Dramatic Technique Part 4

_Enter two other serving-men. (Abraham and Balthasar.)_

_Sam._ My naked weapon is out. Quarrel, I will back thee.

_Gre._ How! turn thy back and run?

_Sam._ Fear me not.

_Gre._ No, marry; I fear thee!

_Sam._ Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin.

_Gre._ I will frown as I pa.s.s by, and let them take it as they list.

_Sam._ Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them; which is disgrace to them if they bare it.

_Abraham._ Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

_Sam._ I do bite my thumb, sir.

_Abr._ Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

_Sam._ (_Aside to Gre._) Is the law of our side, if I say ay?

_Gre._ No.

_Sam._ No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir; but I bite my thumb, sir.

_Gre._ Do you quarrel, sir?

_Abr._ Quarrel, sir? No, sir.

_Sam._ But if you do, sir, I am for you. I serve as good a man as you.

_Abr._ No better.

_Sam._ Well, sir.

_Enter Benvolio._

_Gre._ Say "better"; here comes one of my master's kinsmen.

_Sam._ Yes, better, sir.

_Abr._ You lie.

_Sam._ Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow.

(_They fight._)

_Benvolio._ Part, fools!

Put up your swords; you know not what you do.

(_Beats down their swords._)

_Enter Tybalt_

_Tybalt._ What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds?

Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death.

_Ben._ I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword, Or manage it to part these men with me.

_Tyb._ What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word As I hate h.e.l.l, all Montagues, and thee.

Have at thee, coward! (_They fight._)

_Enter three or four citizens, and officers, with clubs or partisans_

_Officer._ Clubs, bills, and partisans! Strike! Beat them down!

Down with the Capulets! down with the Montagues!

_Enter Capulet in his gown and Lady Capulet_

_Capulet._ What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho!

_Lady Capulet._ A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword?

_Cap._ My sword, I say! Old Montague is come, And flourishes his blade in spite of me.

_Enter Montague and Lady Montague_

_Montague._ Thou villain, Capulet,--Hold me not, let me go.

_Lady Montague._ Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe.

_Enter Prince, with his train_

_Prince._ Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel,-- Will they not hear?--What, ho! you men, you beasts, That quench the fire of your pernicious rage With purple fountains issuing from your veins, On pain of torture, from those b.l.o.o.d.y hands Throw your mistemper'd weapons to the ground, And hear the sentence of your moved prince.

Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets, And made Verona's ancient citizens Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments, To wield old partisans, in hands as old, Cank'red with peace, to part your cank'red hate; If ever you disturb our streets again Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.

For this time, all the rest depart away.

You, Capulet, shall go along with me; And Montague, come you this afternoon, To know our farther pleasure in this case, To old Free-town, our common judgement place, Once more, on pain of death, all men depart.

(_Exeunt all but Montague, Lady Montague, and Benvolio._)

Even physical action, then, may interest for itself, or because it characterizes, or because it helps on the story, or for two or more of these reasons.

If we examine other extracts from famous plays we shall, however, find ourselves wondering whether action in drama must not mean something besides mere physical action. In the opening scene of _La Princesse Georges_, by Dumas fils, the physical action is neither large in amount nor varied, but the scene is undeniably dramatic, for emotions represented create prompt emotional response in us.

ACT I. SCENE 1

_A Drawing Room_