Conflict Of Conflict In William Shakespeare's 'Romeo And Juliet'

Tybalt, the cousin of Juliet, has a quick temper and frequently acts on impulse. When he first appears, he arrives at the brink of a street fight, and when Benvolio tries to calm him down he gets riled up and says, “What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word/ As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee./ Have at thee, coward!” (1:1, 71-73) When Prince Escalus arrives to see this fight, he raises the consequences on the warring families. He will no longer stand by without doing something and threatens, “If ever you disturb our streets again,/ Your lives shall pay the the forfeit of the peace” (1:1, 98-99). The stakes of the family feud have been taken to a new level, whereas before the Prince was just mad but didn’t act on that anger, now the families are threatened with death if they act out again, all because Tybalt and some Capulet servants jumped into a fight. Even after the Prince’s threats, of which Tybalt knows the stakes, Tybalt comes to fight Romeo the next day but instead finds Benvolio and

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In William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, Benvolio and Tybalt are portrayed as characters with distinctly opposing personalities that is apparent in many different instances throughout the play. Romeo's best friend, Benvolio is depicted as the classic nice guy, incorporating all the personalities necessary to be one. He is calm, patient, an advocate of peace between the two rival families, and always viewing the cup as half full instead of half empty. During the first quarrel between the Montagues and the Capulets in the play, Benvolio tries to bring peace by saying " I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword, / Or manage it to part these men with me " ( , , 62-63). It is apparent that Benvolio has good intentions and that he

From the moment we first hear about Romeo, it is in the context of his suffering at the hands of love. Romeo’s father, Montague, perplexed by his son’s behavior states that, “Many a morning hath he there been seen, / With tears augmenting the fresh morning’s dew, / Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs” (1.1.124-26). While this may be the first time we encounter Romeo’s melancholy humour, it certainly isn’t the last. In fact, one of the primary sources of our infatuation with Romeo rests in our sympathy for him. From the very start this poor boy is plagued by affections for girls that fate, it seems, will not let him be with. At first, it’s Rosaline, a girl who has “sworn that she will still live chaste” (1.1.210), a vow that sets Romeo reeling and complaining because “from love’s weak childish bow she lives unharmed” (1.1.204). His depression over Rosaline is enough to draw the attention of his father, Montague, who has observed that Romeo shuts himself up in his room all day in order to wallow in the darkness. These are the actions of someone who is undeniably quite

Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, tells the tale of two young lovers whose lives end in great tragedy. What makes their story so tragic is that despite their love for one another, their families are mortal enemies. Conflict is a central ingredient in Romeo and Juliet's sad fate. Although their love for each other is strong, it cannot overcome the deluge of conflict that surrounds them. Ultimately they are defeated by the conflicts of person vs person, person vs self, and person vs society.

“ Nurse. Faith, here it is. Romeo is banish 'd and all the world to nothing,

Romeo and Juliet is a story based on conflict. The conflict in the story is Capulet against Montague. From ancient times, the two families have held grudges against each other. As the book states. “Two households, alike in dignity...from ancient grudge break to new mutiny. Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean (1.Prologue.1-4).” The grudge between the two families has led to fighting and even death.

However, Tybalt (Capulet) comes along and will not “talk of peace! I hate the word,” leaving Benvolio with no choice but to continue the conflict. The citizens of Verona are obviously sick of the conflict that exists between the Capulets and Montague, as they shout “Down with the Capulets! Down with the Montague!” So it is clear that the people of Verona do not like the frequent civil wars. This negativity towards conflict could also be seen as a metaphor for maintaining the peace in Shakespearean society.

The scene now takes another turn as Romeo puts aside all thought of peace, and becomes warlike. Benvolio tells him that Mercutio is dead, and Romeo decides on revenge in spite of his marriage to Juliet. “This day's black fate on more days doth depend; This but begins the woe, others must end” The audience is put on more suspense with this foreboding of more strife and death. Tybalt returns, perhaps to continue his quarrel with Romeo but strangely this time, alone and Romeo resolves on violence. “Away to heaven, respective lenity, And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!” With the passion of this language and the dramatic tension once again onstage between Romeo and Tybalt, the scene approaches its climax. Tybalt declares that he will send Romeo’s soul after Mercutio’s. “Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here, Shalt with him hence.” The audience understand that either Tybalt or Romeo must die. Now we have the second sword fight in this scene and this is

The play starts with Sampson and Gregory, two of Capulet’s servants, beginning a quarrel with two servants of Montague. This shows that from the working-class to the upper-class in the two families, they still hold a grudge against the opposite family. Tybalt arrives at the scene, speaking of his loathing of the Montagues, “I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee”. A furious riot develops with Lords Capulet and Montague joining in and officers clubbing both sides of the fight, only for it to be stopped by the neutral Prince Escales. The riot further emphasises the vast level of hate between the two families.

Throughout Romeo and Juliet the theme of conflict is conveyed in many forms, mostly through physical violence; reflected in the era of the Renaissance where there was political turmoil and many European nations were at war. Shakespeare presents the theme in other forms as well; family versus family, sacred versus profane, parent versus child and language versus inner conflict. Conflict is a key in the structure of the play; it is highlighted in the beginning, middle and end. As an audience we are constantly being reminded of conflict which is reflected within the era the play was written in. The Renaissance was the 'rebirth ' of classical learning and was also the time when Science challenged many traditional Christian beliefs which resulted in Catholics fighting Protestants; the Gunpowder plot and the Spanish Armada. Shakespeare chose to dramatise conflict as it was the context in which he was writing plays. It is therefore arguable that this period was characterised by irreconcilable opposites in politics, religion and art. Nothing in the world can exist without its opposite- just as love cannot exist without hate, violence cannot exist without peace.

He was heard provoking Benvolio, a Montague who was trying to put an end to the quarrel before it got out of hand, “… talk of peace! I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and you. Let’s go at it, coward!” This soon led to Benvolio partaking in the fight as well.

“Romeo: Tut! I have lost myself; I am not here: This is not Romeo, he’s some other where. Benvolio: Tell me in sadness, who is that you love? Romeo: What, shall I groan and tell thee? Benvolio: Groan? Why, no; But sadly tell me who. Romeo: Bid a sick man in sadness make his will. Ah, word ill urged to one that is so ill! In sadness cousin, I do love a woman.” (1.1.190-197) In the quote, Benvolio can see that Romeo is distraught, and attempts to find what is bothering him. Romeo is saddened by being denied the love of Rosaline, who he believed to be his true love. Instead of attempting to resolve the issue in their relationship, he quickly turned and dramatically spoke of her to Benvolio. This is just one of the many examples of impulsivity in adolescence in the play of Romeo and Juliet.

One of the reasons why Capulet is responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s death is because of the Montague - Capulet feud. Throughout the play, Romeo and Juliet can’t be together due to their parents fighting. At the beginning of the play, a fight breaks out between members of the Capulet and Montague families (Act I, Scene I, Lines 50 - 70). After the fight causes a disturbance in Verona, Prince Escalus says that anyone that fights again will be executed. This punishment comes up again when Tybalt, a Capulet, and Romeo, a Montague, fight after Tybalt kills Romeo’s friend, Mercutio (Act III, Scene I, Lines 80 - 130). Instead of

Romeo and Juliet introduces us to a long lasting feud carried through many generations and brought upon two families children. “Two households, both alike in dignity / In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, / From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, / Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean” (Shakespeare Prologue.1-4). This feud the Capulets and Montagues have not only affected their children but the citizens of Verona. When two relatives of the different families start fighting against one another, the citizens start fighting against them and soon everyone is pulling out swords until the Prince comes to break up the quarrel in his city. If the Capulets and Montagues were not openly