The scythe’s first victims fall in scene 3 ; 1. Whether this is the play’s eleventh or twelfth scene, depends on dividing or not dividing the balcony scene, but the quarto’s have a prologue, and, as a scene ‘zero’, it allows death to enter the story on the count of thirteen. This, as it happens, exactly because of the flexibility that the balcony scene provides, as Q2 adds with the return of the prologue’s ‘Chorus’ a scene 2 ; 0 to the symbolism.
It should be impossible, but the balcony scene appears to have been composed to neutralize the effect of a pirate edition’s omission of that interlude on number symbolism. The powers of Dame Fortune are to be ignored nor underestimated, as the zealous Baconian deciphering of signatures in the Sonnets keeps demonstrating, but composition equals planning. And planning is definitely not Dame Fortune’s cup of tea. The ‘enter Romeo’ at the opening of the second act, on the other hand, involves planning of the highest degree, as it is about a full scene ahead of its conventional position : one does not break with convention at the threshold of a promising looking love scene without a careful assessment of options.
With the great balcony scene providing for the necessary ambiguity, scene 3 ; 1 is to all intend an purpose scene 13, whatever the edition. This to the effect of breaking down the symmetry that is so important to the play’s basic design. But, as a matter of fact, this symmetry does not even need the insertion of two ‘zero’-scenes to fall apart, as there are two more scenes that allow difference of opinion on the play’s exact number of them. Scenes, curiously enough, that are placed in symmetrical positions :
In scene 4 ; 4 (number five from the end), the nurse enters just three lines too early to have the stage cleared between scenes. As a result the flow of the story is at a critical point not disrupted by the threshold of an obligate change of scenes to another room. Yet, as the counterpart division in the first act demonstrates, the scene has changed from 4 ; 4 to 4 ; 5 all the same : the line between the counterpart scenes is erased by stage directions that have Romeo and his friends still marching off from scene four towards the Capulet mansion, while Capulet’s servants are already on stage inside that same mansion. Again the story approaches a critical point in an undisturbed flow, but there is no doubt that it hits at this point the threshold to scene five. The result is a composition that confirms the threshold between prelude and balcony to be ambiguous, And despite the apparent unbalance, symmetry is by the insertion of ‘zero’-scenes turned into even better symmetry by means of an inconsistent dealing with this ambiguity :
…. Act One ; scene 0 …….….…………………………………………………………………..….Prologue
Sunday
…. Act One ; scene 1 R1 ….….……………. 9 a.m ….….….….………….…...…. three scenes in one
…. Act One ; scene 2 2 ….….….………….. afternoon ….………………………… two scenes in one
…. Act One ; scene 3 ….….……………..…. evening ….….…....…..…..…. 18 days to Lammas eve
…. Act One ; scene 4 3 ….….….….….…. after dark ….…….…. R presages his untimely death
…. Act One ; scene 5 4 ….….……………. bed-time ….……….…..….….….….…. R & J first meet
…. Act Two ; scene 0 …………………………. Chorus in Q2 / prelude to balcony scene in Q1
Monday
…. Act Two ; scene 1 5 ….….….….….….. night ….….….….……..….…….….….…... balcony scene
…. Act Two ; scene 2 6 ….….….….….…. dawn ….….….…….…... R arranges friar for marriage
…. Act Two ; scene 3a 7 ….….………….. during the morning ……. R challenged to fight for J
…. Act Two ; scene 3b 8 ….….….….………………………………….. R informs J of time and place
…. Act Two ; scene 4 ….….….….….….…. noon ….….….….….….….….….….…. J goes to wedding
…. Act Two ; scene 5 9 ….….….….….…. during the afternoon ….….….. J arrives at wedding
Axis : Act Three ; scene 1 ..…… ..… 10 one hour past 2 ; 5. – comedy turns into tragedy
…. Act Three ; scene 2 ….….….….…….. two hours later ….….….…. J arranges wedding night
…. Act Three ; scene 3 11 ….….….…... evening ….….….….….….….….…... R to wedding night
…. Act Three ; scene 4 ….….….….….… hour past bed-time ….….….….… J promised to Paris
Tuesday
…. Act Three ; scene 5a 12 ….….….….. dawn ….….….….….….…. R parts after wedding night
…. Act Three ; scene 5b ….….….….…... dawn ….….….…... J ordered to marry next Thursday
…. Act Four ; scene 1 ….….….….….….……………………………. J plans to elope by faking death
…. Act Four ; scene 2 ….….….….….…... evening ….….….…... marriage rescheduled for dawn
…. Act Four ; scene 3 ….….….….….…… midnight ….….….….….….….….…. ‘come heavy sleep’
Wednesday
…. Act Four ; scene 4 ….….….….….…... 3. a.m ….….….…. Old Capulet makes arrangements
…. Act Four ; scene 5 ….….….….….…... dawn ….….….….….….….….… a bride in the morning
Thursday
…. Act Five ; scene 1 13 ….….….….…... 9 a.m.
…. Act Five ; scene 2 ….….….….….….… afternoon (4 ; 3 + 39 hours) …... two scenes in one
…. Act Five ; scene 3 14 ….….….….….. evening (4 ; 3 + 42 hours) ….… three scenes in one
The apparent unbalance is enhanced by the excentric position of the axis in the afternoon of the second day of five. But appearances can be devious, and in Q2 the axis has its centre close to line 1,500 of the play’s ca. 3,100. In fact the apparently excentric position of the axis is an enhancement of symmetry rather than a disturbance. And this because the Golden Section is even more important to Renaissance and Baroque composition than symmetry :
The basic proportion of the Golden Section is 2 : 3, and a literal interpretation of this proportion places the axis in this five act play in the position where it actually is. Proper mathematics, however, defines this same position as 2/5 of the distance. Technically, the Golden Section is in five acts on 3/5, 1 that is the position of the axis counted backwards.
The Golden Section divides a line in two parts of which the smaller is proportioned to the bigger as the bigger to complete line. In maths this exact proportion is approached to ever greater precision by the numbers in the Fibonacci sequence. As generated by the formula : …………………………………………. ƒo = 0
…………………………………………. ƒ1 = 1
…………………………………………. ƒn = ƒn-1 + ƒn-2, for n > 1
= 0 – 1 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 8 – 13 – 21 – 34 – 55 – 89 – 144 – … – ∞
Apart from five acts, Romeo and Juliet covers five days as well, and rather than to divide them two against three, the axis divides the Monday itself on its Golden Section (5 : 8). And that is where this central scene comes into its own : excentric as its position may seem, this is the scene to revolve a play around, and Shakespeare gives the wheel of fortune a spin in the process. A spin that turns scene 3 ; 1 into scene thirteen as its right of birth, and comedy ends where a thirteen scene tragedy begins ; with the parting jest of a mortally wounded Mercutio to mark the turning point exactly halfway.
The final words of Mercutio are in lines 75 of 152 (2nd. from centre) and 105 of 198 (7th. from centre) respectively. At that point the third act really starts, and the upbeat is in a sense scene 2 ; 5b : the 7th. section of the 2nd act. The comedy itself ends with Mercutio’s final jest. In Q1 on line 73 (3th. from centre). And it differs from the jest in Q2’s line 99 (1st. from centre).
Impressed? then take heed : only the death of Mercutio may have been deliberately marked as the line between comedy and tragedy. This by defining the 8 sections in the first act as separate units by a Golden Section-division between Romeo’s last thoughts on Rosaline, and Juliet’s first thoughts on Paris. If there is such a mathematical device to mark Mercutio’s parting jest, it still escapes attention. And only mathematics can rule out chance. In consequence this note serves no purpose but to demonstrate the creative power of Dame Fortune in combining two editions to a grand design that rewrites ‘3 ; 1’ as ‘thirteen’.
In the tragedy half, the Golden Section combines scene 3 ; 5 (no. 5), that sets the points irrevocably for scene 13, with scene 4 ; 3 (no. 8), which on that track is the point of no return. Ignoring the ‘zero’-scenes for the moment, the corresponding positions in the comedy half are occupied by scenes 1 ; 5 (no. 5), in which the hatred of Tybalt for Romeo is sparked (that has its final word in scene 4 ; 3), and 2 ; 3 (no. 8). Their symmetrical counterparts are scenes 4 ; 4 (both no’s 5 have a banquet prepared) and 4 ; 1. This no. 8 reverses (= mirrors) the order of scene 2 ; 3, in very similar preparations again.
Taking the ‘zero’-scenes into account, the Golden Section links scene 1 ; 4 (no. 5) to the balcony scene (no. 8). Scenes again, that are setting points for a track from which is no return. In this lay-out scene 8 (balcony) is Romeo’s fifth of thirteen. And its counterpart as a scene of irrevocable promises is his Golden Section’s eight :
the wedding scene.
This is Juliet’s fifth scene (what else?), and meeting Romeo at the chapel in traditional style, she is to enter the stage from the opposite direction. And thanks to her nominal twelve scenes, that is a meeting of scenes eight from opposite directions.
Maths is about elegance in method. Inserting a ‘12’ in some logic that is based on the Fibonacci sequence is in that respect a disgrace. Reason why Juliet is not really involved in the action in scene 4 ; 5 : even with thirteen actual scenes, the wedding scene is her eighth nominal scene from the end. Interestingly, the actual scene eight (including 4 ; 5), is the scene in which Juliet arranges Romeo the bridal bed. This is her sixth scene from the begin, and thanks to her threefold entering of the balcony scene that is her eighth stage appearance.
This brings the marriage ceremony on the point where her part is in balance with Romeo’s. Their point of equilibrium, so to speak. And a focal point for the Golden Section:
This brings the marriage ceremony on the point where her part is in balance with Romeo’s. Their point of equilibrium, so to speak. And a focal point for the Golden Section:
….….….….….…. Romeo …………………… together …………………… Juliet
….1 ………………… 1 ; 1
… 2 …………….. 1 ; 2
… 3 ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 1 ; 3
… 4 ………………… 1 ; 4
………….. technically part of 1 ; 5
… 5 …………………………………………………… 1 ; 5
……………………………………………….. Romeo’s 3rd scene
… 6 ……………….. 2 ; 1 ………………………… kisses
………….. technic. part of 2 ; 2
… 7 …………………………………………………… 2 ; 2
………………………………………………. wedding promises
… 8 ……………….. 2 ; 3 ……………………. Juliet’s 3rd
……… Romeo’s 5th ; wedding arr.
… 9 ……………….. 2 ; 4a
…10 ………………. 2 ; 4b
… 11 ……………………………..…………………………………………………………… 2 ; 5
… 12 …………………………………………….…… 2 ; 6
… ……………………………………………..…… wedding …
………………………....………… Juliet’s fifth scene ; Romeo’s 8th
axis …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. axis
.,..13 …………..…. 3 ; 1
… 14 ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3 ; 2
… 15 ……………… 3 ; 3
.(= 13) … Romeo wants to die
.(3 ; 4) …………………………………………….. neither
…17 ………………………………………………….. 3 ; 5a
……………………………………….……… 2nd balcony scene
…18 …………………………………………………………………………………………. 3 ; 5b
……………………………………………………………………………………… Juliet’s 8th scene
……………………………………………………………………………………… wedding promised
…19 …..………………………………………………………………………………………. 4 ; 1
.. 20 ………………………………………………………………………………..………… 4 ; 2
…21 …………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 ; 3
(4 ; 4) ……………………………………………… neither …………. Juliet’s 13th entrance
..23 .......................................................................................................... 4 ; 5
.. 24 ................... 5 ; 1
(5 ; 2) ………………………………………………. neither
.. 26 ................................….....................… 5 ; 3
...................................................... 13th scene for both
The inevitable consequence of an 8 : 13 meeting point, is a Juliet who dominate affairs after marriage. A domination that leads up to, and culminates in, two scenes in which her ‘dead body’ is already on stage when the scene begins. This may show concern for a fairly young and by now very tired performer, but not entering these final scenes in person disturbs Juliet’s contribution to number symbolism, which is conveniently compensated by three separate appearances in the balcony scene. And Juliet enters the stage thirteen times notwithstanding. Scene 4 ; 3 is that thirteenth time, at which occasion she provides Romeo with the motive for his suicide. ‘Thirteen’ is evidently what makes a true angel of death. Still, between last lovers Romeo is supposed to take the initiative, and in the end Juliet is the one who follows him into the grave, rather than the other way round.
It is archetypical for the man to take the initiative in wooing, and it is archetypical for the woman to be in effective control of married life. If not in reality, then at least in literature. And Shakespeare may have constructed this play on true love with his own, perhaps not exactly perfect, life as a married man in mind.
There is at least a wry sort of humour in Romeo’s domination of the stage as Juliet’s suitor, while Juliet rules his married life – in his absence even – by lying two full scenes on her back.