Final answer:
Juliet's ability to "speak, yet...[say] nothing" refers to non-verbal communication in drama, where actors convey emotions and thoughts through physical actions and expressions. Even in the absence of words, characters express deep emotions, highlighting the importance of an actor's non-verbal skills in the craft of acting.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Non-Verbal Communication in Drama
When Juliet in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is said to "speak, yet...[say] nothing," it implies that she communicates through her expressions, gestures, or perhaps through a shared understanding with another character that goes beyond words. This concept is not unique to Shakespeare but is rather a fundamental aspect of drama and acting. Actors convey emotions and thoughts through their physicality and presence, even without dialogue. Thus, the subtleties of non-verbal communication can speak volumes. This technique is vital for engaging audiences, particularly when the language used might be archaic or difficult for some, such as high school students, to fully grasp.
As highlighted in the excerpts provided, characters express immense depth of feeling through actions rather than speech. Clearly, this underscores the importance of the actor's ability to use non-verbal cues effectively. Whether it is the tension in Claire's hands or the urgency in her movements, both indicate an underlying emotion that words alone might not fully capture. Additionally, staging choices, such as cutting certain text from a play like Romeo and Juliet for a school performance, still leave room for the actors to deliver the essence of the story through their performances. Indeed, good actors use their "actor's spidey-sense" to give audiences a rich experience that transcends the specific words spoken.