Directing Act One Scene Five of Romeo and Juliet

Directing Act One Scene Five of Romeo and Juliet

Introduction

In this essay, I will partly direct and describe Act 1, Scene 5,

giving reasonable evidence and quotations towards the main characters

of the play.

Act 1, Scene 5 of ‘Romeo & Juliet’ is a key scene because Romeo and

Juliet meet for the first time, Tybalt realises that one of the

maskers is a Montague, and we see Capulet’s true character. This all

takes place at a party hosted by Capulet. The main characters who

appear in this scene are Romeo, Juliet, Capulet, Tybalt and Nurse. We

learn that Tybalt is the only member of the Capulet and Montague

families whose words and actions show the ferocity and deep hatred

associated with the feud. Capulet is a difficult character to assess

because his behaviour seems so contradictory. He presents an angry

figure of short- tempered authority when Juliet refuses to obey him,

but at other times speaks to her lovingly. The Nurses’ position in the

Capulet household is superior to that of a servant. Juliet seems to

have taken place of the daughter she once had, and everything she does

she does for Juliet’s benefit. Romeo is passionate and a bit of a

dreamer. His emotions are the most important thing to him and he

hardly notices what is going on in the real world. Juliet is a strong

character, more practical and down-to-earth than Romeo. When she meets

him she becomes more independent.

I will begin the scene in the hall. The guests are entering the

beautifully decorated mansion in their outstanding outfits and masks.

There is plenty of food, the musicians are playing merrily, and lovely

women are dancing with dashing men. Lord ...

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...un to notice Romeos race, giving him a chance to escape

unnoticed from Tybalt, which is then when he will meet Juliet. As

Romeo and Juliet embraces in each other, Juliet at the same time will

feel confused about her emotions. Being brought up in a white

background, where she was taught that black people had inferior

intelligence to that of a dog, she does not understand whether it is

love she feels for Romeo or pity. Both of the families being a

different race will have a major effect on the play. It will give us

more of an understanding as to why both families have an everlasting

grudge, and why they will never accept Romeo and Juliet as being a

couple. Further on in the play, it is the Nurse who helps Juliet to

realise that no matter whether Romeo is yellow, obese or from a

different planet she will always love him.