dead that live to tell it now” scene 1
Petrarchan hyperbole from Romeo. Romeo continues the idea of the waste of beauty. he is ‘dead’ because his lover has rejected him
In scenes two and three
Paris asks Capulet if he can marry Juliet, and her parents want her to think about it. Juliet’s relationship with Paris shows a different side of love - it is for financial reasons, as she’ll “share all that he doth possess”. These scenes hint that Romeo and Juliet may become lovers - both of them have some experiences of romance, but they’re either unhappy or unenthusiastic about it.
Rosaline is ‘chaste’ (pure)
her character contrasts with Juliet’s passionate behaviour later on
Paris is polite
which contrasts with Romeo’s inappropriate kissing in act 1 scene 5
scene 2
Juliet’s future is in balance. sunday afternoon. private scene at the Capulet’s
scene 2 when Capulet’s and Paris discuss marriage Juliet not there
metaphor for Juliet’s powerlessness. Juliet has no rights - her marriage is being discussed - 14 years old - reminded of her youth and powerlessness, the role of her was one of chattel - father to husband
“she hath not seen the change of fourteen years” scene 2
Capulet. In Shakespeare’s day it would have been normal for girls to marry young but Capulet would prefer his daughter to be a couple of years older
