Shakespeare uses the approach of drawing in the audience by speaking directly to them in the form of a soliloquy or speech. This is when he sues an actor to speak directly to the audience; this allows the actor to share his or her inner thoughts with the audience. It informs the audience of what is happening and makes them feel closer to the character. Romeo is the tragic hero in the play he is from a wealthy family in Verona; a tragic hero should be of a high social standing. He should have a tragic flaw which leads to his downfall. Romeo's tragic flaw is that he thinks he can marry Juliet without any complications. The effect of the tragic flaw in this play is that Romeo and Juliet marry and then they die and they leave their families united in grief. Romeo and Juliet takes place in a society being destroyed by the animosity and hate of two rival families.
In the prologue of the play a scene is set and the story is explained very briefly. Straight away the audience is aware that the play is going to end in tragedy "Where civil blood makes civil hand unclean." Two households both civil are now unclean they are responsible for the deaths of their children. A grudge that had being going on for many years was now ended "doth with their death bury their parents" strife." With such tragic circumstances. The audience is made aware that the story is about "A pair of star-crossed lovers" who die for love "death-marked love" the parents of Romeo and Juliet decide their fate "Which but their children's end nought could remove" Romeo and Juliet's deaths couldn't be stopped as their love was strong for each other, but it wasn't accepted by their parents this is what led to their deaths and there parents realised afterwards it took such tragic consequences for them to realise by then it was too late. The fate of Romeo and Juliet was in the hands of their parents. The play opens with Romeo who is a Montague recovering from his last love Rosaline; he is still very upset "oh teach me how I should forget to think" He thinks that he is in love however this is just infatuation his real love is yet to come with Juliet.