Romeo And Juliet - Other Aspects

Question 1

Form and structure - beginning with fight, juliet left alone, turning point, act 5 scene 1 and 2 vs 3

Answer 1

• immediately tells audience the feud is violent and volatile, aware of the risk romeo and juliet are taking
• shows how isolated she became
• act 3 scene 1 is the turning point, point at which everything starts to go wrong, romeo banished leads to juliet faking her death and ending up with both of them dead
• 2 short scenes, everything in a fast pace, the events are hurtling out of control, tension in audience as tragedy occurs, the then longer scene 3 slows down pace so there is time for remaining characters to reflect on the deaths and the play comes to a conclusion

Question 2

Form and structure - how is this play typical of tragedy plays, prologue before act 2, tybalt threatening to kill romeo in the same scene romeo meets juliet

Answer 2

• the heroes (romeo and juliet) die in the end
• prologue reminds audience that even though romeo and juliet have met and fallen in love , the feud will make it difficult - romeo “may not have access” so he is her “foe” - ominous atmosphere as audience already know whats ahead
• makes audience worried, shows danger romeos relationship with juliet is likely to be, tybalts aggression shows he is risking his life just being in the same room as capulets

Question 3

Mood and atmosphere - queen mad speech, romeo arriving at tomb

Answer 3

• magical dreamlike mood, talks about imaginary creatures and whimsical images, prepares audience for romeo and juliets magical meeting in the next scene
• romeos language creates a dark, sinister mood, “womb” usually connotes new life being nurtured but in this case it nurtures death by swallowing people into its “rotten jaws” - violent and disturbing, emphasises how horrible tomb is and prepares audience for tragedy to come

Question 4

Dramatic irony -when audience knows something the characters dont - effect of the use, example, juliets fake death

Answer 4

• make audience feel moe involved
• when romeo and juliet meet the audience know they are from rival families, gives the scene a tragic undertone - aided by the prologue as audience knows they will die
• juliets fake death creates irony as most characters think she is really dead, frustration in the audience as the pain capulets and romeo are going through is unnecessary and romeo wouldnt kill himself if he knew the truth

Question 5

Poetry - blank verse (iambic pentameter), final lines of play, prologues are sonnets

Answer 5

• prince talks in blank verse to show he is an upper class character, regular rhythm of this creates a sense of control - voice of authority who set down the law
• final lines rhyme, seems more final and emphasises theur importance as prince brings play to close
• sonnets traditionally love poems, reminds audience that the play is based on romeo and juliets love - however much of these sonnets are about tragedy/conflict telling audience their love story will not be happy - the sonnets have a set rhythm and rhyme scheme, like their destiny is set and final

Question 6

Puns and wordplay - act 1scene. Between romeo and mercutio, mercutios death, musicians after juliets death

Answer 6

• romeo says he has a “soul of lead” this meand he is sad and his sadness means his feet “sole” feel too heavy to dance
• he says “ask for me tomorrow and i will be a grave man” - grave meaning serious and a physical grave after death, the pun reminds the audience mercutio is a likeable, humor character, the humour of the pay died with him
• lightens mood of the scene as it provides comic relief, provides greater contrast with sad momentsthat occur immediately before and after