The universal theme of hate and close-mindedness presents itself in unique forms in Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet are of adverse parties, and their doomed love is forbidden. Maria, a Puerto Rican, and Tony, a Polish-American, are youthful, fresh-faced and open-minded. Their relationships in each individual time period faced severe pressure when their love crossed into a different section of society. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet experienced long-lasting, deadly feuds between prominent families.
Evidently, this transformation from a joyful scene to a depressing scene would draw the audience attraction, and make them assume what will happen. This is the way Shakespeare has intended to structure the play.
Act 3 scene 1 starts with a hot weather, which is a symbol of trouble. This is how Shakespeare sets the seen.
‘The day is hot, the capels are abroad’
This quote said by Benvolio is to show the audience that the atmosphere is getting hotter, which signifies that there is an increase in tension. Shakespeare is trying to create an atmosphere that could lead to conflict. The audience at this time would think of what could happen if the Capulets and the Montagues met. It would remind them about the beginning of the play were they had had a fight and the prince said that they would have to ‘banished’ if they fought again.
At the beginning of this scene, we can see Benvolio and Mercutio. Benvolio is a peace keeper and doesn’t want to cause any trouble even with the Capulets. Mercutio is different; he likes having fun and makes a lot of jokes. In their conversation, they show their fear of a quarrel that might happen if they met with the Capulets.
‘And if we meet we shall not scape a brawl’
Meaning that the fight is inevitable, the reason we know this is because 'shall not' is a modal verb.
When the scene opens Mercutio is seen describing a person who the audience knows to be himself which creates dramatic irony. Mercutio is in a playful mood which will provoke the Capulet's as the temperature brings tension to the play. This brings dramatically effective as the audience knows a brawl is arising.
Tybalt interrupts their conversation and shows up in the scene that is in a provocative mood which makes dramatic tension arise as he is being polite to the Montague's which means he is taking the Mick out of them and the audience question what he is doing. Mercutio is also looking for a fight as we are shown when he replies to his own friends rudely as this is shown in prose showing lack of respect. Mercutio questions his own family and friends which shows he is looking for a fight which creates further tension as Tybalt will be mocked more which the audience knows will cause a fight, this creates dramatic tension with the audience as they know what is going on but the characters don't know as much. And because he is a revengeful person who hates the Montagues and loves conflict. He is seeking for trouble, this is because he is the kind of person who wants to seek for irritation and fight, especially with Romeo, for the fact that he had appeared at the Montague’s party and Tybalt didn’t want him there. His entrance surrounds the audience with anxiety and questioning of what might happen next.
‘Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo’
This is how Tybalt insinuates about Romeo and Mercutio. This proves to the audience that Tybalt is coming to take revenge and fight with Mercutio and Romeo. The audience would find it interesting because they know that both Mercutio and Tybalt are high tempered and can fight at any time.
‘We talk here in public haunt of men….’
‘Here all eyes gaze on us’
This is how Bevolio alerts Mercutio, Tybalt and also the audience of the danger of fighting in public. This alerts the audience of prince’s threat if they fought together and death would be resulting.
When Romeo enters, the audience’s temper increases, as they know the lovely character of Romeo and they know that he wouldn’t fight with Tybalt. Romeo is also happy, as he had just married his love Juliet.
‘And so, good Capulet, which name I tender’
Romeo in this quote gives a clue to Tybalt of his marriage to Juliet, here you can notice that there is dramatic irony were the audience know that Romeo is related to Tybalt, and cannot hurt him, because of the fact that he is married to Juliet; he is trying to become friendly to Tybalt and showing his love to the Capulets name. But obviously Tybalt doesn’t know what he is talking about, and at the same time is eager to fight him, Romeo’s words would only infuriate Tybalt even further. This part of the play can be compared with the Act 2 scene 2 were there is also dramatic irony taking place except that it is more joyful and quite funny were Juliet is speaking and the audience Romeo is hiding listening to her. But in this scene (Act 3 scene 1) Tybalt is very angry and is beating up Romeo, when Romeo is actually trying to tell Tybalt that they cannot fight.
‘O calm, dishonourable, vile submission’
This is Mercutio’s reaction to Romeo’s words which made him upset of the smooth way his friend is talking with. His anger and irritation forces him start fighting with Tybalt, at this time the audience’s tension and fear increases. They would like Mercutio to win the fight so they might start cheering up for him.
‘A plague on both your houses’
This famous quote is said when Mercutio’s life is ending, it is where he is stabbed by Tybalt. The audience are know saddened and have hatred for Tybalt, and so does Romeo, for Mercutio was one of Romeo’s closest friends. Romeo, who now considers Tybalt family, although he cannot say as much, refuses to fight. Romeo's dear friend Mercutio takes up the sword in his stead, and is slain by Tybalt. As dies, he utters this curse, damning both families for their bitter feud. And Romeo is very upset that Mercutio is dead, so this infuriates Romeo into hating Tybalt so much that he then kills him. And for the rest of the play the curse can be seen in action when one from both houses die, Romeo and Juliet.
‘O, I am fortunes fool’
Romeo cries out these words when the full impact of what he has just done has angered him, and the consequences to be suffered, strikes him. His secret marriage to Juliet of the Capulet family, his own family's sworn enemy, had earlier prevented him from accepting the challenge of a duel made by Tybalt, Juliet's cousin. Romeo's friend Mercutio cannot stand by and watch Tybalt degrade Romeo, and so he takes up the sword, but is fatally wounded. In a dizzying cloud of grief, Romeo picks up his sword and attacks Tybalt ferociously, killing him. It is when Tybalt falls dead that Romeo realizes what he has done. He also knows he will now be executed (or banished) by the Prince, who had decreed that there would be no more battle between the Capulets and the Montague’s.
‘Thy beauty hath made me effeminate,
And my temper softened valour’s steel.’
This quote said by Romeo proves that he has realised his feminine character that he has played, where all he would think about is love and girls. The audience can see that this is a turning point where Romeo changes from feminine to more of a manly person. And this change in Romeo’s mind is what takes the rest of the play to even more tragedy. This also means that this change is important for the events that follow the rest of the play.
