The tragedy Romeo and Juliet boasts a wide assortment of characters. Many of whom are often at odds with one another. Three characters in particular, Tybalt, Mercutio, and Benvolio, are three very different men, and are driven by impulses and their different characteristics. Tybalt is driven by his rage and craving for violence, Mercutio is driven by his friendship with Romeo, and Benvolio is often driven by his love for peace. But these men do share one common trait, loyalty. Tybalt, Mercutio, and Benvolio are loyal to their families and their friends without question and with great passion.
Tybalt is a man whose anger dominates his behavior. He would much rather fight than work problems with others out. He actually says he hates peace to Benvolio during the beginning of the play when Benvolio was trying to make peace between Montague and Capulet attendants; Tybalt exclaims,” What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee: Have at thee, coward! ” Tybalt is telling Benvolio he hates peace, hell, Montagues and Benvolio. Tybalt rage and violence is fueled by his pride in some instances.
When Tybalt and Mercutio duel, Tybalt says to Romeo beforehand,” Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw. ” The injuries Tybalt is referencing to is when Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio snuck into the Capulet Ball. Tybalt was infuriated and said he would get Romeo back, and this was his time to get him back. Essentially Tybalt claimed whatever Romeo says will not excuse what he’s done, so tells Romeo to draw his sword and fight. Tybalt’s unwavering loyalty to his family is usually why his rage controls him.
When someone disgraces or disrespects the Capulet name Tybalt is more than willing to fight to defend his family’s name. Mercutio is neither a Capulet nor a Montague. His loyalty doesn’t lie with any family, but with his best friend, Romeo. His decisions are based mostly upon his friendship with Romeo. Mercutio’s decision to fight Tybalt, the choice which ultimately led to both his and Tybalt’s death, was made because Tybalt insulted Romeo. Mercutio being Romeo’s friend exclaims to Tybalt,” Tybalt, you ratcatcher! Will you walk? Mercutio calls Tybalt a ratcatcher because his nickname is “Prince of Cats”, so Mercutio is using it as an insult to ask him to fight. Mercutio also often consoles Romeo such as when Mercutio wants Romeo to dance at the Capulet Ball, Romeo claims,”…I have a soul of lead, so stakes me to the ground I cannot move” prompting Mercutio to say to Romeo,” You are a lover; borrow Cupid’s wings, and soar with them above a common bound. ” Mercutio is telling Romeo that he is a lover and so he needs to use Cupid’s wings to overcome his “soul of lead” and fly above a normal leap.
The last character, Benvolio, is the only one of these three men to still be alive by the end of the play. This shows Benvolio is probably the more even headed of the three men. Benvolio loves peace and always tries to do what he can to keep it. During the beginning of the play, there is a scuffle between a few Capulet and Montague attendants, so Benvolio comes, draws his weapon, and says to Tybalt, who is present as well,” I do but keep the peace, put up thy sword, or manage it to part these men with me. Benvolio is telling Tybalt to put away his sword or get rid of the men surrounding him. Before Romeo meets Juliet for the first time at the ball, Romeo is overcome with sadness, but no one truly knows why. When Benvolio speaks about Romeo’s sadness with Lord Montague, neither one truly knows why Romeo is depressed. Because both men care about Romeo, Benvolio asks Romeo,”…What sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours? ” Benvolio asks this because of what Romeo had just said that hours seem so long, so Benvolio is then moves to ask Romeo what makes the hours seem so long.
So to conclude, Romeo and Juliet offers a wide array of different characters, and often they are either fighting or falling in love with one another. Three men that live in Verona, Tybalt, Mercutio, and Benvolio are three very different men, motivated by their anger, friendships, and peacefulness, but all three men are motivated by one common trait, loyalty. Loyalty shapes these men’s actions and who they are. It all just depends on how they choose to prove their loyalty.