AC+Taeyoon

2.4.1-103

Character: Benvolio

Scene Analysis: 1. What happens in your scene? Outline the basic events. - At the beginning of the scene, we see Benvolio and Mercutio in a heated discussion about various things. It starts with Mercutio becoming angered with not being able to find his cousin Romeo. His whereabout are unknown to either of them and while searching for him, they also briefly mention how Rosaline was such a wench, tormenting dear Romeo with love. In the midst of their search, Benvolio brings up the topic of Tybalt, in general, the Capulets, and Mercutio goes into a fury of words that Benvolio has a hard time keeping up with and understanding clearly. Unfortunately, Romeo appears just then and Mercutio directs his fierce torrent of words at poor Romeo. At the end of the scene, Benvolio has to interfere the argument between Mercutio and Romeo.

2. What do you think are the key purposes of your scene? In other words, why is this scene important? - In my opinion, the importance of the scene I've chosen is to explain how members of Romeo's own family (Montague) are reacting to how Romeo is acting recently. It clearly shows us that Mercutio, more than anyone else (ex. Benvolio) thinks of Romeo as a pathetic being as he didn't have any problem with Rosaline tormenting him with love, and how, in Mercutio's perspective, unaware/ignorant Romeo is in reacting to certain things. In the scene, we see Mercutio criticizing Romeo and how it sort of annoys Mercutio when he sees Romeo acting as if nothing is wrong, too casual.

3. What are your reactions to this scene? - I'm very surprised to see Mercutio having so much to say against Romeo, both being a Montague. I thought people of the same family, especially in a situation when they were busy getting involved in conflicts with the Capels, should be more united so that they don't make the situation worse; I guess I was wrong.

Character Report: 1. What does your character want in this scene?

- My character wants Romeo and Mercutio to stop fighting.

2. What is your character's motivation for doing what he or she does?

- He doesn't like watching them, men of the same family, quarreling with each other, especially when they have a rival family that they should be conflicting with, rather than having their own "civil war". However, Benvolio also seems to want to protect Romeo from Mercutio's constant criticizing.

3. What obstacles stand in his or her way?

- No one in particular, but considering the fact that he has a soft spot for Romeo, Mercutio would become the ideal obstacle.

4. What happens when your character confronts these obstacles?

- Benvolio receives long, detailed and complicated, answers from Mercutio as he asks simple questions with absolute cool. But eventually Benvolio (I) am able to cease Mercutio from talking any further.

5. Are there any distinctive elements in your character's way of speaking?

- Benvolio remains calm and patient while speaking to vibrant Mercutio, meanwhile slightly trying to persuade Mercutio to "get his hands off" Romeo and leave him be.

6. What is your character thinking during the scene?

- He is trying to find out a way to stop the two (Romeo and Mercutio) from fighting any longer.

=Student Reflection= 1. Throughout our performance, I thought it went pretty smoothly and well. Some of use even used hand gestures such as Peter Lee which I really liked. I also liked how Peter Kim made gestures as well. What I particularly disliked was how Seung Hyon took the role of Mercutio. First of all, he lacked clear pronunciation as well as the speaking of words properly such as what was supposed to be "broad" as "board." I was also very disturbed by the fact that Seung Hyon began reading a random part of the script, disrupting the flow of the performance. Other than that, I thought the performance was pretty well done. Great job group!

2. I contributed to the group by helping people figure out what role they should take. Seung Hyon and I also had to do work ourselves while Peter Lee and Kim were both absent, due to their trip to Guam. I was also the one who arranged the one and only meeting time for my group, out of school. Seung Hyon and I also had a short discussion of our costumes and we came to an arrangement that we were to where certain things, while Peter Kim and Lee were not yet back.

3. As an individual, I believe I have done quite well. I am self-satisfied of my performing skills, although they may not be too great, and wish these entertaining as well as academic opportunities were to be assigned more frequently. Honestly speaking, I was assigned to the character Benvolio who barely had any role or lines in this particular section of the novel. The main characters were Mercutio and Romeo.

4. What could've improved our scene performance was better oratory skills. One of the team members was, I think, too nervous or something but for some reason he didn't follow along with us and made foolish mistakes. Such as saying words that looked and sounded similar, but weren't the same such as "broad" and "board." He also could've made more hand gestures and better intonation as he spoke like Peter Lee, Peter Kim, and I did.

5. The scene performance helped me better understand the play by giving me a live view of certain portions of the complicating novel, //Romeo and Juliet.// I was able to see clearly what each scene's significance was and therefore received a more clear and vivid image of what the scene actually meant in the book and how it is related to other sections. I really enjoyed doing this kind of activity, especially with a group of my choice and wish we have more of these kinds of assignments!!