The scene before act 2 scene 6, Friar Lawrence weds Romeo and Juliet, but before Juliet arrives Friar Lawrence tells Romeo:
‘ These violent delights have violent ends,
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which as they kiss consume. The sweetest honey
Is loathsome in his own deliciousness,’
And in the taste confounds the appetite.’
The audience reacts with delight and is happy for Romeo and Juliet, as it is a happy scene.
Act 3 scene 1 starts of with Benvolio and Mercutio casually talking the in the streets of Verona. Benvolio is telling Mercutio to go as Tybalt and his fellow Capulets like coming here to look for trouble. Benvolio is trying to take Mercutio but Mercutio tells the audience jokes by saying about times he quarrelled with other men such as the time Benvolio ‘ Thou wilt quarrel with a man for cracking nuts, having no other reason but thou hast hazel eyes.’ Making Benvolio look like the troublemaker between the two, but at this point the audience would laugh and realise it was Mercutio talking about his quarrels.
Soon Tybalt enters and he is looking for Romeo as he gatecrashed the Capulets with out an invitation. Mercutio tries to provoke Tybalt but fails as Romeo enters, Tybalt instantly says ‘ well peace be with you sir, here comes my man.’ Mercutio deliberately takes that as an insult to Romeo, making it look like Tybalt said here comes my servant. Romeo has no intention of fighting Tybalt as they are now cousins tells Tybalt:
‘ Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee
Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
To such greeting.’
The audience reacts shockingly to this part as they never thought Romeo could be friends with Tybalt and where he got the idea from, but some probably find out he is trying not to fight him as they are now cousins. But as soon as Romeo backs away from the challenge, Mercutio takes his sword out and challenges Tybalt and agrees. This part of the scene is the key part as you see the audience react in a strong manner and are in a suspense. As Mercutio and Tybalt battle it out, Romeo takes Benvolio’s role and acts as the peacekeeper but Tybalt thrusts his sword under Romeo’s arm and stabs Mercutio. This is one of the key parts and the audience are angry and sad as the audience’s favourite is dying. Mercutio does a curse on both the Montagues and Capulet’s saying
‘ A plague on both your houses!
They have made worms’ meat of me.’
Tybalt runs away but returns soon and Tybalt and Romeo fight it out, which sees Romeo kill Tybalt. The audience will be shocked as they see a Romeos dark side, a side no one as seen of Romeos and are anticipating what will happen next.
Both Capulets and Montague families appear with the Prince who gives Romeo the punishment of banishment as Tybalt got the punishment he was meant to get. The audience will be sad and maybe angry as they just saw a happy scene of Romeo and Juliet getting married to a sad scene seeing two people dying.
