English resources/Romeo and Juliet/Act 3, Scene 1
Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 1
Tybalt looks for Romeo. Mercutio fights him and is killed. Romeo kills Tybalt. The Prince banishes Romeo.
Romeo and Juliet has 24 scenes in 5 acts, and Act 3 has 5 of them. Act 3, Scene 1 comes after Act 2, Scene 6 and before Act 3, Scene 2. The 3 key lines here come from Mercutio and Romeo.
This scene in five words
MercutioTybaltdieRomeobanished
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What happens, in more detail
It is a hot day in Verona and Benvolio wants to go indoors before trouble starts. Tybalt arrives looking for Romeo, who has just secretly married Juliet. Romeo refuses to fight him and says he loves the Capulet name, because Tybalt is now his cousin by marriage, though nobody else knows that.
Mercutio is disgusted and fights Tybalt himself. Romeo steps between them to stop it, and Tybalt stabs Mercutio under Romeo's arm. Mercutio curses both families and dies. Romeo, now furious, kills Tybalt and then runs.
The Prince arrives. Because Tybalt killed Mercutio first, he does not sentence Romeo to death but banishes him from Verona.
Why it matters: this is the turning point. Until now the play could still have been a comedy, and after this scene it is a tragedy.
The quotes
3 big quotes in this scene.
A plague o' both your houses.
Mercutio · Act 3, Scene 1 · hate · death · family
Dying, Mercutio curses both families. The feud killed him and he was not in it.
Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man.
Mercutio · Act 3, Scene 1 · death
Grave means serious, and a grave. He jokes as he dies.
O, I am fortune's fool!
Romeo · Act 3, Scene 1 · fate
Romeo has just killed Tybalt. He blames fate. He also did it.
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