ABRAHAM:By my head, here come the Capulets.
MERCUTIO:By my heel, I care not.
TYBALT:Follow me close, for I will speak to them. Gentlemen, good den a word with one of you.
MERCUTIO:He comes on and Mercutio just hates him. I think he just stands for everything Mercutio hates. The way he fights and the way he talks and walks he's really proud of his image, you know and he, he, he tells people to call him the king of cats, he's invention himself this, this nickname.
MICHAEL FENTIMAN:So is he a bit like a local celebrity?
MERCUTIO:That's the way I see it, yeah. I, definitely the local celebrity.
TYBALT:A word with one of you.
MERCUTIO:But one word with one of us? Couple it with something, make it a word and blow.
TYBALT:You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, and you will give me occasion.
MERCUTIO:Can you not take some occasion without giving?
TYBALT:Mercutio is a wordsmith. Tybalt, feels like, only deals with bullet points, straight facts. So when he starts firing all this word play that's where it starts cooking, because also if we're playing it as if the auditorium is in court is, is an actual court yard and people are witnessing what's happening here, he's beginning to make me look like a complete
TYBALT:moron. That's why Tybalt instantly says, look, it's not about you. I don't want to deal with you, it's this guy.
MICHAEL FENTIMAN:It's with Romeo.
ABRAHAM:Mercutio is the real spark from this brawl here. Because he, he's trying to be very formal. He sent a letter. it's just with Romeo. And it's, it's this lad here that starts going. Come on, come on.
TYBALT:Mercutio, thou consort'st with Romeo,
MERCUTIO:Consort? What? Does that make us minstrels? When thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords Here's my fiddlestick. Here's that shall make you dance. Come. Consort?
MICHAEL FENTIMAN:What's the problem with consort? 'Cos it feels like we, we rank up a gear in the scene as soon as you say, "thou consort'st with Romeo."
MERCUTIO:You've been hanging out with him, young man. And I'm going, young man hanging out with him. I think mercutio then is like. He sees the fact that he really believes that even hanging out with Romeo is a, is a problem.
MICHAEL FENTIMAN:He's judging you. He's judging that involvement.
MERCUTIO:He is. And he's saying that I've done something wrong just by being with Romeo.
MICHAEL FENTIMAN:So there's a really, really clear sense it's the way this is meant to go but then what choice does Romeo make?
ROMEO:Well I think Romeo has to really quickly try and read the situation. He walks from a moment of real joy and everything's great, straight into this.
TYBALT:Romeo! The love I bear thee can afford no better term than this Thou art a villain!
ROMEO:Because I don't think he likes being called a villain. And a, and a turn your, turn and draw boy. These are things that are gonna so he's having to look
MICHAEL FENTIMAN:Good…
ROMEO:not give in. to his own desire to actually not take that from somebody. 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 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.
MICHAEL FENTIMAN:From you guys' point of view, saying I love you, good Capulet and I won't fight you because I love you, What's he doing?
ROMEO:That sounds insane.
MERCUTIO:Yeah. - What?
MERCUTIO:Good Capulet - You're a Montague, what?
MICHAEL FENTIMAN:Love in the same sentence as Capulet. Peace? What?
TYBALT:He becomes the threat.
MICHAEL FENTIMAN:Good.
TYBALT:Romeo does, because it's like why are you talking about feelings? That's, look that's not what this was meant to be. I just want to come and fight and now you're giving me this stuff It's like oh god I've timed this all wrong, this is not.
MICHAEL FENTIMAN:Good.
TYBALT:This is really weird.
MERCUTIO:Calm, dishonourable, vile submission Tybalt. You rat catcher. Will you walk?
MICHAEL FENTIMAN:He say's vile, calm, dishonourable, vile submission
MERCUTIO:Yes.
MICHAEL FENTIMAN:Meaning?
MERCUTIO:You're gonna let him say that to you?
MERCUTIO:If someone speaks to you like that…
MICHAEL FENTIMAN:You stand up.
MERCUTIO:Stand up and punch them. He deserves a good slap.
MICHAEL FENTIMAN:There's an expectation that Romeo is the one that gives the slap. And he chooses not to.
MERCUTIO:Yeah…
MICHAEL FENTIMAN:He chooses to put out a hand of A hand of love. Because his love for Juliet prompts him to make that bigger gesture.
ABRAHAM:Romeo completely disarms him. By giving him that, look I wanna be your friend, I love you. Completely disarms him. I always imagine if, if Mercutio wasn't here that the, that it all might work because he now can't start a brawl because, because he's just completely if there is anyone watching, it's completely his fault.
ABRAHAM:Because he's disarmed him, so if Mercutio wasn't here then the Friar's plan of the fact the marriage bringing both the families together could work. It's the fact that he's there that goes don't take that. No.
ABRAHAM:I'll fight you then. Come on. The you gotta fight me and that's when it kicks off, so it's another that, that it always interests me that Mercutio is, he has a big part to play in, in the, in the, the tragedy that then unfolds.
The company discuss Shakespeare’s language and the reason for the fight.
Mercutio plays with words, making Tybalt feel foolish.
Romeo attempts to be a peacemaker which disarms Tybalt and infuriates Mercutio.
This short film is from the BBC series, Shakespeare Unlocked.
Teacher Notes
This short films prompts discussion on individual character motivation.
Before watching, ask your students to discuss how people can use language to start a fight or to stop it.
If someone opens an exchange by insulting you, how difficult is it to resist the urge to fight back?
Conversely, how easy is it to pick up neutral words and turn them into insults?
Students could work in pairs, where one tries to defuse a situation and the other tries to stir up an argument.
This short film is suitable for teaching GCSE English literature and drama in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and National 4/ 5 in Scotland.
More from Shakespeare Unlocked - Romeo and Juliet
Act 3, Scene 1 - Death of Mercutio (workshop) video
Michael Fentiman discusses ambiguity in Shakespeare’s text. Does Tybalt intend to kill Mercutio?
Act 3, Scene 1 - The Fight. video
Young men from the Montague and Capulet families fight with tragic consequences.
Act 3, Scene 5 - Juliet is abandoned (workshop) video
The actors look at how Juliet becomes isolated from her mother, her father and her nurse.
About the 2011 RSC production. video
The cast discuss acting, directing and prop choices for this production.
Act 2, Scene 2 - Juliet's soliloquy (workshop) video
Mariah Gale and Sam Troughton explore the problem of Romeo’s name and Juliet’s solution.
Act 2, Scene 2 - Lovers unite (workshop) video
Romeo puts his life in danger by entering the Capulet orchard. Mariah Gale and Sam Troughton explore differing ways of playing the scene.
Act 2, Scene 2 - Romeo's soliloquy (workshop) video
Sam Troughton discusses how Romeo has no plan once he is discovered in the Capulet garden.
Act 2, Scene 2 - The Balcony. video
Romeo steals into the Capulet garden to find Juliet on her balcony, talking to herself.
