Why Act 3 Scene 1 Is a Pivotal Scene in Romeo and Juliet

Authors Avatar

Why Act 3 Scene 1 Is a Pivotal Scene in Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet was first authorized to be published in 1599. Shakespeare set it in Verona, Italy in the late 1500's, where two powerful families the Montagues and the Capulets have been feuding with each other for years. In my opinion the play is still enjoyed to this day because it is such a powerful tragic/love story.

Benvolio and Mercutio are in the public square.  Benvolio tries to compel Mercutio to leave as the Capulet's are around and he fears that they will not be able to escape a fight should they meet.  Mercutio isn't convinced and teases Benvolio for being quick to anger for inconsequential reasons himself.  Tybalt and other Capulet's enter and Tybalt confronts the Montague crowd.  Mercutio is antagonistic but Tybalt does not draw his sword.  Romeo enters and Tybalt immediately turns his attention to him, wanting revenge for his attendance at the Capulet party.  Romeo refuses to fight (as he is now married to Tybalt's cousin) but Tybalt will not back down. Mercutio is horrified at Romeo's refusal to fight; taking it as a sign of the damage love has caused him. Mercutio says ‘Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears?’ This is an insult towards tybalt as well as evidence of pathetic fallacy because if something has to be pulled by its ears to make it come, it really doesn't want to come, and if Tybalt's sword doesn't want to come out of the scabbard, that's because Tybalt doesn't really want to fight. Mercutio draws his own sword to fight in Romeo's stead. Romeo steps between the two men in order to stop the fight but Tybalt simply takes the opportunity to stab Mercutio under Romeo's arm.  The Capulet's run off.  Mercutio is mortally wounded and curses both families (ignoring his own fault for jumping into battle).  He does manage to keep a sense of humor, even as he dies.  Tybalt returns and Romeo, now feeling that he must avenge Mercutio's death, fights him.  Tybalt is killed and Romeo, at Benvolio's urging, runs away.  The citizens of Verona, including the Prince, Capulets, and Montagues, arrive on the scene having heard of Mercutio's death. Benvolio tells the Prince what has taken place, though he blames Tybalt completely. He tells the Prince that Romeo had attempted to stop the fight.  Capulet's wife is furious and demands Romeo be executed for killing Tybalt.  Mercutio was a member of the Prince's family.  The Prince chooses to banish Romeo from Verona with death as the punishment for returning.  He also commands the feuding families to pay a fine to compensate him for his loss.

Join now!

Before this scene the audience believes the play to be a love story but it changes to spark off the beginning of a tragedy. At the end of the scene the audiences view has been altered buy the death of Mercutio by Tybalt’s hand and then the death of Tybalt by Romeos hand and at last the banishment of Romeo. Romeo cannot return or else he will be killed; he is not even allowed to say goodbye to his wife.

Tybalt, known as the prince of cats. Vengeful is a good adjective to describe him.  And well, for his ...

This is a preview of the whole essay