In this day and age some people believe love can’t happen instantly! But for Romeo love has hit his heart and it is so strong it won’t leave him because he feels so strongly about loving Juliet. I would have liked to ask Romeo what happened about his feelings for dear Rosaline??? This was his one and only love earlier that say! So, does Romeo really know what love is?
Even before attending the ball, Romeo questions himself about going. He says, “Some consequence yet hanging in the stars shall bitterly begin his fearful date.” This explains that Romeo knows or feels that something awful will happen. However, the lovers still marry.
Just before act3 scene 1 Romeo and Juliet get married. Romeo and Juliet depart (for a while!) Juliet heads home and Romeo will follow after! But not all goes to plan. (Nothing ever seems to go to plan in this play!)
Romeo, Benvolio and Mercutio meet the Capulets in the streets of Verona!! This isn’t good news for the Montaques or Capulets. The reason being in the past the Montaques and Capulets have never seen eye to eye! Both families seem “alike in dignity.” in the past fights have happened! For example the prince says: “three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, by thee, old Capulet, and Montagues, have thrice disturbed the quite of our streets.”
The prince said to the two families “if ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the for fit of the peace.”
In simple terms this means if the Montagues and Capulets ever fight in the streets of Verona they will be executed!!
In simple terms this means if the Montagues and Capulets ever fight in the streets of Verona they will be executed!! In act 3 scene1 I don’t think the Capulets are going to take this new ‘law’ into consideration because Tyblat Capulet is already angry about the gate crashing, so in Tyblats eyes this seems to be a perfect opportunity to get Romeo for doing what he did. “Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford no better term than this: that art a villain.” But Romeo doesn’t want to fight Tybalt! Romeo feels he has to ‘love’ Tybalt when I say ‘love’ I mean it in the way that families ‘love’. Romeo has to love them now, really doesn’t he? So Romeo wants to be friendly with the family. But there is one person that will take Romeo’s place his good friend Mercutio!
Mercutio’s character has been shown to us throughout the play. Mercutio is a confident person. He always likes to defend his position. He always likes to make jokes, “prick love for pricking”
This quote shows Mercutio is making rude jokes earlier in the play. Due to his character the audience knows that he will react violently. He will not stand for Tybalts insults and he gets cross with Romeo because he thinks Romeo is being a coward. He says’ “o calm, and dishonourable, vile submission.” Mercutio thinks Romeo is letting down the Montagues. Therefore Mercutio draws his sword; “Taybalt, you rat catcher, will you walk?” this means he is challenging Tybalt to fight.
Mercutio and Tybalt FIGHT!!!! Romeo tries to stop them by getting between them Mercutio gets STABBED! He says, “a plaque a both houses.” He means he wants something bad to happen to the Capulets and the Montagues. Romeo’s determination at the beginning of this scene was not to fight but seeing his best friend Mercutio being killed was a catalyst for Romeo to brawl with Tybalt.
“This shall determine that. “After Romeo says his line to Tybalt, possible with anger. “This day’s black fate on Moe days doth depend this but begins the woe others must end.”
This quote shows us that Romeo is aware that everything is bound to go wrong. The two men fight Tybalt falls, Romeo has KILLED him. Benvolio was trying to call Romeo away, “Romeo away be gone!” this is because the Prince was entering so Romeo had to vanish.
The Prince decides not to have Romeo put to death because he only killed Tybalt for revenge. Therefore he banishes Romeo, “immediately we do exile him hence.” This is so bad for Romeo because he won’t be able to see Juliet.
Therefore these events that I’ve described in act3 scene 1 cause all of Romeo and Juliet’s romantic problems. They have to make plans including taking poison and Juliet’s parents try to make her marry Paris to cheer the family up after Tybalts death!!
In conclusion, this is a very important scene as the deaths cause the romance to turn to a tragedy. All of these events have happened in the space of only 4 days.... but can life really end like this??
