Romeo and Juliet
Act Three
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For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation.
BENVOLIO
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;
For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.
Focus on Act Three, Scene One
The mood of this opening scene is a marked contrast to the romance and beauty of the previous scene.
How does Shakespeare create a sense of impending violence and disorder here?
Which images create this effect?
BENVOLIO
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;
Consider the role of stagecraft here.
How might a director ask the actors to position
themselves, move and talk here? How could Benvolio’s cautiousness be contrasted with Mercutio’s carefree aggression?
MERCUTIO
No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough, 'twill serve: ask for
me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o' both your houses! 'Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death! a braggart, a
rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of
arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us? I
After Mercutio is fatally wounded, how might his language affect an audience? This extract follows Romeo suggesting that Mercutio may not be badly hurt.
Focus on Act Three, Scene One
This could easily be seen as bitterly sarcastic:
experiment with saying the lines out loud. Which words How can we characterize Mercutio’s tone here?
MERCUTIO
No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough, 'twill serve: ask for me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o' both your houses! 'Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death! a braggart, a
rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of
arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm.
How does the pun function here? To what extent is it typical of Mercutio’s character and language in the play as a whole?
MERCUTIO
No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough, 'twill serve: ask for
me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o' both your houses! 'Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death! a braggart, a
rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of
arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm.
Why has Shakespeare chosen to employ blank verse for this speech? How might this add drama to the moment?
MERCUTIO
No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough, 'twill serve: ask for
me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o' both your houses! 'Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death! a braggart, a
rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of
arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm.
What provides the contents of Mercutio’s list here? How might this affect an audience?
MERCUTIO
No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough,'twill serve: ask for
me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o' both your houses! 'Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death! a braggart, a
rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of
arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm.
MERCUTIO
No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough, 'twill serve: ask for
me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o'
both your houses! 'Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death! a braggart, a
rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of
arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm.
Comprehension questions
Answer the following questions in as much detail as you can, using PEE when appropriate.
1. How would you describe the atmosphere at the opening of the scene?
2. How is this atmosphere created?
3. Why is Romeo so passive in the face of Tybalt’s provocation? Find quotations to illustrate this.
4. Find three quotations to provide evidence of Mercutio’s fiery, sometimes reckless character from the scene.
5. Prior to his exit, Romeo delivers the line ‘O, I am
Coursework task
Act Three, Scene One is a turning point in the play.
You should consider the following points:
• What has happened prior to this point?
• What has been the ‘mood’ of the play so far, and how has it been created?
• What is the atmosphere in this scene and how is it created?
• What happens in the remainder of the play – how is it different to the opening two acts?
Remember to include some reference to the social
/historical context of the play. For example, consider how a contemporary audience might have reacted to the
Character file on Mercutio
Complete the following character analysis table for
Mercutio. Remember, you should be looking to include far more detail than is possible here.
Essential facts / characteristics
Key scenes and quotations
Major language / presentational features
E.g.: Good friend of Romeo, kinsman to the king. Killed in brawl by Tybalt (etc.)
Act One, Scene Four: persuades
Romeo to attend the party: ‘If love be rough with you, be rough with love’.
Focus on Capulet’s view of Juliet
Watch the following clip from Capulet’s discussion with Paris.
What does Capulet’s attitude towards his daughter
CAPULET
Sir Paris, I will make a desperate tender Of my child's love: I think she will be ruled
In all respects by me; nay, more, I doubt it not. Wife, go you to her ere you go to bed;
Acquaint her here of my son Paris' love;
And bid her, mark you me, on Wednesday next
Now study the actual text of the speech. Which words and phrases did you select?
How do we know that Capulet regards his daughter as a possession, to be controlled by her father?
Focus on Capulet’s view of Juliet
CAPULET
Sir Paris, I will make a desperate tender Of my child's love: I think she will be ruled
In all respects by me; nay, more, I doubt it not.
Wife, go you to her ere you go to bed; Acquaint her here of my son Paris' love;
And bid her, mark you me, on Wednesday next
Why do you think that Capulet is so keen for Juliet to marry Paris? What benefits may it provide for the
ROMEO
It was the lark, the herald of the morn,
No nightingale: look, love, what envious streaks Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east:
Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.
I must be gone and live, or stay and die.
Romeo is able to spend just one night with his new bride before leaving the city. How is a sense of
tragedy and foreboding created in their dawn conversation?
ROMEO
It was the lark, the herald of the morn,
No nightingale: look, love, what envious streaks Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east:
Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.
I must be gone and live, or stay and die.
What may be meant by the natural imagery of ‘night’s candles’ and ‘envious streaks’?
Given that ‘jocund’ means jolly or cheerful, explain the irony in the poetic personification of the day.
This final line represents one of the major themes of the play: that of the role of contrasts or opposites
What other examples of antithetical (contrasting) features or aspects of the play can you identify?
ROMEO
It was the lark, the herald of the morn,
No nightingale: look, love, what envious streaks Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east:
Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.
I must be gone and live, or stay and die.
Antithesis: the role of contrasts
How many contrasts can you identify in the play? Remember, aim to include more detail in your notes than is provided here.
Feature
Contrasting feature
The notion of love and union (the lovers)
The notion of hatred and separation (the families)
Repetitive references to light and day
Benvolio’s peacefulness
Juliet refuses to marry Paris, defying the order of her father.
CAPULET
Hang thee, young baggage! disobedient wretch! I tell thee what: get thee to church o' Thursday, Or never after look me in the face:
Speak not, reply not, do not answer me;
My fingers itch. Wife, we scarce thought us blest That God had lent us but this only child;
But now I see this one is one too much, And that we have a curse in having her: Out on her, hilding!
Analyse Capulet’s reaction to Juliet’s refusal.
Consider how you would ask the actor to deliver these
CAPULET
Hang thee, young baggage! disobedient wretch! I tell thee what: get thee to church o' Thursday, Or never after look me in the face:
Speak not, reply not, do not answer me;
My fingers itch. Wife, we scarce thought us blest That God had lent us but this only child;
But now I see this one is one too much, And that we have a curse in having her: Out on her, hilding!
CAPULET
Hang thee, young baggage! disobedient wretch!
I tell thee what: get thee to church o' Thursday,
Or never after look me in the face:
Speak not, reply not, do not answer me;
My fingers itch. Wife, we scarce thought us blest That God had lent us but this only child;
But now I see this one is one too much,
And that we have a curse in having her: Out on her, hilding!
Which phrases would you select to illustrate the violence and anger of Capulet’s response?
What clues does the extract give us as to the social attitudes of the time regarding parents and their
children?
Do you think that a modern audience might react
CAPULET
Hang thee, young baggage! disobedient wretch! I tell thee what: get thee to church o' Thursday, Or never after look me in the face:
Speak not, reply not, do not answer me;
My fingers itch. Wife, we scarce thought us blest That God had lent us but this only child;
But now I see this one is one too much, And that we have a curse in having her: Out on her, hilding!
Why would Capulet feel unblessed for having a sole, female offspring?
Revision activities
1. What do you consider to be the five most important lines in this act? Justify your choices.
2. In groups, prepare a TV news report about the fight and Tybalt’s death. Include a summary of events, interviews with witnesses and a statement from the Prince.
3. ‘Romeo is entirely to blame for his problems in this act.’ Discuss.
4. How would Tybalt have reacted to the news that Romeo had married Juliet? Script an alternative scene in which he learns this news.
5. Discuss the language used to present Juliet’s anguish on learning that Romeo has killed Tybalt.
