Act III: BanishmentCentral Issue: romantic love versus family loyalty

Theme: love as a brutal emotion, leading to defiance of family, religion, & society

Act III: terms

• Soliloquy: a speech made to the audience, when a character is alone on stage

• Aside: a remark made to the audience, unheard by the other characters on stage

• Purpose: reveal what a character is really like

Act III, scene 1

• Mercutio baits Tybalt who’s looking to duel Romeo.

• Romeo arrives but will not duel Tybalt because he is now his kinsman through marriage.

– “I never injured thee, but love thee better than thou canst devise [understand] . . .” (3.1.67-68).

Act III, scene 1

• Tybalt is unaware of the marriage, so he rejects Romeo’s peace offering.

• Mercutio steps in to duel Tybalt.

• As Romeo tries to break up the fight, Tybalt murders Mercutio.

Act III, scene 1• As he is dying,

Mercurtio curses both the warring families, offering:

– “Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man” (3.1.96-97).

Act III, scene 1

• Irate that he has allowed his love for Juliet to make him “effeminate,” Romeo savagely avenges Mercutio’s death.

• Recognizing what he has done - murdered his wife’s cousin - Romeo blames his actions on fate:

– “I am fortune’s fool” (3.1.134).

• (Remember his ominous dream?)

Act III, scene 1

• The Prince arrives on the bloody scene and banishes Romeo from Verona, a penalty much less severe than he decreed.

• If Romeo is found in the city, he’ll be shot.

Act III, scene 2

• Juliet’s soliloquy:

– She impatiently awaits Romeo, who will come to her in secret, so they may consummate their marriage.

– At this point she is not aware of the murder Romeo committed.

Act III, scene 2

• Juliet’s nurse relates to her the sad news about Tybalt at the hands of Romeo.

• At first Juliet is angry with Romeo, then elated that he is alive, and finally suicidal because she fears she cannot live without him.

Act III, scene 2

• The nurse assures her that Romeo, who is hiding in Friar Lawrence’s cell, will be with her tonight.

• Juliet asks Nurse to take a ring to Romeo, as a symbol of her undying love for him.

– Notice that Juliet sees no middle ground in her life. She lives with Romeo, or she will take her life.

Act III, scene 3

• Friar Lawrence explains to Romeo that the Prince has banished him from Verona for murdering Tybalt, an act of mercy.

• Romeo views banishment as a punishment exceedingly worse than death.

Act III, scene 3

• Juliet’s nurse arrives at Friar’s cell.

• Romeo is so sickened by his actions - murdering Tybalt and destroying his marriage - that he attempts suicide.

• Friar scolds him for his rash, weak response, chiding him to stop whining and to act like a man.

Act III, scene 3

– Notice that Romeo, too, sees no middle ground in his life. He lives with Juliet, or he will take his life.

• Friar reveals his plan to Romeo and Nurse:

– Romeo will sneak to Juliet’s room tonight, consummate their marriage, then escape to Mantua, until their marriage can be made public.

• Nurse gives Romeo the wedding ring from Juliet. His spirits lift.

Act III, scene 4

• Lord Capulet asks his wife to let Juliet know that she’ll be marrying Paris on Thursday morning. It’s currently Monday evening.

– Ironic: On Sunday, Lord Capulet denied Paris’ request to marry Juliet because she was too young.

Act III, scene 5

• It is dawn. Romeo and Juliet have spent their first night together as a married couple.

• Juliet is reluctant to let Romeo go to Mantua, teasing him that the dawn’s light is actually the light from a meteor shower lighting the night sky.

Act III, scene 5

• Romeo replies, “I must be gone and lives, or stay and die” (3.5.11).

• As he departs Juliet has a premonition, “Methinks I see thee . . . as one dead in the bottom of a tomb” (3.5.55-56).

– Ironically, this is last time the two will see each other alive.

Act III, scene 5

• As Romeo sneaks away, Lady Capulet enters Juliet’s room.

• She brings news that Thursday Paris will make Juliet a joyful bride.

• Juliet rejects this, instead telling her mother that if she marries, it will be Romeo, her enemy, not Paris, she will take for a husband.

Act III, scene 5

• Upon hearing this, Lord Capulet swears that if Juliet refuses this secure marriage to Paris:

– “. . . you [Juliet] shall not house with me . . . hang, beg, starve in the streets, for, by my soul, I’ll ne’er acknowledge thee” (3.5.190-195).

Act III, scene 5

• Juliet appeals to her mother for help, but Lady Capulet replies,

– “Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee” (3.5.205).

• Next Juliet appeals to her Nurse, who advises her to take the secure option and marry Paris.

Act III, scene 5

• Desperate, Juliet pretends to go to Friar Lawrence to make her confession.

• In her closing soliloquy Juliet reveals her thoughts:

– She no longer trusts her nurse and will not confide in her again.

– She’ll seek advise from Friar Lawrence.

– If he can not help her, she can always take her life.

Purpose

• Shakespeare has moved Juliet from childhood into adulthood, both sexually and socially.

• She’s exerting her independence from her nurse and her parents - central issue: romantic love versus family loyalty.

• He reminds his audience of an Elizabethan woman’s dependency on a man for acceptance in society.

Purpose

• Once again, Shakespeare foreshadows the young couple’s suicides.

• He continues to portray the destruction, pain and death Romeo and Juliet’s impulsive, passionate love has brought, leaving them little joy.

• Finally, he has embroiled the teens in adult conflicts without the benefit of compassionate adults to guide them.