Why did shakespeare choose to begin Act Two with Mercutio and Benvolio rather than with Romeo?

Answer 1

It is for3 main reasons: 1) to show that the familyfeudis far reaching and involves everyone in both families 2) also to involve theaudience and make them feel more alive in the play, seeing as it was not performed on a french (proscenium) stage but a stage where theaudienceloops all around the set(thrust stage) 3) to get the audience's attention before the main characters are introduced. In this way, if the audience members were still talking to their neighbours, buying Oranges or beer or something, they wouldn't miss key dialogue.

Answer 2

The first scenes of Shakespeare's plays are often intended to settle the audience down. There were no house lights to dim or curtains to draw so it sometimes took a while for the crowds (which could be fairly rowdy) to realize that the play had started. As a result, many of Shakespeare's first scenes are throwaway scenes, since many of the audience members will miss what is going on anyway. They are also often full of noise and activity, the better to get the attention of the audience.

But this is not always the case. Richard III starts with the main character delivering a soliloquy of all things, the incredible "Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this sun of York." speech. In the comedies, the main character usually comes on in the first scene, but not at the very beginning of it (or one comes in at the start, and another comes in later). Thus All's Well that Ends Well starts with the Countess and Bertram, with Helena entering later in the first scene. Midsummer Night's Dream starts with Theseus and Hippolyta, but Hermia, Lysander and Demetrius are introduced later in the scene. Beatrice and Hero are on stage at the beginning of Much Ado, but Benedick and Claudio enter before the scene is over. In Measure for Measure the Duke has the first line, and Angelo comes in shortly thereafter, although we do not see Isabella until Scene 4.

Answer 3

Good question. Too bad Shakespeare isn't around to answer it. It could be that he wanted a little comic relief between the heavy love scenes in 1,5 and 2,2. The dirty jokes in 2,1 (honest, they're filthy!) would keep the groundlings happy during the balcony scene.