It is important for a modern audience to understand that Lord Capulet is reacting in an acceptable way complying with the standards of his society in the 16th century. As previously mentioned, the man of the household would have full control over his daughter, and such a determined refusal to follow an instruction would have been almost unheard of in Shakespearian times. While this does not directly justify Capulet’s violence, it does explain his behavior (Capulet's Treatment of …). An understanding of cultural and historical context and background would help a modern audience understand firstly how reasonable Capulet was at the beginning of the play, but also how his violence and anger towards Juliet could be acceptable …show more content…
There are a few great examples of figurative language being used to express anger in the Prince's speech in the very first scene. The first example is seen when the Prince uses the metaphor, "[p]rofaners of this neighbour-stained steel," to refer to the Montague and Capulet families (I.i.78-79). The word steel in this line metaphorically refers to the blades of their swords while "neighbour-stained steel" metaphorically describes their swords as being stained by their neighbors, or more literally, stained by the blood of their neighbors. Therefore, in this line, the Prince uses this metaphor to accuse the family members of violating their swords by staining them with their neighbors' blood. The Prince uses a second metaphor when he next calls the family members "beasts" (79). In his eyes, and rightly so, these men are no longer acting like men who are thinking, feeling, rational beings; instead, they are acting like "beasts," or animals, who make decisions based on their …show more content…
When they meet in Act III, Mercutio states that “I care not”; that Tybalt is coming and that they must prevent a fight. His language and his words are very inflammatory. In response to Tybalt, he states “a word and a blow”. He deliberately misunderstands/ misinterprets Tybalt’s words “consortst” as an insult. Tybalt deliberately uses the word “consort’st” because of its double meaning. Likewise, Mercutio hates Tybalt and provokes him to a fight when he asks if Tybalt, the “Good King of Cats”, is a coward: “Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk” III,i. Provocatively, Tybalt greets Romeo with the phrase “here comes my man”. Tybalt bears a grudge against Romeo from the time he comes to the ball. He is stubborn and hot-tempered, admitting that he hates “peace” as he hates “hell, all Montagues, and thee.” He says to Romeo, “thou art a villain”, which refers to the fact that he is intended as an insult and refers to a man of inferior birth, as a peasant. He tells Romeo, “turn and draw”. He also feels slighted that Lord Capulet seems to have protected Romeo at the ball. Capulet believes that Romeo is a “virtuous” and “well-govern’d youth” with a good reputation. This seems to fuel Tybalt’s sense of inferiority, and, feeling aggrieved, he constantly looks for an outlet to vent his anger on
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
Shakespeare uses Mercutio fighting for Romeo to prove that love causes people to act rashly. Mercutio, throughout the play is a loyal friend to Romeo. He knows that after the party at the Capulet’s, Tybalt is unpleased with Romeo and even challenges him. Mercutio and Benvolio are discussing the conflict between Tybalt and Romeo when Mercutio describes Tybalt as this, “More than prince of cats...the very butcher of a silk button,” (Shakespeare 2.4.20,24). Mercutio uses “prince of cats” to describe Tybalt as a good swordsman. Cats are nimble and quick, and according to Mercutio,
In this essay, I will take a gander at the play of Romeo and Juliet. I will examine how Shakespeare has utilized dialect in the play for symbolic impact. I will also see how Shakespeare has displayed love and the path in which Romeo and Juliet converse with each other, I might choose whether their affection was genuine and discuss their parents differentiating perspectives and conclusions. I will likewise remark on the play's pertinence today and perceive how Shakespeare has utilized dramatic devices and structures to improve the discussion between the youthful lovers. All throughout the play, there is a consistent theme of love and destiny, I will be dissecting this subject and show how it influences Romeo and Juliet.
Tybalt intended to fight Romeo because he disliked his presence at the Capulet’s party but after Romeo refuses to fight Mercutio feels the need to fight for him instead. This is not the only time Mercutio is a display of masculinity in the play. As Romeo’s friend he likes to mock him, calling him an petrarchan lover and joking about his version of love. The difference to Romeo is also found when juxtaposing how Romeo and Mercutio speak. For instance, when Romeo talks about the girls he is in love with or has a crush on he talks in poetic sentences. In comparision, Mercutios:” Laura was a kitchen slave. Surely she has a better love to make rhymes for her. Dido was shabbily dressed. Cleopatra was a gypsy girl. Helen and Hero were sluts and harlots.
First, Romeo’s kind and calm personalities act as an advantage for many of the possible problems he could have had, such as Capulet hatred towards him and his increase in violence. After Romeo was depressed because he liked Rosaline and she didn’t like him back, his cousin Benvolio helped Romeo sneak into a Capulet party so he could get over Rosaline and pick another woman that he might want. As Romeo was describing how Juliet looked to his cousin, Tybalt, Capulet’s nephew, figured out that Romeo was at the party by his voice. He then confronted Capulet and asked him if he could kill him, but surprisingly Capulet lets him stay at the party and calls Romeo a gentleman and a good man (Shakespeare Act 1 Scene 1 Line 64). Capulet could have captured him or even killed him, but he did not. Capulet stated that Romeo is a well-governed youth and that Romeo is a good man, which shows that Romeo isn’t a person who would cause a commotion and that he causes no threat to the Capulet family. Later on, as Mercutio, the prince's kinsman, is arguing and fighting with Tybalt about him being one of his villain Romeo’s friends, Romeo comes in and says, “Tybalt, the reason I have to love thee doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such greeting. Villain am I none.Therefore farewell. I see thou knowest me not” (Shakespeare Act 3 Scene 1 Line 58). As Tybalt wants to fight Romeo and bring in violence,
best friend it is his duty to defend him now he is too feeble to
To begin with, Mercutio is a good friend to Romeo in that he stands up for Romeo when in need. In Act III, Scene I, there is a scene in which Tybalt, Mercutio, and Romeo are conversing. In lines 59-60, Tybalt says, “Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford no better term than this: thou art a villain.” This
The word ‘love’ shows that Romeo is a kind hearted, peaceful person. However by using the quotation above this unintentionally annoys Tybalt. On the other hand Tybalt uses language which is completely different to how Romeo uses it, “Romeo the hate that I bare thee can afford no better term than this, -- thou art a villain”. When Tybalt uses the word ‘hate’ this provokes Mercutio as he does not like the way Tybalt is talking about Romeo. Tybalt uses aggressive hateful language and has no respect in the way he talks towards the other characters. Moreover this shows that it does not matter how nice or horrible characters language is, it still can cause conflict between the characters and they do become aggressive.
Romeo wants revenge and fights with Tybalt. In this fight, Romeo kills Tybalt. When Romeo realizes the consequences of his actions, he says that he is “Fortune’s fool” (3.1.142). He believes that he has no control over the killings of Mercutio and Tybalt. However, these events are caused by his own rashness. Romeo chooses to fight with Tybalt and even starts the fight. Romeo fights to avenge his friend’s death. Romeo’s actions are rash because he does not consider the results of his actions. Romeo could resolve the conflict in some nonviolent way, but his mind is fixed on killing Tybalt. Romeo is exiled from Verona because he kills Tybalt. His rashness causes problems for his own family as well as for the Capulets and for the Prince. Romeo’s rashness in killing Tybalt leads to his killing himself.
Romeo and Juliets is a tragic love story but it is the meaning behind the words that made it such a beautiful play. Romeo and Juliet’s dreadful events took place in Verona. Juliet born into the Capulet family and Romeo being a Montague destined to be enemies but fall deeply in love. The audience knows the love between the characters because of the significance behind Shakespeare’s dialogue.
“Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me” taunts Tybalt. Romeo doesn’t argue back. Mercutio assumes Romeo is being cowardly and is ashamed and embarrassed by his friend. He says “O calm, dishonerable, vile submission!” after Romeo says he has to love Tybalt.
In The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, Tybalt was the enforcer of the story and always tried to stir up more chaos in the feud between the Montagues and Capulets. An example of this can be found in Act 1, when the Capulet’s party is going on, when Tybalt senses Romeo, he ends up getting very defensive and angry, “This, by his voice, should be a Montague, / Fetch me my rapier, boy. . . Now, by the stock and honor of my kin, / To strike him dead I hold it not a sin” (5.52-57). Tybalt’s quick and unthoughtful actions make him a hot-headed character who is very easy to dislike. With Tybalt’s previous actions, the story leaned toward the idea that he was going to cause a damaging and lethal event to happen, which he indeed did. After spotting Romeo at the Capulet party, Tybalt felt disrespected and was livid, due to this, he challenged Romeo to a duel. When they both meet up on the street, Romeo attempts to make peace with Tybalt and to end all disagreements between the two. However, Tybalt is there to cause drama and he declines, stating that Romeo’s request “shall not excuse the injuries / that thou hast done to me” (3.1.61-62). Tybalt’s rejection of Romeo’s request led to his own death as well as Mercutio’s. Another consequence of these actions was Romeo’s banishment from Verona, which ended up
Mercutio and Tybalt are very different in some ways and in others, they are very alike. Socially they are extremely different, Mercutio is always trying to have fun and crack jokes and enjoy his life while Tybalt, is very straight laced and serious in his manner. From a modern standpoint, we would say that Mercutio is the life and soul of the party and all of his friends like to be around him but when it comes to Tybalt, we see him as the guy nobody likes because he is too serious and is always looking to start a quarrel. Whereas, from an old fashioned religious point of view, Mercutio would be seen as a hell raiser and a trouble maker and
The play gives an image of the desperate love between Romeo and Juliet and the violence between the two families. The first scene in the play gives a glimpse of
Mercutio, who was a strong believer that no man should back down from a fight and shouldn’t tolerate insults, fought with Tybalt instead of Romeo, getting killed in the end. Another reason why the Capulets were at fault, is that Tybalt entered the scene of the argument full of pride, anger and arrogance. He approached the other men, saying to his followers, “Follow me close, for I will speak to them” (3.1.34.) This quote displays how he told his entourage to look up to him and listen closely as he speaks, as if he were the president, and they were the news reporters. Tybalt then proceeded to mock Romeo and made it seem that he is above and better than all of the Montagues. Tybalt tried to start a fight with a Romeo, but ended up fighting Mercutio and killing him instead.