Romeo And Juliet

Shakespeare based his play "Romeo and Juliet" on an earlier poem written by Arthur Brookes. It was called "Romeus and Juliet". The poem was adapted into a play by Shakespeare. In the play he explores strong emotions like love and hate, this stays in it throughout the play. "Romeo and Juliet" is set in a place called Verona in Italy. Shakespeare set it in Italy as this to him was the centre of the renaissance; Shakespeare showed how Italy was a very cosmopolitan country.

Shakespeare creates tension prior to act one scene five in the form of a sonnet "two star crossed lovers who's death buries their parents strife" this shows that Shakespeare already mentions the fatal consequences of Romeo and Juliet meeting to the audience. However I don't think this is a good idea as the audience then knows what will happen as a conclusion of the events that will take place and this might not keep people interested. Shakespeare also introduces a fight scene right at the start of the play. The Montague servants reach a conflict between the Capulet servants. When Benvolio (cousin of Romeo) says to Tybalt (nephew of lord Capulet) "peace" Tybalt replies "peace, I hate the word all Montague's and thee". This shows how much the Montague's and Capulet's dislike each other. Apprehension is also created just before act 1 scene five, when Romeo (with Micutio's encouragement) is on his way to the Capulet's party, he has an apparition or a vision that things will not end up well for him. "My mind misgives some consequence still hanging in the stars". This shows that Romeo detects some trouble or crisis lurking in the future.

"You are looked for, called for, asked for and sought for in the great hall" by using repetition this phrase builds tension as the audience understand that there is panic and anxiety in the servant's voice. There is a release of tension when everything is ready for the party and lord Capulet inviting everybody into his house.

When Romeo enters the Capulet's house the audience will be worried because they know there will be some kind of confrontation between Romeo and the Capulet's. When Romeo lays eyes upon Juliet for the first time he falls in love with her instantly, this shows that he is very amorous. He praises Juliet's beauty and starts comparing it with detailed metaphors and similies. "She hangs upon the cheek of night like a rich jewel in an ethiop's ear", she glows in the night like a rich sparkly jewel on the dark skin of an Ethiopian woman's