Romeo and Juliet Act1 Scene5

Analysis of Act I Scene V

Act I Scene V is a very relevant scene in the play. It contains Romeo and Juliet’s first meeting, which is of course an important event.

The scene begins merrily and busily, the servants are rushing around preparing things, and serving, as servants tend to do. Capulet greets all the guests warmly and in good humour. He makes a joke about how if a Woman won’t dance, she must have corns:

“She that makes dainty, she, I’ll swear, hath corns…” (Capulet, line 19-20)

Capulet joking with his guests shows he is in a good mood and intends this to be a good party.

Perhaps Capulet starts to feel his age around line 35. Whilst talking to a relative they discuss when they last wore masks, Capulet is told it was longer than he thought. In act I scene I, he asks for his sword to join in the brawl, but his wife tells him basically he is too old. Perhaps Capulet is now feeling somewhat sadder as he remembers better days. Maybe this makes him more willing to not cause trouble when Romeo’s presence is bought to light later.
Romeo went to the feast because Benvolio persuaded him to do so. He found out the Romeo was longing for Rosaline, and suggested they go to the feast so that Romeo could compare other women with Rosaline. Romeo agrees to go, but probably only because he knows Rosaline will be there, and he just wants to see her. This is similar to what Lady Capulet told Juliet to do at the feast; Juliet was asked to go to the feast, look at Paris, and see what a great Husband he would be. However, neither Rosaline or Paris feature in the scene. It is love at first sight for Romeo and Juliet and Shakespeare doesn’t confuse the matter by giving them the chance to make comparisons.
Romeo sees Juliet for the first time at the feast. He describes her as “a snowy dove trooping with crows.” He is saying here that she stands out from all the other women as a dove would stand out from crows. Earlier, in Act I Scene II, Benvolio says something...