Shakespeare has set the play in Verona, Italy. This is because Italians were considered to be hot blooded in Shakespeare’s time. Also, Italy is usually very hot. And Shakespeare’s audience would have believed that the heat caused madness and insanity. He changes the time of year it is set from the original ‘Romeus and Juliet’ written in 1562. Shakespeare’s version is set in the summer because it is a hotter time of year. Another reason Shakespeare set the play in Italy was because Italians were known to have family feuds, this gives the play a sense of realism. Furthermore Queen Elizabeth banned fighting in England, so setting it in Italy made it look as if he agreed with the law.
The fight scene has a lot of action involved. In the scene there would have been fencing so that the actors had the opportunity to show off their fencing skills. In the modern day version of the play (Baz Luhrmann’s version 1997) the actors use guns. This is because it is more appropriate for a contemporary audience and the audience is more able to connect with the play.
To duel, an argument would have to have been started first, which is why the characters in this scene use offensive language and through insults at each other before they become physically abusive. Even though dueling was banned in England at the time in which Shakespeare was writing, his audience would be familiar with the rules of dueling and would therefore appreciate it.
The tension in act 3 scene 1 fluctuates dramatically. It starts off calmly as Benvolio and Mercutio talk to each other but as the Capulets arrive, the tension increases immensely with the fear of a duel and the added suspense from the heat of the day. While the Montagues and Capulets converse the mood is still quite calm, but the feeling of suspense still lingers. Tybalt challenges Romeo and says: ‘You shall find me apt enough for that, sir, and you will give me occasion’. This is where the tension rises dramatically because Tybalt is saying to Romeo that he will find a reason to duel with him. When Romeo refuses to fight with him, the audience knows that Tybalt will retaliate. Mercutio picks up on the tension and duels with Tybalt. After the death of Mercutio there is a great anticlimax. Romeo is enraged at Tybalt again and fights him. At this point the tension shoots up as the audience knows that they will fight until one of them is killed. After the fight the tension fades, but soon rises again when the prince banishes Romeo.
The beginning of the scene is quite tranquil and the characters use informal language. The humor used would be very outdated to a contemporary audience as language had changed and humor is no longer based around social status and insults are not based around class. The audience of Shakespeare’s time would find Mercutio close to insulting as his humor is largely based around disrespecting other people. Modern day productions show Mercutio’s happy funny persona by making him tell jokes that are more up to date and that the audience are able to understand. He is also shown to be popular and well liked throughout the whole play. an example of this is the fact that he is friends with both the Capulets and the Montagues, which no other character manages to do.
Mercutio’s death would come as a great shock to both Shakespeare’s audience and a contemporary audience, as it is unexpected. This is made more dramatic by the thrice curses he puts on to both houses. It symbolizes the turning point in the play as Mercutio is seen as the funny, well humored character of the play and when he dies the audience knows that it is no longer a love story but in fact a tragedy. The death of Mercutio is also ironic, as he is not a member of either family and a friend of both. It is almost as if an innocent life has been taken.
The fight scene between Romeo and Tybalt is dramatically different as it results in two deaths (one of an innocent) and ends with Romeo’s banishment, which implies that his relationship with Juliet may be over.
Benvolio’s speech at the end of the scene is triumphant, and as he explains what happened to lady capulet he is biased, trying to make himself and Romeo innocent. ‘Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo did slay. Romeo, that spoke him fair, bid him bethink how nice the quarrel was, and urged withal your high displeasure.’ He is saying that Romeo did not bad mouth Tybalt and even urged him to rethink his decision to fight and to leave. This makes Tybalt look as if he provoked his own death and that Romeo is not really to be blamed. Despite his efforts, Lady Capulet is still clearly upset and angry. ‘Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live.’
Visually, the end of the scene is dramatic as Tybalt’s body remains on the stage. It is used as a reminder to the audience that Romeo killed him. This adds more tension to the scene.
This scene would be entertaining and memorable to the audience not only because of its events but because of the variation and style of language used. More prose is used in this scene, as Mercutio, who is known to the audience as a funny character speaks a lot, and this would add to his humor. The verse is more formal and used at the end to show respect and solemnity. The variation of style contrasts to act 2 scene 6 and act 3 scene 2, as they are much more quiet, romantic and formal and therefore use a great deal of verse. The importance of this scene is emphasized by its relevance to the central themes of the play, particularly fate and destiny. In Shakespeare’s time people were strong believers of astrology and believed that a lot of things happened due to fate. An example of this would be how the prologue describes how ‘Two star-crossed lovers take their lives’. This implies that this was meant to happen, and that what happened was powered by the stars. This would have made sense to a Shakespearian audience.
This scene is one of the most important within the play because it is a turning point from where it is a love story to a tragedy. It is based around contrasts (love and hate, romance and tragedy.) it will have a huge impact on the audience. The events within are crucial to the overall plot of the story. Two main characters die and Romeo is banished. This is a very fast moving scene which is still dramatically effective to a contemporary audience.
