Act III

Scene 1

81. As Mercutio and Benvolio are walking around town, Benvolio warns that the Capulets are around and looking to start a fight. (PLOT)

82. Mercutio easily starts arguments with anyone. Benvolio is the peace maker. (PLOT)

83. Tybalt wants to cause trouble so he has been looking for any of Montague’s men to fight with. He starts an argument with Mercutio. (PLOT)

84. Benvolio tries to get Mercutio and Tybalt to leave the street or break off the fight. He doesn’t want anyone to see this fight. (PLOT)

85. Romeo joins them and Tybalt starts arguing with him. (PLOT)

86. Because of his secret marriage to Juliet, Romeo does not want to fight Tybalt. (PLOT)

87. Mercutio draws his sword and challenges Tybalt. (PLOT)

88. Tybalt draws his sword and the fight begins. (PLOT)

89. Romeo tries to stop the fight. He steps between Tybalt and Mercutio. Tybalt reaches under Romeo’s arm and stabs Mercutio. Tybalt and his men run away. (PLOT)

90. Mercutio knows that he is dying and curses both families. (PLOT)

91. Romeo is angry and blames himself for Mercutio’s death. He believes loving Juliet has made him weak, and he should have fought Tybalt. (PLOT)

92. Romeo vows to kill Tybalt. (PLOT)

93. Tybalt returns. He fights with Romeo and Romeo kills him. (PLOT)

94. Benvolio tells Romeo to leave since the Prince will execute him when he finds out about Tybalt’s death. (PLOT)

95. “O, I am fortune’s fool.” - Theme: Choice vs. Destiny. Romeo believes that the fight with Tybalt was outside his control; it was destined. A3, S1, L123

96. Romeo flees the scene. (PLOT)

97. The Prince arrives and demands to know who started this. (PLOT)

98. Even before hearing what happened, Lady Capulet automatically believes that a Montague killed him. She demands a Montague’s death. (PLOT)

99. Benvolio tells the Prince exactly what happened. (PLOT)

100. Lady Capulet calls Benvolio a liar and demands that Romeo be executed. (PLOT)

101. Lord Montague says that since Tybalt killed Mercutio, Romeo only did what the law would have done by killing Tybalt. So, Romeo is not at fault and should not be executed. (PLOT)

102. The Prince decides that he won’t hunt down Romeo and execute him at this time. Instead, he banishes him from Verona and says that if he returns he will be executed. (PLOT)

Scene 2

103. Soliloquy: A3, S2, L1-30

104. Unaware of the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt, Juliet waits impatiently for the Nurse to return and for her wedding night. (PLOT)

105. “Can heaven be so envious?” Theme: Choice vs. Fate A3, S2, L41

106. Nurse leads Juliet to believe that Romeo is dead. (PLOT)

107. Foreshadowing: A3, S2, L47-49

108. Juliet is confused over who is dead (Romeo or Tybalt or both?) (PLOT)

109. Nurse finally sets Juliet straight that Tybalt is dead but Romeo killed him. (PLOT)

110. Paradox: A3, S2, L77-79, 81

111. Imagery: Book A3, S2, L85-86

112. Nurse curses Romeo. (PLOT)

113. Juliet is inconsolable because Romeo is banished. She says Romeo’s banishment is worse than death. (PLOT)

114. Juliet wants to die a virgin since Romeo cannot come to her. (PLOT)

115. Nurse is fed up with Juliet’s sobbing so she says she will go to find Romeo and bring him to her. (PLOT)

Scene 3

116. Theme: Fate A2, S3, L3

117. Fr. Laurence tells Romeo he is banished. Romeo overreacts sobbing inconsolably. Romeo says that banishment is worse than death. (PLOT)

118. Fr. Laurence scolds Romeo for thinking banishment is death; but he can’t get Romeo to listen. (PLOT)

119. Romeo keeps on sobbing. (PLOT)

120. Nurse arrives, tells Romeo “to be a man” (get a grip), and stop blubbering. (PLOT)

121. Romeo doesn’t listen and threatens to kill himself. (PLOT)

122. Fr. Laurence keeps trying to get Romeo to stop his blubbering and see that all is not lost. Fr. Laurence comes up with a plan. (PLOT)

123A. Plan: 1) After the Capulets are asleep, Romeo will go to Juliet’s room for their wedding night. (PLOT)

123B. 2) Romeo is to leave before dawn and to go Mantua and wait to hear from Fr. Laurence. (PLOT)

Scene 4

124. Theme: Fate A3, S4, L1

125. Juliet’s parents believe that she is grieving for Tybalt’s death. (PLOT)

126. To cheer Juliet up, her parents decide that she’ll marry Paris in 3 days (Thursday) (PLOT)

Scene 5

127. It’s morning and Juliet tries to convince Romeo that is still night so that he won’t leave. (PLOT)

128. Romeo says he’ll stay and let them kill him. One night with Juliet is all he needs. (PLOT)

129. Juliet eventually gets Romeo to leave for Mantua. (PLOT)

130. Theme: Fate A3, S5, L60-64

131. Lady Capulet thinks that Juliet is still crying over Tybalt’s death,; but Juliet is really sobbing over Romeo’s banishment. (PLOT)

132. Foreshadowing: A3, S5, L 101

133. Lady Capulet tells Juliet that she has to marry Paris on Thursday morning. (PLOT) 134. Juliet refuses to marry Paris saying that she’d rather marry her enemy Romeo. (PLOT)

135. Irony: A3, S5, L126

136. Lord Capulet orders her to marry Paris or he’ll disown her. His honor is most important. (PLOT)

137. Foreshadowing: Juliet’s death A3,S5, L210-211

138. Juliet panics because she is already married. (PLOT)

139. Nurse tells her that Romeo is as good as dead, so she should marry the better man Paris. (PLOT)

140. Juliet realizes that the Nurse won’t help her; she pretends to go along with the plan to marry Paris. She leaves to go to confession. (PLOT)