Love and Hate in Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet :: Free Romeo and Juliet Essays

'Romeo and Juliet' is a play written by William Shakespeare. A prologue is included at the start of the play, which portrays the tragedy between 'star-cross'd lovers'. Elizabethans believed that their fate is in the stars and the prologue increases the anticipation as it shows the way they are destined. Shakespeare has also included devices to dramatise the themes of love and hate throughout the play. In Elizabethan times the audience were involved in the ongoing play. Shakespeare involves the audience in scenes such as the ballroom scene (Act 1, Scene 5.) In Act 1, Scene 5 Romeo enters an enemy?s ball where he and Juliet fall in love for the first time, which angers Tybalt. At the end of Act 1, Scene 4 the mood is foreboding as Romeo believes that things could go wrong at the ball which he was to intrude on. He shows his fear by saying: ?I fear to early, for my mind misgive some consequences yet hanging in the stars? Romeo shows his fear by saying ?fear too early?. This suggests that he believes something there was something not right which made him highly anxious. There is a use of dramatic irony as the audience already know that there was to be problems because of the prologue, which makes keeps the interest from the audience. Elizabethans believed that their fate and destiny is written in the stars. The phrase ?hanging in the stars? which Romeo commented to himself, implies his destiny is in the stars, and it also suggests that because it is in the stars then the Elizabethan audience know definitely that here are going to be ?consequences?. In the beginning of Act, Scene 5 the mood changes from worrying to joyful, as the guests begin to enter the ball which is held by Capulet who is welcoming them. The mood is uplifting because the party is ready to start. The joyful mood is shown when Capulet says: ?Welcome, Gentlemen! Ladies that have toes Unplagu?d with corns will walk a bout with you.? The mood has changed quite drastically from the end of Act 1, Scene 4 to Act 1, Scene 5. This is show by when Capulet is welcoming people to the ball, ?Welcome, Gentlemen!? His excitement showed through the exclamation mark, which suggests that Capulet is full of energy which would lift the spirits of anyone who was to enter. The quotation creates the image of people bustling in, smiling and ready for the party.