At the start of this scene a lot of tension is created. Benvolio opens by pleading with Mercutio to go inside in case they meet the Capulets, this shows he is nervous but also shows his peaceful character trait, where he will want to avoid violence of any type. ‘…good Mercutio, lets retire’. He also says that the Capulets are around. ‘The day is hot, and the Capels are abroad’. This shows us that Benvolio is nervous. He also says that if they meet the Capulets then there will be no way to escape a fight, because the heat is causing anger. ‘…we shall not ‘scape a brawl…mad blood stirring’ This not only emphasises Benvolio’s nervousness, but also makes the audience wonder if there will be a fight, creating tension.
At the beginning of the scene Mercutio and Benvolio are talking. There are many ways in which you could contrast the two. For instance Mercutio is very talkative and seems to talk a lot more than Benvolio. He is also being very sarcastic. He says that Benvolio is a very violent character, but we already know that he is not; in fact he is a peaceful character. ‘Thou hast quarrelled with a man for coughing in the street’. Mercutio also plays with words a lot. He uses a lot of puns and similies such as, ‘Thy head is as full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat’.
Tybalts entry creates juxtoposisiton because the previous scene was the marriage of Romeo and Juliet so to contrast this with the most violent scene in the play creates dramatic effect. When Tybalt first enters the scene Mercutio begins by taunting him. He says that Tybalt should ‘couple his word with a blow’, meaning that he should start a fight. Tybalt, who is looking for Romeo, then says, ‘thou consort’st with Romeo’. Here he means that Mercutio is associated with Romeo, however Mercutio changes the meaning to ‘…consort…’, which means a group of travelling musicians. Mercutio takes this offensively. This is another example of Mercutio’s word play. Here the audience is nervous as they can see that Mercutio is not in the best of moods, and also Tybalt is in a bad mood. Perhaps they already begin to suspect the violence to follow. Following this conversation Romeo enters. Tybalt is looking for Romeo because he wants revenge after Romeo embarrassed him at the Capulet’s ball. However it is ironic because Romeo has, in fact, just married Tybalt’s cousin. When Tybalt challenges Romeo, Romeo reacts by saying that he loves Tybalt. ‘But love thee better than thou canst devise’ This leads to Tybalt to believe that Romeo loves Tybalt himself, rather than him loving the Capulet name which is what Romeo actually means.
Then Romeo says that he does not wish to fight. This causes Mercutio to become involved. ‘O calm, dishonourable vile submission!’, suggesting that he believes that Romeos cowardice is dishonourable. He then proceeds to challenge Tybalt himself. ‘Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?’ Romeo then tells Mercutio to stop fighting. ‘Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up’ Mercutio however continues to fight. Then Romeo tells Benvolio, who we know is a peaceful person, to stop the fight, and that the prince has forbidden fighting on the city streets. Then Romeo attempts to stop the fighting, and in doing so, gives Tybalt a chance to strike. This wounds Mercutio. Mercutio then shouts ‘…a plague o’both your houses…’ This means that Mercutio blames the family feud for his death. However even as he dies Mercutio uses word play. For example he uses similies;’…wide as a church door…’ and also puns’…you shall find me a grave man…’ He then blames Romeo. ‘Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm’
After Mercutio’s death Romeo begins by blaming himself.’…mortal hurt in my behalf’ He also becomes far more aggressive ‘…fire-eye’d fury…my conduct now’ This is also alliteration, which increases the impact. He also almost blames his love of Juliet for his death ‘O sweet Juliet! Thy beauty hath made me effeminate, and in my temper soften’d valour’s steel!’ Then Romeo goes and finds Tybalt. They duel and Romeo kills Tybalt.
After he has killed Tybalt Romeo shouts ‘I am fortunes fool’. Here Romeo means that he is being controlled by fate. I think that Romeo isn’t being controlled but that he is in total control of all his actions. However I also think that fate has a certain effect on his action. I think that perhaps he was a little rash to charge in and kill Tybalt, because now he has got the blame for a murder. This could cause him to be executed. I also think he was a little too emotional after Mercutio’s death. He reacted very wildly, and an uncontrollable rage came over him.
Personally I believe that this scene is extremely dramatic. In both film versions (Zeferelli, 1970 and B.Luhrmann 1996) we watched this scene. The Zeferelli version uses a more traditional approach, following the script and traditional setting to the letter. Whereas the Luhrmann film uses modern themes (guns, gang warfare etc) to appeal to a younger audience. This scene is shot in a dramatic way in both the old and the new versions. I prefer the Zeferelli version because it sticks to the original script better, and does not attempt to change the play at all. I think that although this play concentrates on fate, it also deals with love and hate. Romeo and Juliet’s love is strong throughout and Tybalt’s hate for Romeo, and the Capulet and Montague feud are all illustrated well. I also think that it has a very strong, powerful ending. It ends with both Romeo’s and Juliet’s deaths. This is quite a powerful way to end the family feud, happy because the feud is over, but sad because their love didn’t come to its ending. ‘Where be these enemies? Capulet! Montague! See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate, that heaven finds means to kill your joys with love. And I for winking at your discords too have lost a brace of kinsmen: all are punish'd.’ Here the prince is saying that the hatred between the two families is a scourge upon the city. This causes the two families to end their feud. He also says that everyone is punished, and that this terrible feud has been their crime, and that the deaths of Romeo and Juliet is their punishment.
