Romeo And Juliet's Soliloquy Essay
Discuss The Dramatic Effectiveness of The Soliloquies in Romeo and Juliet.
Romeo and Juliet is probably Shakespeare’s most well known play. It is the story of two star-crossed lovers fighting to find acceptance of their love. Throughout the play there is a consistent, ongoing fight between the Capulet’s and the Montague’s, Romeo being a Montague and Juliet being a Capulet. It all ends in tragedy but “through bad comes good” and the Capulet’s and Montague’s start to build bridges. In my essay I will be discussing the language Shakespeare uses to create terrific drama and suspense throughout the play. I will be discussing Friar Laurence’s soliloquy (Act 2, Scene 3), Juliet’s soliloquy (Act 3, Scene2) and Romeo’s Soliloquy (Act 5, Scene3). We are first introduced to Friar Laurence during Act 2, Scene 3. It is early morning when he enters his cell with a basket. He plays the religious character in the play, we can also see that he is thought of as wise because Romeo, Juliet and the nurse all go to him seeking advice and comfort from their “terrors”. Religion had a huge emphasis within people’s everyday life in the Elizabethan period and therefore Friar Laurence had an important status to maintain throughout the play. Shakespeare informs his audience of this by using …show more content…
several devices; he uses blank verse and rhyming couplets. Blank verse was used to identify a key individual and the use of rhyming couplets helped to emphasise this. Whilst watching this soliloquy amongst the tension in the theatre the audience would gain respect for him. This is because the Friar is a man who looks at life through all different aspects. When the Friar is talking about the plants “With baleful weeds and precious-juiced flowers” makes him seem genuine as he appreciates the power of something others would not. Later in the play we see that the Friar is using the plants as a metaphor he discusses the good and the bad points of plants, which is a metaphor for his own personality. You see this when the Friar abandons Juliet in her suicidal state. The audience will also feel trust in him because so far in the play Shakespeare has introduced so many temperamental characters, they would feel relieved to have a mature character to put their trust in. With the Friars persistent referral to good and bad, life and death (good things plants can do and the bad things they can make). He is referring to a continuous cycle; whatever dies will be reborn again from nature “What is burying in her grave, that is her womb with his love he kills himself and in turn she sees her dead husband and also commits suicide (bad). This is the irony of his soliloquy, which is revealed later in the play. Maybe the Friars reference to bad resulting in good is, with the death of Romeo and Juliet, the Capulet’s and the Montague’s might find peace with each other “Vice sometimes by action dignified”. The plants that Friar Laurence talks about are a symbol for all the people in the world (good plants – good people, bad plants – bad people). The audience is made to feel suspicious by the language Shakespeare uses. He creates a comparison between the Friar and the witches from “Macbeth” both of these characters use rhyming couplets and uses plants to create power for themselves. The audience is left wondering whether this was Shakespeare’s intention. By doing this Shakespeare is creating tension within the audience. The Friars Soliloquy was used to show the importance of the Friar as a character and the importance of the plants in the final scenes.
Juliet’s soliloquy during Act 3, Scene 2 is another important soliloquy throughout the play. Juliet has just married her beloved Romeo and is anxiously waiting in her room to consummate their marriage. Shakespeare uses another device in Juliet’s soliloquy to create a feeling of sympathy for Juliet and to create a feeling of suspense within the audience. To create this affect, Romeo has just killed Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin and has been exiled by the prince to Mantua. Shakespeare continually hints that their marriage is destined to fail. Juliet is very excited about her wedding night, it seems as though she cannot wait to consummate their marriage.
Shakespeare shows this by repeating the phrase “come night” he also uses words that relate to speed “immediately” which could be seen as a link to the fact that their relationship has progressed so quickly. In her soliloquy it is not only her excitement that is described but her apprehension is shown as well “hood my unmanned blood bating in my cheeks” this line shows that she will be blushing (nervous). The show of both excitement and apprehension shows that Juliet is naive which causes a form of sympathy towards her within the
audience. In her Soliloquy it shows her character clearly, we see her as a very sweet, naïve girl and is desperately in love with her new husband. This strengthens the way that the audience feels towards her. They will also be begging fate to change so that Romeo and Juliet’s lives will be spared. Shakespeare tries to put emphasis on the love Romeo and Juliet share using imagery. Juliet describes Romeo as “whiter than the snow on a ravens back”, by using imagery they can relate to what the see in their minds. This image symbolises Juliet’s unconditional love for Romeo.” Shakespeare is trying to tell the audience that bad can come good and good can come from bad, he suggests that good can create evil when not used appropriately. Without the audience realising it, Shakespeare is giving them an insight into what will happen later in the play. The Friars soliloquy was a metaphor that Shakespeare created. Juliet drinks the potion to send her into a death like state in order to save her marriage (good), unfortunately her beloved Romeo does not realise this and thinks she is dead! Because Romeo still wants to be The purpose of Juliet’s soliloquy was to get the audience feeling lots of emotion. Shakespeare creates an unbearable suspense because the audience know the tragedy that is to follow. They are also left hoping that this “match made in heaven” will remain together and alive despite their destiny.
Romeo’s soliloquy begins during Act 5; Scene 3, Romeo and Juliet’s strife comes to a dramatic climax. Friar Laurence sends a message to Romeo to notify him of his loved ones staged death. Balthazar, Romeos friend rushes off when he finds out what he thinks has happened to inform Romeo that Juliet has killed herself. Romeo is incredibly impetuous and quickly decides he must be with Juliet. He enters Verona risking arrest and ignoring his banishment, he recklessly gets poison from the apothecary and goes to the Capulet tomb! This is where Romeo begins his soliloquy; Shakespeare uses dramatic irony in order to cause desperation. It is intensified when Romeo speaks of the life left in Juliet;
“Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath,
Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty:
Thou art not conquer’d beauty’s ensign yet,
Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks.”
This leaves the audience wanting to shout out that she is not dead. This is very intense because they knew Romeo was going to take his life from the beginning of his soliloquy “How oft are men at the pint of death”. This leaves the audience begging that he will realise Juliet is still alive. Although they know this will not happens as Shakespeare previously writes, “their fate was written in the stars”. Romeo’s love for Juliet is shown in so many different ways. The line “why art thou yet so fair? Shall I believe that unsubstantial death is amorous,” this is saying that he finds her attractive even through death (this is very ironic seeing as she is not dead). How he feels towards Juliet in this scene helps shape the way the audience feel about him, in other scenes he has been hasty and irrational. Shakespeare ensures the audience will warm to him during this scene. We can see that when it comes to loved ones he just cant stop himself and he will not let anything stand in the way of him being with Juliet. Throughout the soliloquy Shakespeare uses disturbing imagery such as “with worms that are thy chamber-maids”, this evokes a mood of death and decay. The fact that Romeo is willing to kill himself to be with Juliet shows that he is to going to make the ultimate sacrifice: his life. As the audience watch the scene draw to a close they would be in sheer agony, watching Romeo drink the fatal poison as he makes a toast to Juliet, “here to my love” and dies. The fate of these two “star crossed lovers” finally becomes reality. The purpose of this soliloquy was to bring the play to a dramatic climax. The soliloquy gives us an insight into the emotions of Romeo and his true character. Shakespeare also uses dramatic irony at its most intense, and with the audiences knowledge of their deaths creates huge frustration.
In conclusion we can see that each of the three soliloquies evokes three very different moods amongst the audience. The Friars speech is curious and conveys his wise and suspicious nature. It leaves the audience wondering what important role plants will have in the play, and how the cycle of good and bad will affect it. In contrast to this Juliet’s soliloquy causes a more sympathetic reaction. The audience come to realise her sweet nature and feel pity towards her due to their knowledge that Romeo and she will end up dead. This comes to a climax in Romeo’s soliloquy, where the audience know that Juliet is still alive, yet Romeo is about to take his life in front of them. In all three soliloquies this dramatis irony plays a huge role. It creates and intensifies the emotions of the audience. In the Friars they are left feeling curious, in Juliets they are left feeling pitiful and in Romeos deep desperation. Shakespeare wrote these soliloquies to cause a variety of reaction, and through language and dramatic irony he created one of the most famous captivating tragedies of all time.
Romeo and Juliet is probably Shakespeare’s most well known play. It is the story of two star-crossed lovers fighting to find acceptance of their love. Throughout the play there is a consistent, ongoing fight between the Capulet’s and the Montague’s, Romeo being a Montague and Juliet being a Capulet. It all ends in tragedy but “through bad comes good” and the Capulet’s and Montague’s start to build bridges. In my essay I will be discussing the language Shakespeare uses to create terrific drama and suspense throughout the play. I will be discussing Friar Laurence’s soliloquy (Act 2, Scene 3), Juliet’s soliloquy (Act 3, Scene2) and Romeo’s Soliloquy (Act 5, Scene3). We are first introduced to Friar Laurence during Act 2, Scene 3. It is early morning when he enters his cell with a basket. He plays the religious character in the play, we can also see that he is thought of as wise because Romeo, Juliet and the nurse all go to him seeking advice and comfort from their “terrors”. Religion had a huge emphasis within people’s everyday life in the Elizabethan period and therefore Friar Laurence had an important status to maintain throughout the play. Shakespeare informs his audience of this by using …show more content…
several devices; he uses blank verse and rhyming couplets. Blank verse was used to identify a key individual and the use of rhyming couplets helped to emphasise this. Whilst watching this soliloquy amongst the tension in the theatre the audience would gain respect for him. This is because the Friar is a man who looks at life through all different aspects. When the Friar is talking about the plants “With baleful weeds and precious-juiced flowers” makes him seem genuine as he appreciates the power of something others would not. Later in the play we see that the Friar is using the plants as a metaphor he discusses the good and the bad points of plants, which is a metaphor for his own personality. You see this when the Friar abandons Juliet in her suicidal state. The audience will also feel trust in him because so far in the play Shakespeare has introduced so many temperamental characters, they would feel relieved to have a mature character to put their trust in. With the Friars persistent referral to good and bad, life and death (good things plants can do and the bad things they can make). He is referring to a continuous cycle; whatever dies will be reborn again from nature “What is burying in her grave, that is her womb with his love he kills himself and in turn she sees her dead husband and also commits suicide (bad). This is the irony of his soliloquy, which is revealed later in the play. Maybe the Friars reference to bad resulting in good is, with the death of Romeo and Juliet, the Capulet’s and the Montague’s might find peace with each other “Vice sometimes by action dignified”. The plants that Friar Laurence talks about are a symbol for all the people in the world (good plants – good people, bad plants – bad people). The audience is made to feel suspicious by the language Shakespeare uses. He creates a comparison between the Friar and the witches from “Macbeth” both of these characters use rhyming couplets and uses plants to create power for themselves. The audience is left wondering whether this was Shakespeare’s intention. By doing this Shakespeare is creating tension within the audience. The Friars Soliloquy was used to show the importance of the Friar as a character and the importance of the plants in the final scenes.
Juliet’s soliloquy during Act 3, Scene 2 is another important soliloquy throughout the play. Juliet has just married her beloved Romeo and is anxiously waiting in her room to consummate their marriage. Shakespeare uses another device in Juliet’s soliloquy to create a feeling of sympathy for Juliet and to create a feeling of suspense within the audience. To create this affect, Romeo has just killed Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin and has been exiled by the prince to Mantua. Shakespeare continually hints that their marriage is destined to fail. Juliet is very excited about her wedding night, it seems as though she cannot wait to consummate their marriage.
Shakespeare shows this by repeating the phrase “come night” he also uses words that relate to speed “immediately” which could be seen as a link to the fact that their relationship has progressed so quickly. In her soliloquy it is not only her excitement that is described but her apprehension is shown as well “hood my unmanned blood bating in my cheeks” this line shows that she will be blushing (nervous). The show of both excitement and apprehension shows that Juliet is naive which causes a form of sympathy towards her within the
audience. In her Soliloquy it shows her character clearly, we see her as a very sweet, naïve girl and is desperately in love with her new husband. This strengthens the way that the audience feels towards her. They will also be begging fate to change so that Romeo and Juliet’s lives will be spared. Shakespeare tries to put emphasis on the love Romeo and Juliet share using imagery. Juliet describes Romeo as “whiter than the snow on a ravens back”, by using imagery they can relate to what the see in their minds. This image symbolises Juliet’s unconditional love for Romeo.” Shakespeare is trying to tell the audience that bad can come good and good can come from bad, he suggests that good can create evil when not used appropriately. Without the audience realising it, Shakespeare is giving them an insight into what will happen later in the play. The Friars soliloquy was a metaphor that Shakespeare created. Juliet drinks the potion to send her into a death like state in order to save her marriage (good), unfortunately her beloved Romeo does not realise this and thinks she is dead! Because Romeo still wants to be The purpose of Juliet’s soliloquy was to get the audience feeling lots of emotion. Shakespeare creates an unbearable suspense because the audience know the tragedy that is to follow. They are also left hoping that this “match made in heaven” will remain together and alive despite their destiny.
Romeo’s soliloquy begins during Act 5; Scene 3, Romeo and Juliet’s strife comes to a dramatic climax. Friar Laurence sends a message to Romeo to notify him of his loved ones staged death. Balthazar, Romeos friend rushes off when he finds out what he thinks has happened to inform Romeo that Juliet has killed herself. Romeo is incredibly impetuous and quickly decides he must be with Juliet. He enters Verona risking arrest and ignoring his banishment, he recklessly gets poison from the apothecary and goes to the Capulet tomb! This is where Romeo begins his soliloquy; Shakespeare uses dramatic irony in order to cause desperation. It is intensified when Romeo speaks of the life left in Juliet;
“Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath,
Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty:
Thou art not conquer’d beauty’s ensign yet,
Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks.”
This leaves the audience wanting to shout out that she is not dead. This is very intense because they knew Romeo was going to take his life from the beginning of his soliloquy “How oft are men at the pint of death”. This leaves the audience begging that he will realise Juliet is still alive. Although they know this will not happens as Shakespeare previously writes, “their fate was written in the stars”. Romeo’s love for Juliet is shown in so many different ways. The line “why art thou yet so fair? Shall I believe that unsubstantial death is amorous,” this is saying that he finds her attractive even through death (this is very ironic seeing as she is not dead). How he feels towards Juliet in this scene helps shape the way the audience feel about him, in other scenes he has been hasty and irrational. Shakespeare ensures the audience will warm to him during this scene. We can see that when it comes to loved ones he just cant stop himself and he will not let anything stand in the way of him being with Juliet. Throughout the soliloquy Shakespeare uses disturbing imagery such as “with worms that are thy chamber-maids”, this evokes a mood of death and decay. The fact that Romeo is willing to kill himself to be with Juliet shows that he is to going to make the ultimate sacrifice: his life. As the audience watch the scene draw to a close they would be in sheer agony, watching Romeo drink the fatal poison as he makes a toast to Juliet, “here to my love” and dies. The fate of these two “star crossed lovers” finally becomes reality. The purpose of this soliloquy was to bring the play to a dramatic climax. The soliloquy gives us an insight into the emotions of Romeo and his true character. Shakespeare also uses dramatic irony at its most intense, and with the audiences knowledge of their deaths creates huge frustration.
In conclusion we can see that each of the three soliloquies evokes three very different moods amongst the audience. The Friars speech is curious and conveys his wise and suspicious nature. It leaves the audience wondering what important role plants will have in the play, and how the cycle of good and bad will affect it. In contrast to this Juliet’s soliloquy causes a more sympathetic reaction. The audience come to realise her sweet nature and feel pity towards her due to their knowledge that Romeo and she will end up dead. This comes to a climax in Romeo’s soliloquy, where the audience know that Juliet is still alive, yet Romeo is about to take his life in front of them. In all three soliloquies this dramatis irony plays a huge role. It creates and intensifies the emotions of the audience. In the Friars they are left feeling curious, in Juliets they are left feeling pitiful and in Romeos deep desperation. Shakespeare wrote these soliloquies to cause a variety of reaction, and through language and dramatic irony he created one of the most famous captivating tragedies of all time.