Title: In Romeo and Juliet, why is Romeo banished? - eNotes.com
Headings: In
Romeo and Juliet
, why is Romeo banished?

Romeo and Juliet
In Romeo and Juliet, why is Romeo banished?
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And for that offence Immediately we do exile him [Romeo] hence (Shakespeare, 3.1.148-149).
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Content: After discovering that Tybalt has killed Mercutio, Romeo seeks revenge and challenges Tybalt to a duel. Romeo ends up killing Tybalt and flees before Prince Escalus arrives at the scene. When Prince Escalus learns about Mercutio and Tybalt's deaths, he banishes Romeo from Verona by saying,
And for that offence Immediately we do exile him [Romeo] hence (Shakespeare, 3.1.148-149). Instead of being punished by death, Romeo is exiled from the city he grew up in and is forced to flee to Mantua—before he secretly returns to Verona and discovers that Juliet is presumably dead. Approved by eNotes Editorial Team
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Romeo is banished in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet after killing Tybalt in a street duel. In spite of the fact that Tybalt started this duel and killed Mercutio, one of Romeo's dearest friends, in the process, Romeo is the "last man standing" and must bear the responsibility and consequences for the bloodshed. At the beginning of the Play, Prince Escalus finds the Capulets and Montagues brawling in the streets and, thus, declares that there will be severe punishment if they are caught fighting again: By thee, old Capulet, and Montague. Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets,
And made Verona's ancient citizens
Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments,
To wield old partisans, in hands as old,
Canker'd with peace, to part you canker'd hate: If ever you disturb our streets again,
Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.