is Act 3 Scene 1 of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet exciting and dramatic for both a contemporary and modern audience?
Act 3 Scene 1 of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is exciting and dramatic for both a contemporary and modern audience because of three reasons.
Act 3 Scene 1 is a climax scene. The fighting between the two families is mentioned straight away in the prologue. “Two households both alike in dignity, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny” Act 1 Scene 1 shows this ancient grudge with a fight between the two families in the street. “Clubs, bills, and partisans! Strike, beat the down.” A particular aspect of the conflict is when Tybalt hears Romeo’s voice at Capulet’s party. Capulet makes it clear to Tybalt he doesn’t want there to be a fight ”You’ll endure him? God shall mend my soul, you’ll make a mutiny among my guests? You will set cock-a-hoop, you’ll be the man? but Tybalt makes it clear he won’t let it go “Patience perforce with willful choler meeting makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting. I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall, now seeming sweet, convert to bitterest gall.” Tybalt sends a letter to Romeo of challenge. “Tybalt, the kinsmen to old Capulet, hath sent a letter to his father’s house. A challenge on my life.” This brings tension to the stage because in Act 1 Scene 1 the Prince said “If you ever disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.”
Mercutio and Tybalt both have very fiery personalities. Mercutio loves entertaining people and making fun of them. He always seem keen to pick a fight with almost anyone he meets, and has a confrontational attitude. When he is onstage he tends to be the center of attention, mostly because of his wit. Mercutio's changeable nature shows in the fatal Act 3 Scene 1. At one moment he is joking with Benvolio about quarreling, and the next moment he is quarreling in deadly earnest himself. He had hoped to see Romeo answer Tybalt's challenge to a duel and...