Scenes in detail

On the following pages, we give you a detailed analysis of selected scenes of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The scenes have been chosen according to their popularity and general importance to the overall plot. Note that our scene analyses are no substitute for actually reading and analyzing the text yourself.

Here you can read an extract from our study guide:

Act 3, Scene 5 is considered the climax of the play - particularly because of the lovers’ romantic goodbyes after their wedding night. Their romance is blossoming and is at a highpoint, but sadly it is also the last time they will see each other alive.

Despite the climax, the rest of the scene continues to build tension. Challenges stack up for the two lovers: They are first separated indefinitely as Romeo has to leave for Mantua because he has been banished from Verona. Then, their union is threatened by Juliet’s arranged marriage to Count Paris which will take place in a few days. Suddenly the lovers are running out of time. At the same time, both lovers have become isolated from their families and authority figures. All of this raises tension.

Tension is also created by foreshadowing. For instance, Juliet pretends to her mother that she would like to poison Romeo, saying that “I would temper it, / That Romeo should, upon receipt thereof, / Soon sleep in quiet.” (3.5.97-99). Although she does not mean it, Romeo does eventually drink poison as he kills himself to be with Juliet in death.