Romeo & Juliet - The Tragedy Predicted

Act 2 scene 6 and Act 3 scene 1 are the turning point of the tragedy. After Act 2 scene 6 it seems as if everything might still to work out for Romeo and Juliet. They are passionately in love with each other. The odd thing is that friar Lawrence thinks this to start with and he changes his mind because he thinks that maybe the marriage of these two children will put an end to the family’s feuds. When it comes to the wedding the Friar really wants it to work, “So smile the heavens upon this holy act…” he is blessing the marriage but it is not part of the ceremony. However he still thinks that the marriage is too quick and that they are too young “These violent delights have violent ends,” he feels that the ferociousness of their love will die out very quickly and that they will get sick of each other, “The sweetest of honey is loathsome in his own deliciousness,”. He says it is better for them to love each other enough but not too much because he thinks it will last longer if they do not devour each other, “Therefore love moderately, long love doth so, too swift arrives, as tardy as too slow.” Romeo and Juliet speak very spiritually and holy, they are playing with words and everything seems to be great for them. They are both head over heels for each other they cant stop telling each other how much they love them, “But my true love has grown to such excess, I cannot sum up sum of half my wealth.”

Act 3 scene 1, “ I pray thee good Mercutio let’s retire, the day is hot, the Capulets abroad…” Shakespeare has to tell the audience what the scenery is because in those days when the play would have been performed they had no scenery on the stage so Shakespeare had to tell the audience to imagine what the scene would be like what time of day or night it is, or where they are like on a balcony or in the woods. This scene is the turning point of the play. Romeo gets kicked out of Verona because of his fight with Tybalt. Before this scene it seems somehow things might turn out alright for Romeo and Juliet but after this scene there doesn’t look like there’s any hope for them. Shakespeare presents the feeling of hate at the front of this scene. Mercutio and Tybalt break into a fight because Tybalt is looking for Romeo, he is appalled that Romeo came to their party without being invited. He cannot find Romeo so he starts on Mercutio. Just before a fight breaks out Romeo comes onto the scene and Tybalt wants to fight but Romeo just keeps saying I love you even though you think I have no reason to. Tybalt gets annoyed with Romeo but Mercutio steps in and Tybalt and Mercutio get into a fight. The fight last quite a long time they keep having digs at each other, chanting at each other. Eventually Tybalt stabs Mercutio and Mercutio dies. Romeo is rather annoyed because he should have been the one to fight Tybalt but he didn’t because of Juliet he didn’t want to fight a member of his own family. He is so annoyed he pursues Tybalt and then has a fight to the death with him. He slays Tybalt. The prince comes and asks what has happened and of course Romeo slayed Tybalt. Romeo gets banished. Before now it seemed that everything could work out fine but now there is a dark cloud of fear above it that will not go away. Everything seems to be going in the wrong direction. Romeo has been banished. On top of that Juliet’s father has told her she is to be married to Paris which she doesn’t want to do. She can’t even tell her parents she can’t because she is afraid to tell them she is married to Romeo. 

Although Mercutio is dying he is still playing around with words “they have made worms’ meat of me”. His death is ironic because he is not a member of either the Capulets or the Montegues. O sweet Juliet, thy beauty hath made me effeminate, and in my temper soften’d valour’s steel.” He is annoyed with himself for not wanting to fight Tybalt because of Juliet.

These two scenes of the tragedy are the turning point of the play they are hugely significant. Before these two scenes it looks as if Romeo and Juliet might be able to live a happy life but after them it seems all is lost.