How does Shakespeare create excitement and tension in Act 3 Scene 1 Essay Example For Students

How does Shakespeare create excitement and tension in Act 3 Scene 1? Essay Act 3 Scene 1 of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet is an important turning point in the play. This scene acts as a catalyst for all of the events that have already happened so far. It sparks off many more events, all of which build up to tragedy. After this scene nothing more is happy, this is predicted earlier on in the play. From early on doom is prophesised by more than one character. These violent delights have violent ends, As friar Lawrence says in Act 2 Scene 6, even though he has no idea that anything will lead to death. He is very uneasy about the whole marriage. There is so much tension that has built up over the past scenes, as the Prince has appointed death as the punishment for the two familys next public brawl. As the scene opens I want Mercutio to stride in confidently and joking about with the other men, I only want there to be three or four other men with Mercutio and Benvolio. I also want for Mercutio to push the other men about a little, almost as if they are playing tag. This is because it fits Mercutios character, which we have seen much of in the past scenes, also as Mercutio has no worries to do with the Capulets because he is not a Mountague. However, Benvolio should lag behind and appear unwilling to be there, he should look all around him and then hurry up to Mercutio. When Benvolio says his first lines I want him to half mutter and half plead with Mercutio as he is worried about an incident with the Capels. if we meet, we shall not scape a brawl, For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring. In these first few lines we notice that the atmosphere is in complete contrast to the last scene of tranquility, happiness and peacefulness. I want Mercutios first lines to be said completely seriously and he must look serious, like he means every word that he is saying. When he is finished though I want him to smile and clap Benvolio on the shoulder to show everyone that he is only joking about and teasing. During all of Mercutios first taunts I think that Benvolio should be following the from market stall to market stall, whilst looking all around him furtively. The other men with Mercutio and Benvolio should follow Mercutio and laugh loudly at his jests. When he says Am I like such a fellow? I think that Benvolio should be distracted and trying to lead the others away as he knows what will ensue if they meet with the Capulets. As Mercutio goes on to tease Benvolio about being what he is not and what he does not do, I think he should walk around as if he owns the place, strutting. Through this Mercutio should face the audience for most of it and grin at them, this is so that the crowd gets drawn in. To bring back any of them who got bored or lost in the wedding scene before, it also sets the audience up for the fight that will happen. I want for Tybalt to enter first with about four men behind him, no more than five. They should stand in a row slightly behind him. Tybalt is looking very confident and is at the opposite end of the stage to Mercutio and Benvolio. Tybalt should look as if he is searching for someone and his expression should be solemn. Meanwhile at the other end of the stage Mercutio has sat down outside a pub or place with tables and chairs. Benvolio should look as if he is beginning to stop worrying and is starting to joke about with Mercutio and the others. Then Benvolio is just about to sit down when out of the corner of his eye he spots Tybalt. His whole head immediately swivels round in the direction of Tybalt when he says By my head, here comes the Capulets. By this time Tybalt too has spotted his rivals and is moving closer to them. Mercutio, as ever the comedian who hasnt a care in the world, raises his heels one by one onto the table when he says his line By my heel, I care not. I got this idea from Baz Luhrmanns modern film version of Romeo and Juliet. I want Tybalt to have his hand on the hilt of his sword as his swordsmanship is like his vice. As he walks closer to Mercutio I want him to turn his head sideways and tell his men to Follow me close, for I will speak to them.- The hyphen indicates a pause; this is as Tybalt goes to speak to Mercutio and Benvolio. He comes to a stand still about two metres away from the seated Mountagues and Mercutio. When Mercutio talks to Tybalt I want him to talk with disdain towards Tybalt to accentuate that Mercutio stops talking in blank verse and uses prose. The audience will notice the difference as the more important characters use blank verse when talking to one another. However, the lower characters use prose, which seems cruder and less eloquent. Shakespeare often used prose for vulgarity and comedy in the mouths of the lower characters. As Mercutio is not using blank verse it shows his disrespect for Tybalt. When Mercutio and Tybalt are speaking Mercutio is teasing Tybalt by using his words carefully. Tybalt doesnt have this skill with his words and allows Mercutio to take his words and twist them to give them a new or different meaning. Tybalt doesnt see what is so funny about what he has said or he doesnt see the other meaning, such as Mercutio, thou consortst with Romeo- Mercutio immediately takes the other meaning of the word consort, to combine with musically. He thinks that Tybalt is calling him and Romeo minstrels. When Mercutio is saying these lines What, dost thou make us minstrels? An thou make minstrels of us Heres my fiddlestick; heres that shall make you dance I want Mercutio to look offended and angry and to sound angry at Tybalt, but also to have a slight teasing undertone to his voice. When he says Heres my fiddlestick I want Mercutio to stand up, pull his sword out and begin to dance comically. While he is dancing I want him to be pointing his sword at Tybalts feet. Benvolio as we have seen before in the play acts as the peace maker and tries to stop Tybalt and Mercutio from starting a fight. We talk here in the public haunt of men. Either withdraw unto someplace, Or reason coldly of your grievances, I want Benvolio, who has been standing behind Mercutio to move in front of him and between him and Tybalt. I want him to hold his hands up to both Tybalt and Mercutio to try and placate them. He is deadly serious as he knows that if they fight things will go wrong, he says so in his lines as he knows what Prince Escalus will do if they fight. Romeo should enter from the side of the stage where Tybalt entered; I want him to seem to be wandering aimlessly as if lost in thoughts of Juliet and their marriage. He doesnt spot Mercutio until slightly later. I want for Tybalt to be the first one to see Romeo and as Tybalt sees Romeo I want him to turn sideways so that he is facing Romeo. After Tybalt says his lines I want for Mercutio to point his sword as Tybalts chest as he is insulted that Tybalt called Romeo his man which has one meaning of a servant. He should almost hiss the words when he says his lines to Tybalt. Romeo still has not spotted Mercutio and Benvolio even though he is only a few metres away from them; this is when I want Tybalt to say his next lines. I want him to shout them as the market place will be busy and Romeo is a little bit away and I want him to emphasise thou art a villain. Tybalt should then spit on the floor to show his dislike for Romeo. Waiting For Godot EssayI want him to sound angry as he is accusing Juliet for making him weak and for love making him less manly. When Benvolio returns I want him to run back to Romeos side and say in a voice without any emotion that Mercutio has died. I want him to sound emotionless as the death of Mercutio has hit him hard and its not something that any expected would happen. This days black fate on moe days doth depend: This but begins the woe others must end. Romeo too should sound emotionless when he says this; I think itll help make the audience feel for Mercutios death, which is important I think in making Mercutios death effective in this play. I want Tybalt to come in with his sword hanging limply from his hand and I want him to look dazed as his enters, but when he spots Romeo again I want him to look defensive and move towards Romeo. As Benvolio sees Tybalt I want him to lay a hand on Romeos arm, this is as Benvolio doesnt want any more fighting to be going on. However, Romeo moves towards Tybalt and says his first three lines quite quietly, but then I want him to grow gradually louder during the rest of his lines until he gets to Either though or I, or both, must go with him. By the time he gets here I want him to scream the words at Tybalt. Tybalt should look slightly taken aback but then he gathers himself quickly and I want him to lift his sword up as he is saying his lines. Romeo too draws just after Tybalt, he says his line This shall determine that. I want them both to lunge for each other and the entire fight will last no longer than two minutes, the fight should consist of them both lunging at each other in a mad fury, then at the very end of the fight I want Tybalt to stumble just as Romeo lunges at him. Tybalts arms would be flailing and Romeos sword drives into Tybalts heart. Romeo should pull back and Tybalt bends over and falls to the ground. At this scene in front of him I want Romeo to fall to his knees, for him to drop his sword and look at the audience with a shocked look on his face. Benvolio moves over to Romeo and tries to lift him up and get him to move as he says his lines. Romeo, away be gone! The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain Stand not amazed. The Prince will doom thee death, Romeo should all the while be staring into the crowd, and then he says loudly that he is Fortunes fool. The theme of fate not being able to be controlled and is in fact controlling them comes in again. I want for Benvolio to pull Romeo up harshly so that he staggers a little and for Benvolio to push Romeo towards the side of the stage. After Benvolio has said his line I want Romeo to rush off stage. Not long after Romeo has left the stage the citizens should enter, I think two or three would be apt enough. They should look as if theyre talking to each other as they enter. They see Benvolio and the one that entered first should ask him Which way ran he that killed Mercutio? Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he? Benvolio should look up at them after staring in the direction that Romeo went, he should then point at the dead body of Tybalt as he says There lies that Tybalt. As Benvolio says that I think he should drop to his knees on the floor as the citizen tells him to get up in his next line. The Prince should enter first, then Lord and Lady Capulet, when lady Capulet sees Tybalt lying dead on the ground I think she should utter a small shriek and then cover her mouth with her hand, Lord Capulet should hold onto her after that outburst. Following them will be Lord and Lady Mountague and then both houses servants, who I want to be trying to get as far away from as possible. I want for the Capulets to move to the left of the stage, whilst the Mountagues move to the right and the Prince is facing forward towards the audience. Everything should go quiet in respect for the Prince and the Princes voice should sound regal and loud in the quietness of everything when he asks Where are the vile beginners of this fray? Benvolio meanwhile is still on his knees, he looks up at the Prince when the prince asks this and answers in a quiet, subdued voice. I want Lady Capulet to have been struggling in her husbands arms whilst Benvolio is saying his part, then she breaks free and moves closer to the Prince. I want her to sound rather hysterical. Tybalt, my cousin O Prince! O husband! For blood of ours shed blood of Mountague When she pleads to the Prince I want her to face the Prince, then when she cries O husband! I want her to turn to her husband, then for the last bit I want her to look at the Mountagues with complete and utter distaste. I think the Prince should let her say her piece, then merely look at her. I then want him to turn once again to Benvolio as he asks him what happened. Benvolio should answer in an emotionless tone once again to show that he is not siding with Romeo. After her first outburst, Lady Capulet was restrained by her husband once more, after Benvolio tells an accurate account of the fight I want for her to break free again and move a few steps closer to Benvolio. I want her to point her finger at him as she blames him for being biased. He is a kinsman to the Mountague: Affection makes him false; he speaks not true. Romeo slew Tybalt; Romeo must not live. Her voice should sound unnaturally high as she hisses it out at Benvolio. However, as the audience know that she is not right it does not matter too much what she says, but the Prince can tell from her disturbed manner that she is not truthful. When he says his next lines I want the Prince to stare at Lady Capulet as if to silence her. After the Prince asks what should be done, whos blood should be given in order to set right matters I want for Lord Mountague to step forward when he says his lines, I want him to deliver them like you would to a good friend who need a little bit of convincing. Not Romeo, Prince; he was Mercutios friend; His fault concludes but what the law should end The life of Tybalt. When he says the life of Tybalt I think Lord Mountague should point at Tybalts body. As the Prince gives out Romeos punishment I think that he should speak slowly, calmly and loudly, I want him to look from one family to another throughout the speech. I want for Lady Mountague to be weeping when she hears what is in store for Romeo, banishment and I want her to fall to the ground and to touch the Princes feet. When she does this I want the Prince to move his feet away and look at her with disdain, then say this part of his speech I will be deaf to pleading and excuses; Nor will tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses. Once he has finished his speech I want the Prince, followed by the citizens to leave the stage in the direction from which he came, I want the Capulets to follow him, then Lord Mountague and Benvolio should pick up the still weeping Lady Mountague and lead her out followed by their servants. Once they have all left the stage I want the lights to dim slowly until its totally dark as this is where the interval will be. This way no one will see Tybalts body being moved and for what has happened so far in the play to be taken in by the audience.