Shakespeare sets Act 3 Scene 1 in the streets of Verona with Benvolio and Mercutio, conversing:
‘I Pray thee Good Mercutio, lets retire, the day is hot and the Capels are abroad, if we meet we may scape a brawl, for now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring’.
This quote is key, to setting the scene. Benvolio is a peaceful man and doesn’t want another fight as the prince has forbidden this, ‘if ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit.’ The mention of the weather is also important because the day is hot, so people are going to be twitchy and agitated, ‘the mad blood stirring’.
Shakespeare then uses entrances and exits to good effect; as Benvolio has just warned Mercutio about the Capulets they enter the scene. Mercutio sees Tybalt and starts taunting him, but Tybalt ignores his insults, as he is trying to seek a fight with Romeo. However Romeo refuses,
‘I do protest I never injured thee, but love thee better than canst devise, till thou shalt know the reason of my love; and so, good Capulet, which name I tender as dearly as my own, be satisfied.’
Tybalt thinks Romeo is mocking him. This is a good use of dramatic irony; as the audience knows why Romeo ‘protests’ to fight Tybalt, Romeo wants a friendship, a truce between the two rival families; as he is deeply in love with Juliet, and now related, by law, to Tybalt and the rest of the Capulets. The prince has also forbidden any fighting.
Mercutio is sickened by Romeo, ‘O calm, dishonourable, vile submission’. Mercution fights with Tybalt. Tybalt ends up stabbing Mercutio, ’a scratch, marry, tis enough. Where is my page? Go villain, fetch a surgeon.’ Mercutio dies, but dies with dignity and bravery; when he is stabbed he is still being his witty self,
‘tis not so deep as a well, nor as wide as a church-door, but ‘tis enough, ‘twill serve. Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man’.
Romeo angered by Mercutio’s death fights Tybalt. ’staying for thine to keep him company: either thou or I, or both, must go with him’. Romeo slays Tybalt and Benvolio makes him flee.
‘Romeo, away, be gone! The citizens are up, and tybalt slain. Stand not amazed, the prince will doom thee death if thou art taken. Hence be gone, away!’
Lady Capulet demands to the Prince, that Romeo must die, ‘for blood of ours, shed blood of Montague.’ Benvolio tells his view of events to the Prince. Benvolio is a narrator; he sides with neither friend, nor foe, even though everyone expects him to side with Romeo, he also refers to himself in the third person, but I think he does this in case people don’t know of him, he says ‘this is the truth or let Benvolio die’. Benvolio just wants to do what’s right, and tell the truth, ‘Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo’s hand did slay’.
