Benvolio and Tybalt: Characters Analysis

“Men’s eyes were made to look, and let them gaze; I will not budge for no man’s pleasure, I.” Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families. Tybalt and Benvolio are two characters announced in the play and one of the many dramatic foils in the play. Tybalt and Benvolio have disparate personalities and have different roles within their families.

Benvolio is Lord Montague's nephew and Romeo's cousin.

His personality is mild. He attempts to act as a peacemaker and voice of reason when tempers flare between the Montagues and Capulets. He is a member of the Montague family unlike Tybalt he is a member of the Capulet family. He has a close relationship with Romeo. “Alas, that love, so gentle in his view, Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof!” . Benvolio says to Romeo what was making him so sad and his hours so long and it shows that Benvolio trust Romeo.

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Benvolio says, “At thy good heart’s oppression.”  Benvolio was crying because of how sad Romeo was about Rosaline not loving him back.

Tybalt is Juliet’s cousin and is related to the Capulet’s. He is a very aggressive, hotheaded, loyal swordsman, a strong-willed character in the play Romeo and Juliet. Tybalt says, “Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries That thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw.” This quote Tybalt is argumentative when he speaks to any of the Montague family.

When he seeks Romeo for a fight, he is argumentative when Romeo refuses to fight him. These words were uttered to Romeo from Tybalt when he was again gearing to fight with Romeo 'wretched boy, you hung out with him here, and you're going to heaven with him.”  Though these words are a threat and a challenge to Romeo that he would kill Romeo also.

Tybalt and Benvolio are two characters who despise one another. Benvolio is Romeo’s cousin and a good friend with Romeo. Tybalt is Juliet’s cousin and he’s a Capulet, unlike Benvolio he’s a Montague. They are both very family-oriented and continue to show loyalty to their families. The most indisputable differences between them are their temperaments. Benvolio is rational and harmonious, however, Tybalt is decumbent to fights of fury. Tybalt plays an important part in the novel as acting as a provoker for the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets. Out of all the characters portrayed in the novel he feels the most strongly continuing the feud.             

Works cited

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