A bitter feud arguably creates yet another quarrel between the Montague and Capulet families in Shakespeare’s infamous opening to the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ yet through all this violence two young, star-crossed lovers meet to start a loving journey which eventually leads to their tragic demise whilst experiencing the prominent themes of the play: Tragedy, hate, death and revenge.
Prior to Act 3 scene 1, Juliet secretly marries Romeo by the help of Friar Lawrence, as he wants to end the feud between the two families. Since Romeo is now Tybalt’s cousin, the feud will not continue but as Romeo kills Tybalt, you see that his peacefulness is gone and his fury is finally shown.
In contrast to this by the end of Act 2, the audience are left in a state of happiness as the mood of love fills the air. Shakespeare’s use of marriage is effectively applied here as in other Shakespeare plays marriage is always the ending but in this significant play, he used marriage in the middle of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ indicating that something negative is about to take place.
At the start of Act 3, “The day is hot”.
Shakespeare used the weather as a symbol of the characters mood in many different ways by making Mercutio look fiery as though if he were hot tempered. This will affect audience because they will want to know what is going to happen by the help of the weather.
The two characters on stage are both different in personalities. Mercutio is the aggressive type while Benvolio is person who doesn’t like to fight
“I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire”
Their conversation could create tension because he Benvolio fears meeting the Capulets because of a fight.
Tybalt easily ruins this conversation. This character is vengeful; he wants to fight with Romeo for entering their party, vindictive and an instigator “By my head hear comes the Capulets” This character is here to settle a score with Romeo for being at their party. Tybalts arrival adds tension to the scene because the audience know something terrible is going to happen. The conversation that tells us a fight is about to happen is moment Mercutio and Tybalt start speaking “make it a word and a blow”
The audience will find this scene exciting to watch, as both Mercutio and Tybalt are 2 volatile equally matched angry men. This creates explosive dramatic action.
Benvolio alerts the audience of the serious consequences if Mercutio and Tybalt fight in public by reminding them of the Princes threat, which was that if they had another brawl they would die. “We talk here in the public haunt of men:
Either withdraw unto some private place,
Or reason coldly of your grievances,
Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us.”
When Romeo enters, further tension is mounted, as he is the one who Tybalt wants to quarrel with. Prior to the scene, Romeo had married Juliet. From marriage, he is likely to be in a happy mood and also in a loving mood. Line 65 is an electric moment in the play. As Romeo is now married to Juliet, Romeo is trying to make peace with Tybalt, who is now his kinsman, even though Tybalt has deeply insulted him with the word ‘villain’.
“And so, good Capulet, which name I tender
As dearly as my own, be satisfied.”
This was clue that was given to Tybalt about their marriage. Dramatic irony makes the scene exciting for the audience because they know something that Tybalt doesn’t know.
Mercutio’s dying is dramatic because he was killed under the hand of Romeo. The words, which indicate that his wound was fatal, are
“You shall find me a grave man.”
Romeo reacts to Mercutio’s death in a side we have never seen in him. The fight between Tybalt and Romeo is exciting for the audience because a person who doesn’t like fighting goes to fight his cousin. The audience sides with Romeo on this fight as they can feel his anger towards Tybalt.
When Romeo finally kills Tybalt the joyous event is quickly turned into sorrow as Romeo realises that he has jeopardised his future with Juliet.
Romeo’s line,
‘I am fortunes fool’
was the turn to sorrow as he realised that he has killed a Capulet, a cousin of his.
During this scene there were mixed emotions that took place. At the start of the scene when Romeo met with Tybalt, there was love for Tybalt by Romeo while Tybalt had no remorse for Romeo but just to fight with him. But when Mercutio died under Romeo’s arm, he went after Tybalt in rage.
Act 3 Scene 1 was an imperative scene to R+J as without this scene there would be no tragedy to pursue. This helps bring about the differences of the two families and the way they felt after experiencing the death of their kinsman and also the Capulets undergo through the death of their very own cousin Tybalt. After showing that conflict can lead to fate one of Shakespeare’s themes he also shows the factor it could change the turning of a play.
