The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Act IV The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

Act 4 Scene i (Friar’s Cell) Dramatic Irony: contradiction between what a character thinks or says, and what the audience or reader knows to be true. This adds suspense and involves readers emotionally. Ex. Act III, scene iv, Lord Capulet wants Juliet to marry Paris, but he does NOT Know what the reader knows---that Juliet is already married to Romeo! **Act IV belongs to Juliet as she interacts with Friar, Nurse, Paris and her parents. She uses wordplay and misleading statements with double meaning.

Act 4 Scene i (Friar’s Cell) Paris is making arrangements with Friar Lawrence to perform the ceremony between himself and Juliet, and Friar and Paris are talking about the haste in which Paris is to wed Juliet, as her father dictates, to help her get over Tybalt’s death, and the Friar knows why it should be slowed, but cannot say! Juliet comes to see Friar and sees Paris, who calls her “wife” and she says “may be a wife” using double meanings to avoid lying. Paris says “Thy face is mine…” (p. 748) and Juliet seems to agree with him, but she’s saying “it’s not my own” but the audience knows it belongs to Romeo. Paris leaves with a reminder of their wedding on Thursday Juliet tells Friar that she will kill herself rather than marry Paris, which is a dichotomy (split) of Juliet because: She is deeply in love with Romeo and she is brave enough to take Friar’s potion She is also afraid of her parents so much that she can’t tell them the truth.

Act 4 Scene i (Friar’s Cell) Friar comes up with a plan to consent to marry Paris, but on Wednesday night, make the Nurse leave and take the vile of potion and it will make it appear as if she died—no pulse and no color etc. for 42 hours. So the wedding will be called off and she will be buried in the family vault and Romeo and Friar will come by and get her out and take her to Mantua He will send letters off to Romeo now and explain this new plan The Friar is deeply involved with Romeo and Juliet and has performed an illegal marriage and could be implicated in bigamous charges. He could be charged with personal liability. He is a peace-loving, yet powerless character in the play THEME: death vs life cycle Juliet must be like death to have a life with Romeo Opposite of birth is death –Friar creates death to draw out life Friar uses herbs and flowers to create Juliet’s potion “healing vs. death” the opposite again to bring life from death.

Act IV Scene ii (in Capulet House) Old Capulet, Lady Capulet, and Nurse and servants are in the hall discussing arrangements for the wedding feast Juliet comes from Friar Lawrence’s cell and begs her father for forgiveness for her disobedient behavior, and she says she will marry Paris. Old Capulet is thrilled that she will marry Paris, and ignores all others, and continues to dominate his wife and child. Old Capulet is so delighted that he moves up the wedding day to Wednesday, and the servants will make due! In Old Capulet’s zeal, Juliet must take the poison 24 hours soon than the Friar anticipated. This reduces the time the Friar has to notify Romeo

Act IV Scene iii (Juliet’s Chamber) Dramatic Irony: Lady Capulet says Juliet needs rest, and we (the reader) know that Juliet will be resting (dead) for a while! Juliet asks Nurse to leave so she can prepare, and Lady Capulet leaves also, very calm and willing, so to prepare for her wedding to Paris on Wednesday morn next. Insight Character: Juliet is NOT like her mother who is dominated with no control. She has taken control of her own life and can only control her death. Juliet’s soliloquy on p. 752 Lines 14-58 is a high point in the play. She agonizes and worries over everything that would go wrong. Wake up and Romeo not there No air in vault Ancient vault with dead bones (bodies) Tybalt in a shroud there newly entombed Loathsome smells Surrounded by dead relatives

Act IV Scene iii (Juliet’s Chamber) For Juliet, she must trust the Friar, but she places a dagger by her bedside and she finally drinks to Romeo and takes the poison. If the plan does NOT work, she must be prepared to take her own life. This is a symbol of her independence. THEME: Life vs death Juliet must die and in tomb in order to be reborn with new life with Romeo

Act IV Scene iv (Hall in Capulet House) It is 3:00 AM and Lady Capulet and Nurse, as well as many servants are busily preparing for the wedding throughout the night. Great excitement! Paris has musicians there and things are well arranged Old Capulet sends Nurse to wake Juliet and get her ready for her day. He will talk to Paris—make haste! Dawn is breaking! Dramatic Irony: Old Capulet says Juliet’s “bridegroom is come already” and we (the reader) know that Romeo is the bridegroom and he’s been with Juliet already!

Act IV Scene v (Juliet’s Chamber) Old Capulet sends Nurse to wake Juliet and Nurse tries everything to wake Juliet at dawn. She cannot! She is calling others and says, “O lamentable day! My lady’s dead!” All come running, Lady and Old Capulet and Old Capulet says that she’s like a flower that has not come into full bloom, killed by an early frost. No one can wake her. Death is his son-in-law. The rest of the wedding party arrives (Friar Lawrence, Paris, and musicians) and they lament Juliet’s death. Paris feels he has been cheated, but not so affected as the Nurse, by Juliet’s dying. Juliet’s parents and Nurse are truly sad and grieving wildly so.

Act IV Scene v (Juliet’s Chamber) Friar Lawrence tries to emphasize that marriage is not important, because Juliet has gone on to her reward in heaven, and in a better place, and now turn energies to her funeral, instruments and feasts for burial and not marriage All exit, but Nurse and musicians. As the musicians turn to leave, Peter comes in and demands that they play a sad song “My Heart is Full” to cheer him up, and they refuse, so Peter insults them with a riddle, and they leave.

The End of Act IV http://www.pianobrothers.com/Music/psloveyou/index.asp#JumpName