Romeo and Juliet

Why is act 1 scene 5 an important scene in the play and how has Shakespeare used language to arouse our interests? How successfully has Baz Luhrmann’s version brought the text to life on screen?

At the start of the act 1 scene 5 the serving men are working while Capulet welcomes his guests to the party. He encourages them to dance but some of the ladies are shy and Capulet teases them saying, “which of you all will deny to dance? She that makes dainty, she I’ll swear hath corns.”

This shows us that Capulet is humorous to his guests and like to throw a good party. Romeo then catches first sight of Juliet and falls in love with her. Romeo forgets about Rosaline, this scene is important to Romeo because it is when he catches first sight of Juliet. He says, “ Did my heart love till now?” This shows us that he is admitting his true love for Juliet. Originally Romeo was expecting to come to this party and be dazzled by Rosaline’s beauty and that no other lady there would compare to her but he was wrong. Love and Rosaline have hurt Romeo.

“Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn.”

This shows how this scene is important to Romeo.

While Romeo is admiring Juliet, Tybalt r

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He will want to get revenge on Romeo because he thinks that Romeo has intruded to make fun at his festivals. When Romeo and Juliet first see each other through the fish tank slow romantic music is played to set the scene. Before the dance Lady Capulet has informed Juliet that Paris wants to marry her and she says she will look to see if she likes him. He says to Tybalt, “you’ll make a mutiny among my guests?”

This shows friction between Lord Capulet and Tybalt as Lord Capulet overpowers Tybalt’s judgement and tells him to endure him. I also noticed that when Romeo realises Juliet is a Capulet that there is sad depressing music played in the background and this is also helping to set the scene of miserable and a moving scene. In the movie sound is used to help us feel what is happening. This helps us to enjoy and understand the play more because it seems more modern. Capulet tells Tybalt to stand down and let Romeo be. Such words include “dead”, “sin”, “foe”, “villain”, “spite” and “scorn”. Baz didn’t really have to add much understanding to the film because nearly everyone knows the story of Romeo and Juliet. Lady Capulet may also be angry or maybe anxious to know about Juliet, whether she went with Paris or why she was with Romeo. When Romeo and his friends are going to the party it is loud, party music.

Approximate Word count = 2154
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)

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