Thursday, April 14, 2016

Romeo & Juliet Act IV Scenes 1-3

1. Scene i: The first scene of Act IV demonstrates well the statement that words re not necessarily a reflection of a speaker's true feelings. Much verbal irony, a difference between what one says and what one actually means, is exhibited in scene i, but there also is much legitimate dialogue spoken, words that truly denote- often powerfully- what their speaker is feeling. Find examples of both kinds of language in this scene: that which does not convey a speakers's honest feelings, and that which does. How does the actual diction, the words that Shakespeare chose for his characters to speak, differ in both cases?
2. Scene ii: Lord Capulet's anger is seemingly pacified in scene ii, but how, exactly? Members of his household seem to know, probably from experience, how to assuage the man's fiery temper. Judging from this scene, what such tactics do they enact to do so, and why do they apparently work?
3. Scene iii: Three fourths of this scene is composed of Juliet's fearful soliloquy, most of which is itself made up strongly connotative imagery, language that engages or recreates the five sense. What examples of imagistic language in her soliloquy are the most powerful or evocative, in your estimation, and considering the context of scene iii, why do they strike the emotional or intellectual chords that they do?

13 comments:

  1. 1."That may be, sir, when I may be a wife."(Shakespeare 179) Juliet says this to Paris when he greets here and says "Happily met, my lady and my wife."(Shakespeare 179) This is an example of that irony because Paris may think that she is accepting his greeting, but really she is just avoiding it because she still loves someone else. "Thy face is mine, and thou hast slandered it."(Shakespeare 179) Paris keeps trying to express his love to Juliet and he is very serious about it. The way that they differ is that Juliet's words sound very avoiding, like she wants to change the subject or go away, while Paris's word sound very honest and loving.

    2.The servants know that he can get angry very easily, so they always make him know that he is getting the best of the best. "You shall have non ill sir, for i'll try if they can lick their fingers."(Shakespeare 187) They know that if he doesn't get the results he wants, his temper might rise up.

    3."I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins that almost freezes up the heat of life."(Shakespeare 191) The reason that this strikes me is because she is so afraid of doing this because she is worried that she is going to either die from the potion, or wake up early from the potion and be stuck in her grave, but she's still willing to do it for her love for Romeo. If a regular person knew that those things could possibly happen, they wouldn't risk it.

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    1. I agree with number 3. She really is devoted and different, just for a random guy she met at a party.

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  2. 1. The verbal irony is when County Paris has sincere feelings for Juliet and Juliet is just faking it until her and Romeo reunite. Like for example when Juliet says, "If I do so, it will be of more price
    Being spoke behind your back than to your face." (Shakespeare R&J Act 4 Scene 1) It's basically saying if she said I love you to your face I would be lying. On the other hand Paris replies concerned, "Poor soul, thy face is much abused with tears."(Shakespeare R&J Act 4 Scene 1) because he genuinely cares for Juliet. The diction differs because Juliet says snarky, sarcastic comments like "What must be shall be.". Shakespeare purposely uses words with more of a negative connotation and tone so Juliet sounds more mean. For Paris, Shakespeare uses more uplifting and hopeful words "That “may be” must be, love, on Thursday." to give him more of a happy tone.

    2. Since the servants know that the Lord can get so angry, they try to do the best they can and obey his every command. Like when the Servingmen try to impress Lord Capulet "Marry, sir, ’tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers. Therefore he that cannot lick his fingers goes not with me." (Shakespeare R&J Act 4 Scene 2) and make sure he gets the best of the best.

    3. The most emotionally striking in my opinion is when Juliet describes what if may be like if she wakes before Romeo gets there. The powerful imagery puts fear and anticipation in the audience. "How if, when I am laid into the tomb,I wake before the time that Romeo Come to redeem me? There’s a fearful point. Shall I not, then, be stifled in the vault, To whose foul mouth no healthsome air breathes in, And there die strangled ere my Romeo comes?" (Shakespeare R&J Act 4 Scene 4)
    -Aissa

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    1. I agree with three; that part is what I put as well.

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  3. 1: Juliet's words around Paris are very coldhearted, insincere, and full of apathy. "If I do so [say that she loves Paris], it will be of more price being spoke behind your back than to your face." (Shakespeare 179) Once he leaves, however, she becomes legitimate, frustrated, and pleading. She would do anything to get out of the wedding. "O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris, From off the battlements of yonder tower; Or walk in thievish ways; or bid me lurk Where serpents are; chain me with roaring bears; Or shut me nightly in a charnel house, O'ercovered quite with dead men’s rattling bones, With reeky shanks and yellow chapless skulls; Or bid me go into a new-made grave And hide me with a dead man in his shroud— Things that, to hear them told, have made me tremble— And I will do it without fear or doubt, To live an unstained wife to my sweet love." (Shakespeare 183)
    2: Capulet's mood is instantly brightened when Juliet tells him she is willing and possibly excited about marrying Paris (with her fingers crossed behind her back). His family and servingmen know his mood swings and swiftly agree with him and follow his orders.
    3: "Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here's drink. I drink to thee." (Shakespeare 193) In my opinion, her dedication of faking her death is very dramatic and emotional. It shows her devotion and even though she is terrified of actually dying at this point, but she'll do anything- and when they say anything, they truly mean anything and everything- to be with Romeo and at peace.

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    1. I like how you used the word cold hearted for juliets attitude towards Paris. I thought that part was kind of funny because of her sass and sarcasm. Lol.

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  4. 1. The irony is Juliet faking love for Paris when really she loves Romeo. She keeps making comments that Paris interprets as love but we really know its about Romeo. "thy face is mine and thou hast slandered it." "It my be so for it is not mine own."
    2. Everything he says he wants, they get and they make sure it is the best or the best. "You shall have none ill sir for I'll try if they can lick their own fingers."
    3. The part that scared me the most is when she realized she would have to do this by herself and she couldn't let anyone know, and for a 13 year old girl that's a little much. "My dismissal scene i needs must act alone."
    -Haley

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  5. Verbal Irony- "If I do so, it will be of more price, Being spoke behind your back than to your face." So she's basically saying that if she did love him (which she obviously doesn't) it would be more meaningful to say it to one of her friends rather than saying it to him because she obligated to.
    Legitimate Dialogue- "The tears have got small victory by that,
    For it was bad enough before" so now she's saying that her face was ugly even before she got tears on it, which is probably her being truthful because no one just puts themselves down and ruins their own confidence for fun.

    Capulet calms down when Juliet runs in and says that she's had a revelation at church about how she won't disobey him any more and that she'll go through with the wedding without complaining; after this maybe he feels more inclined to help with the wedding. The workers do their best to please him and reassure him that they'll get the job done and do their best at it. They also tell him what he wants to hear like "oh here she comes with a merry look" which insinuates that she's changed her mind about the wedding which is what capulet wanted.

    The line "What if it be a poison, which the friar Subtly hath ministered to have me dead, Lest in this marriage he should be dishonored because he married me before to Romeo?I fear it is. And yet, methinks, it should not,
    For he hath still been tried a holy man." She is so scared that the vial won't work and now she's scared that it's poison but gets over it and has so much faith in what she believes in and truly must love Romeo to over come her fear.
    -Hannah Blankenship

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  6. 1. "If I do so, it will be of more price being spoke behind your back than to your face," is verbal irony because to Paris she just seems modest but we know Juliet is just trying to make him go away. "Be not so long to speak. I long to die if what thou speak'st speak not of remedy," which is Juliet basacillay saying she'd rather die than marry Paris and betray Romeo which actually happens so she's speaking from her heart. They tend to speak curtly and formally when hiding their meaning and speaking in long bursts of dramatic emotion when they are speaking from the heart.
    2. A servingman promises to get the best chefs for the wedding and to test them himself. Nurse wisely stays mostly silent and Juliet begs for forgiveness and says she will marry Paris. Capulet feels better know that he thinks he has all the control.
    3. Lines 35 to 60 on page 193 are terrifying because I can imagine being trapped in the vault and effectively watch Juliet's thinking spiral out of control which makes my thinking spiral out of control and creates a sense of unease and urgency.

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  7. 1. "If I do so it will be of more price being spoke behind your back than to your face." Juliet is basically saying that if she were to say that she loved him it would be worth more if she said it behind his back rather than to his face. The whole conversation between Juliet and Paris is pretty much verbal irony because Paris is confessing his love while Juliet kind of sarcastically going along with it because she has to. However Paris is pretty serious about what he is saying like when he says that she has slandered his face.
    2. Caplet has a lot of anger issues, luckily the people around him know this and they know how to keep his temper down. Like how the serving men ensure that he is not being cheated out of his money and that he is getting the best there is.
    3. The part that really struck me is when Juliet was describing how scary it would be to wake up to early only find herself in a tomb surround by her dead ancestors. Lines 40 to 56.

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  8. 1) "Do not deny to him that you love me"(Paris) "I will confess to you the I love him"(Juliet)(both quotes from page 179) This is ironic to me because Juliet basically says I will confess that I love HIM. However she did not say to Paris "I love YOU." But the way Paris responds it makes it seem like he thinks she is talking about him. "Till then, adieu, and keep this holy kiss." (Paris - page 181) He is expressing his true feelings because he kisses Juliet goodbye and then asks her to keep his "holy" kiss until they see each other again.
    2)Capulet seems like an uptight kind of guy. Live when the servingmen were talking about licking their fingers to taste the food before serving it to him they were trying to do it to please him however he basically said go away my daughter is coming. His mood totally changed when Juliet told him that she agreed to marry Paris. His attitude went from appearing uptight and stuck up to a joyful father who is proud and caring for his daughter.
    3) "How if, when I am laid into the tomb, I wake before the time that Romeo come to redeem me?" When I read this line I can almost picture myself as Juliet. I would wake up in a coffin, possibly seeing friends and family crying, and freak out because I wouldn't know what to do. I know I would freak out because I would have to play it off and be completely still until the people left. So I am sure Juliet is having that fear and doesn't know if she can go through with this because she doesn't want anything bad to happen because she knows how angry her father would be if he found out.

    ***Sorry this is late, I got home around 10:30***
    -Ashlyn

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