The pace of the scene changes rapidly with the entrance of the Capulets. There is a sense of tension between Mercutio and Tybalt from the moment that the dialogue begins, and although Mercutio is still playing the comic character, his words are layered with malice, which becomes apparent when Tybalt accuses him of consorting with Romeo. Mercutio loses patience and draws his sword to fight. Although Benvolio reminds them of the prince’s decree that brawling in the streets is punishable by death, they are headstrong and unconcerned. By this point the tension is high, and the audience know that a fight will soon start, and they are not sure who will win. The words between the two men are quick, and help raise the pace of the scene.
When Romeo enters, the tension dips slightly between Mercutio and Tybalt, as Tybalt says ‘peace be with you, here comes my man’. He is making it clear that he has finished with Mercutio, and will fight it out with Romeo instead. Mercutio is having none of it, but holds back to allow Romeo to handle the situation. The dramatic irony of Romeo’s love for Tybalt adds to the audience apprehension of bad things to come, with Tybalt hurling insults, Romeo pleading for peace, and Mercutio’s obvious anger at Romeo’s ‘Vile submission’. Romeo’s cowardice moves Mercutio to fight; he draws his sword again, and mixes jokes on Tybalt with violent suggestions. Tybalt responds and draws. The relentless hostility of the scene so far comes to a climax at this point, and as Mercutio is wounded from Romeo’s intervention, he curses both the families, and describes his downfall with macabre images of death and decay. He knows that he will die, the audience should have realised that he will die, yet Romeo and Mercutio are optimistic. They can still see life in the corpse of their friend, but when he exits with Benvolio to find a surgeon, leaving Romeo alone, it is clear to the onlookers what will happen, so that it scarcely requires Benvolio’s confirmation, but when he does the tension breaks, to leave the audience empathising with Romeo’s loss.
At this point, it may appear that the scene is over and the suspense is over, but with the entrance of Tybalt, Romeo loses control. The audience are trapped in consternation at this point, and as Romeo and Tybalt hurl their last insults at each other and fight, they know that one or both must die.
When Romeo kills Tybalt and Benvolio orders him to flee, the tension falls and the apprehension returns, as it leaves the audience unsure as to the princes decision. Benvolio explains what had happened, and Lady Capulet’s grief rapidly turns to an urge for revenge. She wants Romeo to die, but the prince has also lost a kinsman, and will not condemn Romeo. He chooses exile. This relieves the audience, but the tension is still there, lessened, but there. Something must end this, they know, but they do not know what.
There is a sense of foreboding at many places in this scene. Baz Luhrman captures the moment of Mercutio’s death impeccably, as an ill wind whips up, and Romeo exits to pursue revenge, and as Romeo kills Tybalt, an eerie silence begins, disturbed only by the clatter of the gun on the steps.
The reactions of the Capulets and Montagues show how little these deaths have affected their hatred of each other. Lady Capulet vows for revenge, and demands it, but the prince is deaf to her pleads. As the scene ends Tension is low, but there is an air of foreboding, and the audience know that the play is far from over.
