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. 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.
