In scene v of Act I, the Capulet's host a ball. A great
deal of time is elapsed in a very little space. Shakespeare jumps from the servants
finishing the setting up to Lord Capulet greeting and teasing guests into merriment with
Juliet at his side ("Ah ha, my mistresses! which of you all / Will now deny to dance?")
to frolicking dancing ("And quench the fire, the room is grown too hot") to Tybalt
recognizing Romeo in the midst of the gaity ("Fetch me my rapier, boy. What dares the
slave / Come hither,") to guests departing and host going off to rest ("honest
gentlemen; good night. / ... / Come on then, let's to bed.") to Juliet learning who
Romeo is ("My only love sprung from my only hate!").
The
momentum of rapidly changing scenes builds frenzied excitement that matches the frenzied
dancing that requires the fire to be snuffed out for the heat created. The scene
crescendos through the dancing and reaches forte at Tybalt's quarrel with
Capulet:
He
shall be endured: ...
Am I the master here, or you? go to.
...
You'll make a mutiny among my guests!
You will set cock-a-hoop!
you'll be the man! ...
Be quiet, or-- / ... / I'll make you
quiet.
In addition, the
characters who hold the focus changes as often as the time sequence does. First the
focus is Capulet, then Tybalt and Capulet, then Romeo, then Romeo and Juliet, then
Capulet and his parting guests, then Juliet and Nurse. These rapidly moving chords of
orchestrated character changes adds to the excitement as the action moves from one focal
character to another. The action also moves from mood to mood as well as it goes from
gaiety to anger to quiet romance to exhaustion to shock. This also keeps the scene
reeling in excited flux. These are three characteristics of the scene that make it a
highly effective piece of drama.
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