Act IIIThe Downfall

Scene I “A plague o'both your houses” [pg. 123] “O, I am fortune's fool!” [pg. 125] This scene is a reminder to the audience that

Romeo and Juliet's lives/love affair is occurring in a male dominated society

Verona's society is consumed by masculine honor, pride, and honor

This scene also illustrates R&J's fragile state

Scene II Romeo and Juliet's love is tested as the conflict

between the 2 families increases Audience sees Juliet maturing, as she acts as a

brave and loyal woman/wife She states that her loyalty must remain with

her husband's, not with Tybalt's Juliet even reminds the nurse of where her

own loyalty should lie

Scene III The Friar remains hopefully and tries to explain

to Romeo of how lucky he is Romeo's passionate nature is, yet again,

illustrated He collapses onto the floor and throws a fit

during his conversation with the Friar Is completely grief stricken; refuses to see his

banishment as a gift from Prince Refuses to listen, threatens to kill himself

Scene IV Capulet's reasoning for moving up Juliet's

wedding date is unclear Maybe Capulet wants to bring some joy to

Verona after Tybalt's death...or maybe Capulet has realized that his family needs all of the political power that they can get

Regardless of Capulet's intentions, Juliet's powerlessness as a woman is reinforced

Is another reminder that women in Verona have no political or social power

Scene V Foreshadowing on pg. 159

Juliet: “O God, I have an ill-driven soul! Me thinks I see thee, now thou art so low, As one dead in the bottom of a tomb. Either my eyesight fails or thou lookest pale.”

Romeo: “And trust me, love, in my eye so do you. Dry sorrow drinks our blood. Adieu, adieu.”

The next time Juliet sees Romeo is right after he has committed suicide.

Scene V... Foreshadowing: pg. 173

Juliet: “I'll to the Friar to know his remedy. If all else fail, myself have power to die”

This scene demonstrates Juliet's full maturity She has transformed from girl to young

woman The Nurse is a symbol of Juliet's childhood

Juliet no longer needs the nurse. Juliet will no longer seek her advice

She is obedient and dependent upon her husband, Romeo

Scene V... Even though Juliet disobeys her parents, she

cannot leave Verona and go live with Romeo in Mantua

Women had no way of leaving society Juliet recognizes her powerlessness, but she

does not revert back to acting like a little girl She is determined to use her power any way

that she can Thus suicide, for Juliet, represents her desire to

control and direct her own life This is the assertion of authority over the self

Act IV

Scene I Friar Lawrence's character is the most

scheming within the play He encourages Romeo to go to Mantua Stages Juliet's death Secretly marries R&J

He is never presented as a negative character Is always illustrated as a character who is wise

and resourceful Never takes the blame for the characters' tragic

death

Scene II Paris's intentions with Juliet seem to be

honorable and pure He is somewhat of a neutral character. He favors the Capulet family but only because

of his love for Juliet He loves Juliet but does not illustrate any

discontentment with the Montagues Like everyone else in the play though he does not

know about R&J's relationship Paris represents a real and frightening danger for

Juliet

Scene III Once again, Juliet demonstrates her strength

as she decides to follow through on her decision to drink the poison

She takes full responsibility for herself She determines its worth to her The drinking of the potion hints at future

events

Scene IV

Illustrates the emotional roller coaster throughout the play

Tragedy vs. comedy Illustrates the complexity of human emotion

Life is full of both happy and sad moments Is Romeo and Juliet really a tragedy?

Scene V Paris's grief for Juliet also seems legitimate The Capulet's love for Juliet is illustrated

This allows for character development and growth

Lets the audience see Lord and Lady Capulet as more complex characters

They truly love Juliet and want whats best for her

Lord Capulet has place a tremendous amount of hope into his only child

Scene V... Peter and the musicians [pg. 205]

This portion of the play is often cut from performances

The scene seems ill placed This portion of the scene illustrates another

perspective onto Juliet's fake death Scene is supposed to be comedic As the scene progresses, it becomes clear that the

servants do not really care about Juliet's death. They are more concerned that they are now out of a job The great tragedy in the play is not a tragedy to everyone

Act V...This is It!

Scene I & II “Then I defy you, stars”

Another reference to the “star-crossed lovers” Romeo's defiance against his own fate

Apothecary: A seller of drugs The selling of poison in Mantua will lead to

serious consequences Friar John's character:

Illustrates another chance happening event

Scene I & II... Illustrates the characters inability to escape

their doomed fate Outbreak of the plague Balthasar tells Romeo of Juliet's fake death Romeo also begins to recognize his doomed

fate Unfortunately, he only believes that he will be

separated from Juliet As Romeo tries to defy his destiny, he brings

about his own fate

Something to Think About...

Throughout the play, Shakespeare consistently links the intensity of young love with suicidal

impulses. Romeo's threat of suicide in scene III, for instance, clearly illustrates and foreshadows

R&J's suicide in Act V. Time and time again, Shakespeare illustrates that suicide is the only

response to the overwhelming experience that is brought upon by [young] love.

Scene III Prince's last words...

“A story of more woe/ Than this of Juliet and Romeo”

Shakespeare pairs young love with suicide throughout the play...why?

Is it for dramatic effect Or is it an essential element of romantic love?

No social or political powers have any effect on the lovers' decisions

Scene III... The death of Romeo and Juliet

“The yoke of inauspicious stars. From this world-wearied flesh”

Kissing Juliet, Romeo drinks the poison and dies

Juliet's last words: “O happy dagger, This is thy sheath.”

She dies after stabbing herself with Romeo's dagger

Scene III Their death transforms the world that they were

just living in Their death enables them to escape Love conquers all/hope is not lost “These violent delights have violent ends/And in

their triumph die” Do we as an audience feel saddened by their

death?