The Significance of Act Three Scene One in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

The Significance of Act Three Scene One in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Arguably the most famous play ever written by William Shakespeare is

Romeo and Juliet. The 1915 tragic play is about two families and their

youngest children. The Montague’s and Caplets are two feuding

families, whose children meet and fall in love. Due to the rivalry

between the families Romeo and Juliet have to hide their love from the

world because they know that their parents will not allow them to be

together. The play bears many references to the lives and key issues

that would have related to the audience in the 1915’s for example the

role that women where expected to have. This essay will be answering

the question “why is act three scene one such an important scene in

Romeo and Juliet?” To answer this question I will be looking at key

points in the text these include: atmosphere, character roles, and

character emotions.

Act three scene one is vital as a turning point in the play. The

deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt escalate the Montague and Capulet feud

to new heights. The play opens with Benvolio pleading with Mercutio to

retire before the capulets arrive as the hot weather may provoke a

fight.

” I pray thee good Mercutio, let’s retire. The day is hot, and the

capulets are abroad, and if we meet, we shall not ‘scape a brawl”

This introduction is important because Benvolio’s fear immediately

shows atmosphere and tension between the two families. Also this shows

a little about the characters personalities and their roles. For

example Benvolio is portrayed as a peace keeper because he tries to

avoid a brawl and does not wish to fight. When Romeo tries to make

peace with Tybalt, the reader is made to believe that trouble is

inevitable. Due to Romeo’s feelings for Juliet he doesn’t wish to

fight or bring any harm to Tybalt or the once hated capulets who now