Previous Next

What happens in Act 2, Scene 4 of Romeo and Juliet?

Tybalt challenges Romeo to a duel, and Mercutio ridicules Romeo for what he believes is his excessive love for Rosaline. The Nurse agrees to send Juliet to Friar Lawrence.

Read our Summary & Analysis of Act 2, Scenes 3 & 4. (4-minute read)

Why does Mercutio hate Tybalt so much?

In Scene 4, Mercutio delivers a stinging diatribe against Tybalt during a conversation with Benvolio. One explanation for this outburst is that Tybalt represents affectedness (he calls Tybalt a “fashionmonger”) and habitually displays passionate emotions, which Mercutio finds particularly contemptable.  Another explanation for Mercutio’s words (concern over Italian customs impacting English culture) is discussed below.

Read more about why Mercutio hates Tybalt in Mini Essay #3. (1-minute read)

Read an explanation of Mercutio verbal tirade against Tybalt in Scene 4. (2-minute read)

Is Romeo and Juliet critical of Italian influence on English culture?

Seven of Shakespeare’s plays take place in Italy, so he clearly had an affinity for it as a setting. Nonetheless, there are many examples in Romeo and Juliet and other plays where the author seems to be holding up Italy as a negative example that he believes his contemporary English audience should not emulate. The play is subtly critical of the Italians’ decentralized style of government and Catholic religion. It also serves up stereotypes about perceived Italian character traits that existed in Shakespeare’s time, especially that they are overly passionate (in all the senses of passionate). As Act 2, Scene 4 shows, the criticisms of Italian behavior in the play extend even to their fencing practices.

Read a brief essay on what Shakespeare’s audience believed about Italy. (3-minute read)

Previous section Act 2: Scene 3 Overview Next section Act 2: Scenes 5 & 6 Overview

Popular pages: Romeo and Juliet

Take a Study Break