Romeo and Juliet - Act 3, scene 1 | Folger Shakespeare Library (2024)

⌜Scene1⌝

Synopsis:

Mercutio and Benvolio encounter Tybalt on the street. As soon as Romeo arrives, Tybalt tries to provoke him to fight. When Romeo refuses, Mercutio answers Tybalt’s challenge. They duel and Mercutio is fatally wounded. Romeo then avenges Mercutio’s death by killing Tybalt in a duel. Benvolio tries to persuade the Prince to excuse Romeo’s slaying of Tybalt; however, the Capulets demand that Romeo pay with his life; the Prince instead banishes Romeo from Verona.

EnterMercutio,Benvolio,and⌜their⌝men.

BENVOLIO
1469Ipraythee,goodMercutio,let’sretire.
1470Thedayishot,theCapels⌜are⌝abroad,
1471Andifwemeetweshallnot’scapeabrawl,
1472Fornow,thesehotdays,isthemadbloodstirring.
MERCUTIO14735Thouartlikeoneofthesefellowsthat,when
1474heenterstheconfinesofatavern,clapsmehis
1475sworduponthetableandsays“Godsendmeno
1476needofthee”and,bytheoperationofthesecond
1477cup,drawshimonthedrawerwhenindeedthereis
147810noneed.
BENVOLIO1479AmIlikesuchafellow?
MERCUTIO1480Come,come,thouartashotajackinthy
1481moodasanyinItaly,andassoonmovedtobe
1482moody,andassoonmoodytobemoved.
BENVOLIO148315Andwhatto?
MERCUTIO1484Nay,anthereweretwosuch,weshould
1485havenoneshortly,foronewouldkilltheother.
1486Thou—why,thouwiltquarrelwithamanthat
1487hathahairmoreorahairlessinhisbeardthan
148820thouhast.Thouwiltquarrelwithamanforcracking
1489nuts,havingnootherreasonbutbecausethou
1490hasthazeleyes.Whateyebutsuchaneyewouldspy
1491outsuchaquarrel?Thyheadisasfullofquarrelsas

p. 121

1549eight.Willyoupluckyourswordoutofhispilcher
1550bytheears?Makehaste,lestminebeaboutyour
1551earsereitbeout.
TYBALT1552Iamforyou.⌜Hedraws.⌝
ROMEO
155385GentleMercutio,putthyrapierup.
MERCUTIO1554Come,sir,yourpassado.⌜Theyfight.⌝
ROMEO
1555Draw,Benvolio,beatdowntheirweapons.
⌜Romeodraws.⌝
1556Gentlemen,forshameforbearthisoutrage!
1557Tybalt!Mercutio!ThePrinceexpresslyhath
155890ForbidthisbandyinginVeronastreets.
1559Hold,Tybalt!GoodMercutio!
⌜Romeoattemptstobeatdowntheirrapiers.
TybaltstabsMercutio.⌝
⌜PETRUCHIO⌝1560Away,Tybalt!
⌜Tybalt,Petruchio,andtheirfollowersexit.⌝
MERCUTIO1561Iamhurt.
1562Aplagueo’bothhouses!Iamsped.
156395Ishegoneandhathnothing?
BENVOLIO1564What,artthouhurt?
MERCUTIO
1565Ay,ay,ascratch,ascratch.Marry,’tisenough.
1566Whereismypage?—Go,villain,fetchasurgeon.
⌜Pageexits.⌝
ROMEO
1567Courage,man,thehurtcannotbemuch.
MERCUTIO1568100No,’tisnotsodeepasawell,norsowideas
1569achurchdoor,but’tisenough.’Twillserve.Askfor
1570metomorrow,andyoushallfindmeagraveman.I
1571ampeppered,Iwarrant,forthisworld.Aplagueo’
1572bothyourhouses!Zounds,adog,arat,amouse,a
1573105cat,toscratchamantodeath!Abraggart,arogue,a
1574villainthatfightsbythebookofarithmetic!Whythe
1575devilcameyoubetweenus?Iwashurtunderyour
1576arm.

p. 123

ROMEO1577Ithoughtallforthebest.
MERCUTIO
1578110Helpmeintosomehouse,Benvolio,
1579OrIshallfaint.Aplagueo’bothyourhouses!
1580Theyhavemadeworms’meatofme.
1581Ihaveit,andsoundly,too.Yourhouses!
⌜AllbutRomeo⌝exit.
ROMEO
1582Thisgentleman,thePrince’snearally,
1583115Myveryfriend,hathgotthismortalhurt
1584Inmybehalf.Myreputationstained
1585WithTybalt’sslander—Tybalt,thatanhour
1586Hathbeenmycousin!OsweetJuliet,
1587Thybeautyhathmademeeffeminate
1588120Andinmytempersoftenedvalor’ssteel.

EnterBenvolio.

BENVOLIO
1589ORomeo,Romeo,braveMercutioisdead.
1590Thatgallantspirithathaspiredtheclouds,
1591Whichtoountimelyheredidscorntheearth.
ROMEO
1592Thisday’sblackfateonmoredaysdothdepend.
1593125Thisbutbeginsthewoeothersmustend.

⌜EnterTybalt.⌝

BENVOLIO
1594HerecomesthefuriousTybaltbackagain.
ROMEO
1595⌜Alive⌝intriumph,andMercutioslain!
1596Awaytoheaven,respectivelenity,
1597And⌜fire-eyed⌝furybemyconductnow.—
1598130Now,Tybalt,takethe“villain”backagain
1599Thatlatethougavestme,forMercutio’ssoul
1600Isbutalittlewayaboveourheads,
1601Stayingforthinetokeephimcompany.
1602EitherthouorI,orboth,mustgowithhim.

p. 125

TYBALT
1603135Thouwretchedboythatdidstconsorthimhere
1604Shaltwithhimhence.
ROMEO1605Thisshalldeterminethat.
Theyfight.Tybaltfalls.
BENVOLIO
1606Romeo,away,begone!
1607Thecitizensareup,andTybaltslain.
1608140Standnotamazed.ThePrincewilldoomtheedeath
1609Ifthouarttaken.Hence,begone,away.
ROMEO
1610O,IamFortune’sfool!
BENVOLIO1611Whydostthoustay?
Romeoexits.

EnterCitizens.

CITIZEN
1612WhichwayranhethatkilledMercutio?
1613145Tybalt,thatmurderer,whichwayranhe?
BENVOLIO
1614ThereliesthatTybalt.
CITIZEN,⌜toTybalt⌝1615Up,sir,gowithme.
1616IchargetheeinthePrince’sname,obey.

EnterPrince,oldMontague,Capulet,theirWivesandall.

PRINCE
1617Wherearethevilebeginnersofthisfray?
BENVOLIO
1618150Onobleprince,Icandiscoverall
1619Theunluckymanageofthisfatalbrawl.
1620Thereliestheman,slainbyyoungRomeo,
1621Thatslewthykinsman,braveMercutio.
LADYCAPULET
1622Tybalt,mycousin,Omybrother’schild!
1623155Oprince!Ocousin!Husband!O,thebloodisspilled
1624Ofmydearkinsman!Prince,asthouarttrue,

p. 127

1625Forbloodofours,shedbloodofMontague.
1626Ocousin,cousin!
PRINCE
1627Benvolio,whobeganthisbloodyfray?
BENVOLIO
1628160Tybalt,hereslain,whomRomeo’shanddidslay—
1629Romeo,thatspokehimfair,bidhimbethink
1630Hownicethequarrelwas,andurgedwithal
1631Yourhighdispleasure.Allthisutterèd
1632Withgentlebreath,calmlook,kneeshumblybowed
1633165Couldnottaketrucewiththeunrulyspleen
1634OfTybalt,deaftopeace,butthathetilts
1635WithpiercingsteelatboldMercutio’sbreast,
1636Who,allashot,turnsdeadlypointtopoint
1637And,withamartialscorn,withonehandbeats
1638170Colddeathasideandwiththeothersends
1639ItbacktoTybalt,whosedexterity
1640Retortsit.Romeohecriesaloud
1641“Hold,friends!Friends,part!”andswifterthanhis
1642tongue
1643175His⌜agile⌝armbeatsdowntheirfatalpoints,
1644And’twixtthemrushes;underneathwhosearm
1645AnenviousthrustfromTybalthitthelife
1646OfstoutMercutio,andthenTybaltfled.
1647ButbyandbycomesbacktoRomeo,
1648180Whohadbutnewlyentertainedrevenge,
1649Andto’ttheygolikelightning,forereI
1650CoulddrawtopartthemwasstoutTybaltslain,
1651And,ashefell,didRomeoturnandfly.
1652Thisisthetruth,orletBenvoliodie.
LADYCAPULET
1653185HeisakinsmantotheMontague.
1654Affectionmakeshimfalse;hespeaksnottrue.
1655Sometwentyofthemfoughtinthisblackstrife,
1656Andallthosetwentycouldbutkillonelife.
1657Ibegforjustice,whichthou,prince,mustgive.
1658190RomeoslewTybalt;Romeomustnotlive.

p. 129

PRINCE
1659Romeoslewhim;heslewMercutio.
1660Whonowthepriceofhisdearblooddothowe?
⌜MONTAGUE⌝
1661NotRomeo,Prince;hewasMercutio’sfriend.
1662Hisfaultconcludesbutwhatthelawshouldend,
1663195ThelifeofTybalt.
PRINCE1664Andforthatoffense
1665Immediatelywedoexilehimhence.
1666Ihaveaninterestinyourhearts’proceeding:
1667Mybloodforyourrudebrawlsdothliea-bleeding.
1668200ButI’llamerceyouwithsostrongafine
1669Thatyoushallallrepentthelossofmine.
1670⌜I⌝willbedeaftopleadingandexcuses.
1671Nortearsnorprayersshallpurchaseoutabuses.
1672Thereforeusenone.LetRomeohenceinhaste,
1673205Else,whenheisfound,thathourishislast.
1674Bearhencethisbodyandattendourwill.
1675Mercybutmurders,pardoningthosethatkill.
⌜They⌝exit,⌜theCapuletmen
bearingoffTybalt’sbody.⌝

Romeo and Juliet - Act 3, scene 1 | Folger Shakespeare Library (2024)

FAQs

What was Act 3 Scene 1 about in Romeo and Juliet? ›

Act 3, scene 1 Mercutio and Benvolio encounter Tybalt on the street. As soon as Romeo arrives, Tybalt tries to provoke him to fight. When Romeo refuses, Mercutio answers Tybalt's challenge. They duel and Mercutio is fatally wounded.

What is the quote from Act 3 Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet? ›

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.

Why is Act 1 Scene 3 important in Romeo and Juliet? ›

Act 1, scene 3 Lady Capulet informs Juliet of Paris's marriage proposal and praises him extravagantly. Juliet says that she has not even dreamed of marrying, but that she will consider Paris as a possible husband if her parents wish her to.

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What is the story of Romeo and Juliet? ›

Romeo is a Montague, and Juliet a Capulet. Their families are enmeshed in a feud, but the moment they meet—when Romeo and his friends attend a party at Juliet's house in disguise—the two fall in love and quickly decide that they want to be married. A friar secretly marries them, hoping to end the feud.

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Why is Act 3 Scene 1 a key scene in Romeo and Juliet? ›

The sudden, fatal violence in the first scene of Act 3, as well as the buildup to the fighting, serves as a reminder that, for all its emphasis on love, beauty, and romance, Romeo and Juliet still takes place in a masculine world in which notions of honor, pride, and status are prone to erupt in a fury of conflict.

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What is the irony in Act 3 Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet? ›

Dramatic irony- Tybalt doesn't know he and Romeo are now related. "The love I bear thee can afford no better term than this: thou art a villain." "Love"= Dramatic irony: Tybalt doesn't know he and Romeo are family. "Villain"= Insult Tybalt has used for Romeo throughout the play.

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Why is Act 3 Scene 1 important? ›

Act 3, Scene 1 serves as a turning point in Romeo & Juliet. The first two acts focus on the love and courtship between the main characters. The final three acts are consumed with violence, death, and tragedy. This particular scene contains the first deaths in the play when Tybalt kills Mercutio and Romeo kills Tybalt.

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Why must Romeo escape in Act 3 Scene 1? ›

Romeo tries to break it up, but Tybalt reaches under Romeo's arm and fatally stabs Mercutio, who curses the Montagues and the Capulets for their continuing feud. A grieving Romeo fights Tybalt and kills him. Knowing that he'll face death if he stays in Verona, Romeo flees.

Why is Romeo sad in Act 3? ›

After hearing that he is to be exiled, Romeo acts with customary drama: he is grief-stricken and overcome by his passion. He collapses on the floor. Romeo refuses to listen to reason and threatens to kill himself.

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Why does Juliet fake her death? ›

Juliet feigns death to avoid her arranged marriage to Paris and free herself to leave with Romeo (whom she has already married). For the trick, she drinks a substance that gives her the appearance of death. She expects that when she wakes from this slumber, she and Romeo will leave Verona together.

How old is Romeo? ›

In Shakespeare's original story, Romeo is given the age of 16 years and Juliet is given the age of 13 years. The Montague and Capulet families originated in the Divine Comedy by the Italian author Dante Aligheri, rather than in Shakespeare.