Act 3 Scene 1 Flashcards
‘here comes my man’ : Why is Tybalt looking for Romeo
Tybalt recognized Romeo at Capulet’s party and wanted to fight with him. Capulet stopped him and told him to calm down. When Tybalt objected, Capulet belittled him and put him in his place. Tybalt felt insulted and vowed to avenge himself on Romeo.
Explain Mercutio’s reference to ‘livery’ in line 50
Livery is the uniform of a servant. Mercutio is deliberately misunderstanding, Tybalt’s words ‘my man’ to mean my servent
Tybalt’s words in lines 53 and 54 (‘the love I bear thee… a villian’) are heavy with irony. Explain why
Tybalt says that the amount of love he feels for Romeo allows him to call him no more than a villain. He is in fact saying that he has no love for Romeo, that he hates him. The lines here are heavy with irony because the meaning of the words is opposite to what they apparently mean.
We, the audience, know the reason that Romeo has to love Tybalt. Explain what Romeo means, and discuss the effect of dramatic irony in this scene
We know that Romeo has just been secretly married to Juliet and therefore into the Capulet family. So, he will not become involved in a fight with Tybalt, who is Juliet’s cousin. Neither Tybalt nor Mercutio know this. In fact, Mercutio doesn’t know that Romeo has met Juliet. He thinks that Romeo is still infatuated with Rosaline.
Tybalt claims that Romeo has caused him injuries. Is this true? Is Tybalt being fair? What does the accusation suggest about his character?
No, Romeo has done nothing to harm Tybalt apart from attending the party. He knows nothing of the exchange between Tybalt and Capulet. What happened was entirely as a result of Tybalt’s own actions. He is being extremely short-sighted and selfish in blaming Romeo. His reaction is typical of a bullying, aggressive character, blaming others for his misfortune and not acknowledging his own part in bringing the situation upon himself
Explain Mercutio’s reaction to Romeo’s refusal to fight Tybalt
Mercutio is amazed at Romeo’s calm reaction to Tybalt’s insults. He has just been bragging about his friend’s courage and sense of humor and how eagerly he will meet Tybalt’s challenge. His frustration at Romeo’s lack of response to the insults pushes him over the edge and he takes up the challenge himself.
Mercutio makes three references to cats in lines 68 to 70. List them
Rat-catcher
King of Cats
Nine lives
Explain why Romeo refers to the prince in line 80
The prince ordered that anyone caught fighting in the streets would be executed.
‘Is he gone and hath nothing?’ To whom does Mercutio refer? Explain what he means
He refers to Tybalt who has escaped without a wound
‘a scratch, a scratch… ‘ what does the choice of words suggest about Mercutio’s character
Mercutio likes to joke even when faced by death. Although he knows he is dying, he attempts to make light of the situation.
