Example R+J

You have joined with Juliet in holy matrimony; your sense of joy is beyond compare. And so, in a daze, you walk the streets back to the house of your father. Crossing a square, you come upon Tybalt and Mercutio, apparently engaged in some wordplay. Tybalt looks your way, says something more to Mercutio, and turns to face you. He spits the words as if they tasted foul in his mouth: "Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford no better term than this,--thou art a villain!" Your anger rises at the scornful words. You, Romeo, son of a great household, a villain?!? A vile slander. And yet there is Juliet. You have wed this very day. You and she are one; Tybalt, a great enemy, is now your kin. More importantly, he is fair Juliet's kin and you would not have Juliet suffer the pain of losing her own. [["Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee Doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting. Villain am I none. Therefore farewell; I see thou knowst me not." With that, you turn and walk away->Leave]] [["You will regret your slanderous tongue, you foul rogue! Draw your sword, Tybalt, and welcome death!" You draw your rapier and crouch, ready to leap at your opponent.->Duel Tybalt]]

"Now, Tybalt, thou will eat thy words and find them foul;draw and die!" With that, you brandish your sword and ready for the attack." Thrust and parry, lunge and dodge. You cover the courtyard in your battle, swords flashing. Mercutio follows, begging you to stop lest the Prince come and end the affair with your execution. (link-replace: "But then ...")[(either: "you stumble on a loose flagstone. Frantically, you regain your balance and look up, just in time to see Tybalt's blade slide into your gut. [[You Die->Your Death]]","An opening ... Tybalt has lowered his guard ever so slightly. You lunge and pierce his heart with your blade. [[Tybalt is slain]]")]

Tybalt barks, "Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw!" You stop at his words, your sense of honor and your love for Juliet at war in your breast. [["I do protest, I never injured thee, but love thee better than thou canst devise, till thou shalt know the reason of my love. And so, good Capulet,--which name I tender as dearly as my own,--be satisfied." With that, you continue to walk away->Resist the Fight]] [["Tybalt, you have exhausted my patience and my kindness. Your harping will be the end of you. Draw your sword!" You turn, draw your rapier and crouch, ready to leap at your opponent.->Duel Tybalt]]

"O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!" Mercutio mutters," Alla stoccata carries it away." Then Mercutio calls out, "Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?" You turn at his words and see that he has dran his sword and stalks Tybalt. THe Prince of Cats raises his hands in protest: "What wouldst thou have with me?" Mercutio retorts, "Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives; that I mean to make bold withal, and as you shall use me hereafter, drybeat the rest of the eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pitcher by the ears? make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out." His dark eyes shining in the midday sun, Tybalt shrugs. "I am for you." With that he lunges toward Mercutio, who only just manages to fend off the piercing blow. Like chariots on a course, events are racing beyond control. [[Stand between Tybalt and Mercutio, blocking their swords with your body->Stop the Duel]] [[Watch the two duel it out->Watch the duel]]

Ever faithful Benvolio is at your side and you implore him to help stop this madness. "Draw, Benvolio; beat down their weapons." You urge the pair to cease this murderous game: "Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage! Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly hath forbidden bandying in Verona streets: Hold, Tybalt! good Mercutio!" But they will have none of it. You will need to part them by your own hand or let them at it. [[Yield and watch the two duel it out->Watch the duel]] [[Pull Mercutio out of the duel->Stop Mercutio]]

You stand aside; you will not fight your new kinsman Tybalt. But they have made their choice; neither will you stop them. The two duel across the courtyard,trading blow for blow, thrusting and parrying, rapiers flashing in the midday sun. (link-replace: "But then ...")[(either: "Mercutio is trusty with a blade, but Tybalt is the master. A moment of weakness, a misplaced parry and Mercutio is overwhelmed, stabbed in the breast by Tybalt.(set: $mercutioDead to true) Benvolio hastens off with Mercutio seeking help, but you know it is too late. Now you are left with a simple choice. [[Avenge Mercutio->Revenge on Tybalt]] [[Be with Mercutio at the End-> Leave with Dying Mercutio]]", "Tybalt is a master swordsman, but sometimes fortune does not favor the masters. Mercutio manages a lucky strike and Tybalt, mortally wounded, collapses to the ground. [[Mercutio has slain Tybalt]]")]

And so it ends much as it began: Capulets and Montagues fighting and dying on the streets of fair Verona. (if: $mercutioDead is true)[The cost to the Montagues is beyond bearing. You and your steadfast comrade Mercutio have been slain. It is some small consolation that Tybalt has fled into exile to avoid the executioner]. When they carry your cold corpse to the Montague tomb, Juliette stands in the distance, veiled for mourning, her heart rent by the tragedy of your death. Perhaps one day you will be united in that endless kingdom. But for now all is lost. <h3>The End</h3>

The blow was mortal;Tybalt collapses to the ground. (if: $mercutioDead is true)[You have had your vengeance for the death of Mercutio.](else:)[You have had your revenge for Tybalt's vile slander.] But now, as your blood cools, the enormity of your sin overwhelms you: you have slain the kinsman of Juliette, your true love. Only darkness awaits you. (if: $mercutioDead is false)[Was it worth it? Was such a bloody sacrifice required at the altar of your pride?] Benvolio despairs: "Romeo, away, be gone! The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain. Stand not amazed: the prince will doom thee death, if thou art taken: hence, be gone, away!" With that, he runs. "O, I am fortune's fool! you cry to anyone who is listening. But no one is listening anymore. <h3>The End?</h3>

There is nothing for it. They must be stopped in this madness yet they will not be stopped by words. You step in front of Mercutio and hold him back. Unbeknownst to you, Tybalt, that craven, seizes the advantage. He stabs under your arms, arms that hold Mercutio back. All you see is Mercutio's look of pain, followed by horror. He speaks: I am hurt. A plague o' both your houses! I am sped. Is he gone, and hath nothing? "What, art thou hurt?" asks Benvolio, concern etched in his face. "Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch; marry, 'tis enough. Where is my page? Go, villain, fetch a surgeon." [[Still not comprehending, you gently rebuke Mercutio: "Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much."->Mercutio's Death]]

Mercutio faintly replies, "No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough,'twill serve: ask for me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this world." Then, he curses, "A plague o'both your houses! 'Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, acat, to scratch a man to death! a braggart, arogue, a villain, that fights by the book of arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm." You cry, "I thought it all for the best" but Mercutio no longer sees you. "Help me into some house, Benvolio, or I shall faint. A plague o' both your houses! They have made worms' meat of me: I have it, and soundly too: your houses!" Benvolio helps him off, but now you see the full of it:the blood and the wound. Mercutio is done for. (set: $mercutioDead to true) [[Help Benvolio with Mercutio and be with him when he dies-> Leave with Dying Mercutio]] [[Take vengeance on Tybalt->Revenge on Tybalt]]

In a herculean act of will you tear yourself from the battlefield and the murderer Tybalt to accompany Mercutio. He died defending you; let it not be said that Romeo is a false friend, one who would abandon his comrade when at death's ponderous gate. You hold Mercutio's hand as his life drains and are with him at the last. When Mercutio has passed you return to the square. The blood of Mercutio has stained the flagstones; of Tybalt there is nothing to be seen. <h3>The End?</h3>

No sooner than Benvolio and Mercutio leave your sight, Benvolio returns. He looks at you gravely and shakes his head: Mercutio is no more. You mutter, "This day's black fate on more days doth depend; This but begins the woe, others must end." You turn to follow Tybalt only to find him standing by, watching all that has passed. "Now, Tybalt, take the villain back again,that late thou gavest me; for Mercutio's soul is but a little way above our heads, staying for thine to keep him company: either thou, or I, or both, must go with him." Tybalt is courageous, you'll give him that; he does not flinch at your rage but simply growls, "Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here, shalt with him hence." You draw your sword: "This shall determine that." Thrust and parry, lunge and dodge. You cover the courtyard in your battle, swords flashing. Both you and Tybalt fight for his life now. (link-replace: "But then ...")[(either: "your anger makes you careless. You deliver a killing blow only to have Tybalt dodge and run you through with his sword.(set: $romeoDead to true)[[And so, you are slain->Your Death]]","Your anger makes you strong. An opening ... Tybalt has lowered his guard ever so slightly. You lunge and pierce his heart with your blade. [[Tybalt is slain]]")]

Mercutio has had his day. Tybalt is slain. But the justice of the prince will be swift. Mercutio must away, must go into exile to avoid the blade of the executioner. And now you are left alone. When you next see fair Juliette, what will you say? That you let them duel? That you would not defend your own honor with a blade but were willing for Mercutio to slay Tybalt? All appears hopeless, now. <h3>The End?</h3>

[[One Day in Fair Verona->Crisis]] By William Shakespeare with additions by Jeremiah McCall (@gamingthepast) This is a short model for an interactive literary text made with Twine that might be used in secondary school. A teacher might craft this for students, but it would, I think, be more powerful, if students studied the text and wrote their own interactive version in the following segment of Romeo and Juliet I have put all of the passages that are quoted directly from Shakespear in italicized font. The rest I have written in a way that I hope is not too jarring, to make an interactive text. My apologies for typos Please send questions or comments to me (link: "Jeremiah McCall")[(goto-url: "https://gamingthepast.net/about/")] [email protected] @gamingthepast