Mercutio seems to be in a good mood as he jokes, “thou wilt quarrel with a man for cracking nuts, having no other reason, but because thou hast hazel eyes. This shows that he would argue for no reason with a man for “having a hair more or a hair less” in his beard. This is funny because you don’t normally count hairs on a beard. Later on Mercutio gets angry as he is in a hysterical mood and gets unstable easily as shown by the queen mab speech.
Benvolio can't get Mercutio to leave the market place, “by my head, here come the Capulets.” Mercutio’s reply is “heel” as opposed to “head” as he is determined to fight, this means Mercutio will not be a coward by backing off and that he will stand his ground and fight. For mercutio, violence is how you prove you are a man
Tybalt is intent on fighting. Tybalt speaks out, “Follow me close, for I will speak to them.” This means that Tybalt is telling his people to back him up in case one of Mercutio`s men attacks him. Tybalt also sees violence as a way of proving his manhood.
Mercutio causes trouble; he insults Tybalt which is stupid because Tybalt is the best swords man in the area, as Mercutio shouts: “Consort! What dost thou make us minstrels?” Mercutio is making fun of Tybalt by calling him a minstrel which means a person who travels in a group. This is very dangerous because this will make Tybalt very extremely angry and because he is the best at fighting and he is being insulted in front of his people.
Benvolio wants them to talk elsewhere. Benvolio whispers, “We talk here in the public haunt of men, either withdraw into some private place.” Benvolio tries to make peace with them but instead they quarrel more. Benvolio also tries to make them talk somewhere else but Mercutio decides to be stubborn saying, “I will not budge for no mans pleasure.” This shows Mercutio is ready to take on a challenge with Tybalt. Benvolio tries to make peace but fails.
Tybalt sees Romeo. Mercutio expects Romeo to fight Tybalt, “go before to field,” but Romeo rejects and says, “I love to thee.” Romeo is married to Juliet and if he fights Tybalt Juliet will be upset and Juliet is Tybalt's cousin, therefore Romeo has love for Tybalt but Tybalt has no love for Romeo and laughs at him which makes mercutio angry.
Romeo says to Mercutio, “be satisfied” Mercutio insults Tybalt, “oh calm, dishonourable, vile submission! You rat catcher.” Tybalt reminds us of the word 'tibie' which is a cat and cats catch rats. Tybalt becomes infuriated as he wants to be known as a strong man. Furthermore, Mercutio abuses Tybalt, “you have nine lives.” As people believe cats have nine lives. Tybalt becomes more frustrated because Mercutio doesn't stop teasing him and calling him a cat.
In act three, scene five Romeo leaves after the wedding night. Juliet says: “Methinks I see thee, now thou art below, as one dead is at the bottom of a tomb. Juliet foresees Romeo's violent death at the end of the play. Unknown to Juliet, her parents have just arranged her marriage to Paris to cheer everyone up after the death of the Tybalt. Lady Capulet tells us, “evermore weeping for your cousin's death?” Lady Capulet thinks she brings joyful new to her daughter. She persuades Juliet to marry as she says, “marry my child, early next Thursday mourn. The gallant young and noble Paris will marry you.” Juliet is horrified and mortified. Juliet rejects her marriage and refuses Lady Capulet is furious. Lord capulet shouts and yells, “hang thee baggage, you – disobedient wretch. Get to church on Thursday, or never look me in the face.” He carries on insulting her.
Lady Capulet tries to calm her husband down, “fie, fie, what are you mad?” Then she realises that she should not interfere because if she carried on, her husband could beat her and she did not want that to happen to her, therefore she backs off, leaving her daughter by herself. Suddenly the nurse speaks up for Juliet as she is braver. She shouts, “God in heaven bless her, you Capulet are to blame my lord to rate her so.” The violence within Juliet’s home is shocking on stage the nurse positions herself between Juliet and lord Capulet to stop him hitting her. Ultimately the nurse cannot go against Caplets and finally tells Juliet to marry Paris. Juliet however is not allowed to marry Paris because she has already married Paris kin private; therefore if she marries Paris then she has committed bigamy which could lead her to prison.
Before Romeo enters the tomb, Paris is there mourning Juliet’s death. “Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew.” Paris guards the tomb to prevent the enemy, the Montague’s from harming Juliet. Suddenly, he hears something and hides to see who it is. Romeo enters, therefore Paris sees him: “This is that banished haughty Montague, which murdered my loves cousin.” We now realises that Paris blames Romeo for Juliet's death, because Paris doesn't know the truth, he tries to kill Romeo: “for thou must die.” Romeo agrees with him: “I must indeed.” It seems that another murder is of no consequence to Romeo any more. They both fight like gentlemen but in the end Paris falls, “O, I am slain-thou be merciful, open the tomb and lay me by Juliet.”
Romeo carries Paris into the tomb and is overjoyed to see Juliet:
Romeo's wedding vows changes to death vows: “Here I will remain with worms that are thy chambers-maids.” Romeo decides to take the poison therefore, he dies.
The friar had warned Romeo before he married Juliet that, “these violent delights have brutal ends.” Later on we see Romeo planning his violent death. Romeo decides to commit suicide because he thinks Juliet is dead, but actually she took a potion to put her in a deep sleep as if she was dead. This shows the letter wasn’t sent because Friar John was quarantined in a house of sickness, therefore the letter was not delivered. Romeo intends to commit suicide besides Juliet's tomb.
Juliet awakes to find Romeo dead; Friar Lawrence cannot persuade cannot persuade Juliet to leave as she has seen Romeo dead. Being a coward, the Friar leaves. Juliet sees the poison, she's dying to drink it but there is not enough even one droplet. Juliet knows there is only one way, she sees a dagger. Juliet makes the option to commit suicide. Juliet whispers, “O happy dagger, there rust and let me die.” She kills herself. Both Romeo and Juliet's bodies are traced by the night watch who tells us, “the ground is bloody,” to highlight the violence of these deaths.
CONCLUSION
The violence in Romeo and Juliet is very brutal through out the play there is sword fighting in the streets. The laws are very strict as a person can't marry two people and the laws are violent, if a person fights on the streets, their punishment will be death. Both families: Montague and the Caplets are worst enemies, yet one member from each family decides to marry each other. Overall this story is very saddening and violent, yet there is still a touch of happiness as Romeo and Juliet fell in love. We assume their love conquered the violence at the end of the play as each family is heartbroken.
