Romeo and Juliet Tybalt

• Tybalt


  • One of Romeo and Juliet's antagonists
  • Starts fights, attempts to start fights, or makes pre-existing fights escalate
  • Has a particular hatred for Romeo
• Tybalt's violence tendencies


  Inspired by his allegiance with the Capulets and subsequent hatred for the Montagues
• Tybalt: 'What art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death'
• Tybalt: 'I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee'
• Tybalt's reaction to finding out Romeo is at the Capulet ball


  Determined to attack Romeo despite it causing a scene
• Tybalt: 'Patience perforce with willful choler meeting makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting'
• Benvolio: 'Tybalt, the kinsman to old Capulet, Hath sent a letter to his father's house'
• Mercutio: 'He fights as you sing prick-song, keeps time, distance, and proportion; he rests his minim rests, one, two, and the third in your bosom: the very butcher of a silk button, a dualist, a dualist; a gentleman of the very first house, of the first and second cause: ah, the immortal passado! the punto reverso! the hay!'
• Mercutio: 'Good King of Cats, nothing but one of your nine lives'
• Tybalt exits after killing Mercutio
• Mercutio


  Neither a Montague nor a Capulet, related to Prince Escalus and Paris, suggesting high status in Verona
• Mercutio


  • Provocative, feisty, not particularly serious
• Mercutio: 'Nay gentle Romeo, we must have you dance'
• Mercutio: 'If love be rough with you, be rough with love<|>Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down<|>Oh then I see Queen Mab have been with you'
• Mercutio: 'True, I talk of dreams, which are the children of an idle brain, begot of nothing but vain fantasy'
• Mercutio: 'Romeo, humours madman, passion's lover, appear thou in the likeness of a sigh, speak but one rhyme and I am satisfied'
• Mercutio: 'Any man that can write may answer a letter<|>He fights as you sing prick-song, keeps time, distance, and proportion'
• Mercutio: 'O calm dishonorable vile submission ala staccato carries it away Tybalt you rat catcher will you walk'
• Mercutio's aggressive character


  He detests peacefulness and prefers violence, he insults Tybalt and asks if he will fight
• Mercutio's loyalty to Romeo


  He looks to defend Romeo's honor despite the potentially deadly consequences
• Mercutio (as he is dying): 'No it is not so deep as a well nor so wide as a church door but it is enough it will serve. Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant for this world. A plague on both your houses! Sounds a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death! A braggart, a rogue, a villain that fights by the book of arithmetic!'
• Mercutio's sarcasm and humor even in death

  He uses hyperbole and ambiguity for comedic effect, he is arrogant in mocking Tybalt's fighting style
• Mercutio blames Romeo and the Montague-Capulet feud for his death


  He curses both houses, directly points the finger at Romeo
• Mercutio symbolizes Elizabethan ideals of masculinity
• Lord and Lady Montague are the heads of the Montague family
• Lord and Lady Montague bear some responsibility for the continuation of the feud between their family and the Capulets
• Lord and Lady Montague's titles


  Imply they are high status and possess considerable wealth
• Lord and Lady Montague are Romeo's parents
• Lord and Lady Montague's story role


  They fulfill an expositional role, helping to establish the feud and Romeo's misery at the beginning of the play
• Lord and Lady Montague

  Contrast with Lord and Lady Capulet, highlighting qualities of the Capulets
• Lord Montague: 'Now villain Capulet, hold me not, let me go!'
• Lady Montague: 'Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe'
• Lord Montague


  • Consumed by the feud, aggressive, male trait of violence
• Lady Montague


  • Sensible, prevents her husband from engaging in the brawl
• Lady Montague: 'Oh, where is Romeo? Saw you him today? Right glad I am he was not at this fray.'
• Lord Montague: 'We would as willingly give cure as know'
• Lord and Lady Montague


  • Caring, concerned parents who want to make Romeo happy
• Lord Montague: 'Not Romeo, prince; he was Mercutio's friend. His fault concludes but what the law should end the life of Tybalt.'
• Lord Montague


  • Defends Romeo, prioritizes protecting his son, justifies Romeo's actions
• Lord Montague: 'Alas, my liege, my wife is dead tonight. Grief of my son's exile hath stopped her breath.'