Name: KEY
Romeo and Juliet
Act III Summary
ACT III, SCENE i
MERCUTIO and Benvolio are discussing the hot day and the possibility of a quarrel. Tybalt enters
looking for ROMEO and rudely addresses them. Mercutio and Tybalt are about to FIGHT when
Romeo enters. ROMEO tries to avoid the conflict because he is now married to a Capulet.
MERCUTIO cannot stand Romeo submitting to Tybalt's cruelty and draws his sword to fight TYBALT.
Romeo and BENVOLIO try to stop the fight. Tybalt stabs Mercutio under Romeo's ARM and leaves.
Mercutio ends up CURSING BOTH FAMILIES AND DYING. Romeo realizes his love for Juliet has made
him soft and now seeks revenge. Tybalt returns and they fight. ROMEO kills TYBALT and then flees
after reflecting on what he has done. The citizens, the Prince, the Montague's, and the Capulet's all
come to survey the scene. BENVOLIO tells the story of what happened. Immediately, the Prince
BANISHES/EXILES Romeo.
ACT III, SCENE ii
Juliet is waiting for THE NIGHT when she and Romeo will celebrate their marriage. The Nurse brings
the ladder but also has news of TYBALT’S death and Romeo's BANISHMENT/EXILE. Juliet is UPSET
about Tybalt's death but thinks Romeo's banishment is even worse because THEY JUST GOT
MARRIED AND NOW WON’T BE ABLE TO SEE EACH OTHER. The Nurse tells her that Romeo is hiding
at FRIAR LAURENCE’S CELL. Juliet asks NURSE to go find Romeo so that they can say goodbye. She
also gives the Nurse a RING to give to Romeo.
ACT III, SCENE iii
Romeo is at the FRIAR LAURENCE’S CELL awaiting his punishment. The Friar tells him he has been
BANISHED from Verona. Romeo says exile is worse then DEATH and the Friar tries to comfort him.
THE NURSE arrives and mentions how Juliet is crying and crying over both Tybalt and Romeo.
Misunderstanding the Nurse, Romeo attempts to STAB HIMSELF. The Friar yells at Romeo, saying he
is ungrateful for all the blessings that he has. First, JULIET is alive. Second, TYBALT WOULD HAVE
KILLED HIM, BUT HE KILLED TYBALT FIRST . Finally, third, instead of being PUT TO DEATH, Romeo is
only being BANISHED/EXILED by the Prince. The Nurse explains that Juliet is sad because she may
never see her beloved Romeo. She was not crying because of Tybalt. FRIAR LAURENCE gives Romeo
hope by proposing a plan. Romeo will GO TO Juliet that night to say farewell and then go to
MANTUA until it is safe for him to return to Verona. The lovers can then be safely reunited. The
Nurse also gives ROMEO the ring.
ACT III, SCENE iv
LORD CAPULET is discussing with Paris his desired marriage to JULIET. They decide that because of
Tybalt's death they can not have a celebration on WEDNESDAY. However, Capulet decides that
THURSDAY would be good and sends Lady Capulet to tell Juliet the news. Paris leaves happily.
ACT III, SCENE v
Romeo and Juliet are in Juliet's room arguing over whether it is still NIGHT or if it is the morning.
NURSE warns them that Lady Capulet is coming to Juliet’s room. Romeo and Juliet part wondering if
they will ever see each other again. LADY CAPULET sees that Juliet is upset and mistakes it for sorrow
over TYBALT’S DEATH. She tries to cheer Juliet by telling her that she will SOON MARRY PARIS THIS
COMING THURSDAY. Juliet HATES/REFUSES the idea of marrying so soon. When LORD CAPULET
finds out that Juliet does not want to marry Paris he feels unappreciated and his temper rages. He
tells Juliet that she better marry Paris or he WILL DISOWN HER, KICK HER OUT AND HAVE NOTHING
TO DO WITH HER. Juliet seeks comfort in her mother but she is refused. NURSE even suggests that
Juliet forget about Romeo and try to live a normal life with Paris. Juliet, seeking a way out, goes to
visit the FRIAR.