The Comedic first Impressions of a Tragedy

The Comedic first Impressions of a Tragedy

The story Romeo and Juliet  by William Shakespeare, is a tragedy in which two teenagers from two families that are in a quarrel with each other, fall in love.  Romeo form the family Montague and Juliet from the family Capulet. When their families want to prevent their love, Romeo and Juliet take their lives and that way, end the quarrel between their families. The play is a tragedy, and ends accordingly in death, in this case the death of Romeo and Juliet. The play however also has some comedic elements to it, such as Juliet’s nurse who is a kind women who will never stop talking.

The play starts of with a fight between servants between the houses Capulet and Montague. Similarly to Juliet’s nurse, these servants are comedic characters. This gives the audience a positive first impression on the play. It starts of funny which convinces the audience member to stay even knowing that the play will ultimately end in the death of the two protagonists.

    The characters Romeo and Juliet are in many ways similar, which is probably one of the reasons they fell in love with. Both are lonely, part of a family that is in a constant feud with another. They suffer from that.

    Juliet is the only daughter of Lord and Lady Capulet. She is thirteen years old, and of age to be married. Her parents have decided that she is to marry Paris, wealthy, good looking and a kinsman to the prince Escalus. Even though her mother asks Juliet how she feels about the marriage she doesn’t have a big say in it. Juliet is thoughtful and kind. She is mature for her age and lives under the Hand of her vigorous and strict mother. When her mother tells Juliet that she is to marry Lady Capulet suggests that Juliet should have a look at Paris at the feast that is later that night in the Capulet’s house. Juliet answers: “I’ll look to like, if looking liking move. But no more deep will I endart mine eye. Than your consent gives me strength to make it fly.” (Shakespeare,1.3.103-105) That is a very philosophical comment that testifies Juliet’s maturity and deliberateness.

    Romeo is the son of Lord and Lady Montague. He is impulsive and a little melodramatic. Romeo believes to be deeply in love with Julia’s cousin Rosalinde, a love that is childish with what he will feel for Juliet.  Romeo decides to sneak into a feast of the Capulet’s to have look at Rosalinde. There he meets Juliet for the first time. Romeo and his cousin and friend Benvolio decide to go to the feast. Benvolio suggest that Romeo can have a look at other women to which Romeo responds: “One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun Ne’er saw her match since first the world begun...I’ll go along, no such sight to be shown, But to rejoice in splendor of mine own.” (Shakespeare, 1.2 99-100,107-108) This shows how Romeo is a bit of a drama queen. He is convinced that nothing will ever change his love for Rosalinde and that she is the most beautiful women in the world.
Sources: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Romeo_and_juliet_brown.jpg