The language used in this scene is very important and is linked to the character development of Romeo and Mercutio. Mercutio goes from being a light-hearted comical person, 'one word with one of us?... Make it a word and a blow'. To the complete opposite once Tybalt injures him. Romeo went from being a very romantic softhearted person and not reacting from Tybalt’s threats and pleading not to fight 'good Capulet, which name I tender as dearly as my own, be satisfied'. After Tybalt injured Mercutio, Romeo's attitude also changed, he became a hard-hearted killer full of 'fire eyed fury'. Romeo then brutally kills Tybalt.
Shakespeare uses many different types of metaphorical language. At the opening of the scene Mercutio and Benvolio are mentioning that the temperatures are hot and these shows by Benvolio telling Mercutio that he should 'retire.' Mercutio mentions that 'for these days hot' which brings up the idea that tension has been building between men and families as temperatures make things hot and raises tempers. Benvolio also mentions that 'we shall not scope a brawl' meaning that the fight is inevitable. Tybalt turns up looking for Romeo but he is not there, he is marrying Juliet. Tybalt and Mercutio fight, Tybalt kills Mercutio then Romeo returns to find his best friend dying, Romeo and Tybalt fight and Tybalt is killed. The Prince then declares that Romeo will be banished. There are many different characters that appear in Act 3 Scene 1, most of them have a very big role to play in the production, for example Romeo, Mercutio, and Tybalt are three of the main characters in Romeo and Juliet. Romeo is a very loving character, we know this because at the start of the play he is in love with another girl, and then when he meets Juliet he falls in love with her straight away and cant stop thinking about her.
Mercutio is the character in the play that adds the comedy he likes to mess around and isn’t a serious person. Mercutio’s language is full of imagery and metaphors for example, ''Here's my fiddle stick, here's that shall make you dance.'' this shows that Mercutio is a very flippant and very different from the others in the play; he was a dare devil and a comical character. When the scene opens Mercutio is seen describing a person who the audience knows to be himself which creates dramatic irony. Mercutio is in a playful mood, which will provoke the Capulet's as the temperature brings tension to the play. But by the end of this scene be very serious this is shown by '' I am hurt. A plague o' both houses! I am sped.'' This is said after Tybalt has stabbed him, and he is cursing both the Montagues and the Capulets because he feels that his death would not have happened if there wasn’t a feud between them.
When Tybalt and the others enter the scene, Mercutio jokes around with them mocking their seriousness to fight; "Here's my fiddle-stick; here's that shall make you dance. 'Zounds, consort!" Tybalt and Mercutio share totally different qualities in the play. Tybalt plays a very aggressive role; he entertains the audience with violence. Mercutio, he plays a very characteristic role in the play. He can humour the audience and also use violence to entertain them.
At this point Romeo arrives at the scene and Tybalt immediately starts his insulting; "thou art a villain." However Romeo does not retaliate as he has just been married to Juliet and so is part of his family; "Tybalt the reason that I have to love thee doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting." Romeo despises the hatred between the families and at first has no intention of harming Tybalt, as he is now one of his own 'kinsmen' and harming Tybalt would mean harming his beloved Juliet. When he shows up in the scene in a provocative mood, which increases the dramatic tension, as he is being polite to the Montague's in a patronising way and the audience question what he is doing. Mercutio is also looking for a fight as we are shown when he replies to his own friends rudely as this is shown in prose, showing lack of respect. Mercutio questions his own family and friends, which shows he is looking for a fight which creates further tension as Tybalt will be mocked more which everyone knows will cause a fight. When Benvolio tries to stop Mercutio he just simply replies with NO, showing the audience that he wants a fight with the Capulets.
At this point Romeo arrives at the scene and Tybalt immediately starts his insulting; "thou art a villain." He sees Mercutio is starting trouble looking for a fight. When Tybalt insults Romeo to which Romeo takes no notice Mercutio is irritated at Romeo's apparent cowardice so he challenges Tybalt. "Tybalt you rat - catcher, will you walk?". After this disrespectful episode progresses Tybalt starts to call Romeo demeaning names such as 'boy’. However Romeo does not retaliate as he has just been married to Juliet and so is part of his family; "Tybalt the reason that I have to love thee doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting." This is where the dramatic irony comes into play. It is a very effective way of creating a dramatic environment. Shakespeare has only used this technique at this point in the play, this shows how important the scene is and has a greater effect on the audience. If Shakespeare wasn't to use this technique the scene would not have the dramatic effect and probably not be one of the most famous plays written. Tybalt's rage is amplified when Romeo proclaims he loves him; "But love thee better thou canst devise” Romeo despises the hatred between the families and at first has no intention of harming Tybalt, as he is now one of his own 'kinsmen' and harming Tybalt would mean harming his beloved Juliet. This creates anxiety as Romeo is a member of his family but he doesn't know it, and Romeo doesn’t tell him. But Romeo knowing the secret does not rise to this mockery as he replies with 'love thee' showing his relationship to the family, however, Tybalt just misreads it as a mockery, as he feels Romeo has no reason to be civil to him. Romeo is then asked to 'draw' by Tybalt and then replies 'love thee' again which infuriates Tybalt even more as he thinks he is mocking the Montague, which is ironic as he is now related to them.
Romeo pleas to Benvolio to stop the fighting but he cannot do anything as Tybalt is already infuriated and Mercutio has been waiting for a fight. ". Mercutio at this point can't stand it and challenges Tybalt to a fight; "Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?" Tybalt then draws his sword and they begin to fight. During this duel Romeo tries to intervene and stop it but Mercutio is wounded under his arm. "I am sped.” Tybalt and his group then flee rapidly, after realising the extent of Mercutio's wound.
When they realise that he is injured, Mercutio curses both of the family's houses. Mercutio, not one to miss out on a pun claims his severe injuries are 'ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch,’ He also states that "ask for me tomorrow and you will find me a grave man." Mercutio is on his deathbed and yet he is still able to turn it into a mockery. The characters do not realise how badly Mercutio is injured. Mercutio curses both the families for his death; "A plague o' both your houses!" This would be quite dramatic to the audience as they were religious and very superstitious at that time. This statement is repeated by Mercutio many times therefore enhancing the superstition. Mercutio then dies; "Brave Mercutio is dead! That gallant spirit hath aspir'd the clouds," The theme of religion is present again here when Benvolio says Mercutio has ascended to heaven. The audience would have been rueful with Mercutio's death, as he was a joyful and humorous character in the play. He never understood the real relationship between Romeo and Juliet. He lusted after women and only used them for sex and never knew what it is to love. The scene then speeds up after this point when Romeo becomes infuriated after Mercutio's death, as he was a very close friend.
Tybalt then returns on to the scene and the dramatic tension increases amongst the audience as they can feel another fight arising amongst the characters. The spectators would be thrilled again, with the arrival of Tybalt; "Here comes the furious Tybalt back again." as they see the deaths as great entertainment. Romeo takes revenge on Tybalt by murdering him. Romeo' s mood changes when Tybalt returns as he is infuriated as he walks free after murder, during this fight no words are mentioned as Shakespeare want the focus on the fight not the literacy/language. The effect on Romeo is dramatic and evident, from denial to shock; he turns his attention to Tybalt as he becomes increasingly furious about Mercutio's death. Romeo's realisation of what he has to do can be seen before Benvolio re-enters. The audience can see that Romeo is very distraught; he refers to "this day's black fate," which is linked to Romeo's tragic flaw, his belief in fate, and the medieval belief in 'fortune's wheel', Romeo being 'fortune's fool' which determines his bad luck. The audience sees Romeo's mood change dramatically. Romeo then kills Tybalt, still enraged at Mercutio’s death.
After killing Tybalt, Romeo flees Verona to avoid confronting the prince and his punishment, which makes the marriage harder, but it means that the focus of the play is now on love and not hate of families. "Romeo, away, be gone! The citizens are up, and Tybalt is slain." Romeo blames the death of Tybalt and the terrible situation he's in on fate again; "O, I am Fortune's fool." This reverts back to the belief that his destiny is controlled and he has no power over it. Romeo is a very loving character, we know this because at the start of the play he is in love with another girl, and then when he meets Juliet he falls in love with her straight away and cant stop thinking about her. This is part of the reason for his death and is another part of his flaw. He doesn't listen to the warnings fate has given him either. He acts without thinking things through, without considering the consequences. When he kills Tybalt is a good example. Tybalt is Juliet's cousin and a Capulet. He has just killed Mercutio Romeo's best friend. When Romeo kills Tybalt he does it purely out of vengeance, it is a crime of passion. He has let his emotions control him, and doesn't think. This leads to him being banished. From here onwards everything goes wrong for the lovers. This is a blemish in his character. If he was not arrogant he would not be able to kill himself and maybe things would have turned out differently.
