Tybalt’s character does not change at any point before or during Act 3 Scene 1, because he is a fiery person.
Romeo’s character is kind, gentle, loving person before Act 3 Scene 1 but during the scene he is gentle and loving only for half the scene until the death of his best friend Mercutio when he avenges the death.
Mercutio’s character is humourous, joking and sarcastic before Act 3 Scene 1 and is humourous, joking and sarcastic during the scene too up
until moments before his death where he turns on Romeo cursing “!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”.
Benvolio’s character is a concerned, good and loyal friend and a peace loving person that does not change before or during Act 3 Scene 1.
Tybalt calls Romeo a villain “Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford No better term than this, Thou art a villain” Tybalt calls Romeo a villain to coax him into duelling him but also because he will have no regrets in slaying him, becomes angry at Romeo “this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me, therefore turn and draw” Tybalt says this because he thinks Romeo is mocking him and wants to duel him right away.
Romeo tries to be nice to Tybalt “I do protest I never injured thee, but love thee better than thou canst devise.” Romeo says this because he does not want to hurt a cousin he just gained through marriage to Juliet, Romeo is trying to stop Mercutio from duelling Tybalt “Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.” Romeo is so blinded by his love for Juliet that he does not want anyone to get hurt for something he does not want to do
Mercutio calls Romeo a coward “O calm, dishonourable vile submission:” Mercutio says this because Romeo decided to stand down like the common coward. Mercutio also tries to coax Tybalt into duelling him “(he draws) Tybalt, you rat catcher, will you walk?” he wants to fight Tybalt for Romeo.
At the start of the scene Benvolio tried to persuade Mercutio into going home “I pray thee, good Mercutio, let's retire: The day is hot, the Capulets abroad, and, if we meet, we shall not scape a brawl” Benvolio being a peace keeper did not want to stand by and watch Mercutio duel one of the Capulets in public so tries to get the fight between Tybalt and Mercutio off the streets “We talk here in the public haunt of men: Either withdraw unto some private place, And reason coldly of your grievances, Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us.”
Shakespeare builds the tension in this scene by showing us aggressive sides to each of the characters for example Shakespeare makes Romeo try and befriend his enemy which enrages Tybalt who then fights Mercutio in place of Romeo and gets killed, Romeo is then enraged because of the death of his best friend and reacts to this by killing Tybalt. The audience having already seen this know that it can only end in tears for everyone.
