The scene starts with Shakespeare making references to heat and passion.
Benvolio says “The day is hot, the Capels are abroad”. He continues further on with “For now, the hot days, is the mad blood stirring”.
Shakespeare builds the tension all through this particular scene making for an impossible situation for Romeo when it reaches the conclusion.
Benvolio, as usual, is being the peacekeeper and is being cautious of meeting with the Capulets. Mercutio says that it is poor advice from someone as hot-headed as Benvolio. The mood is set for a clash between the two groups.
The story changes quite suddenly from the previous loving scene as Romeo marries Juliet. Although in the previous scene the Friar lectures them both about their hasty emotions on marrying so quickly.
“The violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder” he tells Romeo.
As Benvolio and Mercutio are discussing Benvolio’s hot-headedness Tybalt arrives with others. Tybalt and Mercutio start to argue and threaten one another.
Romeo enters the scene. It is really Romeo that Tybalt wishes to fight, but Romeo will not fight with him. The audience are aware of his secret marriage to Juliet and now Romeo sees Tybalt as a relative and no longer an enemy. He tries to calm the fiery atmosphere. Romeo tells Tybalt
“And so, good Capulet, which name I tender
As dearly as mine own, be satisfied”.
Shakespeare has written this scene building the tension slowly. The audience can feel that a fight is imminent.
Romeo is aware that the Prince has said that any person caught brawling will face harsh punishment and he wishes to avoid any such clash.
Mercutio continues with his jokey comments referring to Tybalt as
“Good King of Cats”, referring to one of his nine lives and referring to him as a rat-catcher. Romeo continues to keep the peace, but Tybalt and Mercutio begin to fight. Romeo pleads with Benvolio to draw his sword and stop them. Romeo then steps between Tybalt and Mercutio, but suddenly Tybalt thrusts his sword under Romeo’s arm and Mercutio is mortally wounded.
Mercutio realising that death is near cries out
“A plague a’ both your houses!” He repeats this over again making everybody realise that as consequence of their squabbling and brawling he has now become a victim of it himself. Mercutio continues
“Ay, ay, a scratch”, still he continues with his jokey reference to a cat.
“Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death!”
Romeo is distraught, his friend, who was a relative of the Prince, was killed instead of himself, by Tybalt, who has now, through his marriage to Juliet, become his cousin. There appears to the audience to be a strange irony to all this.
Romeo races for Tybalt and kills him.
“Now Tybalt, take the ‘villain’ back again”.
As mentioned before this whole scene is a turning point in the story. What had gone from a simple family feud into a loving union had now changed into a double killing with Romeo wanted for the slaying of Tybalt and now facing execution himself. Romeo and Juliet’s love for each other would now, even more than before, be an impossible love. For now he was caught in a trap. If he escapes he must leave his wife and if he stays he risks death. The tension is unbearable for the audience know that Romeo and Juliet can never be together.
At the end of the scene the Prince arrives and talks. He says that Romeo should get away for the squabble had now killed one of his own relatives. He tells the people to get the body out of there for if he was merciful to murderers it would only encourage them more.
“Bear hence this body, and attend our will:
Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill”.
My own personal view of this scene is the same as above. I too feel that this is the turning point of the play with absolutely no way back for Romeo. Juliet and his love will now always be forbidden and as the play continues the audience will see the disastrous consequences that all started in this particular scene.
