Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

The play Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare is a Greek tragedy

.Shakespeare uses a chorus which identifies the disasters which are to

occur later in the play. the play is based in Verona and involves

characters from two main families who are embroiled in a feud ; the

chorus suggests that the feud been going on for many years;

"Two households both alike in dignity,

in fair Verona where we lay our scene

from ancient grudge break to new mutiny"

The play starts with members of the Montague Family strolling around

the market; insults are exchanged resulting in a fight. The fight

provokes the prince of the city (Prince Escalus) to threaten a death

sentence to who ever is responsible for any other fighting in the

city. The following quote corroborates this;

"If you ever disturb our streets again

Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace."

Romeo, a member of the Montague family is in love with a woman called

Rosalyn who is going to become a nun. Romeo is upset by this and his

friends recommend that he attend the party of the the rival family

(The Capulets) to take his mind off her. Once he is there Tybalt a

member of the Capulet family sees him and is furious but is told by

his father to take no action in the eyes of the guests.

Unfortunately for most of the characters in the play Romeo meets

Juliet and falls in love with her and some of the consequences of this

are seen in a dramatically effective way in Act 3 scene 1. The party

is partly responsible for sending the ball of death rolling. This

affects all the characters in some way. You can also tell from the

start of the play that the play is destined to have a negative outcome

from the chorus.

Shakespeare sets the scene for making th atmosphere dramatically

effective by creating a tension between the main characters in the

rival families.