on the Verona street, Bevnolio and Murcutio wait around for Romeo to meet them. Tybalt and Petruccio see them first, and start a quarrel. Tybalt makes it clear that he is looking for Romeo, whom he wants to punish for sneaking into the Capulets' masked party the previous day.
When Romeo arrives, overjoyed with his recent marriage, he is deferential to Tybalt, insisting he harbors no hatred for the Capulet house. Tybalt is unsure how to deal with Romeo. Mercutio challenges Tybalt to a duel, so he draws his sword and attacks Mercutio. Romeo attempts to intervene, holding Mercutio back. While Romeo is restraining him, Tybalt stabs Mercutio and then exits quickly.
Mercutio is mortally wounded, and chastises the Montagues and Capulets for encouraging such violence before allowing Benvolio to lead him offstage. Benvolio soon returns with news that Mercutio has died. Romeo vows revenge on Tybalt, who soon reappears. Romeo and Tybalt duel, and Romeo kills Tybalt. He then flees quickly after Benvolio warns him that the Prince will come soon.
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Benvolio tells him the entire story, but the Prince refuses to hold Romeo blameless. Instead, he is like boy get out of Verona insisting Romeo will die if he does not obey.
So this scene takes a turn from the cheesy Romeo and Juliet we've read in the previous acts. It goes from happy true love stuff to Romeo is gone forever and his friend is dead and Romeo killed someone.
True to character, the hot-headed Mercutio starts a quarrel the instant Tybalt requests a word with him, by responding, "make it a word and a blow." Tybalt at first ignores Mercutio's insults because, ironically again, he's saving his blade for