Lesson 5.2D: Act IV
Shakespeare has already brought the play to a climax, and now everything begins to rush towards its inevitable conclusion. There have been moments of foreshadowing, irony, and reminders of the workings of fate. Characters have run the gamut of emotions, from being overjoyed at the prospect of marriage, to being overwhelmed at the prospect of being separated. The adults in the play have conspired against Romeo and Juliet, and, as the saying goes, desperate times require desperate measures. What will the final two acts bring?
Act IV
 Watch the fourth Act of Romeo and Juliet (scenes 14 and 15 on the DVD “Scene Selection” menu… yes, you've already watched scene 14, but it is a good idea to watch it again so scene 15 makes more sense).
 Here's a quick summary of Act IV:
- Paris reveals that the wedding will indeed occur on Thursday.
- Juliet is cold to Paris, and clearly does not have any emotion for him.
- Friar Laurence tells Juliet to take a potion simulating death, allowing Romeo to take her away to Mantua since everyone will think she is dead and buried at the Capulet's ancient tomb. The Friar also sends a messenger, Friar John, to Romeo to tell him of the plan.
- Capulet makes plans for Juliet's hasty wedding.
- Juliet, who has decided to drink Friar Laurence's potion, no longer opposes the wedding, delighting Capulet.
- Hearing this good news, Capulet, who is keen to have Juliet marry Paris, decides to move the wedding forward.
- It will now be on Wednesday morning, not Thursday as previously planned.
- Juliet succeeds in sleeping alone which allows her to take the potion in privacy. Juliet worries about the Friar's intentions before the potion takes effect and she falls asleep.
- Lady Capulet and the Nurse are busy making preparations for the wedding.
- It is 3 o'clock in the morning and now Capulet, hearing music announcing Paris' arrival, tells the Nurse to wake Juliet.
- The Capulets learn that their daughter Juliet is dead.
- The wedding preparations are changed to those of a funeral.
"This Wayward Girl is Reclaimed"
The three scenes you will read in this part of the lesson present what often happens when one is confronted by a desperate situation.
The last part of Act III dealt with Juliet feeling betrayed by not only the Nurse, but also her parents, while at the same time she could not say anything about Romeo and her marriage to him. She's faced with the prospect of marrying Paris, all the while feeling alone and abandoned without her Romeo.
Juliet's strength of character is clearly evident here, as are her very real fears. Remember, she is not yet fourteen; however, Shakespeare imbues her with unusual depth. Perhaps this is why she is often a more memorable character than Romeo.
If you think once again about the Prologue, you already know what conclusion this play is heading for, but you still do not know exactly how this will work itself out and what new twists Shakespeare will add to the plot.
Read the following sections in your text: Act IV.i.44 - 125, Act IV.iii.all, and Act IV.v.1 - 95.
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Summary
Completing this lesson has helped you to:
- understand how different characters react when faced with a dilemma
- make informed judgments based on what you've viewed and heard
- take written text and present it in a more visual way to convey context, audience, and purpose
- understand Act IV of Romeo and Juliet
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