How does William Shakespeare make Act 3 Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet dramatic?

Shaun Wager

In this essay I am going to find out the answer to the above question. From this scene on, Romeo and Juliet’s fortune changes. Before this scene their fortune has been improving and their lives have been full of promise. This scene is where everything flips round making this the most important scene. Romeo’s fortunes fade away, “O, I am fortune’s fool”. Shakespeare, before this scene sets up a whole array of situations, which come to a climax in this scene. Up to this point a host of momentous events have occurred creating an expectation for more to happen inside the play. The main evens include the war being waged between the two hostile families in the play. These are the Capulet’s (the family of Juliet) and the Montague’s (Romeo’s family). Both family’s have been hostile since an “ancient grudge” that no one can remember. Another event is the Capulet party. Mercutio (Romeo’s best friend) was invited under the invite of Mercutio and friends and therefore took Romeo and some other Montague’s including Benvolio. Tybalt, leading kinsman of the Capulet’s spotted the Montague’s and wanted revenge there and then. Capulet (the elder) relented and said, “be patient take no note of him; It is my will, the which if thou respect, Show a fair presence, and put off these frowns, An ill-beseeming semblance for a feast.” This is also where Romeo and Juliet meet and fall in love. Romeo find’s out she is a Capulet, “Is she a Capulet? O dear account! My life is my foe’s debt.” Also, Juliet finds out that Romeo is a Montague, “My only love sprung from my only hate!” Even so they both meet in the Capulet’s orchard and agree to marry in secret.

The battle, at the beginning of the play, sets up a tense atmosphere, leaving a dramatic interest in the rest of the play. Shakespeare has now setup conflicts between the two hostile families and also the antagonism between Mercutio and Tybalt. The surprise that will ne’er be found out is that the two families are now linked by the secret love between Romeo and Juliet

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Romeo appears and adds yet more tension by attempting to tell Tybalt about love for Juliet and their secret marriage. Tybalt doesn’t quite get what Romeo means and thinks he is pleading for his life. “Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee Doth much excuse the appertaining age to such a greeting.” To this Tybalt replies, “Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me, therefore turn and draw.” This helps the factors that lead to the frenzied brawl. Tybalt speaks to Romeo as if he is about to kill him, and that makes Romeo attempt to get out of it, but Mercutio steps in to fight Tybalt.

In the actual fight, Shakespeare gives no detail about what happens. The only thing added is that Mercutio dies under the arm of Romeo and is on the side of the Montague’s. The fact that Tybalt also dies ads more drama to the scene and also equals the odds between the two families. Romeo’s language preceding the frantic fight shows the he regrets the death of Mercutio, “This days black fate on moe days doth depend, this but begins the woe others must end”. The audience will feel saddened for Romeo after the death of his best friend and angry with Tybalt, thus they’ll expect Romeo to kill Tybalt to gain revenge.

As Prince Escalus arrives, the audience will think that Romeo’s time on Earth is being shortened, this is because at the start of the play the Prince threatened anymore fighting between the two families will have whoever joined in executed publicly. Luckily for Romeo, Benvolio comes in and gives what is the longest speech in the play and defends Romeo. Benvolio’s language gives the Prince the impression that Romeo did kill Tybalt, but tried to be peaceful before Tybalt killed Mercutio. “Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo’s hand did slay". Romeo that spoke him fair”. We react with the feeling that Romeo got lucky but got helped a lot by Benvolio. Who really saved his life. Exile may still be bad for Romeo, but compared to death; he got away with murder.