Today during the tutorgroup of Academic Reading we talked about Shakespeare’s famous piece Romeo and Juliet. We always get asked by our tutor who wants to read out loud the current poem we’re discussing and during Monday’s class some pieces of Romeo and Juliet was read out loud. Today however she asked for 4 boys and 2 girls who wanted to ‘perform’ a piece from this play. Together with the group I hang out, I raised my hand and it was sooo much fun to do! The piece in question.
Romeo and Juliet
Act III, scene V – Loggia to Juliet’s Chamber
Enter Romeo and Juliet.
Jul. Wilt thou be gone? it is not yet near day:
It was the nightingale, and not the lark,
That pierc’d the fearful hollow of thine ear ;
Nightly she sings on yon pomegranate-tree ;
Believe me, love, it was the nightingale.
Rom. It was the hark, the herald of the morn,
No nightingale : look, love, what envious streaks
Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east :
Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day
Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain’s tops ;
I must be gone and live, or stay and die.
Jul. Yon light is not day-light, I know it, I :
It is some meteor that the sun exhales,
To be to thee this night a torch-bearer,
And light thee on thy way to Mantua :
Therefore stay yet, thou need’st not to be gone.
Rom. Let me be ta’en, let me be put to death ;
I am content, so thou wilt have it so.
I ‘ll say, yon grey is not the morning’s eye,
‘T is but the pale reflex of Cynthia’s brow ;
Nor that is not the lark, whose notes do beat
The vaulty heaven so high above our heas :
I have more care to saty than will to go ;-
How is ‘t my soul? let ‘s talk, it is no day.
Jul. It is, it is, hie hence, be gone, away ;
It is the lark that sings so out of tune,
Straining harsh discords, and unpleasing sharps.
Some say, the lark makes sweet division ;
This doth not so, for she divideth us :
Some say, the lark and loathed toad change eyes ;
O, now I would they had shang’d voices too !
Since arm from arm that voie doth us affray,
Hunting thee hence with hunts-up to the day.
O, now be gone ; more light and light it grows.
Rom. More light and light? – more dark and dark our woes.
Just a side-note any weird lay-out things, and strange spelling I próbably did because this is straight from my: Blackfriars edition, The Works of William Shakspere. Edited by Charles Knight, published in 1867 by George Routledge and Sons. No,I really don’t adore that book, no I really really don’t.
The first pair a boy and girl where asked to act the piece as if it was a relative normal discussion, they would see each other quite quickly after. The second pair me and another boy where asked to act the piece as if we would névér see each other again, this would be the last time we would see each other. The third 2 boys, I actually forgot how they where asked to play it. The last pair where 2 boys because in Shakespears time woman weren’t allowed on the stage, all parts where down by men, the female parts where usually done by young boys/men.
Thus, while the rest of the group got to enjoy their 10 minute break we searched for a room where we could practise for a bit. After pairing up, we first read through the piece carefully and after that we acted through it thrise I think, deciding on what was important and decidin what was the meaning of the words (and helping each other out with the pronunciation of two words – damn, they’re are só bloody annoying) For example try to read the entire bit out loud and pronounce the words: ‘yon pomegrenate-tree’ and ‘loathed toad’ Such tongbraekers. After a bit our tutor came down and asked how it went, and we said it went okay.
Walking back up the stairs we took our regular seats and the first pair was asked to start, they did really great because it wás really a ‘normal discussion’. Now it was our turn, oh that was very fun. I really tried to give it all, mind we where just standing there with our books trying to act with a glance here and there and a handgesture here and there, but mostly it was just the use of the voice which is brilliant. The last pair did really well also and the public did find our ‘act’ the most dramatic and the others had highlights on their different importances.
To explain the piece a bit;
JulietL In my first line I try to convince Romeo that it is not a hark which we heard, but a nightingale. A nightingale sings in the Night, but a Hark announces the morning. It so happens, that Romeo can’t be found in the cover of darkness, but when the light of the morrow comes, he can be caught and executed by my family, which hates hís family. I’m really just saying ‘No it is not morning! It is still night!
Romeo: It is morning! It is a lark! If I say it is still night (which it is not) I shall condemn myself to death.
Juliet: Still saying, I am absolutely 100 per cent sure it is still night, the light is just a meteor which will help you see the way to Mantua (Where Romeo will be going )
Romeo: Well really, then I shall let myself be murdered by your family and will be content with my death. We do still have time for a lengthy discussion. It is still night.
Juliet: *Changes her opinion * You must gó! Because it is the morning, you must go (because I don’t want you dead) the light is grower stronger.
Romeo: Something, like: Really is it getting more light, you sure? But while this light is getting stronger our thoughts etc are getting dark, because they will seperate.
Well of course there is much much more to be found in this play, but I must admit I am getting wary and the night-candles (stars) are already bright in the dark cold sky of autumn which is finally upon us.
