Overall some of the characters in the play are of cowardice and bravery some are of pure bravery and some are of pure cowardice. Romeo is of both cowardice and bravery the same as Benvolio

Tybalt is a Capulet and 100% cowardice. He shows this in almost every scene, he goes around the streets of Verona provoking people to fight him whenever he likes. In act 3 Scene I Tybalt is trying to provoke Romeo to fight him but Romeo refuses to brawl: “Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw”. Tybalt acts as a catalyst by causing violence wherever he goes. Tybalt also has a very short temper which is a bad thing. The most coward thing about Tybalt is when he was brawling with Mercutio; Romeo held back Mercutio and during this Tybalt stabs Mercutio under Romeo’s arm. After this Tybalt runs away from it all. This happens in Act 3 Scene I: “Tybalt under Romeo’s arm wounds Mercutio and hurries away”. Another thing is that Tybalt calls Romeo a villain in Act 3 Scene I when everyone knows Tybalt is the villain: “Romeo, the love I bare thee can afford No better term than this: thou art a villain”. This is my evidence to prove Tybalt is a pure coward.    

The next person that I am reviewing is Mercutio who is a Montague; Mercutio is a purely brave person. First of all he shows this in Act 3 Scene I. Benvolio states to Tybalt: “By my head, here comes the Capulets”. Mercutio replies “By my hell, I care not”. This shows Mercutio is brave because he will not runaway just because the Capulet’s approach him. Also when Tybalt is showing off to his friends telling Romeo to fight him, Romeo refuses so Mercutio steps up to fight Tybalt this happens in Act 3 Scene I. Also in Act 3 Scene I when Tybalt stabbed Mercutio none of the Montagues knew that Mercutio was hurt and thought he was only joking. Whilst Mercutio was struggling around wounded and cursing both the Montagues and the Capulets “A plague a’ both your houses! They have made worms’ meat of me”. Another good thing about Mercutio is that he was a born joker. To prove this even when Tybalt wounded him he was still making jokes “Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man”. He means in this joke not just grave for ‘dead’ but for ‘serious’ as well. That was my evidence to prove Mercutio was a man of nothing but bravery.

Benvolio is a person that wants to keep peace. Benvolio is a very diplomatic person who hates fights and fighting “I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword, or manage it to part these men with me” this happens in Act I Scene I, when the Montague and Capulet servants are brawling.

Benvolio is a person of both Cowardice and Bravery. He was a coward in this play because he never wanted to be wherever the Capulets where “I pray thee good Mercutio, let’s retire. The day is hot, the capels are abroad: and if we meet we shall not escape a brawl, for now, these hot days, is the mad blood string” this occurs in Act 3 Scene I and shows Benvolio is part coward. Benvolio is brave for he does not react when the Capulets provoke him to fight. Benvolio is a diplomat therefore is always there for Romeo when times are bad for Romeo and tries to feel what Romeo is feeling so he can try to smooth things out for Romeo. Benvolio is always there to calm Romeo down and talk sense into him. Benvolio always breaks up fights.

“Here were the servants of your adversary and yours, close fighting ere I did approach: I drew to part them; in the instant came the fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepared, which, as he breathed defiance to my ears, he swung about his head, and cut the winds, who, nothing hurt withal, hissed him in scorn. While we were interchanging thrusts and blows, came more and more, and fought on part and part, till the prince came, who parted either part”.

This happens in Act I Scene I. This is the evidence showing Benvolio being of both Cowardice and Bravery.

Overall some of the characters in the play are of cowardice and bravery some are of pure bravery and some are of pure cowardice. Romeo is of both cowardice and bravery the same as Benvolio. Tybalt is a pure coward and Mercutio is a brave man. So my essay is balanced.

The play Romeo and Juliet was written in the Tudor time by the reign of Queen Elizabeth the 1st. Elizabeth's life was troubled from the moment she was born. Elizabeth’s father had changed the course of his country's history in order to marry Anne Boleyn, hoping that she would give him the strong and healthy son that Catherine of Aragon never did. But, on September 7th, 1533 in Greenwich Palace, she gave birth to Elizabeth instead. Elizabeth I was the only surviving child of King Henry VIII by his second wife, Ann Boleyn.

Queen Elizabeth reined England and Ireland from September 7th, 1533 until 17th of November 1558, Queen Elizabeth the 1st’s death. Queen Elizabeth died at a very young age at only 25 years. Elizabeth I was the fifth and final monarch of the Tudor dynasty, having succeeded her half-sister, Mary I. She reigned during a period of turmoil in English history.

Elizabeth's reign is referred to as the Elizabeth era or the Golden Age and was marked by increases in English power and influence worldwide. Elizabeth I was sometimes referred as the Gloriana, Good Queen Bess or the virgin Queen as she had never married.