William Shakespeare

In the play leading up to this scene we find out that the play is set in Verona and about the feud between the Capulets and the Montagues. We learn of Romeo's love for Rosaline and his melancholy mood after she rejects his advances.

Romeo's cousin, Benvolio tries to take Romeo's mind off Rosaline and suggests finding a new woman. When an illiterate Capulet Servant comes and needs help to read an invitation to the Capulet Ball it becomes apparent to Benvolio that this will be the perfect chance for Romeo to find someone new.

(Benvolio Act I, Scene II "Go thither and with unattainted eye compare her face with some that I shall show and I will make thee think thy swan a crow" (referring to Rosaline)).

We also learn that Juliet has been requested by Paris to be his wife and they have plans to meet at the Capulet Ball. This shows Shakespeare's intentions that the play be about fate, how Romeo just happened to come across an illiterate servant delivering the invites and how it was that party that Paris decides to

. . .
" It is known from previous scenes that Tybalt is very proud of the house of Capulet, he shows his mood as choler and bitter towards Romeo. It is also following on the theme of fate and how she almost predicts her fate without knowing it.

While Juliet is gone to find her mother, Romeo has a chance to find out whom he has just met. Sonnets were used to capture peoples attention as important text in the play, Shakespearean sonnets have 14 lines and are written in and iambic pentameter with the rhyming scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.

As Romeo is leaving with the other guests Juliet takes her chance to find out the identity of her lover, she asks nurse the identity of a few of the leaving guests then asks nurse of the identity of Romeo.

"So shows snowy dove trooping with crows"

Going back to Benvolio's speech in scene II. This scene is the place where Tybalt swears his revenge on Romeo, a key part to the ending and the plot to the rest of the play. This scene is written beautifully with the use of sonnets and poetry throughout. "

Romeo is trying to imply that Juliet is like a saint and himself the pilgrim, to this Juliet replies,

"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers sake. She carries on the religions theme with her talk of Saints and holy palmers, she also says that saints touch Pilgrims hands to show love saying that a touch is just as important as a kiss. He also mentions his sin, by taking Juliet by the hand and asking her for a kiss.

Masked balls were a custom of the time, it gave uninvited guests such as Romeo and Benvolio a chance to be anonymous, this shows Lord Monatgue's mood as happy and joyful as he telling them the times when he used to wear a mask and tempt young ladies. Romeo says in answer to Juliet's comment:

"Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?"

Romeo is trying to get a kiss from Juliet but she manages to answer his question, avoiding the kiss:

"Ay, pilgrim lips that they must use in prayer"

Romeo finally manages to get round Juliet by getting straight to the point and asking;

"O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do. Juliet tells nurse it is ok and it was just a rhyme she had learned from someone she had been dancing with.

Common topics in this essay:
Juliet Romeo's, GG Romeo, Romeo Juliet, II Romeo, Lord Capulet, Paris Romeo, Romeo Benvolio, Tybalt Romeo, Capulet Tybalt, Romeo Montague, lord capulet, 'tis gone, romeo benvolio, capulet ball, romeo takes juliet's, scene chorus, tells tybalt, theme fate, kiss romeo, scene ii, mood happy, takes juliet's hand, gone 'tis gone, 'tis gone 'tis, dove trooping crows,

Approximate Word count = 2036
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

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