Although a Montague, Romeo was not involved in the fighting because he was in love with Rosaline but she didn’t love him back. He says to Benvolio, ‘She’ll not be hit with Cupid’s arrow, she hath Dian’s wit.’ Dian was the goddess of hunting and chastity. She avoided Cupid’s arrows, and by comparing she to Rosaline Romeo is saying that she doesn’t want to love him. He is very depressed by this so he is sitting inside all day. This is why he is not involved in the violence.
At the beginning of Act 3, Scene 1, Benvolio, Romeo’s friend, and Mercutio, Prince Escales’ kinsman are talking about meeting the Capulets. When Tybalt comes along, Mercutio taunts him, but Tybalt ignores him because he is looking for Romeo. Mercutio says, ‘And but one word with one of us? Couple it with something; make it a word and a blow.’ This shows that Mercutio is taunting Tybalt, asking him for a fight. When Romeo finally arrives, he refuses to fight Tybalt because he hasn’t done anything to him. Romeo says, ‘I do protest I never injured thee, but love thee better than thou can devise’. This is what Romeo says to Tybalt when he challenges him, telling him that he never injured him and that he loves him better than he could guess. After this, Mercutio is angry because Romeo refuses to fight, so he challenges Tybalt himself. Romeo tries to make peace, but it doesn’t help as Mercutio is mortally wounded. ‘A plague a ‘both houses’. Mercutio says this several times after he is wounded. He is cursing both Montagues and Capulets alike.
After this, Mercutio dies and Romeo blames himself for his death. He fears that his love for Juliet has weakened his courage. He says, ‘O sweet Juliet, thy beauty hath made me effeminate, and in my temper softened Valour’s steel.’ This shows that Romeo is blaming his love for Juliet for his weakened courage and softened temper.
After this he vows to kill Tybalt. They fight and Tybalt falls. Romeo falls. ‘Either thou or I, or both must go with him.’ Romeo says this to Tybalt before they fight; referring to Mercutio, saying that one or the other must go with him.
I think that the death of both Romeo and Juliet’s cousins pulls them apart in a way, but makes them more determined to be together.
In Act 3, scene 5 Juliet is upset because Romeo has left to go and live in Mantua. Lady Capulet mistakes Juliet’s grief for Romeo as grief for Tybalt’s death. She says, ‘Evermore weeping for your cousin’s death? What wilt thou whish him from his grave with tears?’ This shows that Lady Capulet has mistaken Juliet’s tears for Romeo as tears for Tybalt.
Then, Lady Capulet tries to comfort her by telling her that she will marry Paris early next Thursday morning. She says, ‘The country Paris, at Saint Peter’s Church, shall happily make thee there a joyful bride.’ She thinks that this will make Juliet happy but when she hears this she is appalled, and refuses to do so. She says, ‘Now by Saint Peter’s Church and Peter too, he shall not make me there a joyful bride … I will not marry yet, and when I do, I swear it shall be Romeo.’ This shows that Juliet is refusing to marry Paris and instead wants to marry Romeo.
Her father tells her that if she does not marry Paris he will drag her to church on a frame on which prisoners were dragged to execution. He says, ‘To go with Paris to Saint Peter’s Church or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither. Ont, you green-sickness carrion! Out, you baggage! You tallow face!
This shows that Capulet is insulting Juliet by cursing her hence hurting her emotionally. When she asks her mother to help her, Juliet’s mother replies, ‘Talk not to me, for I shall not speak a word. Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee.’ This shows that Juliet’s mother doesn’t want to get involved in the conflict which Juliet is having with her father. When she asks the nurse to help her, the nurse replies, ‘I think you are happy on this second match, for it excels your first.’ This shows that even the nurse is now urging her to marry Paris and forget about Romeo. Juliet now feels betrayed, and sends the nurse away, vowing never to trust her again. She then goes to seek Friar Lawrence’s aid. She says, ‘Which she hath praised him with above compare so many times? Go counsellor, thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain. I’ll to the Friar to know his remedy; if all else fail, myself have power to die. This shows that Juliet is saying that she and the nurse are separated and that she is going to Friar Lawrence to seek his advice, and is prepared to die if there is no other option.
It is important what happens in this scene because it affects what happens in the rest of the play.
Conclusion
I have concluded that the role of violence is important in the play Romeo and Juliet because it helps Shakespeare to portray the love between Romeo and Juliet and shows the kinds of struggles that they are put through. This shows how strong the bond is between them and that nothing can pull them apart
