Romeo And Juliet The Importance of act 3 scene 1

English Coursework

Romeo And Juliet

The Importance of act 3 scene 1

In the play Romeo and Juliet Act 3 scene 1 plays a very important part. In that part of the play Benvolio, Mercutio and Romeo boys are having a drink when they are approached by the Capulets. Mercutio and Tybalt start a slanging match in which Romeo gets involved. Benvolio want’s to avoid fighting with the capulets, but Mercutio is fired up and want’s a fight. This part of the play shows a childish side to the men they fight and quarrel like children.

Tybalt then want’s a fight with Romeo after what happened at the party (Romeo gatecrashed the party and Tybalt was not happy about it). Romeo refuses Tybalt’s challenge and basically says that he loves Tybalt ‘Tybalt, the reason that I love thee Doth much excuse the appertaining rage To such a greeting. Villain am I none; Therefore, farewell; I see thou know’st me not’. This shows that Romeo is sensible and doesn’t want another fight.

Mercutio does not take kindly to this and he defends Romeo and challenges Tybalt himself. He makes fun of Tybalt by saying that he’s ‘Alla Stoccata’ which means a keen fencer. Mercutio and Tybalt fight and Mercutio receives a fatal blow and falls. This shows that they can’t settle their problems without fighting. Tybalt runs away with his friends. Mercutio says ‘A plague on both your houses! I am sped (I am done for)’ Which shows that he is fed up with both the houses, then he blames Romeo for his wound saying that he was the one that caused ...

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After Mercutio dies Romeo becomes furious, he says ‘ This day’s black fate on moe days doth depend; This but begins the woe others must end.’ Which means that this day’s misfortune casts a sense of foreboding over the days to come. This is the part that changes the play, Romeo is now furious and he is up for a fight with Tybalt. Tybalt re-enters the scene and challenges Romeo again, this time Romeo does not refuse and they fight, and this time Tybalt falls and dies. This part is important it shows that Romeo has committed an act of stupidity is a blind rage.

Benvolio (Romeo’s cousin) begs Romeo to leave knowing that a severe punishment awaits him ‘Romeo 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’. The Prince, Montague, Capulet their wives and all enter the scene. The Prince asks who started the fight and Benvolio tells him everything. He explains how Tybalt killed Mercutio, and Romeo killed Tybalt. He explains how Romeo did not want to fight, but after his friend was killed (Mercutio) he was filled with pure hate and could not stop himself from fighting with Tybalt.

The prince is outraged with what happened but because Mercutio was also killed, instead of giving Romeo the death sentence he banishes him. I think that this is worse than killing Romeo because he has to spend his life regretting killing Tybalt and is forced to stay away from Juliet.

This part of the play is very important because the action in it changes the play; Romeo and Juliet cannot live happily together now because Romeo is banished. Everything Romeo and Juliet had seems to now be ruined; it is one of the most distressing parts of the play. If mercutio had killed Tybalt then things would have been completely different. Because of what happened in this part of the play it changed the ending. I think it is the most important act of the whole play.