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 whos 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 Romeos 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 Mercutios death.
Recognizing what he has done murdered his wifes cousin - Romeo
blames his actions on fate:
I am fortunes 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, hell be
shot.

Act III, scene 2

Juliets 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

Juliets 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 Lawrences 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

Juliets nurse arrives at Friars 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 Juliets 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 shell be marrying Paris on
Thursday morning. Its 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 dawns
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 Juliets 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, Ill neer
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.
Shell 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.
Shes exerting her independence from her
nurse and her parents - central issue: romantic
love versus family loyalty.
He reminds his audience of an Elizabethan
womans dependency on a man for acceptance
in society.

Purpose
Once again, Shakespeare foreshadows the
young couples suicides.
He continues to portray the destruction, pain
and death Romeo and Juliets 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.