This suggests that everyone thinks it was a murder.
I will now look at the characters attitudes to status and sum up the similarities and differences.
Benvolio does not seem to be interested in status because he is accused of fighting with servants. This tells me that he does not care about what status he has or anyone else has. His only aim is to keep the peace. Benvolio usually speaks in prose although he does use verse occasionally. However Tybalt speaks in blank verse to suggest that he has a high rank.
“What are thou drawn among these heartless hinds?”
Tybalt is the one who accuses Benvolio of fighting below his rank and he tries to provoke him, but he stays calm. Tybalt is very insulted when Mercutio says, “A gentlemen of the very first house,” this means that Tybalt is not a real gentlemen and he is just a fighter. He also insults Tybalt’s language by saying that he is not very witty and he does not deserve his high status.
Tybalt is a huge contrast to Benvolio because Benvolio doesn’t care about status, whereas Tybalt does because he accuses Benvolio of fighting below his rank.
Mercutio is also different to Benvolio but he is fairly similar to Tybalt because he says that Tybalt does not deserve his high status because of his language. He also insults Tybalt’s fighting skills which is setting the scene for the fight.
“He fights as you sing prick-song, keeps time, distance and proportion.”
Tybalt and Mercutio are fairly similar because they both appear to be very proud of their status. They seem to be mocking each other about things associated with status. Benvolio contrasts to these characters as he does not appear to be bothered by status.
I will now examine the characters language throughout the play and sum up the differences and similarities of the characters.
Benvolio’s language changes throughout the play. When he is trying to make peace he always commands.
“I do but keep the peace, Put up thy sword.”
This tells me that Benvolio is trying to stop a fight from breaking out. He uses forceful monosyllabic instructions to demand peace.
He rarely joins in the wordplay that the other characters are fond of. In Act 1 scene 1 all of the characters use word play but Benvolio uses simple language. However in Act 2 scene 4 he does join in the word play with the others.
“Thou wouldst else have made thy tale large.”
Benvolio uses poetic language when he talks about Romeo, “See where he comes. So please you step aside.”
He uses contrasts between light and dark, he also uses rhyming couplets:
“Compare her face with some that I shall show,
And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.”
Benvolio is probably the wittiest person in the play judging by his language.
Tybalt always uses very aggressive language, he always commands people to do things.
“To strike him dead, I hold it not a sin.”
Tybalt is using very extreme language. This suggests that Tybalt is a very aggressive character in contrast to Benvolio who commands to try and keep the peace.
Tybalt is not witty enough to use the wordplay that Benvolio and Mercutio use. He always uses simple language when he speaks. For example in Act 3 scene 1, when everyone is using wordplay to build up to the fight, however Tybalt doesn’t join in, “What wouldst thou have with me?”
I believe that Tybalt is in the book as a contrast to Benvolio’s peacemaking
Mercutio loves to talk throughout the play. He uses numerous fantastic imaginings in his Queen Mab speech in Act 1 scene 4.
“Her traces, of the smallest spider web; Her collars of the moonshines watery beams.”
Mercutio gets so carried away during this long speech that Romeo interrupts, ”Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace. Thou talk’st of nothing.”
This suggests to me that Mercutio loves to hear his own voice.
Mercutio uses lots of sexual puns and in some cases he goes too far.
“For this drivelling love is like a great natural that runs lolling up and down to hide his bauble in a hole.”
Mercutio is fairly similar to Romeo because they both are very witty and they regularly play on words. Tybalt is sometimes similar to Benvolio because he commands to try and keep the peace. Tybalt never joins in this wordplay with the other characters.
I will now investigate the characters attitudes towards the other characters in the play and discuss the similarities and differences.
Benvolio’s attitude towards Romeo is very good and he is a loyal friend. He knows Romeo very well and tries to give him advice whenever he can, “One fires out, anothers burning.” He urges Romeo to find a new love after Rosaline. This sets the scene for Juliet to emerge. Benvolio frequently mocks Tybalt’s fighting skills because he does not believe in fighting and Tybalt always provokes people, “The fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepared.”
Tybalt is very aggressive towards the other characters. Tybalt really hates Romeo, he wants revenge on him, he insults him throughout the play.
“Tis he that villain Romeo”
This was one of the worst insults in old Verona society.
Tybalt is actually related to Romeo through marriage, however he is not aware of this. Romeo is married to Juliet who is Tybalt’s cousin and this is dramatically ironic because the other characters are unaware of this, whereas the audience know they are married.
“Tybalt the reason that I have to love thee doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting.”
Mercutio always likes to have battles with words, normally with Romeo. He always teases him about his lovesickness, “Romeo! Humours! Madman! Passion! Lover!”
I think that he is jealous of Romeo because Romeo has found love and he has not.
He regularly insults other characters like the nurse, “When it hoars ere it be spent,” and Tybalt, “That fights by the book of asthmetic.” I think that he is furious with Tybalt as he has just stabbed him and he tries to get back at him.
Mercutio is a contrast to Benvolio because Benvolio always respects his elders, whereas Mercutio likes to insult people. Tybalt contrasts to Benvolio because Tybalt hates Romeo and does not respect anyone, whereas Benvolio respects most people and is loyal to Romeo.
I will now look at the roles of the characters in the play and sum up the similarities and differences.
Benvolio’s role in the play is to act as a chorus to the play, to clarify what has happened and remind the audience of key facts. For example, “ With piercing steel at bold Mercutio’s breast.”
He is also used as a contrast to Romeo’s romance, Benvolio is more practical in love. Once he has done his job in the play he leaves so the spotlight goes on Romeo and Juliet.
Mercutio’s role in the play is to contrast to Romeo, his love sickness and his romantic language. Mercutio is a very lively character and his view of love is different to Romeos.
“Without his roe like a dried herring.”
He sets the scene for Romeo and Juliet’s fate by describing Romeo’s other relationships which ended badly.
“Cleopatra a gipsy, Helen and Hero hildings and harlots.”
He makes the play humorous and his death forwards the plot. When he dies the comedy dies with him and the play gets serious.
Tybalt is in the play to contrast Benvolio’s peacemaking, as Tybalt always looks to start a fight. He also contrasts with Romeo’s language of love with his aggressive nature.
“To strike him dead, I hold it not a sin.”
Tybalt forwards the plot by saying that he will get his revenge on Romeo for gate crashing the Capulet party.
“But this intrusion shall, Now seeming sweet, convert to bitterest gall.”
Tybalt leaves the play in Act 3 scene 1, after he kills Mercutio because he has fulfilled his role.
Overall, I think that Benvolio is used as a contrast to Tybalt’s aggression and to summarise the play. Tybalt is there to show that fighting was a big part of Verona society and to contrast to Romeo’s romantic language. Mercutio is in the play to liven it up and to add comedy to it. I think that Tybalt was the best example of a typical person in Old Verona. All of these characters leave the play in Act 3 scene 1 so that the audience can focus on Romeo and Juliet.