The Significance of Act 3 scene 1 of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

The Significance of Act 3 scene 1 of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

I am going to analyse the significance of Act 3 scene 1 within the

play as a whole and I am going to evaluate the success of the various

interpretations that I have seen. I am going to do this by analyzing

different areas of Shakespeare's and other interpretations of 'Romeo

and Juliet'.

Act 3 Scene 1 is a crucial scene in the play. It is a turning point

for the play, as after what happens in the scene nothing can return to

how it was.

Before Act 3 Scene 1, Romeo and Juliet got married. But nobody, except

Friar Lawrence knows of this. Tybalt has sent a challenge to Romeo for

them to fight, but Romeo has not received this challenge yet.

Here are the main events in Act 3 Scene 1. The Capulet's arrive in

Verona where Mercutio and Benvolio are. When Romeo arrives at the

scene Tybalt and Romeo start to fight, Mercutio also gets involved.

Tybalt then stabs Mercutio under Romeo's arm. Tybalt then flees away

from the scene. Romeo is furious with Tybalt because he has just

killed his best friend. Romeo goes to find Tybalt, when he does they

fight. Romeo then kills Tybalt

After Act 3 Scene 1, Juliet is devastated when she finds out that

Tybalt is dead and Romeo is banished.

The rest of the play evolves around the banishment of Romeo; this was

the result of the fight in Verona. That scene was a turning point in

the play. If Romeo had not reacted to the Capulet's when his friend

Mercutio was killed, and had not killed Tybalt, he would not have been

banished. If Romeo did not kill Tybalt, he would not have been

banished then Juliet would not have needed to take the potion, and

Romeo would not have found her.

Mercutio was quite a popular character with the audience. When he

joked and made the audience laugh he lightened up the mood of the

play.