How Does Shakespeare Make You Feel Increasingly Sympathetic Towards Juliet in Act 3 Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet?
In this essay I will explain and show how Shakespeare makes the audience feel increasingly sympathetic towards Juliet in Act 3, Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet. This play is one of the most well known love stories in history. Shakespeare’s uses of dramatic devices cleverly create twists and tension throughout the entire play. Towards this climax Shakespeare uses the following events that build up to the scene. These are traditional/historical aspects of marriage and family loyalty; cross purposes (Romeos exit) dramatic irony and use of language. Before this scene there are several things that make us feel sympathetic. Juliet is 13 and is in the midst of all the action. She is helpless and Is unable to cope with it. This puts her under a lot of pressure. This makes us feel more sympathy as she has no comfort from her mother or farther Her relationship with her mother is very formal, she does this by addressing her mother “mistress” or lady. This shows her relationship with her mother is unlike a normal relationship, but more like a respectful relationships, this makes us feel sympathetic towards her as she cannot explain or tell her things. Juliet’s relationship with her nurse is more like a mother daughter relationship. Another reason to feel sympathetic towards Juliet is that her cousin Tybalt has been killed by her husband Romeo. This is a blow to Juliet as she slept with Romeo. I feel that this is a big factor to the build up towards act 3 scene 5. The traditional and historical aspects of this marriage and family loyalty also play a large role in the build up towards the climax. Juliet must abide by her parents rules in order to say in the house. This brings us onto the marriage, normally in this era in time, rich families arrange there children’s marriage so they can have more land and wealth. Juliet breaks this rule and marries Romeo. This makes us feel sympathetic as she has to hide the fact she has feelings towards Romeo.