TASK: Read through the information beneath carefully. Fill in the blanks from the word bank below.
The Source of the Play
Shakespeare drew most of his plots from European stories that had been translated into English. Romeo and Juliet was probably based on an ________ romance.
Time Of Action
There is no clear indication within the play of the time setting, but it seems to be around 1200 or 1300. In history, ______ noble houses existed within that time frame, and their actions __________ the local peace. People were ________, and a lot of jealousy and tyranny existed. In the play wealth, culture, rivalry, and _________ are all displayed, reflecting this historical time frame.
The time that passes within the play is very clear. Only _____ days go by from the opening street fight to the death of Romeo and Juliet. On Sunday morning, the ______ in the town square occurs; that same ______ Romeo meets Juliet at the Capulet feast, and they declare their _____ for one another. On Monday afternoon, ________________ marries the couple; later in the day, Romeo ______ Tybalt. On Tuesday, Romeo ______ from Verona to Mantua, the Capulets ________ Juliet's engagement to Paris, and she _______ the magic potion that makes her _______ to be dead. On Wednesday, Juliet's body is ___________ and taken to the Capulet _____. On Thursday, Romeo hears of Juliet's ______, hastens back to _______, and commits _________ in her tomb. When Juliet ________ later in the day and finds him dead, she _____ herself. The play ends on Friday morning.
Timeline of Key Events
TASK: Using the space below draw up a TIMELINE of what you consider to be the KEY events in the play. .
TASK: Consider the statements below. Rate your own personal response to each statement by using the following key:0 = I have no idea or no opinion on this.
1 = I emphatically disagree.
2 = I strongly disagree.
3 = I somewhat disagree.
4 = I somewhat agree.
5 = I strongly agree.
6 = I emphatically agree.
Thought Gathering
TASK: Each of the statements you have considered are relevant to some of the THEMES of the play. Complete the table below by EXPLAINING your responses to the statements.
The Players
The Montagues:
The hero and one of the protagonists of Romeo and Juliet. This character is the son of Old Montague. A romantic character, he is at first in love with Lord Capulet's niece, Rosaline. When he meets Capulet's daughter Juliet, he falls instantly in love with her. His two closest friends are Benvolio and Mercutio… It’s ROMEO!
Nephew of Montague and friend to Romeo. Here is a thoughtful character who makes a genuine effort to defuse violent scenes in public places. His loyalty to his friends and family can not be questioned. He is a sensible and trustworthy young man who spends most of his time in the play trying to cheer up Romeo… It’s BENVOLIO!
Head of one of the most influential and wealthy families in Verona. Here is a true patriarch who does not like to be crossed. This character is the bitter enemy of but a concerned father to his son. At the beginning of the play, he is chiefly concerned about Romeo’s melancholy and what he can do to make his child happy… it’s MONTAGUE!
Though she is wife of the powerful Montague there is little room in the play for this character. She is a loving mother who cherishes her son and dies of grief when Romeo is exiled from Verona…it’s LADY MONTAGUE
The Players
The Capulets:
The heroine and one of the protagonists of Romeo and Juliet. She is the thirteen-year-old daughter of Capulet and begins the play as a naïve and gentle girl, obedient to her parents. Raised by her nanny and with none of freedom to roam the city that Romeo has, this character is a happy, romantic, and an innocent girl…it’s JULIET!
Cousin to Juliet from her mother’s side. Vain, fashionable, supremely aware of courtesy and the lack of it, he becomes aggressive, violent, and quick to draw his sword when he feels his pride has been injured. Honour and his family mean a lot to this character. Once drawn, his sword is something to be feared…it’s TYBALT!
The patriarch of the Capulet family and enemy, for unexplained reasons, of . He loves his daughter, though he is not well acquainted with her thoughts or feelings. He commands respect and is liable to fly into a rage when it is lacking. This character is a stubborn old man, who is used to getting his own way…it’s CAPULET!
A woman who married young and gave birth at close to the age of fourteen. This character is eager to see her daughter married well, married to . On the whole this is an ineffectual mother, relying on the Nurse for moral and pragmatic support with her daughter. She loves her daughter but is not close to her…it’s LADY CAPULET!
Those Caught Between:
Friend to both Romeo and Juliet, this kind and civic-minded citizen is always ready with a plan. He secretly marries the young lovers in the hope that the union might bring peace to Verona. As well as being a Catholic holy man, this character is also an expert in the use of seemingly mystical potions and herbs…it’s FRIAR LAWRENCE!
The woman who breast-fed Juliet when she was a baby and has cared for Juliet her entire life. A vulgar, long-winded, and sentimental character, she frequently makes inappropriate remarks and speeches. She is Juliet’s faithful confidante but the idea that Juliet would want to sacrifice herself for love is incomprehensible to her…it’s the NURSE!
Kinsman to the Prince and close friend to Romeo and the Montagues. This character overflows with imagination, wit, and a strange, biting satire. A hotheaded character he loves wordplay and finds Romeo’s romanticized ideas about love tiresome. This character tries to convince Romeo to view love as a matter of sexual appetite…it’s MERCUTIO!
A young nobleman and kinsman to the Prince. He is handsome and courteous and favorable to the Capulets. They arrange for Juliet to marry him since they do not realise she is married to Romeo…it’s PARIS!
The most powerful man in Verona. A Prince who is kinsman to Mercutio and Paris. This character wants to maintain the public peace at all costs and will stand for the constant disputes between the two families no more…it’s PRINCE ESCALUS
Summary of the Scene
It’s a hot day and Benvolio and Mercutio are walking, suggests to that they go indoors as he fears that a brawl will be unavoidable should they encounter men. Mercutio replies that he cares not and teases Benvolio, saying that he has as quick a temper as any man in Italy, and should not criticise others for their short fuses.
enters with a group of cronies. He approaches Benvolio and Mercutio and asks to speak with one of them. Annoyed, Mercutio begins to taunt and provoke him their exchange escalates until… enters. Tybalt turns his attention from Mercutio to Romeo, and calls Romeo a villain.
Romeo, now secretly married to and thus Tybalt’s kinsman, refuses to be angered by Tybalt’s verbal attack. Tybalt commands Romeo to draw his sword. Romeo protests that he has good reason to love Tybalt, and does not wish to fight him. He asks that until Tybalt knows the reason for this love, he put aside his sword. Disgusted by what he sees as Romeo’s cowardice, Mercutio angrily draws his sword and declares with biting wit that if Romeo will not fight Tybalt, he will. Mercutio and Tybalt begin to fight.
Romeo, attempting to restore peace, throws himself between the two men. Using this distraction, Tybalt stabs Mercutio under Romeo’s arm, and as Mercutio falls, Tybalt and his men hurry away. Mercutio dies, cursing both the Montagues and the Capulets: “A plague o’ both your houses”.
Enraged by the death of his friend, Romeo declares that his love for Juliet has made him effeminate, and that he should have fought Tybalt in Mercutio’s place. When Tybalt, still angry, storms back onto the scene, Romeo draws his sword. They fight, and Romeo kills Tybalt. Benvolio urges Romeo to run as a group of citizens outraged at the recurring street fights is approaching. Romeo, shocked at what has happened, cries “O, I am fortune’s fool!” and flees.
The Prince enters, accompanied by many citizens, and the Montagues and Capulets. Benvolio tells the Prince the story of the brawl, emphasizing Romeo’s attempt to keep the peace, but , Tybalt’s aunt, cries that Benvolio is lying to protect the Montagues. She demands Romeo’s life. chooses instead to exile Romeo from Verona. He declares that should Romeo be found within the city, he will be killed.
ROMEO AND JULIET : Original Script
Act 3, Scene 1
SCENE I. A public place.
Enter MERCUTIO, BENVOLIO, Page, and Servants
BENVOLIO
I pray thee, good Mercutio, let's retire:
The day is hot, the Capulets abroad,
And, if we meet, we shall not scape a brawl;
For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.
MERCUTIO
Thou art like one of those fellows that when he
enters the confines of a tavern claps me his sword
upon the table and says 'God send me no need of
thee!' and by the operation of the second cup draws
it on the drawer, when indeed there is no need.
BENVOLIO
Am I like such a fellow?
MERCUTIO
Come, come, thou art as hot a Jack in thy mood as
any in Italy, and as soon moved to be moody, and as
soon moody to be moved.
BENVOLIO
And what to?
MERCUTIO
Nay, an there were two such, we should have none
shortly, for one would kill the other. Thou! why,
thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more,
or a hair less, in his beard, than thou hast: thou
wilt quarrel with a man for cracking nuts, having no
other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes: what
eye but such an eye would spy out such a quarrel?
Thy head is as fun of quarrels as an egg is full of
meat, and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as
an egg for quarrelling: thou hast quarrelled with a
man for coughing in the street, because he hath
wakened thy dog that hath lain asleep in the sun:
didst thou not fall out with a tailor for wearing
his new doublet before Easter? with another, for
tying his new shoes with old riband? and yet thou
wilt tutor me from quarrelling!
BENVOLIO
An I were so apt to quarrel as thou art, any man
should buy the fee-simple of my life for an hour and a quarter.
MERCUTIO
The fee-simple! O simple!
BENVOLIO
By my head, here come the Capulets.
MERCUTIO
By my heel, I care not.
Enter TYBALT and others
TYBALT
Follow me close, for I will speak to them.
Gentlemen, good den: a word with one of you.
MERCUTIO
And but one word with one of us? Couple it with
something; make it a word and a blow.
TYBALT
You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, an you
will give me occasion.
MERCUTIO
Could you not take some occasion without giving?
TYBALT
Mercutio, thou consort'st with Romeo,-
MERCUTIO
Consort! What, dost thou make us minstrels? An
thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but
discords: here's my fiddlestick; here's that shall
make you dance. 'Zounds, consort!
BENVOLIO
We talk here in the public haunt of men:
Either withdraw unto some private place,
And reason coldly of your grievances,
Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us.
MERCUTIO
Men's eyes were made to look, and let them gaze;
I will not budge for no man's pleasure, I.
Enter ROMEO
TYBALT
Well, peace be with you, sir: here comes my man.
MERCUTIO
But I'll be hanged, sir, if he wear your livery:
Marry, go before to field, he'll be your follower;
Your worship in that sense may call him 'man.'
TYBALT
Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford
No better term than this - thou art a villain!
ROMEO
Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee
Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
To such a greeting: villain am I none;
Therefore farewell; I see thou know'st me not.
TYBALT
Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries
That thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw.
ROMEO
I do protest, I never injured thee,
But love thee better than thou canst devise,
Till thou shalt know the reason of my love:
And so, good Capulet - which name I tender
As dearly as my own - be satisfied.
MERCUTIO
O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!
Alla stoccata carries it away.
Draws
Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?
TYBALT
What wouldst thou have with me?
MERCUTIO
Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine
lives; that I mean to make bold withal, and as you
shall use me hereafter, drybeat the rest of the
eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pitcher
by the ears? Make haste, lest mine be about your
ears ere it be out.
TYBALT
I am for you.
Drawing
ROMEO
Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.
MERCUTIO
Come, sir, your passado.
They fight
ROMEO
Draw, Benvolio; beat down their weapons.
Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage!
Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly hath
Forbidden bandying in Verona streets:
Hold, Tybalt! Good Mercutio!
TYBALT under ROMEO's arm stabs MERCUTIO, and flees with his followers
MERCUTIO
I am hurt.
A plague o' both your houses! I am sped.
Is he gone, and hath nothing?
BENVOLIO
What, art thou hurt?
MERCUTIO
Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch; marry, 'tis enough.
Where is my page? Go, villain, fetch a surgeon.
Exit Page
ROMEO
Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much.
MERCUTIO
No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a
church-door; but 'tis enough,'twill serve: ask for
me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I
am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o'
both your houses! 'Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a
cat, to scratch a man to death! A braggart, a
rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of
arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us? I
was hurt under your arm.
ROMEO
I thought all for the best.
MERCUTIO
Help me into some house, Benvolio,
Or I shall faint. A plague o' both your houses!
They have made worms' meat of me: I have it,
And soundly too: your houses!
Exeunt MERCUTIO and BENVOLIO
ROMEO
This gentleman, the prince's near ally,
My very friend, hath got his mortal hurt
In my behalf; my reputation stain'd
With Tybalt's slander,- Tybalt, that an hour
Hath been my kinsman! O sweet Juliet,
Thy beauty hath made me effeminate
And in my temper soften'd valour's steel!
Re-enter BENVOLIO
BENVOLIO
O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio's dead!
That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds,
Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.
ROMEO
This day's black fate on more days doth depend;
This but begins the woe, others must end.
BENVOLIO
Here comes the furious Tybalt back again.
ROMEO
Alive, in triumph! And Mercutio slain!
Away to heaven, respective lenity,
And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!
Re-enter TYBALT
Now, Tybalt, take the villain back again,
That late thou gavest me; for Mercutio's soul
Is but a little way above our heads,
Staying for thine to keep him company:
Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him.
TYBALT
Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here,
Shalt with him hence.
ROMEO
This shall determine that.
They fight; TYBALT falls
BENVOLIO
Romeo, away, be gone!
The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain.
Stand not amazed: the prince will doom thee death,
If thou art taken: hence, be gone, away!
ROMEO
O, I am fortune's fool!
BENVOLIO
Why dost thou stay?
Exit ROMEO and enter Citizens
First Citizen
Which way ran he that kill'd Mercutio?
Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he?
BENVOLIO
There lies that Tybalt.
First Citizen
Up, sir, go with me;
I charge thee in the prince’s name, obey.
Enter Prince, attended; MONTAGUE, CAPULET, their Wives, and others
PRINCE
Where are the vile beginners of this fray?
BENVOLIO
O noble prince, I can discover all
The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl:
There lies the man, slain by young Romeo,
That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.
LADY CAPULET
Tybalt, my cousin! O my brother's child!
O prince! O cousin! husband! O, the blood is spilt
O my dear kinsman! Prince, as thou art true,
For blood of ours, shed blood of Montague.
O cousin, cousin!
PRINCE
Benvolio, who began this bloody fray?
BENVOLIO
Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo's hand did slay;
Romeo that spoke him fair, bade him bethink
How nice the quarrel was, and urged withal
Your high displeasure: all this uttered
With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bow'd,
Could not take truce with the unruly spleen
Of Tybalt deaf to peace, but that he tilts
With piercing steel at bold Mercutio's breast,
Who all as hot, turns deadly point to point,
And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats
Cold death aside, and with the other sends
It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity,
Retorts it: Romeo he cries aloud,
'Hold, friends! friends, part!' and, swifter than his tongue,
His agile arm beats down their fatal points,
And 'twixt them rushes; underneath whose arm
An envious thrust from Tybalt hit the life
Of stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt fled;
But by and by comes back to Romeo,
Who had but newly entertain'd revenge,
And to 't they go like lightning, for, ere I
Could draw to part them, was stout Tybalt slain.
And, as he fell, did Romeo turn and fly.
This is the truth, or let Benvolio die.
LADY CAPULET
He is a kinsman to the Montague;
Affection makes him false; he speaks not true:
Some twenty of them fought in this black strife,
And all those twenty could but kill one life.
I beg for justice, which thou, prince, must give;
Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live.
PRINCE
Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio;
Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?
MONTAGUE
Not Romeo, prince, he was Mercutio's friend;
His fault concludes but what the law should end,
The life of Tybalt.
PRINCE
And for that offence
Immediately we do exile him hence:
I have an interest in your hate's proceeding,
My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding;
But I'll amerce you with so strong a fine
That you shall all repent the loss of mine:
I will be deaf to pleading and excuses;
Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses:
Therefore use none: let Romeo hence in haste,
Else, when he's found, that hour is his last.
Bear hence this body and attend our will:
Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.
Exeunt
TASK: Read through the scene again and answer the questions in the boxes. As you go through identify any key quotes that you think may be useful when discussing this scene.
Review of ACT 3 SCENE 1
TASK: Sort the events below into their chronological order.
- Tybalt insults Romeo and demands a duel.
- Benvolio takes Mercutio somewhere quiet to die and Romeo blames his love for Juliet for making him soft.
- Lady Capulet demands the execution of Romeo.
- Mercutio is angry that Romeo won’t fight and takes his place.
- Mercutio teases Tybalt and Benvolio says they should go somewhere less open to talk.
- Romeo professes his love for Tybalt and refuses to fight.
- Benvolio and Mercutio are discussing one another’s hot tempers and Benvolio is worried because there seem to be a lot of Capulets about.
- Romeo arrives fresh from his wedding to Juliet.
- The Prince, with the Capulets and Montagues, arrives to find two corpses in Verona Square.
- Lord Montague says Romeo only punished Tybalt for killing Mercutio and should be allowed to go free.
- Benvolio returns to tell Romeo that Mercutio is dead.
- Romeo tries to stop Tybalt and Mercutio fighting and reminds them of the Prince’s threat should anyone break the peace.
- Romeo steps between Tybalt and Mercutio and Tybalt stabs Mercutio under Romeo’s arms.
- The Prince decides that Romeo will be banished.
- Romeo attacks Tybalt and they fight.
- Tybalt falls dead and Benvolio urges Romeo to flee.
- Benvolio explains to the Prince what has happened.
- Tybalt arrives and demands to know where Romeo is.
- Mercutio, knowing that he is dying, curses both the Montagues and the Capulets.
Act 3, scene 1 is the CLIMAX of the drama of the play. It is of particular importance because of it’s placement, what happens in it and what happens as a consequence of it. Therefore your essay title is…
Comment on the importance of ACT 3, SCENE 1 of Romeo and Juliet.
Introduction
Introduce
-
the story of Romeo and Juliet. What is it a play about?
- the tragedy genre. What is a tragedy? Why is Romeo and Juliet a tragedy?
- the general themes of the play;
- the social and historical context of the play and how it influences character behaviour;
- where this scene fits into the play as a whole. What has just happened? What is still to come?
The Opening of the Scene
You will need to explain the dramatic devices that Shakespeare uses to interest, involve and affect the audience. Comment on:
- the atmosphere at the start of the scene (look at characters and language). What is it? How is it established? What is the audience’s response?
- the contrast between the mood of this scene and the romantic atmosphere of the previous scene (Act 2 Scene 6). How do the audience respond to this?
- how the scene links to previous events in the play (the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets, previous public brawls, the Prince's warnings). What is all of this emphasising for the audience?
- how Shakespeare builds up tension between Mercutio and Tybalt before Romeo’s entrance and why? How does this effect the audience? What would an Elizabethan audience of that time be looking for?
- what is making Tybalt challenge Romeo and why it is just as important for Romeo to make peace with Tybalt? What are the two characters thinking? What does the audience learn about these characters?
- the use and effects of dramatic irony within the scene (when Romeo refuses to rise to Tybalt’s challenge). What are other characters thinking about this exchange? What is wrong about Romeo’s behaviour?
- the realisation Romeo makes about how love has changed him. What does he go on to do? What does he then realise? Why does he believe his behaviour has been wrong?
- the importance of Mercutio’s curse. Why is it so significant? What is going to be the end result of this scene. What does this scene lead to?
Conclusion
Finally, sum up why this is such a dramatic and important scene:
- what makes Act 3 Scene 1 the turning point in the play? Do you think it is? Why?
- overall, how does this scene affect the audience?
- why do you think this scene is so important to the play as a whole.
