“You are a lover, torrow Cupid’s wings,
And soar with them above a common bound.” Here he uses a pun to insult Romeo on the word “soar” to make it mean “sore”. Mercutio uses many puns, metaphors and imagery. Here is an example of his use of imagery:
“Her whip of cricket’s bone, the lash of film,
Her Waggoner a small grey-coated gnat,
Not half so big as a round little worm”. Here he is describing Queen Mab to Romeo and saying that Romeo has fallen under her spell into love.
At the start of Act 3 Scene 1, Benvolio is eager to make Mercutio leave the streets of Verona because he knows that a fight will occur if they confront the Capulet, which may cause grave consequences. He also doesn’t want Mercutio to get in trouble with the Prince for disobeying his wishes and fighting in the town. This suggests that Benvolio has taken the Prince’s words to heart, and is worried that their live will be taken.
When Tybalt enters, he is presented as being very serious; his purpose is to see one man (Romeo). Tybalt speaks to Mercutio in a serious but light hearted manner: “Thou consortest with Romeo”. Mercutio (is joking with Tybalt as he is picking a fight) replies-
“Consort? what, dost thou make us minstrels? And thou
make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords. Here’s my
fiddlestick, here’s that shall make you dance. ‘Zounds, consort!” These words definitely show that Mercutio is prepared to fight because by fiddlestick he means sword and by dance he means fight. Words that hint there is violence to come are:
“Men’s eyes were made to look, and let them gaze;
I will not budge for no man’s pleasure, I.” This is stated by Mercutio after Benvolio tries to make him leave by saying there are people watching. This suggests that Mercutio wants to stay and have a fight and shows that Mercutio was wrong in saying Benvolio was no more peaceful than him, ironically.
When Romeo appears, Tybalt talks to him with very deep hate in his voice and the word he speaks shows this. This contrasts with the light hearted attitude when he talked to Mercutio. The word “villain” has a major significance as in those days it was a very offensive word to call someone by. Romeo would have been expected to respond with an offensive term (back to him) or to fight him.
Tybalt and Romeo both use the word “love” between lines 53 and 65 at the start of Act 3 Scene 1 very differently. Romeo uses it affectionately as Tybalt is now his cousin because he is married to Juliet;
“Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee
Doth much excuse the appertaining rage”.
In contrast to Romeo’s us of the “love”, Tybalt uses the word to show his deep hatred for Romeo-
“Romeo the love I bear thee can afford
No better term than this: thou art a villain”. Tybalt is insulting Romeo by calling him a villain. Shakespeare is using dramatic irony here because the audience knows that Romeo is now related to Tybalt and that is why Romeo is saying he bears love for Tybalt. Whereas Mercutio cannot understand why Romeo does not accept Tybalt’s challenge. This confrontation between Romeo and Tybalt shows the main themes of the play; love and hate. It is summed up by the differences between Romeo and Tybalt in the use of the word “love”.
Romeo speaks to Tybalt in a positive way even though he doesn’t get it in return;
“And so, good Capulet, which name I tender
As dearly as my own, be satisfied”. Here Romeo states that he thinks Tybalt is a good person and that he holds the name Capulet as dearly as his own- Montague. Nobody else in the scene can understand why Romeo is behaving do positively towards Tybalt (dramatic irony) but the audience does.
Mercutio would have felt very disgusted that Romeo did not accept Tybalt’s challenge (words that could describe his feeling towards Romeo are: disloyalty, betrayal, untrustworthy, dishonesty, deceitful and horrified), but Shakespeare’s audience would have sympathised with Romeo knowing that he is married to Juliet and therefore cannot hurt Tybalt. The audience would sympathise with Mercutio because he didn’t know Romeo was married to Juliet. This is dramatic irony.
In order to mock Tybalt, Mercutio used an extended cat metaphor (from lines 66-94 in Act 3 Scene 1). This is because Tybalt was a popular cat’s name. It starts when Mercutio says;
“Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?” Here Mercutio is calling Tybalt a cat as cats eat rats. Moreover, he refers to Tybalt as the lowest of lows which runs in the sewers. He then mocks Tybalt again; “King of Cats” and “one of your nine lives”. Here Mercutio is stating that he will take Tybalt’s nine lives (as cats are said to have nine lives). Mercutio uses the cat metaphor again after he is hurt under Romeo’s arm; “Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch”. He is saying that Tybalt merely scratched him with his claws. Mercutio then uses a cat’s image in his words- “a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat to scratch a man to death”. But before dying he retains his humorous attitude by punning; “Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man.” Here he means he would be still serious or he will be in a grave.
I do not think that Tybalt meant to kill Mercutio. He would have been angry about Mercutio’s word play with the word ‘cat,’ but I do not think he actually wanted to mortally wound him. Tybalt was after Romeo not Mercutio – “Well, peace be with you sir, here comes my man.” I think he was angry that Romeo did not want to fight because Mercutio provoked him he decided to fight him instead. But then, Romeo intervenes and Mercutio suffers a blow from Tybalt. When Mercutio is dying they still think he is joking, but he was not.
Romeo’s character changes vastly after his best friend’s (Mercutio’s) death. This is shown through the difference in language he uses (After Mercutio’s death he uses language to show his anger); “Villain,” and “fire-eyed fairy.” This truly shows his anger towards Tybalt for killing his best friend. This contrasts to the way he talked to Tybalt before Mercutio’s death – “Villain am I none; Therefore farewell, I see thou knowest me not.” Here Romeo talks to Tybalt with respect which vastly contrasts to the angry way that he talked to Tybalt after Mercutio’s death. In addition, the language he uses was to woo Juliet is very sweet and polite– “My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready to stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.” Once again this contrasts vastly. These lines show Romeo as a very loving, gentle person, where as after his best friend’s death Romeo is seen as an angry, vengeful person torn between his family honour, best friend and his wife.
After Act 3 Scene 1 much has changed. Mercutio and Tybalt are dead and Romeo’s character has changed vastly from a sweet and loving person to a vengeful, angry person. Benvolio has failed to keep the peace between the Montagues and Capulets. Also, it may be argued that the play has lost its comedy after Mercutio’s death. The moral viewpoint that has been presented by Shakespeare is that feuds will continue until the people involved realises the futility of their actions. (Of course Romeo killed someone as well so at the end of the play his life suffers as well.) Made values are not being questioned as they were being upheld Romeo eventually challenged Tybalt so he sustained his male honour. This is why Act 3 Scene 1 is such a major point in Romeo and Juliet.
(Any audience would find Act 3 Scene 1 appealing. This is because you see so many changes in the scene. In addition, the fight is very appealing as many genres come into it such as: love, hate, comedy and violence.)
