How does Shakespeare present conflict at the start of Romeo and Juliet Essay Example for Free

How does Shakespeare present conflict at the start of Romeo and Juliet EssayExplain how Shakespeare presents the theme of fury in this part of the play.The first thing to note slightly this scene is that it takes place right at the start of the play. I believe that this scene exists to set up and highlight one of the key conflicts in the play as a whole. It takes place after a serious fight between the Montagues and Capulets. This fights prime instigator is Tybalt who when asked by Benvollio to help him keep the peace saysWhat drawn and talk of peace. I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee overhear at thee, cowardClearly then this is a deep seated conflict that is responsible for disturbing the peace in Verona and it is the Princes job to restore golf-club in this scene. consequently right at the start of the scene he calls them profaners. This is very emotive language and helps to underline the Princes contempt for both(prenominal) of the families and t heir conflict. The audience when they hear language like this will then associate both families as being not being very religious and being conflicting to God and His purposes.The contempt that the Prince and the audience is supposed to feel for both of the fighting families is further emphasised in the description of their swords as neighbor-stained steel. Clearly what the Prince is hard to highlight here is that both families are behaving in a very selfish immature way and are showing an unchristian regard for their neighbours. Therefore violence is shown in this scene as being something that is pointless, stupid and going against God.Following on from this the theme of violence is further emphasised through the Princes use of a rhetorical questionWill they not hear?I think that Shakespeare by choice uses this technique here to demonstrate how unthinking both families are in their hatred for each other. It is clear that the hatred between them runs so deep that they cannot and will not listen to people who are stressful to mediate between them and trying to keep the peace. This is further emphasised subsequent on in the line by the Prince describing them as beasts. I think that Shakespeare deliberately uses this word to help emphasise just how nasty the violence between both families are. A beast is an animal. Therefore, to the Prince, the unthinking violence between them has gone so far as to take away their humanity.Again in the next line Shakespeare has further emphasised the Princes dislike and animosity towards both families and however how fed up he is with their constant quarrelling by using the emotive language ofyour pernicious rageThis helps to underline that to the Prince it is both families actions that are having a unhealthful effect on his city and that they are gradually being very destructive through their actions. According to the Prince the only thing that will help to collected the mens emotions down and will stop all the violence i spurple fountains issuing from your veinsWhat the Prince means here is that only by the mens spilt blood will they calm down. This does not seem like an effective way to keep the peace and helps to show that for some reason violence has croak a way of life for the people involved the quarrel.What is the cause of all this violence the audience would naturally ask at this point in the delivery? It is clear that, according to the Prince, that the cause of most of the violence is merely an airy word. The connotations of airy are something that is unsubstantial, something that is barely even there. Therefore the portrayal of violence in this part of the play by Shakespeare is of actions that dont welcome a cause, that are incre4dibly harmful and dont seem to be about anything much in particular. Surely then we as the audience will slightly sympathise with the Prince and his role to help keep the peace.This can be seen later on in the play when Tybalt gets into a fight with Mercutio. O ne of the key moments in the play is when Tybalt saysMercutio thou consortst with RomeoThis could be seen as being just cordial banter however to both families it is seemingly jokey things people say to each other take on huge significance. For me then these airy words have a huge impact because the strong sense of pride these characters have and how they are unable to let things slide. I think this helps to underline what I think is the big lesson that Shakespeare is trying to teach us about violence in the play and that is that is that violence is often seen by people who are not victorious part or who are innocent bystanders as being pointless and damaging.