Blog post #3 Up and Down

Marinda Hsu

2016.10.07

IB Lit and Performance

Ms. Guarino

Blog Post #3

                                                     
                                                                          Up and Down 

Stories often follows a pattern with a plot that goes from small events to a conflict then to an ending with a solution. Romeo and Juliet, a romance tragedy has a interesting pattern. In my opinion, one event gives the audience, and the couple hope, but then in contrast after a hope or lovely scene, a radical change will occur to the next event in the plot. For example right after the secret wedding, Romeo got exiled, and right after Juliet thought that they were going to successfully elope, Romeo misunderstood everything and suicide. This pattern is like a roller coaster, going up and down, good and bad, sad and happy. It is a smart way to keep the audience attracted and the plot entertaining to watch for a long time.

There is also an interesting part about the shaping and pattern of Romeo and Juliet. Both Romeo and Juliet has a similar background and when drawing a relationship chart, you find out that characters are divided and placed equally. Romeo has a best friend, Juliet has her nurse, both a really close listener and helpful person in their life; Romeo once has Rosaline, and Juliet was once locked into a marriage with Paris; Both Romeo and Juliet has a cousin, too. This is an interesting pattern our group have found out when visualizing the characters’ relationships in Romeo and Juliet.

Within these regular patterns changing the story throughout each events, the character are also changing because of the events that have happened. First of all, Juliet as a weak and innocent girl have turned into a girl that is more decisive and strong. Juliet said:” I will look for love” right after her mother’s order for her to have a marriage but after meeting Romeo, Juliet was obviously against her parents, and was expressing it clearly. Romeo as a strong and sober boy, have gradually turned into a more soft and blind person after being in love with Juliet. He was very impulse after knowing Juliet’s death without any doubt towards this sudden, suspicious death he heard from his servant. The nurse have also changed, many classmates during the discussion have described the nurse changing into a traitor betraying Juliet’s trust and rely on her. Oppositely, I do not think so. The nurse have been on Juliet’s side for the first time she heard about Romeo as a Montague, an enemy of the family. She wanted Juliet to be happy and she cares about her feelings. Later on when the nurse wanted Juliet to marry Paris was because of her protective characteristic towards Juliet like a mother. She was afraid that it will be a hard and struggling marriage for Juliet marrying Romeo that was banished from Verona. In my opinion, the nurse is the one that has not change her heart for the whole time throughout the story.

In conclusion, patterns are found all over Romeo and Juliet that have shaped the entire plot. The biggest pattern lining up hope, hopeless and depression, happiness was also symbolized within the second balcony scene on the sound of a nightingale and a lark.