AcT 3, ScEnE 1 D: AcT It OuT


Having read the scene once, act out this scene and create a series of freeze frames. |Choose actors to play the parts of Romeo, Mercutio, Tybalt and Benvolio. |Tese actors will be performing lines 1-134. |Freeze the action at the following points of the scene. Te actors should hold their position and facial expressions as they freeze. Line 62 – Romeo: Villain am I none / Terefore farewell. I see thou know’st me not. Line 71 – Mercutio: O calm, dishonourable, vile submission! Line 103 – Mercutio: A plague o’ both your houses! / Tey have made worms’ meat of me. Line 121 – Romeo: And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now! Line 134 – Romeo: O, I am Fortune’s fool!


|As the actors freeze, the class should discuss how the characters are feeling and what they are thinking. Discuss how Romeo’s behaviour changes as the scene develops.


E: LiTeRaRy DeViCe: CoNfLiCt


Conflict occurs in drama when two opposing forces meet each other on stage. Tere are two types of conflict: - External conflict: when characters oppose each other, or, when a character opposes another force such as nature or society.


- Internal conflict: a psychological struggle when a character experiences conflicting emotions or thoughts.


Both of these types of conflict are present in Act 3, Scene 1. Romeo’s fight with Tybalt is a good example of external conflict. Here, the two characters physically oppose each other, resulting in the violent death of Tybalt. Romeo also experiences internal conflict in this scene. On the one hand he wants to make peace


with Tybalt who is now his relative by marriage. However, he is also enraged when Tybalt kills Mercutio. In the end, Romeo’s anger wins out. However, aſter Tybalt’s death, Romeo realises the terrible situation he is now in, ‘O, I am Fortune’s fool!’ In the next scene, we see how Juliet’s situation also results in deep internal conflict.


F: ThInGs To ThInK AbOuT


}Benvolio again shows himself to be a peacemaker in his attempts to lead Mercutio off the street and away from any possible confrontation with the Capulets. However, Mercutio argues that Benvolio is as violent as any of the other young men.


}At the start of the scene Romeo’s reluctance to fight Tybalt shows the power of love to heal and bring about peace. However, Romeo cannot keep a sufficient check on his emotions to avoid fighting Tybalt.


}Pride is seen as an important ingredient of the violence in this scene. Mercutio fights Tybalt because he is disgusted by the way Romeo puts up with Tybalt’s insults and fails to defend his honour. Mercutio says: ‘O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!’ Similarly, as Romeo prepares to fight Tybalt, he fears that Juliet’s love has soſtened him and looks to restore his pride in himself as a man.


}Tis scene dramatically shows the terrible consequences of violence through the deaths of both Tybalt and Mercutio. Mercutio’s dying words, ‘A plague o’ both your houses!’


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