In Romeo’s mind, he has shed his identity as a Montague and has become one with Juliet, his wife. However, Tybalt seeks revenge against Romeo because a Montague appeared at a Capulet ball. While Romeo no longer labels himself Montague, Tybalt still sees Romeo as standing on the wrong side of a clear line that divides the families.
Mercutio is appalled by Romeo’s desertion of masculine violence. Tybalt does not understand why Romeo will not respond to his duelling challenge. Romeo’s separation from these typical modes of communication is both a desertion of masculinity and a deviation from the physical and troublesome perspective of the feud. Romeo and Juliet’s love embraces a transcendent, deeply united concept of love. Their powerful and strong love removes them from the hatred that forces the feud, however, that love is also flawed by Romeo acting out of anger rather than out of his love for Juliet.
As soon as Mercutio confronts Tybalt on Romeo’s behalf, Romeo’s fall from his peak of joy seems destined. The hope that sprung from Romeo’s marriage to Juliet is dashed in a few moments of swordplay. In a moment of deep irony, Romeo’s attempt to stand between two combatants, his act of benevolent interference, makes it possible for Tybalt to thrust Mercutio. Romeo’s sign of peace results in Mercutio’s death and Romeo becoming trapped in the family conflict.
Mercutio’s final speeches reflect a mixture of anger and disbelief that he has been fatally injured as a result of the “…ancient grudge…” between the Capulet’s and the Montague’s, he repeatedly curses “…A plague on both your houses...” Mercutio treats the subject of his own death with humorous wordplay “…Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man...” In the final irony of this scene, Mercutio never discovers why he was wounded. He believes he was wounded for a fight, not for love. In shocked disbelief, he asks Romeo “…Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm…”
Romeo blames himself for Mercutio’s death because he placed his love for Juliet before consideration of his friend. Romeo realizes his love for Juliet has made him soft and now seeks revenge. Tybalt returns and they brawl. Romeo slays Tybalt to relax his guilt. However, by doing so, he disregards any effect that his choice may have on Juliet. His action is hasty and irresponsible. Romeo’s fury overpowers his sensibility, and his fortunes are sealed. Romeo kills Tybalt. Benvolio convinces Romeo to flee, as Benvolio informs him that the citizens of Verona are awake. The Citizens, the Prince, the Montague's, and the Capulet's all come to survey the scene. Benvolio tells the story of what happened. Immediately, the Prince exiles Romeo with a death penalty.
Tybalt’s death brings Romeo a moment of clearness as he realizes that he is the helpless victim of fate “…O, I am fortune’s fool!...” he cries, struck deeply by a sense of anger, injustice, and uselessness. Romeo realizes at the point where he kills Tybalt that to some degree his life is out of his control. He blames the control to a thing called Fortune, which is the same thing as Fate. Romeo entered this scene being peace-loving and peace-making .He didn't want to brawl with Tybalt. Things beyond his control conspired against him. The speed with which Mercutio and Tybalt’s deaths occur, together with Romeo’s marriage and the following banishment, all contribute to a sense of predictability, that a chain of events have been set in motion which the hero has no control over. Mercutio’s dying curse upon the two houses vibrates as the voice of fate itself.
Shakespeare uses character language at the start of the scene. “…The day is hot…” which shows that the mood is angry and the atmosphere is tense. The repetition of the word ‘quarrel’ in Mercutio’s speech determines that there will be a feud. The atmosphere is contrasted from the previous scene significantly, Romeo has just got married and straight after there are arguments with Tybalt who is now Romeo’s cousin. Romeo tries to avoid the fight with Tybalt for domestic reasons however Tybalt is keen on taking Romeo’s life and so the atmosphere is tense and uneasy compared to the previous scene which was romantic and passionate. However, no one yet knows about Romeo’s and Juliet’s marriage except for Friar Laurence.
There are conflicts between various characters in the scene. Mercutio and Tybalt seem to be disgusted with each other as they argue furiously. Tybalt says “…What wouldst thou have with me?...” to which Mercutio replies “…Good King of Cats, nothing but one of your nine lives…” this shows how much Mercutio wants to kill Tybalt and shocks the audience to see great hatred between both. After Tybalt thrusts Mercutio, Mercutio doesn’t take the matter seriously “…Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch…” Mercutio refers to animals such as cat, dog, mouse and a rat .The two families will pursue each other in order to slay. Mercutio knows he is about to part as he says “…but ‘tis enough, ‘twill serve: ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man…” There is Hyperbole whilst Mercutio is speaking. However, Romeo thinks it is a trivial cut and Mercutio will be in good health shortly.
Entrances and exits play a major part in dramatising the situation after Mercutio’s injury. Tybalt flees right after Mercutio is injured, Benvolio takes off with Mercutio. Benvolio and Mercutio are offstage so the current focus is on Romeo. A short while later Benvolio enters breaking the news that brave Mercutio is no more. Romeo is livid about Mercutio’s death and seeks revenge. Soon after Tybalt is back again at which point the reader can sense a mishap is about to occur.
As Mercutio dies, he declares “…A plague on both your houses...”, since he is only a friend of Romeo's and not his kinsmen. Romeo is outraged and knows fate has entered his life, and he must play the fool or the jester “…This day's black fate on moe days doth depend, this but begins the woe others must end…” Juliet never thinks of herself as fortune's fool. Juliet is the stronger character, she assumes control for her own destiny, right to her final dagger thrust into her own heart.
