Tybalt has come because he wants to fight Romeo as he recognised Romeo at a Capulet party. (Act 1 Scene 5) Tybalt arrives and acts quite politely towards Mercutio as it is not Mercutio he wants to fight, however, Mercutio is quite keen to provoke Tybalt and wouldn’t mind fighting Tybalt himself, hence “and but one word with one of us? couple it with something, make it a word and a blow.” Based on previous scenes the audience will be expecting this feisty provocation to result in a fight; especially as Tybalt is displayed as a particularly violent character. His is also suggested by his name. In Shakespearean times the name Tybalt was common with cats. Tybalt also has a reputation for being a good swordsman and on the whole the Capulet family are shown to be easily angered, as portrayed in both Zeffirelli and Luhrman films by their choice in clothing, (red and yellow or black leather)
On the arrival of Romeo to the scene fresh from his wedding there is mixed reactions from the audience. Some are going to be hopeful because this meeting with Tybalt could end the feud between the two families if Romeo reveals his, Juliet’s and the friar’s secret. On the other hand, there is cause for fear. If Tybalt gets his way, Romeo will be killed or if Paris becomes aware of the marriage, he may also want to kill Romeo as he was in pursuit of Juliet. Moreover, if worst come to worst Juliet could be forced to marry Paris anyway which would be a real tragedy of Shakespearean times.
As Romeo enters, he uses a loving language towards Tybalt, “the reason that I have to love thee, Doth much excuse the appertaining rage.” Tybalt is somewhat more angered by this than if Romeo had reacted to Tybalts hateful comment with a hateful comment in return. Romeo refuses to fight for his honour so instead Mercutio takes his place. Tybalt must be frustrated because it seems like the Montagues are getting their way and are in charge of this situation. Also Mercutio is annoyed at Romeo (“O calm dishonourable, vile submission”) for forfeiting his honour.
In the play, it is unclear whether Tybalt intended to kill Mercutio, so this is open to be interpreted differently, as seen in Zeffirelli and Luhrman films. Mercutio is killed when Romeo steps in to try to stop the fight; Tybalt’s sword goes under Romeo’s arm and Mercutio is “sped.” In the Zeffirelli film take on “Romeo and Juliet,” we see the shock on Tybalt’s face when he finds blood on his sword but in the Luhrman version of the play, we see Tybalt maliciously and intentionally killing Mercutio with some broken glass even if he originally didn’t set out to do so.
As Mercutio dies, he curses both the families, “a plague a‘both your houses.” In Shakespearean times a dying mans curses were taken very seriously and you could generally expect no good to come of them. When Mercutio dies the audience are shocked that this terrible end has come to such an influential and enjoyable character, they also fear what is going to happen next and wonder whether the play will stay the comedy it has been so far and defy the prologue or fulfil the predictions of the prologue. Furthermore, the audience will realise that there will be some kind of turn in the movement of the play because Romeo suggest fate by saying a few lines in the significant Iambic pentameter and rhyme, “this days black fate on moe days doth depend, This but begins the woe others must end.”
When Mercutio is killed, Romeo reacts quite characteristically and cries but then he reacts with the intent to kill Tybalt in return, and uncharacteristically becomes very violent towards Tybalt, but, perhaps the audience could have expected this reaction from him because throughout the play he is a predictably unpredictable character. In the play Romeo is represented as a rash and impetuous person. For example when Romeo first met Juliet and didn’t even know her that well, he trespassed into the Capulet orchard to see her. In these times, this was a serious crime, and the punishment could be death. Romeo fights Tybalt to have revenge for the death of Mercutio, especially as it was Romeo that Tybalt intended to kill in the first place. From this point, Romeo stops trying to be loving towards Tybalt. When Tybalt is killed Romeo realises his mistake but fails to take responsibility for his actions, he blames the events on fate, “Oh I am fortunes fool.” He believes the deaths were written in the stars and unfortunately inevitable. At this point, the audience may feel quite angry towards Romeo for being so childish but most of all they are fearful for Romeo and for his marriage to Juliet. He is likely to be severely punished for this offence, and the hope that the families could become friends is again crushed.
In the first scene of the play, a “brawl” breaks out, but before it develops, the prince arrives and warns the families that death will be the punishment for any member of ach family who starts a fight again, (Your lives shall play forfeit to the peace.”) Act 3 Scene1 is similar to this because another brawl does occur between the Montague and Capulet families, so from the very beginning of this fight there was fear for the lives of Tybalt, Mercutio and now especially for Romeo.
In Benvolio’s account of the event most of what he says is fair but he doesn’t mention that Romeo provoked Tybalt when he went after him. Again he uses rhyming couplets, he uses then to describe the actual fight, I think this makes the explanation sound formal and very clear. Lady Capulet is particularly angry at the killing of Tybalt, “For blood of ours, shed blood of Montague.” She wants Romeo to take the death sentence. She also accuses Benvolio of lying and wants justice. She sounds adamant that these deaths were no fault of the Capulet family. However, Montague, head of the Montague house defends Romeo and accepts that Romeo did wrong, but, he says, you can’t blame Romeo for the death of Mercutio because they were friends. The prince then decides to banish Romeo, I think this is a fair punishment because Romeo didn’t actually start the fight an in some way Tybalt got what he deserved for going after a fight, however lives were still lost so justice must be served. On the other hand the families have yet to find out that Romeo and Juliet are wed so the consequences for this could be more severe.
This scene is significant because it changes the mood of the play and sets the rest of the play up for the predicted outcome of the prologue. A turning point between a good comedic ending and a tragic ending is suggested from the start of the scene where Benvolio and Mercutio are talking about the “mad blood stirring;” the atmosphere is set. In the final speech from the prince, there is also an overwhelming sense of tragedy which is surely a foundation for the second half of the play. Additionally when Mercutio dies all the loving and kind language stops, and hope of reconciliation between anyone, let alone the feuding families seems to die with him.
