Written Coursework Chosen Extract: Act 2 scene 1 and Act 3 scene 5

Written Coursework

Chosen Extract: Act 2 scene 1 and Act 3 scene 5

Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, is a play that tells the love story between Romeo and Juliet. However, since Romeo and Juliet were so young, I first started to doubt about their love to each other. After reading the second balcony scene, which is Act 3 scene 5, I found that Romeo and Juliet’s love wasn’t so stable that it was changed by Romeo’s banishment and their desperation. Thus, I decided to act in Romeo’s perspective in case to see how the desperation brought by Romeo’s banishment changed his love to Juliet by comparing and contrast the two balcony scenes, which is Act 2 scene 1 and Act 3 scene 5.

The performance has two parts; one part showed Romeo and Juliet’s love and one part showed Romeo and Juliet’s depression. In Act 2 scene 1, I acted tenderly to show my love to Juliet. The first part of the whole scene was bright. Both characters were wearing red because it’s a passionate color. It told the audiences about how they dropped in love deeply and so that it would gave a huge comparison when audience see the second part of the scene. Also, the background music was relaxed and lively to suit a background based on happiness.

In line 3, Romeo said, “It is the east and Juliet is the sun”. It showed that he was faithful to Juliet at first in case to show the difference in the second balcony scene. I hold my hand, and pointed to Juliet’s window to show Romeo’s yearn for Juliet’s love. When Juliet asked Romeo to banish his identity as a Montague, I was anxious and rushed to Juliet’s sight to say, “I take thee at thy word” to show Romeo’s attention on Juliet’s sweet request.

Then, Romeo swore how he loved Juliet in line 112, “Lady, by yonder blessèd moon I vow”. However, Juliet was anxious by the variable of the inconstant moon. Then, Romeo started to promise again and again tirelessly. Swearing for several times didn’t bother him at all. It’s a clear contrast to the second part that Romeo asked to leave when Juliet begged him to promise. He has been so patient in this part, when his love to Juliet hasn’t turned sour yet. I pretended there’s the moon on my left and turned to it to bless. Then, I turn back to Juliet and stare at her to praise her beauty and asked for the exchanging of love. The first balcony scene was truly beautiful for both characters at this point.

When Juliet first left for hearing some noise, I stared her until she left and then I felt shorted-winded. After Juliet had left, Romeo said, “Being in night, all this is but a dream” (line 147). It showed how happy he to found that the generous night brought him Juliet’s love. It also showed the different that he has no expression anymore when Juliet expressed her love in the second part. By showing his happiness, I walked around, kept whispered and use my hand to show how excited Romeo was exaggeratedly. I also touched my heart to show how it speeded up when Romeo thought he find his “true” love.

An interesting point in this part is Juliet has left for several times and returned to Romeo for many times. When Juliet left, Romeo just stayed and waited for Juliet quietly. When Juliet returned, he continued expressing his love. In the whole process, he has never being out of patience. However, how Romeo behaved in the second part of the scene showed how unstable his patient and love was. Still, I acted exaggerated by holding Juliet’s hand for every time that she was about to leave. Even though Romeo didn’t speak any lines to ask Juliet to stay, I expressed he wasn’t willing to see Juliet’s left. By returning to balcony again and again, Juliet also showed that she’s not willing to leave. I emphasized the line “A thousand times the worse to want thy light” (line 165) to show how much Romeo wanted to stay with Juliet.

Even after Juliet totally left the stage, Romeo still stayed there and loathed to leave. He even didn’t want to have any sleep and he wanted to rush to Friar Lawrence’s cell to make sure that Juliet could marry him. I acted extremely exciting and talked as a stammer person. It helped me to show that Romeo was too emotional and happy that he even lost his ability to talk. I moved around quickly and keep scratching my hair to show that Romeo was thinking about what he should do next could help him to marry Juliet the fasted.

 outline:

First body: how they begin to show each other their love when nobody’s there and Romeo’s impatient and urgent

Second: Romeo’s sincerity to bless by the moon, etc

Third: Romeo’s happiness after Juliet first left (blessed)

Fourth: Romeo stayed to see Juliet’s back again and again and wanted to see Friar Lawrence as fast as he could.

Fifth: it was the lark ＝＝ he didn’t want to use sugared word to comfort Juliet any more

Sixth: became angry about how Juliet didn’t want him to leave, Juliet was affected by him

Seventh: more light and light, to show how he was helpless and anxious, their future would be dark so their love became dark

Eighth: many times farewell, but not because they wanted to stay together

Ninth: maybe not see again, he’s not sure

Tenth: dry sorrow drinks our blood