Marinda Hsu
IB Literature & Performance
Ms. Guarino
2016.12.15
Romeo
and Juliet, one of the most well-known play written by William Shakespeare is a
romance but a tragedy between this two star-crossed lovers. As tragedy
gradually started happening after Juliet meeting Romeo, her love.; Act 4 Scene
1 was one of the most emotional parts she have appeared in the play. However,
me playing Friar Laurence as a guidance and an important elder in the play, is
who Juliet asked for help in this specific scene where she felt anger and
helpless as her starting line of the scene proved when she yells “O Shut the
door!” as an expression. Me and my partner have chose this scene because of its
obvious demonstration of both Juliet’s change on personality and Friar
Laurence’s reliable characteristic. Juliet’s choice without hesitation to ask
help from Friar Laurence have proved his credibility and justice impression
being planted deeply in front of everyone. In addition, the decisions being
made in this scene--- to take the vial, have indirectly lead to the ending of
the story, which makes it more important. It is also a plot twist where their
secret love is gradually turning into a bigger issue that soon will be known by
the public. Acting Friar Laurence tranquilly with steady body movement allows
me to analyze deeper into his caring, earnest characteristic and understand his
trusting relationship with Juliet.
The
theme and emotion within Act 4 Scene 1 is mostly agitated caused by an
explosion of the conflict where Juliet is forced to marry County Paris; Therefore,
this process of pondering an important solution in order to fix this situation
for Juliet, went fast. Since Juliet was being emotional and trying to suicide
with a dagger, Friar Laurence’s purpose during that time was to comfort and
calm her down as soon as possible by giving her a satisfying solution for this
went-wrong marriage. A repetition of the word “hold” in Friar Laurence’s lines
show how he was trying to cease Juliet’s intemperate anger shown by her fast
speed and high tone while speaking to me as an elder. Lines like “As that is
desperate which we would prevent” is a sign of their close relationship and a
part where Friar Laurence started showing his reliable and caring
characteristic for Juliet who was helpless. Because it is Juliet who was being
“desperate”, but Friar Laurence said “we” showing how he was willing to share
this sadness and help her without hesitation in this harsh situation. This also
emerges Friar Laurence’s kindness and righteous, how he was willing to stand on
two teenagers’ side with no care of the hattress between the Capulets and the
Montagues family.
On
top of how William Shakespeare uses a great amount of foreshadowing in his
opuses, for example Hamlet’s gloomy starting scene to correspond to its story
of revenge. Same in Romeo and Juliet, Allusion and metaphor of death started
appearing within lines in this specific scene--- “Then is it likely thou wilt
undertake a think like death” and “The roses in thy lips and cheeks shall fade”
to correspond with the tragedy ending of both Romeo and Juliet’s death.
One
of Friar Laurence’s line says, “If rather than to marry Pairs, thou hast the
strength of will to sly thyself” is an analogy between both unwilling events
that they would not hope to happen. It shows how they viewed marrying Paris
just as serious and bad as to a level for Juliet to suicide. Other than
analogy, symbolism is also shown in this scene that corresponds to the previous
balcony scene where Romeo and Juliet says goodbye using symbolism of a
nightingale and a bridegroom. This line in our scene “Now when the bridegroom
in the morning comes to rouse thee from thy bed” symbolizes a rise of hope for
Juliet; Besides the symbolism of bridegroom, how people have always considered
morning as a brand new start, so do this quote symbolizes how if this solution
works out, it would be another new start for Juliet and Romeo.
For
our staging, we decided to dress Friar Laurence---me, with a robe and a cross
necklace to directly show the audience who I am acting. Other than the costume,
we prepared a small bottle of ink as the poison that appears later in the plot.
During our performance, I have decided to emphasize important lines by raising
my voice louder and higher. For example I have emphasized the line “Thou shalt
continue two and forty hours” by raising my voice after many lines being told
to Juliet previously; the purpose is to make sure that Juliet is listening
carefully on the efficacy of the vial. Another part I choose to emphasize by
speaking clearly, loudly, and slowly, is within my last part of the
scene:”Hold, Get you gone, Be strong and prosperous”, This is like a spiritual
catchphrase from Friar Laurence to Juliet before he lets her go. Before I
emphasizes this line, Juliet was yelling “Give me, give me! O tell me not of
fear!”, this shows how she wasn’t thinking rationally. Therefore, me
emphasizing the repetition word “hold”, with my hands holding on to Juliet’s
shaking arm help show how I wanted to calm her down and be reasonable on
whatever she have decided to do. The phrase “Be strong and prosperous” also
sounded like a warning and a concern as well.
On
the other hand, I specifically interpret this line “And, if thou darest, I’ll
give thee remedy” as a hesitation, which I showed in my performance by pausing
between each one or two words following the coma. With this, I am hoping to
show the audience friar Laurence’s concern for Juliet. Moreover, I have decided
to change my tone and the atmosphere in the middle of our scene. Even though
the overall atmosphere in this scene in intense and depressing, some changes
will keep the audience interested and the performance more vivid, instead of
speaking and acting in the same tone. Therefore, during this line “Now, When
the bridegroom in the morning comes”, I choose to raise my voice and wave my
arms alike a sun rising up; In order to keep the audience concentrated and to
show the significance of this symbolism being mentioned previously, where it
symbolizes hope in this scene where Juliet could be one more step closer to her
love if everything went smoothly.
Additionally,
to better portray my characters. I decided to use methods from Michael
Chekhov’s lessons on acting. First of all, I imagine myself as a father-like
character facing an immature young girl having a bad temper asking me for help.
Constantly asking myself what do I want as Friar Laurence? How will a reliable
adult react while facing a teenager trying to suicide because of her temporary
extreme emotions?, then answer them while I perform by patting Juliet on the
back to show comfort and hugging her to show that everything will be fine, that
someone is helping her out. Second of all, I try to act in the way Michael
Chekhov have taught in his lessons, to feel a power starting in my chest and
spreading it into every part of my body, starting with smaller body movements
then expanding them into bigger movements.
In
conclusion as an actor acting for the very first time, memorizing the lines and
acting naturally with emotion has been a challenge for me. Especially acting an
opposite gender made it more difficult to seem real. In my opinions, what I
have done well in the performance were the small details on acting. For example
hiding the dagger secretly Juliet used as a threat of suicide to prevent
danger, keeping my pace slow while talking to show my calmness, walking
steadily even though Juliet was knocking hard on the door or yelling, all of
these are what I did to show Friar Laurence’s personality naturally and
indirectly to the audience. What I could improve on, will definitely be my
facial expression and eye contact. While memorizing my lines and staging body
movements, I have forgotten that facial expression could have been a key point
to show many inner expressions. It is also important to switch my eye contact
between the audience and to Juliet to make sure that we really are in a
conversation but in the mean time let the audience feel like that they are a
part of the scene.
Overall, Act 4
Scene 1 revealing Friar Laurence’s characteristics have brought me into a
deeper look of his trusting relationship with Juliet and how I have gained
experience on performing a man with authority by blockings through high and low
level while standing, and through his steady, straight body movements through
most of the performance in order to fit his image as a reliable friar.
