With Benvolio’s fears of this, Mercutio shrugs this off claiming that Benvolio is “as hot a Jack in thy mood as any in Italy; and as soon moved to be moody, and as soon moody to be moved”.
With Mercutio’s jestful manner in reaction to Benvolio’s fears, Tybalt arrives with others. Benvolio fearing the danger, sees Tybalt and claims “By my head, here come the Capulets.” with Mercutio adding “By my heel, I care not”. This gives the audience the rising knowledge of the inevitability of a fight starting between the Capulets and Montague’s.
The body language given off is different to each character. Benvolio, aware now that the Capulets are here, fears for the danger that will happen to both families. He attempts to try to lift the situation in better spirits, but to no avail, it does not work. Mercutio, taunting Tybalt all the way as he arrived, makes the situation worse and increases the tenseness of the situation; “Consort? What, dost thou make us minstrels?” Tybalt, only seeking Romeo, tries to make peace with Mercutio, but Mercutio, hot-tempered as ever, ignores these pleas and continues the taunting.
As the situation escalates, Romeo arrives, making the already bad circumstance worse. Tybalt, feeling insulted that Romeo dare enter a party hosted by the Capulet’s, wishes revenge for this dishonour and asks that they fight. This only troubles Romeo, as he just wishes peace between both Houses (seeing as he has just married to the daughter of the Capulet’s) and cannot tell Tybalt yet in case it would anger Tybalt more and may feel further insulted by this and claim it to be a lie. Romeo’s speech and body language shows he does not wish to fight Tybalt and calmly asks that Tybalt does not fight. Tybalt, angry at Romeo’s rejections to a fight, has his temper raised.
With this, Mercutio hot tempered and ready to fight as ever, taunts Tybalt’s name and challenges him to draw so they can cross swords (fight). With this, Romeo (troubled now) asks Benvolio to draw his sword to make them both stop. Romeo then shields Tybalt from Mercutio, only for Mercutio to wound Mercutio.
Mercutio, covering his wound, claims it to be a scratch and has his page get him a surgeon. He uses his dry wit even at the most fatal of times for himself and says “Ask around for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man.” Mercutio, angry now at Romeo for getting in their way asks why he came between them. To which Romeo says “I thought all for the best.” Tragedy strikes and Mercutio curses both houses “A plague o’ both your houses, They have made worms’ meat of me. I have it, and soundly too. Your houses!”
