Romeo and Juliet: Act 1 Scene 5

In William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, about two love struck teenagers whom aren’t able to be together due to their families feud/ social situation. There is two key themes that of love and hate. Before Romeo and Juliet meet, the audience is only aware that he is a Montague and that she is a Capulet. This adds to the scene being so dramatically effective as do other happenings throughout the length of the scene. These include the speech of Capulet and the happy and joyous mood of the party, The romantic speech of Romeo, The hatred and harshness of Tybalt’s speech, a direct contrast with that of Romeo’s and the drama when the two lovers, Romeo and Juliet first meet.



At the start of Act 1 scene 5, Capulet turns to the maskers at the ball and delivers a speech rather jokingly tell all to enjoy the night and dance to the music. This speech is important as it lets the Audience know and that this night is a happy and joyous occasion. As a reader or observer you feel Capulet is happy, because the event is just for Capulet’s. He and the others feel only happy when they’re with their own kind, this adds to the dramatic effectiveness of the scene because as an audience member you are now even more aware of the great tension that is waiting to explode between the houses of Capulet and Montague. This joyous occasion is also of stark contrast to the fighting at the beginning of the play. More important speeches are made including that of Romeo.



Shakespeare uses Romeo’s romantic speech, this make the scene dramatic because it intensifies the mood threefold after the happy and joking speech made by Capulet. Romeo’s speech identifies to the audience for the first time, how Romeo feels about Juliet. That Juliet’s beauty is unmatched by those in the room and that Romeo has never loved before but he now thinks he has found her, Juliet the one. At this point the audience realises just what type of love and passion Romeo feels for Juliet. This...