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Act III: Banishment. Central 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
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Act III: Banishment Central 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.
