In act 1, scene 1, fighting breaks out between the Capulets and Montagues and the Prince must intervene to stop them. Romeo’s parents are worried about his strange behaviour, but he explains to his friend Benvolio that he is in love with Rosaline.
Sampson and Gregory wander through the streets of Verona, as they have nothing much to do. They tease each other but when they see two of the Montague servants approaching they begin to argue “Do you bite your thumb at us? Sir” asks Abram “I do bite my thumb sir” replies Sampson, presenting them with a challenge.
Tybalt (Juliet’s cousin) tries to pick a fight with Benvolio (Romeo’s cousin). This is shown when Tybalt says “Talk of peace I hate the word as I hate hell, all the montagues and thee”, the two men begin to fight. The citizens of Verona rush to take sides. Lord Capulet and Montague arrive, and begin to argue. The reason they dislike each is because of a long standing feud.
They then begin to fight, Lord Capulet calls for his long sword – “Give me my long sword ho!” The two wives Lady Montague and Lady Capulet, try to restrain their husbands at first but then the Prince arrives, he tries to make peace, and he warns the Capulets and Montagues that “If ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.”
Once the Prince leaves the mood of the scene changes. The scene begins with war and we then hear about the love. Benvolio tells Lady Montague about Romeo’s infatuation with Rosaline. We then see the extent of Romeo’s love sickness, he is miserable and happy at the same time. The phrase “Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health” is Romeo’s way of expressing his mixed emotions. Benvolio then offers him sympathy and Romeo talks about his feelings for Rosaline. Benvolio’s advice was to “examine other beauties”.
In Act 3, Scene 1, Mercutio and Benvolio are in a public place, when their enemy Tybalt arrives and Mercutio deliberately provokes him. Tybalt however is looking to fight Romeo and begins to insult him, with words such as “Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford no better term than this: thou art a villain”. The word villain also means scoundrel, peasant and is a very serious insult, but Romeo knows that it would be wrong to fight with Tybalt as he is now married to Juliet and has become part of the family. Mercutio, however is eager to fight. We can see this when Mercutio says to Tybalt “Couple it with something make it a blow”. Mercutio then draws his sword at Tybalt and they begin to fight. Mercutio then becomes injured as he says the famous quote “I am hurt. A plague on both your houses!” He at first seems to make a joke of it making it seem like it was just a scratch – “Ay, ay a scratch a scratch” but we later see that it is more serious than this as Mercutio later dies. Romeo is very angry and upset by this and sees no one but Tybalt is to blame, and so he fights Tybalt and he is killed. Benvolio persuades Romeo to flee, as the Prince had previously waned that “Anyone guilty of further fighting will be punished by death”. But as Tybalt had committed a murder, the Prince exiles him from Verona. These consequences are terrible for Romeo because it means he has to leave his new wife Juliet and he has lost his best friend.
Act 3, Scene 5, Romeo visited Juliet for the last time as he has been exiled. Juliet wants Romeo to stay, she says – “It was the nightingale not the lark”. They are interrupted by the nurse who tells them that Juliet’s mother is coming and so Romeo leaves. Juliet fears that she will never see him again. Her mother tells Juliet that in two days she must marry Paris. Lady Capulet says that Juliet’s father has arranged this to stop her grieving for Tybalt.
Juliet refuses to marry Paris and when her father comes in he is furious. He says that unless Juliet obeys him he will never see her again. He shouts abuse and insults at her. This is an emotionally violent scene. The nurse suggests that she should marry Paris because Romeo is unlikely to return. Juliet is appalled at this, so she decides the only person she can turn to for help is Friar Lawrence. She feels totally isolated by the harshness of her mother’s words, her father’s violent threats and her nurse’s apparent betrayal.
If I had to direct Act 3, scene 5, I would use a modern setting. The stage would look like a modern flat with modern furniture. The audience would be able to see the high-rise building through the window. Lord Capulet would not hit Juliet, but he would shout loudly at her. Juliet would stand up to him. I would do this to show how strong she is in this scene.
I think Romeo and Juliet is a tragic play. Although it is focused on the romance between Romeo and Juliet, there is still a lot of violence throughout the play mainly involving the Capulets and Montagues, and finally the deaths of the two lovers.
