Act III: Choose a character from this act and analyze his/her tone. Is s/he solemn, joyful, stern, optimistic, etc.? Explain how diction (word choice), sentence structure, etc. in specific lines from that character convey her/his tone.

Thesis: Act III of Romeo & Juliet proves that the Friar has a paternal tone because he scolds Romeo, but really has Romeo’s best interests at heart.

 

Claim: Friar Laurence has a disappointed, scolding tone while talking to Romeo.

Evidence: “Art thou a man? Thy form cries out thou art. / Thy tears are womanish. Thy wild acts denote / The unreasonable fury of a beast” (Shakespeare III.iii.109-111).

Reasoning: When Romeo is banished and he is crying in Friar Lawrence’s cell, the Friar is at least compassionate enough to let him inside, but gets tired of Romeo’s whining very quickly. He calls Romeo’s crying “womanish,” which is not very nice, and shouts at him for crying about being banished when he could have been sentenced to death for killing Tybalt. He is disappointed in Romeo’s childish behavior, and scolds him for crying instead of doing something about his difficult situation.

 

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