Benvolio
In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet Act 3 Scene 1, Benvolio is seen as a character that is at ease and contains a neutral sense throughout the scene. As the scene debuts, he and Mercutio are having a conversation in which Benvolio is being sarcastic and humorous. This does not soften Mercutio but make him more eager to start a fight with anyone who challenges him. As the anger throughout Mercutio increases, Benvolio’s urge for him to settle down and promote harmony increases. As the plot of the scene thickens, Benvolio is portrayed as the character who does not want to fight but avoid violence all together. By the end of the scene, every other character is relying on Benvolio for the truth in order to salvage the pieces from the series of fights which had just recently occurred. Benvolio knows how important this information he has is so as he speaks he lays down his own life for the sake of his friends "This is the truth, or let Benvolio die."
A new side of Benvolio is revealed in this scene. Previously, we have seen that Benvolio is a character who is developed through drawing swords and taking part in fights as well as feuds. But in this scene, the tables are turned as Benvolio is not eager to pick a fight with anyone else. This scene implies the theory of Benvolio and Mercutio switching places and perspectives in this scene. Instead of hostility, Benvolio is seen the other side of situations that is tranquility.
Mercutio
From the beginning of act three scene one in which he also drew his last breath, Mercutio reveals his true personality. Throughout the play, he proved himself to be a cocky and rather over-confident character. However, it is when they are dying that people usually expose real character. Toward the beginning of scene one, he arrogantly ignores the threat that Tybalt, a Capulet, poses. Mercutio provokes Tybalt into fighting him, although the Prince forbade any of the houses from fighting. Mercutio’s carelessness and eagerness to fight were what truly brought his demise. After Mercutio is mortally wounded, he blames Romeo for getting in his way and says that he is the reason he is dying. He also blames both of the houses, the Capulets and the Montagues, and their ongoing feud for his eventual death, cursing “a plague o’ both houses (act III scene i line 94).” Mercutio displays his final inner bitterness against all people, most likely due to previous events in his life, as shown earlier in the play, especially when referring to love.
Mercutio also reveals his genuine disposition and most famous characteristic during his final moments towards the end of the first scene of act three, which is his bitter sense of humor to the end. Near the end of the scene, Mercutio says “ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man (Act III scene i, line 101-102.)” Right until his death, Mercutio is surprisingly still making jokes, something most people would not be able to do which portrays an underlying strength in Mercutio.
Tybalt
Throughout Romeo and Juliet, Tybalt’s character is not developed to his full potential, mearly glanced at, but in Act 3 Scene 1, his character becomes more developed and understood by the reader or audience. His interactions with Mercutio and Benvolio, his sworn enemies, showed that he is more mature and less eager to fight than he is initially portrayed. As a Capulet, he is raised to hate the Montagues and those affiliated with them, therefore having justification to fight with Mercutio, the prince’s cousin. When Tybalt first enters the scene, he is looking for Romeo whom he still has to fight for appearing at the Capulet’s party. Despite Mercutio’s eagerness to fight, he is only looking for Romeo, and only Romeo he will fight. This particular interaction shows how Tybalt’s character does not contain a bloodlust and that the extent of the feud does not mingle with the execution of his plans.
However, once Romeo enters the scene and clearly expresses that he does not want to fight, Tybalt’s levelheadedness dissolves. Romeo’s change and peaceful intentions only confuse Tybalt, and recognizing Mercutio’s willingness to fight, he utilizes this opportunity. Here the reader sees another addition to his character, that he will settle for less. In this case, Mercutio rather than Romeo, but a fight is still a fight, spurred from irritation of Romeo’s actions. These moments before his death, Tybalt becomes a dimensional character, one with beliefs and developments further than what he was before.
Romeo
In Act 3 Scene 1, Romeo enters ecstatic, for he has just married the love of his life, Juliet. Once he reaches Tybalt and Mercutio, who are at each other’s throats, he is still happy and believes the rest of the world is too. When Mercutio and Tybalt begin to bicker, Romeo tries to proclaim his love for the Capulet family and the peace of the feuding families will bring. Mercutio takes Romeo’s words the wrong way and begins to fight with Tybalt. Romeo, not knowing how else to stop the fray, holds Mercutio back while Tybalt strikes and Mercutio falls. After Mercutio’s death, Romeo seeks revenge, completely forgetting his earlier ties with Tybalt and slays him as well. When entering the scene, Romeo wanted peace between both houses, and it resulted in more bloodshed. Romeo then flees the scene, torn and confused.
Romeo’s confusion shows how Romeo’s character is not completely developed. In the beginning of the play, Romeo is heartbroken over Rosaline, until he meets Juliet. He easily forgets Rosaline and quickly marries Juliet. His change in feelings so quickly shows that Romeo needs direction in every action he takes. Once he kills Tybalt, which is against the Prince’s ruling unlike Tybalt’s slaying of Mercutio, Benvolio is the one who tells him to run. This particular scene gives Romeo the chance to change his character drastically. He had the opportunity to stay and take the consequences and argue against the ruling, but instead, he followed Benvolio’s instructions to run away from the bloody scene.
Prince Escalus
In Act III Scene I of Romeo and Juliet, Prince Escalus makes a rare appearance, and in doing so develops more as a character in the eyes of the reader. The Prince plays an important role in choosing Romeo's fate, and indirectly, the rest of the character's fates in the play, as well. The decision that the Prince makes -banishing Romeo- sets forth a whole series of events, like dominoes, and furthermore the death of the two star-crossed lovers. Despite the feuds the Capulets and Montagues are going through, the Prince remains an unbiased, neutral character; much like Switzerland. He is a figure of authority and power in Verona. In this specific scene, he had to deal with the aftermath of both Tybalt and Mercutio's death. Mercutio, his cousin's, death made the Prince's stoic and confined facade waver, though. He pardoned Romeo's death sentence, despite the fact that the consequence of murder is death. The fact that he did this implies that although he is a neutral figure, he does falter when bad things happen to people or items he finds important or holds close to himself. This adds a greater depth to his character, and makes him more human in the eyes of the reader. The motivation the Prince held for pardoning Romeo all started at the death of his cousin, Mercutio.
