ROMEO AND JULIET Act 1 Scene 1

Act 1 Scene 1 This play begins with a sonnet, a form of prose usually reserved for a lover addressing his beloved. The sonnet is a very structured form of prose, lending itself to order. Shakespeare cleverly contrasts this orderly sonnet with the immediate disorder of the first scene. Thus, the scene quickly degenerates into a bunch of quarreling servants who soon provoke a fight between the houses of Montague and Capulet.

Act 1 Scene 1 The opening stage direction reads, Enter SAMPSON and GREGORY, of the house of Capulet, armed with swords and bucklers (1.1.1,s.d.). As viewers of the play today, we don't know that Sampson and Gregory are of the house of Capulet, but their clothes tell us they are servants of some great man. To make a big impression, rich men dressed their servants in uniforms, called "liveries."

Act 1 Scene 1 A FIGHT WAS STARTED… By two servants from the house of Capulet Gregory sees two Montague servants approaching, and discusses with Sampson the best way to provoke them into a fight without breaking the law. Sampson says, “ I will bite my thumb at them, which is a disgrace to them if they bear it.” Sampson bites his thumb at the Montagues—a highly insulting gesture.

Act 1 Scene 1 The Montague servant, Abraham, took the bait. The Capulet servants goaded him when they realised they had support as Tybalt was approaching. Gregory says aside to Sampson,“ Say ‘better’; here comes one of my master’s kinsmen”

Act 1 Scene 1 With bawdy banter, Sampson vents his hatred of the house of Montague. The two exchange punning remarks about physically conquering Montague men and sexually conquering Montague women. This scene is wrought with sexual overtones, with the various servants speaking of raping the enemy's women. The sexual wordplay will continue throughout the play, becoming extremely bawdy and at times offensive, yet also underlying the love affair between Romeo and Juliet.

Act 1 Scene 1 It won't be long before these two will find the trouble they are looking for, but in the meantime we will see that Shakespeare doesn't glamorize violence. Sampson is a boasting fool, and Gregory is more interested in wordplay than swordplay. Any feud in which these two are involved can only be silly and stupid. In the opening moments of the scene, Sampson talks tough, and Gregory makes jokes at his expense. In less than three minutes of stage time Tybalt will be trying to kill Benvolio.

Act 1 Scene 1

Act 1 Scene 1 ENTERS BENVOLIO AND TYBALT… Benvolio tries to stop the fight Part fools. Put up your sword, you know not what you do. Tybalt enters the scene and instead of putting a halt to the fight, encourages it. They fight.

Act 1 Scene 1

Act 1 Scene 1 THE FIGHT ESCALATES… The fight between the two houses spills into the streets and the authorities try to stop it. Old Capulet enters and demands for his sword. His wife scorns him by saying he needs a crutch instead.

Act 1 Scene 1 THE FIGHT ESCALATES… Old Montague arrives and is eager to also fight with his enemy, Capulet. Lady Montague stops him from seeking his enemy. What can you say about Lord and Lady Capulet with Lord and Lady Montague and their response to the fight?

Act 1 Scene 1 THE PRINCE OF VERONA ARRIVES… Prince Escalus is VERY unhappy about the unrest. And hear the sentence of your moved Prince The two houses have fought three times and have caused much unrest in the city. Three civil brawls bred of an airy word, By thee old Capulet, and Montague, Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets

Act 1 Scene 1

Act 1 Scene 1 The Prince declares the violence between the two families has gone on for too long, and proclaims a death sentence upon anyone who disturbs the civil peace again. If ever you disturb our streets again, Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace

Act 1 Scene 1 The disorder within the play is evidenced by inverted circumstances. Servants start the quarrel, but soon draw the noblemen into the brawl. The young men enter the fight, but soon the old men try to deny their age and fight as well. The fact that this whole scene takes place in broad daylight undermines the security that is supposed to exist during the day. Thus the play deals with conflicting images: servants leading noblemen, old age pretending to be young, day overtaking night.

Act 1 Scene 1 After the Prince and everyone else leave, Old Montague asks Benvolio about who started the fight Lady Montague asks about Romeo Then Romeo arrives. He seems moody for when greeted by Benvolio, he laments that the hours pass so slowly. Ay me, sad hours seem long.

Act 1 Scene 1 Benvolio shows his concern, “What sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours?” With a touch of sadness, Romeo tells Benvolio that he is in love with Rosaline, but that she does not return his feelings and has in fact sworn to live a life of chastity. Out of her favour where I am in love This love feel I, that feel no love in this. Romeo seems to be a rather emotional person.

Act 1 Scene 1 Benvolio counsels Romeo to forget her by gazing on other beauties, but Romeo contends that the woman he loves is the most beautiful of all. Romeo departs, assuring Benvolio that he cannot teach him to forget his love. Benvolio resolves to do just that. BENVOLIO: Be ruled by me, forget to think of her. ROMEO: O, teach me how I should forget to think. BENVOLIO: By giving liberty unto thine eyes; Examine other beauties. ROMEO: .. Farewell: thou canst not teach me to forget. BENVOLIO: I'll pay that doctrine, or else die in debt.

Act 1 Scene 1 Benvolio counsels Romeo to forget her by gazing on other beauties, but Romeo contends that the woman he loves is the most beautiful of all. Romeo departs, assuring Benvolio that he cannot teach him to forget his love. Benvolio resolves to do just that. BENVOLIO: Be ruled by me, forget to think of her. ROMEO: O, teach me how I should forget to think. BENVOLIO: By giving liberty unto thine eyes; Examine other beauties. ROMEO: .. Farewell: thou canst not teach me to forget. BENVOLIO: I'll pay that doctrine, or else die in debt.

Analysis of Act 1 Scene 1 In Act 1 Sc 1, Shakespeare provides all the background information needed to understand the world of the R&J. In the brawl, he portrays all of the layers of Veronese society, from those lowest in power, the servants, to the Prince who occupies the political and social pinnacle. He further provides excellent characterization of Benvolio as thoughtful and fearful of the law, Tybalt as a hothead, and Romeo as distracted and lovelorn, while showing the deep and long-standing hatred between the Montagues and Capulets. At the same time, Shakespeare establishes some of the major themes of the play. The opening of Romeo and Juliet is a marvel of economy, descriptive power, and excitement.

Analysis of Act 1 Scene 1 In the figures of the civil watch and the Prince, the brawl introduces the audience to a different aspect of the social world of Verona that exists beyond the Montagues and Capulets. For example, the servants try to attain their desire while remaining on the right side of the law. Note how careful Samson is to ask, “Is the law on our side, if I say ‘Ay,’” before insulting the Montagues (1.1.42). After the Prince institutes the death penalty for any who disturb the peace again, the stakes for letting private passions overwhelm public sobriety are raised to a new level.

Analysis of Act 1 Scene 1 Finally, this first scene also introduces us to Romeo the lover. However, instead of being in love with Juliet, Romeo is nursing a crush on Rosaline. Who is Rosaline? The question lingers through the play. She never appears onstage, but everyone believes he is in love with Rosaline for the entirety of the play even after he has secretly wedded Juliet.

Analysis of Act 1 Scene 1 In this way, Rosaline haunts Romeo and Juliet. One can argue that Rosaline exists in the play only to demonstrate Romeo’s passionate nature, his love of love, eg, in the clichés he spouts about his love for Rosaline: “Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health” (1.1.173), it seems that Romeo’s love for chaste Rosaline stems almost entirely from the reading of bad love poetry. Romeo’s love for Rosaline, then, seems an immature love, more a statement that he is ready to be in love than actual love.

Analysis of Act 1 Scene 1 An alternative argument holds that Romeo’s love for Rosaline shows him to be desirous of love with anyone who is beautiful and willing to share his feelings. Over the course of the play, the purity and power of Romeo’s love for Juliet seems to outweigh any concerns about the origin of that love, and therefore any concerns about Rosaline, but the question of Rosaline’s role in the play does offer an important point for consideration.