The first scene is violent and opens with a ‘civil brawl’ between Benvolio of Montagues and Tybalt of the Capulets. Benvolio tries to be a peacekeeper in this scene, saying to Tybalt ‘I do but keep the peace’ to which he replies “what, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee”. This allows us to see the role that both these characters play in the violent scenes of the production, Benvolio the peacekeeping Montague and Tybalt the hot headed Capulet. This scene also introduces the Prince, ruler off Verona, as the law enforcing character not often seen in Shakespeare’s plays. The Prince is the person who stops the brawl “through your mistempered weapons to the ground.” Benvolio and Tybalt disarm themselves that shows that the families have respect for the law. Near the end of the scene the prince says, “if you ever disturb our streets again, your lives will shall pay the forfeit of the peace.” This line is important for a later scene when there is another violent scene involving Romeo.
In Act 3, scene 1 Mercutio is killed. This scene begins with Benvolio and Mercutio arguing. Benvolio is playing the peacekeeper again “I pray good Mercutio, let’s retire. The day is hot, the Capels are abroad, and if we meet, we shall not ‘scape a brawl”. Mercutio replies to this by vexing Benvolio up with a barrage of made up situations, for example: “thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more, or a hair less, in his beard than thou”, “thou wilt quarrel with a man for cracking nuts, having no other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes”. After Tybalt, Petruchio ad others enter the public place Benvolio says, “By my head, here come the Capulets.” This is were we find out that Mercutio is not scared of the Capulets because he says “By my heal I care not”, and “couple it with something, make it a word and a blow”. Then when Romeo returns he is asked for a fight “Well, peace be with you sir here comes my man.” But Romeo refuses this offer “be satisfied” which means Tybalt has to be satisfied with just talking to him. Mercutio continues to insult Tybalt which ends up in a ‘Alla stoccata” or fencing match which Romeo stops by holding Mercutio back who is then killed by Tybalt who runs away. After Mercutio is killed he puts a curse on both their families “A plague on both your houses” then he continues to insult Tybalt while he is dying by saying things like “A cat, to scratch a man to death”. Romeo handles Mercutio's injury by blaming it on other people like Juliet for example “O sweet Juliet, thy beauty hath made me effeminate.” I think this is wearied as they have just married. When Romeo finds out from Benvolio Mercutio is dead, he predicts the end by saying “This day’s black fate on moe days doth depend” which I think means that because of what has happened there will be more death. Romeo vows revenge on Tybalt when he says “This but begins the woe others must end.” This is saying that some one will kill Tybalt. Romeo when he sees Tybalt again he demands that he retracts the insult “no better term than this-thou art a villain” by saying “Now Tybalt take the villain back again”. After this they start saying that Mercutio is waiting to go to heaven for some company “staying for thine to keep him company” then they fight and Tybalt dies which results in banishment of Romeo “immediately we do exile him hence.” I don’t think that this is a harsh punishment because at the beginning he says, “if you ever disturb our streets again, your lives will shall pay the forfeit of the peace.” In this scene I would have Romeo killing Tybalt in a fit of rage, whith dramatic music and it will be at night and the Prince will come through the audience speaking so it seems that he is addressing the whole of Verona.
My favorite scene in the play is act 3 scene 1. This is my favorite scene because it has a broken friendship that causes us to see Romeo’s violent side that has not yet been exposed in the play. This scene also lets the play move on and is a surprise coming after the scene were Romeo and Juliet are married. I think that this play has a mixture of both violence and love but more violence, but I could think this because the violence in the play is more emphasized even though love and destiny are the main themes.
