Shakespeare’s audience would likely have been familiar with the story of Romeo and Juliet in advance of attending the play. Consequently, he would have been comfortable jumping right into the action without feeling the need for more than a brief introduction.
This scene, at 10 minutes duration, is one of the longest in the play. It is packed with information suppling important foundational details. It comprises four sections, each of which could have stood as a short scene on its own.
Because of the importance of this scene, I want to briefly describe each of the sections.
Prologue (Lines 1 – 14)
The very beginning of this scene at the start of the play employs a prolepsis, a device that scholars and casual playgoers alike have wondered about for 400 years. That is, he summarizes the plot in the first fourteen lines, including a reveal that both of the title characters will die.
As this was his first tragedy, after a series of comedies, perhaps he felt a need to warn the audience not to expect the happy ending characteristic of comedies.
Or possibly, by giving away the ending in the first speech, Shakespeare is also signaling that the plot is, in a sense, of secondary importance. The audience is no longer watching to find out how it comes out, but to experience and admire the writer’s verbal artistry.
The other oddity is that the prologue has the form of a sonnet, a fourteen line poem in iambic pentameter with a prescribed rhyme scheme. Would someone in the audience realize the prologue was a sonnet as the lines are tossed from actor to actor or is the sonnet a sort of inside joke?
Street Fight (15 – 113)
This section starts off as if the play were going to be a comedy with witty puns and bawdy banter filled with sexual innuendo. Right away we see Shakespeare’s verbal gymnastics. But soon there is a sword fight that establishes the violent antipathy between the two families. When the Prince breaks up the fight, he issues an ominous edict that the next offender will suffer a severe penalty. This will turn out to be Romeo, once again emphasizing that things will not end well for the title characters.
Romeo’s Parents (114 – 153)
This is one of their only appearances in the play, they tell Benvolio that they are worried about their son and ask Benvolio to find out what is bothering him rather than asking him directly. Why do they not ask directly? Does this suggest some sort of familial discord? By contrast, Juliet’s parent have extensive dialog throughout the play.
Romeo and Benvolio (154 – 236)
Romeo is in a daze because he believes himself to be in love with Rosaline. Shakespeare demonstrates that this is not true love by having Romeo spout flowery sounding but nonsensical declarations of love. This is the sort of overwrought word salad that sound superficially impressive, but upon reflection is meaningless. This will contrast sharply with the more heartfelt way he speaks when meeting Juliet.
