In Act 3 Scene 1, a fierce battle between Tybalt and Mercutio. Romeo tries to break up the fights Tybalt is now Romeo’s cousin by marriage. Romeo steps between them Tybalt, who is shielded by Romeo, wounds Mercutio and flees the battle. Romeo is fuelled by revenge by the death of Mercutio, goes to avenge his friend’s loss by tracking down Tybalt.
“Alive, in triumph! And Mercutio slain!
Away to heaven, respective lenity,
And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!
Now, Tybalt, take the villain back again,
That lat thou gav’st me; for Mercutio’s soul
Is but a little away above our heads,
Staying for thine to keep him company:
Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him.”
Both Tybalt and Romeo fight and after Tybalt dies. Benvolio ushers Romeo to leave.
The Prince then finds out about the killings and Romeo is banished. This in my opinion is the climax of the play. Romeo feels that death is better than banishment. There is now a huge change in the play as Romeo and Juliet are newly married but cannot see each other due to Romeo’s banishment. The Capulets are also trying to make marry Parris.
Benvolio is Romeo’s cousin. He likes fighting but due to his restriction that has been put in place he is forbidden to fight. In Act 3 Scene 1 he is trying to persuade Mercutio not to fight “I pray thee good Mercutio, lets retire; the day is hot, the Capulets are abroad, and if we meet we shall not ‘scape a brawl, for now these hot days are is the mad blood stirring” Benvolio is surprised when Mercutio tells him that he Benvolio says he will not fight after to drinks he will be looking for trouble. Shakespeare opens up the subject of Benvolio’s personality during his quarrel with Mercutio. Benvolio also tried to stop the fight at the beginning of the play. This shows that he has good intentions.
Mercutio is a friend of Romeo’s and a kinsman to the Prince. He also has a fiery temper but loves to joke around. He is known as a strong person but is sometimes big headed. He would fight a Capulet at any given opportunity. He likes to get into fights and has called Benvolio prejudice for trying to prevent brawls with the Capulets.
His life ended for his love of violence.
Tybalt is an expert soldier who “Fights by the book of arithmetic”
He is a Capulet and cousin of Juliet. He hates all Montagues and is responsible for both clashes. At the beginning of the play, when the servants were fighting, Benvolio tried to stop it but Tybalt stepped in and exchanged blows with him. Another Scene in which Tybalt wanted a fight was the party scene. If Capulet himself had not told Tybalt not to fight we would of seen early deaths at the Capulet’s. Although Tybalt hates the Montagues he did not mean to slaughter Mercutio, his intentions were only to frighten him .Shakespeare shows us his true personality after the death of Mercutio as he flees the scene he is obviously saddened as he didn’t mean for anyone to die.
Romeo is Montagues young son who fell in love with the Capulets daughter. He is stunned when he found out that Juliet is a Capulet and this is the only reason that Romeo refuses to come to blows with Tybalt. Romeo’s mood changes throughout the play, in the early scenes he is in love, full of happiness and cheerful. However, after Mercutio’s death Romeo is looking to settle the scores. Romeo is insulted by Tybalt and still refuses to fight. And when Mercutio says “I was hurt under your arm” That Romeo wanted revenge. This shows us that Romeo is noble but will not stand for his friend’s loss.
At the end of Act 3 Scene 1 the Prince, Lady Capulet and Montague arrive at the massacre and turn to Benvolio for answers. Benvolio recites the events but Lady Capulet doesn’t believe him and wants Romeo killed. Montague objects to the killing of Romeo. The Prince orders Romeo to be banished from Verona.
In my opinion the two heads of houses, Montague and Capulet are most to blame for the killings. If they laid there differences aside from the beginning the new generation would not have been publicly clashing. They should use force as a last resort. Romeo and Juliet’s deaths were the only thing that brought the ancient war to an end.
