Romeo and Juliet Act III

Scene 1 Tybalt is looking for Romeo He finds Mercutio and Benvolio Mercutio doesn’t want to tell him where Romeo is Romeo enters He is now married to Juliet Tybalt calls Romeo a villain Romeo answers him in peace

Romeo as peacemaker Romeo is now Tybalt’s relative, by marriage Tybalt, of course, doesn’t know about the wedding Tybalt insults Romeo, but Romeo still will not fight Mercutio sees Romeo being insulted, and rushes to fight Tybalt Romeo tries to break it up Mercutio is stabbed under Romeo’s arm

Tybalt and his friends run Mercutio is fatally wounded Even now, he makes jokes “A plague on both your houses!” This curse is foreshadowing - prophetic Romeo blames himself –Mercutio was defending Romeo’s name, and stabbed under his arm –His love for Juliet has made him ‘effeminate’ (womanly) Benvolio comes back, to say that Mercutio is dead

Tybalt Returns Romeo is angry – probably feels guilty Romeo fights to avenge Mercutio Tybalt is killed Romeo stands shocked at what he has done Benvolio hurries Romeo away - The Prince will condemn him to death Romeo laments what has happened, and leaves

The Prince’s Justice Enter Prince, Montagues and Capulets Benvolio tells what happened Lady Capulet demands that the Prince should have Romeo killed, as he said before Montague argues that Romeo was obeying the law –Romeo killed Tybalt for killing Mercutio Prince is angry – Mercutio was his own kinsman Romeo is banished If he is found in Verona, he will be executed

Scene 2 “Gallop apace, you fiery footed steeds…” Classical allusion – refers to the myth that the sun was a golden chariot She wants the day to pass quickly – Romeo will come at night (It is their wedding night, after all!)

Nurse arrives She is so upset about Tybalt’s death that she cannot tell her about it Juliet thinks Nurse is saying Romeo is dead Nurse finally says clearly that Tybalt is dead and Romeo is banished for killing him Juliet’s first reactions – Oxymorons show her torn allegiance, Romeo and her family Nurse: “There’s no trust, no faith, no honesty in men” – “Shame come to Romeo!” Then, Juliet defends him – she is loyal to Romeo

Juliet Comforts Herself Tybalt is dead, who would have killed her husband – so now her husband is safe! But Romeo is banished This is more painful to her now than Tybalt’s death Juliet starts talking about suicide Nurse promises to bring Romeo –she guesses (correctly) that he is at Friar Lawrence’s cell

Scene 3 Friar Lawrence tells Romeo of the banishment – better than death! Romeo thinks it is worse than death He cannot be with Juliet Anywhere else is Hell

Knock, Knock! Friar tells Romeo to hide, but he is too depressed The Nurse enters – tells Romeo to stand and be a man Romeo asks if Juliet hates him His name causes Juliet pain – he wants to cut his name out of himself Romeo is talking about suicide as well!

Friar’s Scolding “Thy tears are womanish!” Passion has destroyed Romeo’s reason Juliet is alive – there you are happy! Tybalt tried to kill you, but you killed him – There you are happy! The law banishes him instead of death – there you are happy! So….He should be happy!

Friar’s Plan Go to Juliet’s bedroom and comfort her (Have wedding night) But get out of Verona before morning Then go to Mantua, and wait for message They will fix everything, and then call for him Romeo agrees to this

Scene 4 Capulets meeting with Paris It is too late for Paris to talk with Juliet Capulets think Juliet is sad about Tybalt’s death, and this is why she stays in her room Dramatic Irony – really, she is with Romeo in her bedroom Capulet decided to cheer up his daughter by having her married They set the date – she will marry Paris in three days

Scene 5 Begins with Romeo and Juliet in her bedroom They are saying goodbye – it is morning They do not want to say goodbye Finally, Juliet says Romeo must leave, for his own safety (He is IN CAPULET’S HOUSE, after all)

“Joyful Tidings” Juliet has a bad feeling – foreshadowing Romeo departs, Lady Capulet Enters Juliet speaks with double meanings Dramatic Irony: we know what Lady C. does not know Lady C. tells Juliet that she will be married to Paris on Thursday Juliet says she will not (more double talk)

Enter Capulet Lady C. tells him what Juliet said Capulet is angry at her for refusing Paris –Ungrateful – Paris is a perfect husband! –What will it look like? – he will not break his word to Paris Nurse tries to help Juliet – Capulet warns her not to stick up for her He tells Juliet that if she will not marry Paris, he will disown her “hang, beg, starve, die in the streets!”

The Nurse’s Advice Capulet and Lady C. exit, very angry Juliet cries to Nurse – what shall I do? The Nurse has an idea: –Romeo will never come back –No one knows she married him –Paris is a better man anyway Her advice is to marry Paris! Pretend her wedding did not happen

Juliet agrees with her (not really, of course) The Nurse leaves to tell her parents Juliet monologue She can never trust the Nurse again She will go to Friar Lawrence “If all else fail, myself have power to die”

Act IV “Juliet’s Act” Romeo and Juliet

Scene 1 Friar Lawrence meets with Paris Paris has told him of wedding plans He is VERY excited about the wedding Friar has objections – too fast, Paris does not know if Juliet will say yes Why doesn’t he tell him the truth? Juliet enters – double talk with Paris

Juliet is very upset She begs the Friar to say that he has a plan She pulls out a knife, and says that she will kill herself if she must marry Paris She continues to speak for some time This suggests that Friar Lawrence has not thought of a way out of their problem yet Finally, Friar says he has a desperate plan

The Friar’s Crazy Plan 1. Tell your parents that you will marry Paris 2. The night before the wedding, drink this drug –Remember, he knows about drugs and medicines 3. The drug will make her sleep so deeply that she will seem to be dead 4. She will be buried in the family tomb 5. Meanwhile, he will send letters to Romeo 6. The drug will wear off in a day, and she will awake – Romeo and Friar will be there 7. Romeo will take her to Mantua

Scene 2 Capulet is making wedding plans Juliet enters – begs forgiveness Capulet decides to change the day of the wedding to Wednesday – That’s tomorrow!! This change messes up the schedule of the Friar’s plan

Scene 3 Juliet’s bedroom – Nurse and Lady C. help her get ready for wedding tomorrow The two older women leave Juliet soliloquy –says good bye to her mother –If this works, she will go away with Romeo –Her family will think she is dead

Juliet’s soliloquy What if this doesn’t work? – she sets a knife ready in case she needs it in the morning What if this is really a poison? –Friar would look bad or get in trouble –She cannot believe this of him – a holy man What if Romeo is not there when she wakes up? –She fears she will go mad, among all the dead people She imagines she sees Tybalt’s ghost Drinks the potion and falls down on her bed

Scene 4 Dramatic Irony – Everyone is happy Juliet is getting married this morning (She lies “dead” behind the curtain) Capulet sends Nurse to wake up Juliet

Scene 5 –“Is the bride ready to go to church?” (wedding) –“Ready to go, but never to return” (funeral) Paris and Capulets moan and wail in pain (Dramatic Irony everywhere) Nurse tries to wake up Juliet, and realizes that she is “dead” Screaming and panic! Capulets enter, and start crying as well Friar and Paris enter

Friar Lawrence calms them She was never yours – you shared her with heaven Now, heaven has all of her Capulet – all that we prepared for her wedding will now go for her funeral

Funny scene! Relieves the tension, keeps certain people in their seats (remember, Shakespeare wants to please all of his audience) A funny scene between Peter (a servant) and the musicians Why is there a funny scene here?