“What, art thou drawn among these Heartless hinds.”
In those days that was considered an extreme insult because he is suggesting that they are not real men. He then shouts,
“Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death.”
This suggests that he is arrogant towards the servants. Benvolio doesn’t want to fight Tybalt and suggests that they keep the peace but Tybalt doesn’t want to know and explains his views,
“What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word. As I hate Hell….”
This quote contradicts itself because first it says that Tybalt hates the word peace then he goes on to says that he hates Hell as well. This is confusing because if a person who believes in God should hate Hell and love the word peace.
Still explaining his views then goes on to say,
“….all Montagues, and thee….”
This shows us how obsessed he is with the fued with all Montagues and how strongly he feels hatred for them.
Our impression of Tybalt aggressive character is continued when we next see him at the Capulets’ Ball. Before Tybalt enters the scene, the atmosphere is romantic Romeo has just laid his eyes on Juliet. However, as soon as Tybalt sees Romeo, he changes the atmosphere by shouting,
“That by his voice should be a Montague. Fetch me my rapier, boy….”
This suggests how violent he is because he immediately recognizes Romeo’s voice and instantly wants to fight Romeo for gate crashing the ball.
Tybalt speaks about Romeo in a very insulting way, calling him, “Slave” and a “Villain”
The only reason he does not fight Romeo there and then is because his uncle doesn’t allow him because he doesn’t want a fight in front of his guests and bring shame to the Capulet family.
Lord Capulet calls him a “saucy boy” and a “princox” which means that he is an insolent boy. This makes Tybalt feel really angry and even more passionate about getting his revenge on Romeo.
Tybalt’s pride has been hurt, so he swears revenge saying,
“….I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall, now seeming sweet, convert to bitterest gall.”
This is very important to the plot because at the end of this scene Tybalt says that he will leave the situation alone for a while and then later on he will get revenge on Romeo therefore this is building up the tension as the story goes on and this also leads up to the death of Mercutio, Romeo, Juliet and Tybalt himself.
In Act 2, Scene 4 we learn that Mercutio tells Benvolio that Tybalt has sent a challenge to Romeo’s house. Mercutio reckons that Romeo will find it hard to fight Tybalt because he knows all the latest fencing moves.
Mercutio thinks that Romeo is emotionally damaged over the love of Rosaline,
“Alas, poor Romeo, he is already dead...and is he a man to encounter Tybalt”
This tells us that Mercutio is worried Romeo because he knows that he is weak inside therefore Tybalt can easily kills him.
Mercutio refers to Tybalt as,
“The Prince of cats”
This image suggests that he is sly, independent, fit and graceful like a cat when he fights. It also implies that when he fights someone he plays with his prey (opponent) before he kills it is, again that is also what a cat does to its food.
Mercutio also refers to Tybalt as,
“The courageous captain of compliments”
This suggest that Tybalt thinks he is attractive and goes round complimenting the girls this adds to our earlier impression of Tybalt being a arrogant man.
The quotation,
“The very butcher of a silk button”
Tells the audience how very skilled Tybalt is with his sword for example he can cut off a single button off a clothing without touching his opponent’s body.
Tybalt also likes to fight duels we know this by this quotation shown,
“A duellist, a duellist”
Mercutio explains Tybalt as
“A gentleman of the first house”
This gives us the impression that Tybalt thinks he is the first and best out of everyone.
The quotation that shows us that Tybalt knows all the latest fencing moves is,
“Immortal passado, the punto reverse, the hay!”
Mercutio tells Benvolio that Tybalt has sent a challenge to Romeo’s house. Mercutio reckons that Romeo will find it hard to fight Tybalt because he knows all the latest fencing moves.
Mercutio thinks that Romeo is emotionally damaged over the love of Rosaline,
“Alas, poor Romeo, he is already dead… and is he a man to encounter Tybalt?”
This tells us that Mercutio is worried about Romeo because he knows that he is weak inside therefore Tybalt can easily kill him.
Mercutio refers to Tybalt as “The Prince of cats”. This image suggests that he is sly, independent, fit and graceful when he fights. It also implies that when he fights with someone he plays with his prey before he kills it is again that is also what a cat does to his food.
Mercutio also refers to Tybalt as,
“The courageous captain of compliments”
This suggest that Tybalt thinks he is attractive and goes round complimenting the girls this adds to our earlier impression of Tybalt being a arrogant man.
The quotation,
“The very butcher of a silk button”
Tells the audience how very skilled Tybalt is with his sword. For example he can cut a single button off a piece of clothing without touching his opponent’s body. Tybalt also likes to fight duels; we know this by this quotation shown, “A duellist, a duellist”.
Mercutio explain Tybalt as,
“A gentleman of the first person”
This gives us the impression that Tybalt thinks he is the first and best out of all the Capulet’s. The quotation the shows us that Tybalt knows what all the latest fencing moves are,
“Immortal passado, the punto reverse, the hay!”
In Act 3, Scene 1 the audience feels the build-up of suspense as the see Tybalt challenging Romeo to a fight. Tybalt has been looking for Romeo because he is still angry with him for gate crashing the Capulet’s Ball. When Tybalt first sees Mercutio in this scene he speaks in a polite way saying,
“Well peace be with you, sir. Here comes my man”
It is unusual for Tybalt to speak in this way especially to a Montague, he even says that he wants peace with Mercutio he is also being respectful to Mercutio because he doesn’t actually want to fight with him. He want Romeo !
When Tybalt sees Romeo he tries to entice him into a fight by calling him a “Villain”. Romeo explains but stays calm that he has a reason to love Tybalt (being married to Juliet.) Therefore, he will not get angry at what Tybalt has just said. He then says that he is not a villain.
Mercutio becomes involved in the fight to help Romeo,
“O calm, dishonourable, vile submission! Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?
This shows us that Mercutio thinks that Romeo has submitted to Tybalt and that he has lost his honour.
Later in this fight Tybalt kills Mercutio, as we know from this stage direction,
“Romeo gets between them. Tybalt stabs Mercutio under Romeo’s arm, and runs”
Here we know that Tybalt has broken some rules about duelling and at the end after killing Mercutio he run with Romeo tracing after him.
