When the Capulet’s enter, Benvolio and Mercutio both have different reactions. Benvolio is still nervous and scared and is trying to not cause havoc as he is in memory of the prince’s royal decree which was given in act 1 scene 1, He tries to convince Mercutio to leave.
Mercutio wants a fight, “by my heel I care not” and this shows his hatred for all Capulet’s. This creates tension and the audience expectations are met by Tybalts appearance.
Tybalt approaches Mercutio and Benvolio and tells his men to,
“Follow me close, for I will speak to them”
This indicates he is ready for a fight, it also shows that he is the leader which suggests he is a powerful man. He does not seem argumentative though as his attention is with Romeo and where he is. This creates curiosity. He pretends to be civil, “good e en; a word with one of you” this shows Tybalt’s seriousness but also his challenging spirit. He is very angry as at the Capulet’s ball as he saw Romeo came uninvited and this is a reason for Tybalt’s challenging behaviour. Tybalt insults Mercutio
“Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo”
As he is making him out to be no better than a servant, this makes the atmosphere more tense as we know of Mercutio’s behaviour and we expect him to fight. Mercutio challenges Tybalt,
“Consort, does thou make us minstrels”
Mercutio says this in a sarcastic tone insulting Tybalt making the atmosphere more tense and continues with his insults,
“Here’s my fiddlestick, here’s that shall make you dance.”
Mercutio refers to his sword as a fiddlestick and threatens to make Tybalt dance this is Mercutio’s challenge to Tybalt. And as is typical of Mercutio as he is classed as a joker in the play and in a way the challenge is made to be funny. Tybalt see’s Romeo enter. The audience now expects a quarrel between Romeo and Tybalt and Tybalt is ready, “peace be with you sir’ here comes my man” This leaves Mercutio feeling angry as he has walked away from his challenge. This leaves the audience excited as there is going to be a fight as expected and the tension rises. When he walks away from Mercutio this leaves him feeling ignored as Tybalt wants to fight with Romeo and this angers Mercutio a lot.
Tybalt and Romeo have been expected to fight and Shakespeare prepares the audience for this scene from earlier parts of the play at the Capulet’s ball.
“I will withdraw this intrusion shall now seeming sweet, convert to bitterest
Gall.”
Tybalt verbally attacks Romeo,
“Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford no better term than this, thou art a
villain.”
This is a classic insult and this makes the audience tense as how is Romeo going to react? This makes the scene exciting after hearing Mercutio’s response to what Tybalt says we expect Romeo to do the same by drawing his sword or insult him back. But Shakespeare does not have Romeo fight at this point because he has just married Juliet and is showing Romeo’s love for her, He also refers to this in Romeo’s words such as “love” and “farewell”.
“And so good Capulet, which name I tender as dearly as mine own, be satisfied.”
This uncharacteristic reaction leaves the men surprised and compared.
Mercutio draws to fight Tybalt because he believes Romeo is a coward. He starts,
“O, calm, dishonrable, vile submission! Alla stocatta carries it away, Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?
This is said because Romeo walks away from Tybalt. Mercutio believes he has just injured Romeo’s family honour and Mercutio can’t see his friend do this which is why he challenges Tybalt. This creates more tension and makes the audience surprised as the original expectation was for Romeo and Tybalt to fight. This also heightens the excitement and Mercutio calls Tybalt a “rat-catcher” because he is saying he is king of all cats. Shakespeare uses the idea of duelling to show tension in the changing nature of society at this time by making them fight to the death. Shakespeare does not surprise the audience a lot when Mercutio was giving to Tybalt gave us a big clue. Romeo tries to intervene at this point. But this makes Mercutio more angry. When Romeo tries to intervene he ironically causes the death of his best friend.
Mercutio is totally wounded and his language suddenly changes into sadness. His words become hollow and pointless the tension increases as his language becomes violent, as his death approaches Mercutio builds suspense and tension by saying to Romeo “a plague o both your houses” because he has turns against his friend. He then goes on to say
“Ask for me tomorrow and you’ll find me a grave man”
His words suggest that he is going to die. Mercutio blames Romeo for his death
“Why the devil you came between us, I was hurt under your arm.”
The excitement is then raised again as Romeo knows his mistake and now gets angry.
His mood darkens and tension reaches a peak as he makes a threat.
“Either thou or I or both shall go with him.”
This challenge keeps the tension high, and leaves the audience knowing that one of them is going to die, Romeo kills Tybalt and realises that he has ruined all and is “fortunes fool” the audience sense that there is more tragedy set to come.
When the prince enters tension is increased as the audience knows that Romeo is about to be punished lady Capulet is straight away angry and shouts for Romeo’s death. Her language suggests she’s a woman who can be unreasonable. Shakespeare makes benvolio repeat the action of the scene because he wants the audience to know exactly what they have witnessed. Romeo is exiled which to him is worse then death.
I think that Shakespeare builds tension in this scene well and prepares the audience in previous events for this to happen. He leaves the audience expecting more tragedy throughout the play because the fight makes more conflicts and deaths inevitable. Shakespeare delays the prince’s decree to keep the tension until the end. Act three scene one is definitely the most tense and exciting as indicated above.
