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Romeo and Juliet: Scenic Form

Prof Peter Mack: Slides for Romeo Lecture (22 Oct 2007)

 

1.5

 

(start of scene)

They march about the stage, and Servingmen come forth with napkins

(after line 15) Enter all the Guests and Gentlewomen to the Masquers 

 

 1. Servants and Preparation                                        1-15

 

 

 2. Capulets welcome the masquers. Music and dancing 16-26

 

 

 3. Capulet and Cousin discuss the past                     27-40

 

 

 4. Romeo sees Juliet asks about her, decides to speak to her (soliloquy)                                                                       41-52        

 

 

 5. Tybalt’s anger at Romeo, dissuaded by Capulet, exits 53-91

 

 

 6. Romeo and Juliet, Sonnet, 2 kisses                       92-109

 

 

 7. Nurse calls Juliet away, tells Romeo her family     110-17

 

 

 8. Benvolio calls R away, Cap asks them to stay       118-26

 

 

 9. Juliet discovers Romeo’s name and family           127-43

  

 Arthur Brooke, The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet (1562)

 


 

3.1

 

 1. Benvolio urges Mercutio to go home, M refuses, jokes 1-34

 

 

 2. Tybalt and Capulets enter provoke Mercutio                   35-54        

 

 

 3. Enter Romeo, Tybalt insults him, Romeo deflects insults, insists on his love for the Capulets                                           55-71

 

 

 4. Mercutio exasperated draws sword, fights Tybalt  72-82

 

 

 5. Romeo tries to prevent the fight, Tybalt wounds Mercutio under Romeo’s arm, flees, Mercutio dies, Romeo reacts         83-122

 

 

 6. Tybalt re-enters; Romeo kills him, flees                 123-38

 

 

 7. Citizens, Prince, Montagues and Capulets enter, laments for Tybalt, Benvolio’s story, banishment of Romeo 138-99

 

 

 (all line numbers from 1980 Arden ed. Gibbons)

 

 

LONGER SEQUENCE 


 

II. 6

 

 

 1. Romeo and Friar, Romeo’s sudden delights and Friar’s fear of them                                                                                    1-15

 

 

 2. Juliet arrives, fast and light, dialogue                      16-34

 

 

 3. Exit to get married                                                    35-37 

 

III.1 

 1. Benvolio urges Mercutio to go home, M refuses, jokes 1-34

 

 

 2. Tybalt and Capulets enter provoke Mercutio                   35-54        

 

 

 3. Enter Romeo, Tybalt insults him, Romeo deflects insults, insists on his love for the Capulets                                           55-71

 

 

 4. Mercutio exasperated draws sword, fights Tybalt  72-82

 

 

 5. Romeo tries to prevent the fight, Tybalt wounds Mercutio under Romeo’s arm, flees, Mercutio dies, Romeo reacts         83-122

 

 

 6. Tybalt re-enters; Romeo kills him, flees                 123-38

 

 

 7. Citizens, Prince, Montagues and Capulets enter, laments for Tybalt, Benvolio’s story, banishment of Romeo 138-99

 

 

 III 2

 

 

 1. Juliet soliloquy, hurrying to night’s joys                   1-31

 

 

 2. Enter nurse lamenting death; Juliet fears it’s Romeo; relief and division knowing it’s Tybalt; anger at nurse’s cursing of R; lamenting her own loss                                                     32-137

 

 

 3. Nurse decides to bring Romeo to her                    138-41

 

 

Analysing a scene

 

 1. A scene is focused on an action or actions

 

 2. Entrances and Exits

 

 3. Who talks to whom, who is grouped with whom

 

 4. Changes of atmosphere

 

 Prevalence of 3-part scenes: Preparation; Action; Reaction

 

 Sequences: Contrast and Parallel

 

 Using preparation and reaction to link scenes