Analysing the Dramatic Significance of Act 3 Scene 5 of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Analysing the Dramatic Significance of Act 3 Scene 5 of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

The timeless tragedy of William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet is based

upon two "star cross'd lovers", who are caught up in an ongoing feud

between their two families. These are the houses of Capulet, where

Juliet descends from, and the house of Montague, which Romeo belongs

to.

At the beginning of Act 3 Scene 5, Romeo and Juliet are in Juliet's

bedroom, having just spent their first night together as man and wife.

They pretend for a short minute that it is still night and Juliet

tries to persuade Romeo to stay by asking him "wilt thou be gone? It

is not yet near day". Romeo and Juliet then engage in a debate after

the faint sound of a bird is heard, each of them disagreeing with the

other as Romeo thinks that he has heard a bird that sings in the

morning, the lark; but Juliet is adamant that she has heard a

nightingale which in contrast to the lark is symbolic of night.

In Act 3 Scene 5 William Shakespeare makes great use of metaphors in

his text, they are full of images and are greatly descriptive yet very

poetic. For example when Romeo has just spent his first night with his

beloved wife Juliet; he talks with reference to the stars when he says

"night's candle's burn out". Romeo then continues to talk of his and

Juliet's marriage as he then later remarks "envious streaks do lace

the surveying clouds in yonder east". Here Romeo seems to be talking

about some approaching storm clouds, but somehow these clouds become

symbolic of their marriage as the clouds where once white and pure but

now have become tainted because of a storm, the st...

... middle of paper ...

...tic device called soliloquy is

used here. Soliloquy is used to create a dramatic effect, as the

audiences focus is directed entirely at Juliet. This dramatic device

gives us an insight into the character's mind, their inner thoughts

are then revealed to the audience as she tells them "if all else

fails, myself has the power to die", again she defies the conventions

of her time by threatening to kill herself if she cannot find a way

out of this unwanted wedding.

The enduring appeal of William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet is that it

is timeless, the story affects us all in many different ways from the

violence between the two families to the devotion and love between

Romeo and Juliet. The plot can be adapted to many cultures and

societies, and however old the script may be, it will always be a

flawless masterpiece!