The Meeting at the Party Scene

1. The Meeting at the Party Scene Romeo and Juliet – Act I, Scene V

2. Learning Objectives • To understand the main Characters in Act 1 Scene 5 • You will learn about the following: • The background events that led up to, “The Meeting at the Party Scene” • Reinforce terms like: Dramatic Irony • Overall significance to the play • Reasons why Romeo decides to speak with Juliet • Significant lines from the Scene • You will be reminded of what a Sonnet • You will briefly learn about its structure • You will also have to complete the following tasks: • Write a letter from the perspective of the Nurse on the situation that has unfolded • Test on its significance

3. Starter • Why do you think that Romeo was so inclined to speak with Juliet upon first seeing her? • What sort of effect do you think the exchange of love that they declared for each other would have on the audience?

4. The Meeting at the Party Scene JULIETGood pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, Which mannerly devotion shows in this;  For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,  And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss. ROMEOHave not saints lips, and holy palmers too? JULIETAy, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer. ROMEOO, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; They pray — grant thou, lest faith turn to despair. JULIETSaints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake. ROMEOThen move not, while my prayer's effect I take. [Kisses her.] Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged. JULIETThen have my lips the sin that they have took. ROMEOSin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again. [Kisses her.] JULIET You kiss by th' book. Nurse[Suddenly appearing.] Madam, your mother craves a word with you … JULIET Come hither, nurse. What is yond gentleman? NurseThe son and heir of old Tiberio. JULIETWhat's he that now is going out of door? NurseMarry, that, I think, be young Petruchio. JULIETWhat's he that follows there, that would not dance? NurseI know not. JULIETGo ask his name. —If he be married. My grave is like to be my wedding bed. NurseHis name is Romeo, and a Montague; The only son of your great enemy. JULIETMy only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, That I must love a loathed enemy. ROMEO[To a Servingman.] What lady is that, which doth enrich the hand Of yonder knight? ServantI know not, sir. ROMEOO, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night  Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;  Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!  So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows. The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand,  And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight!  For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night. TYBALT This, by his voice, should be a Montague. Fetch me my rapier, boy. What dares the slave Come hither, cover'd with an antic face, To fleer and scorn at our solemnity? Now, by the stock and honor of my kin, To strike him dead, I hold it not a sin. CAPULET Why, how now, kinsman! wherefore storm you so? TYBALTUncle, this is a Montague, our foe, A villain that is hither come in spite, To scorn at our solemnity this night. CAPULETYoung Romeo is it? TYBALT'Tishe, that villain Romeo ---- ROMEO [To JULIET.] If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss

5. Background Information • The Prince of Verona chides the Montagues and the Capulets for their mutual aggression. He believes it is making the streets of Verona unsafe • Earlier in the play, Romeo explains that he is in love with a woman named Rosaline, who plans to remain faithful for the rest of her life • Meanwhile, Lord Capulet (Juliet’s father) suggests to Paris (who is seeking Juliet’s hand in marriage) that he should try to impress Juliet at a masked ball party that the Capulets are hosting in the evening • Later in the play, Romeo and Benvoliodiscover that Rosaline will be at the Capulets' party • They both decide to attend - even though it is a Capulet party, they will be able to disguise their identities by wearing masks

6. Story of the Scene • Romeo stands to the side during the dancing and it is from this spot that he first sees Juliet • He immediately falls in love with her • Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin overhears Romeo talking to a servingman and recognizes him as Montague by his voice • Before Tybaltmakes a scene, Lord Capulet tells him to leave Romeo alone, since it would look bad to have a brawl in the middle of the festivities • Romeo finds Juliet and touches her hand. They speak in sonnet form to one another, and Romeo eventually gets to kiss her. Afterwards, Juliet is called by the nurse to see her mother • The Nurse tells Romeo that Juliet is a Capulet, at which he is startled • Juliet finds her Nurse at the end of the party and begs her to find out who Romeo is • The Nurse returns and tells her he is Romeo, the only son of the Montague family • Juliet is heart-broken that she loves a "loathed enemy"

7. Overall Significance to the Play • Romeo believes that he can now distinguish between the artificiality of his love for Rosaline and the genuine feelings Juliet inspires: • “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight / For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.” • Romeo speak spontaneously and comments on Juliet’s personal beauty • This is ‘love at first sight’ • Dramatic Irony is evident in the play when Tybalt is aware that Romeo has come to the party uninvited • Dramatic Irony: When the audience is of certain plot events more then certain characters in a play (Definition) • Romeo and Juliet Speak to each other in Sonnet form • Sonnet: A rhyming 14 line poem (Definition) • Many in the 16th century audience would notice sonnets being told, as they hear the pattern of rhymes

8. Reasons why Romeo Decides to Speak with Juliet • It ends any possibility of him pursuing a relationship with Rosaline • He falls in love with her at first and decides to act on his instincts • He expresses her true feelings about her and wants to know if she also feels the same way • The sonnets which they state to each other creates a formal link between their love and their destiny

9. Significant Lines from the Scene • Romeo: “She doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night” • Significance: Romeo uses imagery to describe Juliet as a source of light, against the darkness. Therefore, she offers hope in his dark world • Juliet: “My only love, sprung from my only hate!” • Significance: Juliet realizes that fate has worked against her. She discovers that Romeo is a Montague and therefore persuading her parents and family members to approve of him will prove to be extremely difficult • Juliet: “If he be married. / My grave is like to be my wedding bed.” • Significance: Juliet declares that if she cannot marry Romeo, she would rather die. This therefore shows how wooed she is by him and that she will not settle for any arranged marriage with Paris

10. The Nurse’s Diary Entry - Assignment • Task: Pretend that you are the Nurse who has just discovered the following: • How fast Romeo and Juliet have fallen in love with each other • How they come from families that despite each other • Write a formal diary entry expressing what her feelings would be on all that has happened andwhat fears she may have for both of them, especially with Juliet falling heads over heels for Romeo. Ensure that you come up with possible consequences that the Nurse might think that Romeo and Juliet may face as a result of have their love exposed to the public - Format: Formal letter • Make sure to: Avoid having contractions, informal words and indent each of your paragraphs • Length: 250-500 words • Due Date: April_______. • Warning: Please avoid plagiarizing, otherwise you risk getting a zero