Minor Characters

• Paris


  Juliet's family expect her to marry him in order to gain status and wealth
• Paris asks Lord Capulet

  If he can be Juliet's husband and the father of her children
• Lord Capulet tells Paris


  To wait until Juliet is older
• Lord Capulet wants Juliet to marry Paris

  Juliet refuses and gets beaten by her father
• Paris sees Juliet's body as she is 'laid to rest' and claims he still loves her
• Paris dies in a duel with Romeo, and is dragged to lay to rest beside Juliet's body
• Paris


  • Demonstrates the power a woman's father and partner has over her in the Elizabethan era
  • The father's role is to find a wealthy suitor for his daughter, and Paris is this suitor
  • He is a powerful complication in the pair's relationship
• Lady Montague dies out of grief for her dead son
• Lord Montague is shown to be a very caring father
• Lord and Lady Montague


  • They produce conflict between the Capulets, their rival family in Verona
• Benvolio


  • Lord and Lady Montague's cousin, and therefore Romeo's cousin
  • He is incredibly close with Romeo and serves as a very loyal character
  • He tries to diffuse conflict throughout the play
• Benvolio says "I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword // or manage it to part these men with me"
• Benvolio is critical of fighting later in the play, comparing his lack of participation in conflict to Romeo
• Benvolio speaks with possession regarding Romeo - "Romeo! My cousin Romeo!" - which shows he's proud of his cousin
• Tybalt


  • Juliet's cousin, who engages in the physical conflict between the two families
  • He seems to enjoy fighting, and this comes to destroy him in the end as he dies during a physical altercation with Mercutio, a Montague
  • He kills Mercutio, and Romeo kills him in revenge
• Tybalt hates the Montagues intensely - he exclaims "What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word, // As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee"
• Tybalt specifically hates Romeo - stating "Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford // No better term than this,—thou art a villain."
• Tybalt's main role in the play is to provoke conflict which moves the narrative of the play onwards