This is very informative as it tells the audience what the weather is this mimics the mood of the characters, it also important as this could be interpreted as fate and it is also the opening of the scene. Mercutio ignores Benvolio’s warning that the Capulets are out and even when the Capulets arrive, Mercutio says, “By my heel, I care not” this is saying that no one can stop him he doesn’t care how it is, no one can worry him. This also is telling us how violent a mood Mercutio is in, as Tybalt tries to speak politely, Mercutio immediately mentions fighting:
“And but one word with one of us? Couple it with something; make it a word and a blow.”
This also shows Mercutio being confident in the face of the Capulets, which the audience would enjoy. When Romeo arrives, Tybalt tries to make peace with Mercutio to focus on Romeo. When Tybalt says to Romeo ‘thou art a villain’ Tybalt is surprised by Romeo’s response as Romeo says how much he has to love him and this is more than enough to “excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting”. Tybalt does not know that Romeo is married to Juliet and so does not know that they are now family. Dramatic irony is used here as the audience knows the situation and would not be so surprised at Romeo’s reaction to the challenge. Tybalt continues to insult Romeo but Romeo continues to say how much he loves him. This would be annoying to Tybalt and so getting him even angrier. This would have annoyed Mercutio as he wanted Romeo to fight but he refuses “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 is discourteous to him because of this he says “boy, this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw” this now showing that Tybalt is getting inpatient and will fight Romeo even if he doesn’t fight back. Mercutio at this point can’t understand Romeo’s response, so Mercutio decides to challenge Tybalt as Romeo does not want to fight and Tybalt is quite surprised at this, as Tybalt says ‘What wouldst thou have with me?’ as he has no reason to fight Mercutio. Mercutio then says ‘nothing but one of your nine lives’ which clearly shows that Mercutio wants to fight and will keep provoking until he gets a fight “good king of cats” Tybalt is evidently cat-like in his lithe energy, predatory vigilance and relish for territorial combat. In the play looking for conflict with the Montagues is referred to as "going mousing."
“Mad blood stirs” refers to the rage and anger in the scene. Tybalt is constantly getting angrier and angrier to the point where his “Mad blood stirring” as he is getting more inpatient he then releases all this frustration out on Romeo but misses and accidentally stabs Mercutio this is also another example of “mad blood stirring.” Tybalt means so kill Romeo but accidentally kills Mercutio.
Mercutio wanting to fight with Tybalt could also be to do with revenge, as Mercutio’s honour was attacked when Tybalt said “Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo”. Mercutio took this as an insult, as consortest can mean ‘belonging to a company of travelling minstrels’ which suggests that Romeo is his master. Revenge and honour was important in Elizabethan times, as calling someone a liar or otherwise damaging his honour, his courage, or his name was a challenge in itself.
Mercutio and Tybalt then fight, with Romeo trying to break them up. Romeo then stands in the way and Tybalt stabs Mercutio under Romeo’s arm so Mercutio has no idea that he was going to be stabbed, with a deplorable blow to his side “An envious thrust” This then makes Romeo’s blood stir “mad blood stirring” and he is filled with “madness” for his comrade who has been killed when it was he whom was meant to be killed. Tybalt then comes back for Romeo but this time Romeo is ready for a fight as Mercutio’s death has angered him. Romeo then kills Tybalt and flees before the citizens arrive, this makes Tybalt look more like a coward to the audience so yet again the audience are forced into thinking the killing of Tybalt was acceptable. This is the act that infuriates lady Capulet and thus makes her say “for blood of ours shed blood of Montague.” This suggests the inevitable death of Romeo and Juliet.
Mercutio still seems quite talkative even as he is dying but seems very angry at Romeo, as if he had not got in the way he might not have been stabbed. He repeats the words “A plague a both your houses!’” three times to curse the families with bad luck. This is also another example of fate as Romeo and Juliet both die, this is also a use of dramatic irony, as the audience know that Romeo and Juliet will die. Even when dying Mercuito is still a funny character as he says “Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man” The pun here on the two meanings of grave but also the wording of his last lines is irregular which is one way of shows that he is dying. The audience would have been surprised and sad at this point as Mercutio’s death was quite unexpected. He would also be one of their favourite characters in the play and he is not a Montague or a Capulet but he is related to the Prince so he shouldn’t really have been involved.
Shakespeare also shapes the scene so that the audience likes Mercutio at the time of his death, he does this by making him an accidental death so the audience feel sorrow for him as he has not done anything wrong just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Another reason the audience feel sorrow for Mercutio is because after he has been stabbed, he still talks so he will still remembered, whereas when Tybalt is beaten he does not speak or say anything, so the audience would just remember that he didn’t really have any good points. Tybalt’s death is quite expected as if you live by the sword you are more likely to die by the sword. The audience would not have been so shocked about his death for this reason and would not feel as much remorse as they did for Mercutio because Tybalt would not have been as popular with the audience. The audience would probably only care about the death of Mercutio as fate makes them think ‘what if Mercutio had taken Benvolio’s advice’ which would have meant that the fight would never have happened. When Mercutio dies it also draws some of the energy and comedy out of the play, thus emphasising tragedy.
One thing that is hard to understand is why Mercutio challenged Tybalt in the first place. Before Tybalt had even started talking about fighting Mercutio said “make it a word and a blow”, almost encouraging Tybalt to fight or maybe even teasing him for his known keenness for fighting. This is not unusual for Mercutio, as he is very lively and likes to joke, but then Mercutio takes some of Tybalt’s words as insults and then when Romeo comes, Mercutio is left in the dark for a while. Then when it looks like Romeo is not going to fight Tybalt, Mercutio steps in to duel him. This could be to protect Romeo and Mercutio’s honour but it could also be that Mercutio, an easily bored and unpredictable character, just wanted to fight. Mercutio is also very loyal to Romeo and they have a very close bond, which is another reason why Mercutio would stick up for him. Mercutio teasing Tybalt also allows the audience to get behind Mercutio and so when he dies the audience feels more upset then they would have before.
Fate also plays a very important part in the play as much of the disaster could have been avoided but for a series of chance decisions and events. For example, if Mercutio had taken Benvolio’s advice at the beginning of Act 3 Scene 1, then Mercutio probably would not have participated in the fight and then would still be alive. If Mercutio had not died then Romeo may not have fought Tybalt so Tybalt might still be alive. If Romeo had told Tybalt that he was married to Juliet instead of keeping it secret and just saying how much he loves him, then Tybalt may not have been angry and they would not have died. One other example is that if Juliet had woken up in Act 5 scene 3 just five minutes earlier, then she and Romeo wouldn’t have killed themselves as Romeo would have seen that she was alive. If any of those examples had happened Romeo and Juliet would not have killed themselves, and the play would have ended happily, but then it would not be a tragedy and the play would not probably be remembered as it is today. Characters in the play make references to fate as well, such as Romeo saying “O, I am fortune’s fool!” in Act 3 scene 1, the chorus referring to “star-cross’d lovers” in the prologue and the Romeo saying “then I defy you, stars” in Act 5, Scene 1. In Shakespeare’s time, it was a common belief that you could not change your fate, as it was written in the stars so ‘star-cross’d’ generally meant an unchangeable fate. On the other hand, the biggest twist of fate is probably that if the Capulets’ servant in Act 1 Scene 2 could have read then Romeo would never have known about the Capulets’ ball and therefore never have met Juliet.
Romeo is also affected by both deaths in many ways. Firstly, Mercutio’s death not only leaves him upset, but angry. This may have helped him in winning the fight against Tybalt but afterwards Romeo realises that he has not only killed someone but someone in his own family, as Tybalt is a cousin of Juliet. The two deaths leave Romeo feeling depressed; because of them he has to leave Verona and that means leaving Juliet. Fate plays another part here as if Romeo hadn’t killed Tybalt and hadn’t been banished, then he would have stayed with Juliet and they wouldn’t have had to use Friar Lawrence’s plan to bring them back together. Act 3 scene 1 is when everything goes from good to bad infact from total happiness to total despair for Romeo as he enters the scene elated after just getting married but leaves the scene exiled and depressed. This is the start of a long chain of bad luck until his inevitable death as foretold by the chorus at the beginning.
To conclude, there are many different techniques Shakespeare uses in order to make the audience react in different ways to the two deaths: he builds up the audience’s knowledge of the two characters and their personalities before the scene, he uses dramatic irony effectively (such as when Tybalt didn’t know that Romeo was married to Juliet), Shakespeare uses stagecraft to increase tension, the audience’s knowledge of the scene and the idea of fate so people in the audience think ‘if only...’ when the deaths happen. These points and the story’s ability to grip the audience is the reason why, several hundred years later, we still remember:
‘For never was a story of more woe
Then this of Juliet and her Romeo’
