Extract 4 Act 3 Scene 1

Benvolio: Oh no, here come the Capulets.

[Tries to pull Mercutio away]

Mercutio: I don’t care! I’m not going anywhere!

Tybalt: Good afternoon, gentlemen. May I speak with one of you for a moment?

Mercutio: Are you sure you only want to speak? How about fighting, too?

Tybalt: If you give me a reason for that, you will find that I am quite ready, sir.

[Enter Romeo]

Ah, here’s the man I want to talk to. Romeo, you are a villain.

Romeo: Tybalt, it is only because I have a reason to love you that I can control my anger at that greeting. I am not a villain. So goodbye. You do not know me. [Turns to go]

Tybalt: Nothing can right the wrong you have done me. Turn and take out your sword!

Romeo: I tell you that I have never wronged you. I have more reasons to love you than you could know. So, forget all this, good Capulet – your name is as important to me as my own.

Mercutio: [Angrily] Oh how calmly and dishonourably* you give in to him! [He takes out his sword] Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you fight?

Tybalt: What do you want from me?

Mercutio: Your life! Now will you take out your sword? Be quick, or I shall cut off your ears first.

Tybalt: I shall fight you. [He takes out his sword]

Romeo: Gentle Mercutio, put your sword away.

Mercutio: [to Tybalt] Come on, sir, let’s see these clever moves everyone talks about so much.

[They fight]

Romeo: [Holding up his sword] Take out your sword, Benvolio. Let’s knock down their swords. Gentlemen, stop this! [Romeo tries to stop them fighting with his sword] Tybalt, Mercutio! The Prince has told you never to fight like this in the streets of Verona. Stop, Tybalt! Good Mercutio!

[Romeo stands between them, and Tybalt steps forward and stabs Mercutio under Romeo’s arm. Mercutio falls to the ground. Exit Tybalt]

Mercutio: I am hurt. Damn both your families!¹ I am dying. [Looks for Tybalt]

Has he gone? Did I not hurt him at all? [Holds his wound]

Romeo: [Hurrying to Mercutio’s side] Be brave, man. The wound cannot be too bad.

¹ Damn both your families I hope both your families go to hell.

*The idea of honour – how people see you and your family – was especially important for people at this time. It is probably the main reason why the fighting between the two families has continued for so long. Here, Mercutio thinks that by refusing to fight, Romeo is bringing ‘dishonour’ to himself and his family.

Mercutio: Oh, it is enough, it will do. Ask for me tomorrow and you will find me a grave* man. Damn both your families! [to Romeo] Why did you stand between us? I was hurt under your arm.

Romeo: I thought it was the best thing to do.

Mercutio: [Crying out with pain] Get me into someone’s house, Benvolio. Damn both your families! They have made me into worms’² meat.

[Exit Benvolio, holding Mercutio]

Romeo: [Falling onto his knees, upset] This gentleman is one of the Prince’s own family, and my great friend. He has been terribly wounded, and all for me. All because Tybalt spoke against me – Tybalt who just an hour ago became my cousin. Oh sweet Juliet, your beauty has made me weak. It has softened my brave spirit.

[Enter Benvolio]

Benvolio: [Upset] Oh Romeo, brave Mercutio is dead.

Romeo: This is a black day, and there will be more black days to come. This is just the beginning of the unhappiness that other days will bring to an end.

[Enter Tybalt]

Benvolio: Here comes the furious³ Tybalt, back again.

Romeo: Well, now I throw off my gentleness! I am full of fiery anger now!

[to Tybalt] Tybalt, you called me a villain earlier. Take that back! Either you, or I, or both of us will die with Mercutio.

[They fight. Tybalt falls to the ground, wounded. Romeo stands shocked, not knowing what to do]

Benvolio: Go, Romeo, run away! Tybalt is dead! The Prince will have you killed if he finds you. Go! Go!

[Exit Romeo]

[Enter Prince, Montague, Capulet and their wives]

Prince: [Angrily] Who started this hateful fight?

Benvolio: I can tell you everything, my lord. [Points to Tybalt’s body] This man, who was killed by young Romeo, killed brave Mercutio.

Lady Capulet: [Falling crying upon Tybalt’s body] Tybalt, my nephew, my brother’s child! [to the Prince] Oh, Prince, a member of my family has died. And a Montague must die for this. Romeo killed Tybalt. Romeo must not live.

Prince: Romeo killed Tybalt, Tybalt killed Mercutio. So who pays now for dear Mercutio’s blood?

Montague: Not Romeo, Prince. He was Mercutio’s friend. Tybalt should have been punished, and Romeo has punished him for us.

Prince: And for what he did, I exile⁴ him from Verona at once. [Lady Montague cries out, shocked] I too have an interest in this bloody fight between you. A member of my family* died here today. And so I shall give you a hard punishment that will make you all sorry for my loss. Don’t ask me to change my mind. I shall not listen to tears or prayers. Romeo must go from this town. If he is found here, he will die.

² worms small animals with no legs or bones that live under the ground and eat things they find there

³ furious very angry

⁴ exile send away to another place

*grave has two meanings: ⁦1 serious⁩ and ⁦2 the⁩ hole in the ground where you put dead people. Mercutio knows he will die and is making a joke about it.

*Mercutio was related to the Prince.