When Tybalt arrives the tone changes from a fun and cheerful atmosphere, to a more sinister atmosphere. Mercutio and Benvolio have just had a light hearted banter, when the Capulets enter with Tybalt in search of a fight with Romeo. The audience are instantly expecting something to happen, as with this physical entrance of Tybalt, the tension has built up to the next level. Mercutio is a clever witty character, who is quick with words. He uses metaphors, similes and word play within his speech, making it hard to tell if he is being serious or not. When Tybalt enters, Mercutio ups the word play to more aggressive language, “And but one word with one of us? Couple it with something; make it a word and a blow.” Mercutio is saying that Tybalt can have one word, but he wants a fight as well. The change in his language signifies a change in tone. He, also, quite deliberately misinterprets what Tybalt is saying, catching insults in almost every piece of dialogue. Tybalt simply says that Mercutio is associated with Romeo, and Mercutio assumes that Tybalt is calling him a servant, “Consort! What, dost thou make us minstrels?” This raises tension between them and the audience is now certain that a fight will come of it.
Tybalt has waited so long to fight Romeo, and has now decided that now is the right opportunity to do so. He is direct and straight to the point in his dialogue, not allowing Romeo any room to speak. Tybalt at once insults him, “Thou art a villain”, and calls him “Boy … Therefore turn and draw.” Tybalt insults Romeo’s masculinity and takes absolute control over him, telling him what to do.
Romeo responds to Tybalt in the way he does because he has just been married to Juliet and is filled with the sensation of love. This comes through in his words, as he speaks the language o love. This is in contrast to that of Tybalt’s and Mercutio’s, which is of hatred and conflict. “Thou art a villain”, Tybalt’s speeches are short, sharp and definite, whereas “The reason that I have to love thee”, and “Good Capulet” are soft and of love for those who where once enemies. The tension and conflict builds even more now as Romeo excuses Tybalt’s foul mouth, and forgives him. Romeo has a reason to love Tybalt because of his marriage to Juliet, and that is more important than a fight. He is almost patronising Tybalt, as he says Tybalt does not know him, and so, they cannot fight, he does not want to fight. Romeo’s choice of words enrages Tybalt because he thinks Romeo is making fun of wanting to be friends. The way Romeo speaks also angers Mercutio because he desperately wants him to fight Tybalt, but Romeo won’t because of the way he is feeling. “O calm, dishonourable, vile, submission!” portrays how tense and angry Mercutio is with Romeo.
The4 drawing of the swords is a physical action and causes tension on stage. It is the outcome of what is being said between the characters, and is presented along side effective language. Mercutio draws his sword because Tybalt has annoyed him. Tybalt has been insulting Mercutio and pushing him aside because he only wants to see Romeo. Romeo speaks calmly and will not draw his sword, which makes Mercutio even madder, and so acts as Romeos second hand. Mercutio is bad tempered and steps in to fight for Romeo. “Tybalt you rat catcher, will you walk?” drawing his sword, Mercutio directly insults Tybalt, and also directly invites him to fight. Mercutio’s language is strong and said with determination that there will be a fight.
Tybalt has gone in search for a fight with Romeo, and all he receives is calm words of love, which makes him even angrier. By now, Tybalt is so wound up with Romeo, that Mercutio’s constant pestering with insults is all it takes for Tybalt to have drawn his sword. “Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives”, Mercutio continually calls Tybalt a cat, and he wants a fight to take one of his “nine lives”. The pivotal line where Tybalt decides to fight Mercutio, “I am there for you”, creates physical tension and a visual impact of drawing swords with direct language. It is a dramatic moment, and the audience feel the anger created between Mercutio and Tybalt causing conflict. Their attention has turned from Romeo onto the pair of fighters, as they are apprehensive to know the outcome.
Romeo’s speech is of love and happiness. His calm words anger both Tybalt and Mercutio, and it is this combined with Mercutio’s final act of stupidity that causes the first drawing of swords. Mercutio’s death triggers the change of tone from love to hatred in Romeos language extremely quickly.
Romeo responds in a confused and upset manner. At first he does not realise that it was his intervention that gave Tybalt the opportunity to wound Mercutio. He believes that he was doing the right thing by trying to stop the fight physically, and truly cannot come to terms with the outcome. Romeo is in complete disbelief over the actions that just occurred. As soon as Benvolio tells Romeo about Mercutio’s death, Romeo’s language and mood change drastically. He uses the rhyming couplet, “This day’s black fate on more days both depend; this but begins the woe others most end” to show finality. He has decided to fight Tybalt himself until one of them or both of them die. He seems this is the only way he can express the hatred he inflicts on himself.
In conclusion this scene is built up o conflicts, and consists of the main events within the play. It is when Romeo and Juliet have just got married, Mercutio gets killed during a fight with Tybalt, then Romeo kills Tybalt in revenge for killing his best friend, and the prince banishes him. This is the pivotal scene of the play and is far the most important scene to the play as a whole. The play would not be as it is without this scene because Romeo and Juliet is not a love story, and so needs this to fulfil it’s title as a tragedy.
