Romeo and Juliet is a tragic love story, which plays with its audiences emotions throughout the play

Mercutio being the trickster that he is shrugs off Benvolio's words and replies with a longer quote which opposes Benvolio's comment and accuses Benvolio of being the one that always starts the fights. With the line, 'Thou wilt quarrel with a man for cracking nuts, having no other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes,' Mercutio is talking in response to Benvolio's comment about going home. Mercutio is quite blunt here and directly tells Benvolio that it is him who starts the fights and often they are for no need, as explained when he mentions fighting with someone for looking slightly different. He is saying that Benvolio argues over little things. This is quite ironic because it is Mercutio that actually behaves in this way. Mercutio is very dominant and always has the upper hand in their conversations. In the film directed by Zeffirelli, Mercutio acts violently and uptight which gives a slightly tense atmosphere. Mercutio is harsh in his mannerisms and gestures, which adds elements of humour to the scene. Benvolio finds it extremely hard to control Mercutio. In the updated version, Mercutio and Benvolio's relationship is more playful. The scene is casual with the camera cutting quickly to give some intensity between them. The caption involves a small crowd of people surrounding Benvolio and Mercutio round a table, which gives a relaxed and informal atmosphere. They show they know each other well as they seem to know what each other is thinking, for example when they were playing with their guns. Their tone is not abrasive which gives a bigger contrast when Tybalt arrives. The similarity between the two films is that Mercutio is always in charge and talks over people around him. In the older version, Mercutio and Benvolio's relationship is subjugated by Mercutio and he is portrayed as oppressive and dull, unlike in Luhrmanns version where their relationship seems more balanced and fun, with a relaxed atmosphere with aspects of intensity.

In the script, Mercutio gives the impression of not being threatened by Tybalt's arrival and having a care free attitude. This is shown in the line, 'By my heel, I care not.' Mercutio cleverly plays with Tybalts' words and mocks him, which angers Tybalt. An example of this is when Tybalt says, 'Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo.' Mercutio replies with, 'Consort? What dost thou make us minstrels? And thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords, Here's my fiddlestick, here's that shall make you dance. Zounds, consort!' Mercutio takes the meaning of consort as group and mocks the word and describes his sword as an instrument. In the old version Mercutio is pretending to wash in the water trough, and starts acting very camp and showing aspects of a woman's personality, but still keeps his humorous but more serious and dominating character. He mocks Tybalt in a sarcastic light and cheerful tone. Mercutio exaggerates his misunderstanding of words, and the actor's performance brings out a sense of spontaneity. After some time Mercutio withdrew his sword from under the water as a warning to Tybalt, as he was tired of his insults. He doesn't have the bubbly personality of the second actor. In the recent film, Mercutio is played again rather camp, but flirtatious with the ladies. He is fierce with his body language and the actor gives him a sense of madness, this gives some intensity to this part of the scene. Mercutios anger grows and the tension in his face rises and he threatens Tybalt with his gun. I think the newest version suited this part of the scene best as it was a bigger contrast to the next part of the scene, as a fight develops and Mercutio dies.

Tybalt makes it extremely difficult for Romeo to retreat from a fight. He humiliates him and makes him appear like a coward. Tybalt accuses Romeo of crimes and calls him a 'villain'. Romeo reacts calmly, rationally and denies all accusations. An example of this is shown in the line, 'I do protest I never injured thee.' Here Romeo s naive and wants to make friends. Mercutio saw Romeo's response as cowardice and found himself embarrassed of his friend for not defending himself the way he thought he should have done, by fighting Tybalt. In the old film, Romeo talks calmly to Tybalt and takes his hand and gives him a firm handshake in order to show no bad feelings. Tybalts response was to run to the water trough and make a joke and scrubs his hands clean, as if they were dirty and diseased. In the updated version, Romeo tries to make peace with Tybalt by going to shake his hand, but he threw Romeo down to the floor and hits his hand away. Tybalt is more violent, shows more hatred towards Romeo and has a more angered expression in Luhrmanns film, unlike his surprised and humorous expressions in Zeffirelli's version.

In the old version the fight between Romeo and Tybalt was performed with swords. The fight varied in its setting and moved through various streets and levels. Romeo is portrayed as the less experienced swordsman between the two of them, which adds greater excitement and worry to the audience. It was made dramatic by the constant moving and the moments when one man looked like he would lose, and then would rise up again and carry on his challenge. The excitement of the audience was kept flowing throughout the fight. Contrastingly in the new version, Romeo totally backed down and did not defend himself and this led to Mercutio having to risk his own life to protect Romeo. Tybalt did not use any weapons, apart from themselves and the fight stayed in the same place. A tense moment was when Tybalt landed in some glass and shattered it, and picked up a piece and went for Mercutio deliberately, unlike in the old version where the injuring of Mercutio was an accident. Mercutio was to blame for the fight happening in the older version compared to the newer version where Tybalt started it. I found the newer version more successful as it was more unpredictable and weapon was more imaginative, but I liked the way Zeffirelli made the fight travel and have levels.

Mercutio doesn't realise how deep his injury is and jokes about how it is only minor, but it's enough and therefore they will find him dead tomorrow. This is shown in the line, 'No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door, but 'tis enough, 'twill serve. Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man.' In the newer version he puts on a brave face until he lifts his shirt to show the wound, his face displays an expression of terror and fear. The camera does a close-up on the wound and then onto Mercutios face. This makes the wound look devastatingly painful and therefore makes the audience feel a sense of dread, fear and sympathy for Mercutio. In the older version, Mercutio is laughed at by the crowd. He doesn't look at the wound as in the newer version, but covers it with a handkerchief. The actor shows much more anger towards everyone and his jokes are portrayed with some intensity. Mercutio then staggered up some steps so he could be seen by the crowd. Then he shouted out the line, 'A plague o' both your houses, they have made worms' meat of me. I have it, and soundly too. Your houses!' He then came to his death and fell down the steps in front of the crowd. I think the newer version would get a better reaction out of an audience as it is more tense and dramatic. The laughter from the crowd in the older version takes the intensity away, but when Mercutio falls and the crowd go silent it builds up again.

After Mercutios death, Romeo holds onto him and hugs his body. Romeo is devastated. He is also angry because he has been criticizing him, 'with Tybalt's slander.' He won't fight because of his love for Juliet, as shown in the line, 'O sweet Juliet! Thy beauty hath made me effeminate.' Romeo appears to have no control over his life, 'this day's black fate on more days doth depend: this but begins the woe others must end.' This is a turning point in the play for Romeo because he is upset after Mercutios death and he is angry because Tybalt has killed him.