Romeo and Juliet Act 3 Scene 1 Review

Romeo and Juliet

In Act 3 Scene 1, the violence results in the banishment of Romeo.
The purpose of this coursework is to explore how Shakespeare makes Act 3 Scene 1 exciting for the audience.

Act 3 Scene 1 is the main turning point of the play where it becomes a tragedy, the scene begins with Mercutio humouring everyone and then enters the happily married and love-struck Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt now that he has married Juliet, Tybalt thinks that Romeo is mocking him but still refuses so Mercutio decides to fight for Romeo because he has dishonoured himself, Romeo tries to stop them fighting but ends up getting Mercutio killed, filled by his rage he kills Tybalt, both families rush to where Tybalt and Mercutio lay dead the scene ends with the Prince declaring the banishment of Romeo.

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 him.
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 his death which was because of Romeo when he suddenly turns on Romeo
Benvolio's character is a hot headed, concerned, a good and loyal friend and a peace loving person which 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, he also tries to coax Tybalt into duelling him "(he draws) Tybalt, you rat catcher, will you walk?" he wants to fight Tybalt for Romeo instead,
Benvolio tries 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 of which there were many that hot afternoon and on a hot day you feel hot and upset because of the heat, 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." Benvolio tries to move the fight off of the streets of Verona so that they cannot be watched by the public.

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.

In my opinion I think that Act 3 Scene 1 is by far the best scene in Romeo and Juliet because it shows many sides of the characters like Mercutio who is most of the time making a fool of someone he fought against Tybalt for Romeo, Romeo shows a loving nature towards Tybalt because he has just married Juliet, Tybalt's cousin and does not want to start a fight between them and Tybalt not knowing this begins to think that Romeo is mocking him it is also the main turning point of the play because it ends with the banishment of Romeo from Verona by the Prince