Tybalt vs. Mercutio Duel
Romeo & Juliet – Act III, Scene I
Learning Objectives
• You will learn about the following:
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The background events that led up to, “Tybalt vs. Mercutio Duel”
Reinforce terms like: Foreshadow
Learn of new terms like: Dramatic Irony and Foil
Overall significance to the play
Tybalt’s reasons for fighting
Significant lines from the Scene
• You will also have to complete the following tasks:
• Opinion piece on Romeo’s initial actions
• Test on its significance
Starter
• What do you think provoked this duel? How would the
bystanders and Romeo respond?
• What sort of effect do you think this scene would have on the
audience?
Tybalt vs. Mercutio Duel
TYBALT
Well, peace be with you, sir: here comes my man.
MERCUTIO
But I'll be hanged, sir, if he wear your livery:
Marry, go before to field, he'll be your follower;
Your worship in that sense may call him 'man.'
TYBALT
Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford
No better term than this,--thou art a villain.
ROMEO
Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee
Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
To such a greeting: villain am I none;
Therefore farewell; I see thou know'st me not.
TYBALT
Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries
That thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw.
ROMEO
I do protest, I never injured thee,
But love thee better than thou canst devise,
Till thou shalt know the reason of my love:
And so, good Capulet,--which name I tender
As dearly as my own,--be satisfied.
MERCUTIO
O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!
Alla stoccata carries it away.
Draws
Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?
TYBALT
What wouldst thou have with me?.
MERCUTIO
Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine
lives; that I mean to make bold withal, and as you
shall use me hereafter, drybeat the rest of the
eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pitcher
by the ears? make haste, lest mine be about your
ears ere it be out.
TYBALT
I am for you.
Drawing
ROMEO
Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.
MERCUTIO
Come, sir, your passado. They fight
ROMEO
Draw, Benvolio; beat down their weapons.
Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage!
Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly hath
Forbidden bandying in Verona streets:
Hold, Tybalt! good Mercutio!
TYBALT under ROMEO's arm stabs MERCUTIO, and flies
with his followers
MERCUTIO
I am hurt.
A plague o' both your houses! I am sped.
Is he gone, and hath nothing?
BENVOLIO
What, art thou hurt?
MERCUTIO
Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch; marry, 'tis enough.
Where is my page? Go, villain, fetch a surgeon.
Background Information
• At the end of the previous Act, Friar Lawrence marries Romeo
and Juliet secretly
• She cautions them against rashness and excessive passion for
each other
• The peace and solemnity of the previous scene will be
shattered by events in the duel scene (Tybalt vs. Mercutio)
• The day of the duel is described to be hot, the sort of day
which sets the mad blood stirring
• Hence, this serves as foreshadow that something terrible will
happen
• Prior to the fight, Romeo behaves strangely on the street, but
the others do not know why
• Dramatic Irony: The audience knows more about the actions or
feelings of a character than other figures in the play
• Connection: In this case, the audience knows that he is behaving in
such a way, since he is madly in love with Juliet, while the others in
the play do not
Story of the Scene
• Tybalt wants to fight Romeo, but won’t fight back as Tybalt is
now his ‘cousin’ through marriage (to Juliet)
• Tybalt’s reasoning for the duel is because he wants to seek
revenge for Romeo’s appearance at the Capulet feast
• Mercuito tries to defend his friend’s honour and gets killed
• This happens as Romeo comes between them to break the fight
Overall Significance to the play
1. This fight serves as a turning point, since it causes Romeo to
be banished by the Prince (Escalus) from Verona
2. This is considering that Romeo quickly kills Tybalt in a state
of fury and inflames the hatred between the 2 families
3. In the confusion of affairs, Romeo later believes that Juliet
has died. This in turn leads to Juliet’s suicide
4. Tybalt serves as a foil to Romeo, since he is the complete
opposite of Romeo, behaviourally speaking (E.g. Passionate,
Hot-blooded, pride and easily provoked)
• Foil: It is another character in a story who contrasts with the main
character, usually to highlight one of their attributes
Tybalt’s Reasons for Fighting
1. Tybalt wants revenge on Romeo for the insult he feels
he suffered by Romeo attending the party earlier in the
play
2. He also wants to preserve his honour after having been
challenged by Mercutio into a duel
Significant Lines from the Scene
• Romeo: Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee
Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
To such a greeting: villain am I none
• Significance: Romeo refuses Tybalt’s challenge to a duel, since he
now sees him as a cousin-in-law.
• Mercuito: A plague o' both your houses! I am sped.
• Significance: Having been killed, Mercutio blames both Romeo
and Tybalt for his murder
Assignment
• Task: Do you think that Romeo was in the right Romeo not to
challenge Tybalt into a duel? What would happen if he did
indeed take up his challenge? How would his wife feel?
Explain.
- Format: Write this as an opinion piece
- Make sure to: Avoid having contractions, informal words and
indent each of your paragraphs
- Length: 250-500 words
- Due Date: March _______.