Blog Post #4 Act III

Dear Friend,

In these times of fighting and betrayal, it seems as though my only real friend is you. Who else can keep a secret as well as a book, or will allow me to vent my anger without even a hesitation? It is anger that I have now. I am angered with the two feuding families, the Capulet and the Montagues. I understand that they don't get along, but is actual physical fighting necessary? I have pleaded with them and threatened to punish them, but it all stays the same.

Just this week another fight broke out in the streets. Two men were killed. As soon as I heard of this news, I assumed I would just sentence the killers to death, but it is not that simple. You see it all started with Tybalt and Mercutio arguing in the streets. I am not completely sure who started the fight, because I am not sure I can trust all of what the witness Benvolio said, even though he swore it to be the truth. Benvolio is a Montague, while Tybalt is a Capulet. I can't ensure that Benvolio wasn't just protecting his friends. Anyways, after they had been arguing for some time, Romeo tried to break up the fight, but as he was doing so, Tybalt fatally stabbed Mercutio and fled. In this, we have one guilty man, but the story gets more complicated as it continues.

Romeo and Benvolio were obviously saddened and angered by Mercutio's death. And when Tybalt returned to the scene, it was only natural for one of them, if not both, to avenge their friend's death and kill Tybalt. That is precisely what happened. Romeo killed Tybalt. Now what am I to do? Romeo and Tybalt are both guilty of murder, but Romeo murdering Tybalt is only doing what the law would have done. Can we call the man who carries out the death sentence a murderer? I guess I had decided to pardon this Romeo character, until I was approached by a grieving Lady Capulet. 

Lady Capulet begged me to punish Romeo. She wanted him dead. How could I ignore her wishes, when I wasn't ignoring the wishes of the Montagues? I was reminded time after time that even if he was doing what the law would have done, a killer is a killer. And that Romeo didn't have permission from me, Prince Escalus, or the government to kill Tybalt. He didn't need to kill Tybalt, for Tybalt would have been killed by the government for murdering Mercutio automatically. By killing Mercutio, he only complicated my situation further.

After listening to both arguments, I have decided on a punishment. I will not kill Romeo, but he will not be let off easy. I will banish him to Mantua, where he will be without friends, family, and all that he has known since childhood. In some ways this is giving him mercy, which his family should appreciate, but in other ways, it will punish him even more than death would. I hope this makes both families happy. It is not easy being the prince of a town struggling with fighting and arguments.

Will this decision will end these arguments? Nay, I think not, we will need something else, something more meaningful. But what is more meaningful than death of a loved one? Someday, this feud must end. When that day arrives, you shall know.

Signed,

Prince Escalus