(and his explosive nature) to the audience with this line,
showing that he is a violent and aggressive man. Ironically, he
fears punishments for his sins in eternal suffering (‘I hate
hell’) and is a man without religion safe for his creed of
hate: he says in Act 1, Scene 5 (in relation to Romeo) “To
strike him dead I hold it not a sin.”
We meet Tybalt again in Act 1, Scene 5, at the Capulet’s masked
ball. Tybalt recognises Romeo as a Montague and his feelings of
hatred rekindle: “What dares the slave come hither?” (Act 1,
Scene 5, line 56). Tybalt thinks it an honourable, righteous
act to kill any Montague in order to protect the Capulet family
name. He takes Romeo’s presence as open-faced effrontery and a
clear threat to the Capulet family. Lord Capulet orders him not
to start a scandal: “I would not for the wealth of all this
town here in my house do him disparagement.” Even this train of
restraining and soothing comments do not succeed in calming
Tybalt’s petty and vengeful feelings of hatred for Romeo: “I
will withdraw, but this intrusion shall, now seeming sweet,
convert to bitterest gall” (Act 1, Scene 5, lines 92-93). He is
forced to be patient, but inside he is boiling with rage and
contradictory emotions of strained indifference, which make him
tremble. Tybalt makes a promise to himself to make Romeo pay
for his trespass and exits. The audience at this moment fears
for Romeo, because they have grown to like him and they know
that Tybalt is an unforgiving man who keeps to his word and
takes such things as family pride very seriously. The audience
is kept in suspense. Following Tybalt’s exit, Romeo approaches
Juliet and the audience is moved by the touchingly romantic
interchange. For a while they are caught up in the innocence of
young love and are led to forget that Romeo’s life is in
danger. The scene relieves the tense atmosphere created by
Tybalt’s threatening expression of his wrathful and vindictive
intentions towards Romeo. Until Act 3, Scene 1 (which in a way
is the showdown between Tybalt and Romeo), Tybalt’s thirst for
revenge is a hovering menace over Romeo and Juliet’s love.
The day after the Capulet’s masked ball, Tybalt challenges
Romeo to a duel because of the “injuries that thou hast done
me”. Tybalt insults and provokes Romeo to spur him into action
(“Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford no better term than
this – thou art a villain”), but Romeo responds calmly and will
not accept the challenge (“Therefore farewell, I see thou
knowest me not”). Tybalt is intimidated, confused and angered
(“Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done
me, therefore turn and draw”) by Romeo’s passivity and
affection (“But I love thee better than thou canst devise”).
Tybalt assaults Romeo, but Romeo won’t respond. Mercutio
doesn’t like the way Tybalt is treating Romeo and can’t
understand Romeo’s submissiveness (“O calm, dishonourable, vile
submission!”) and challenges him (“Tybalt, you rat-catcher,
will you walk?”). They start to fight and in the confusion
Tybalt stabs Mercutio. This tells us that he is a reckless and
impulsive character who acts in the heat of the moment. To
avenge his dead friend, Romeo kills Tybalt.
Right from the start we see Tybalt as a truculent, boisterous,
hot-tempered man who considers himself and his kin superior to
Romeo and the Montagues. Tybalt is headstrong (in Act 1, Scene
5, Tybalt says to Lord Capulet: “I’ll not endure him” and
insists with “Why, uncle, ‘tis a shame” until Lord Capulet
reproaches him and calls him a ‘saucy boy’ and ‘princox’) who
will never change his mind about the Montagues. Tybalt is a
villain, but his virtue is his pride and fierce loyalty towards
his family. Tybalt is wilful and hence prejudiced towards the
Montagues, and clearly believes that the family feud is worth
fighting for (since he rekindles it: (Prologue) “From ancient
grudge break to new mutiny”) and so gives his life direction,
flavour, meaning and occasional amusement.
In Shakespeare’s work, he uses contrasts as theatrical devices
to lend diversity to the script. Tybalt, the King of Cats, is
the antithesis of Benvolio, the peace-keeper. Tybalt hates
everything that Benvolio stands for as a Montague and lover of
peace: “I hate the word”, he belligerently remarks.
If Tybalt had not gone looking for Romeo, if Mercutio had not
provoked Tybalt, then Mercutio would never have been killed and
Romeo would never have slain Tybalt. Tybalt’s death brings
about a catalytic effect on the play’s plot, for as a result
Romeo is banished from Verona which causes Juliet to pine. Her
well-intentioned father arranges for her to marry Paris, to
remedy her supposed mourning for Tybalt (“who (Lord Capulet) to
put thee from thy heaviness hath sorted out a sudden day of
joy”). This tragic chain of effects seals the fate of the ‘star
crossed lovers’. It’s a combination of Romeo’s banishment and
her imminent betrothal to Paris that spurs her on to such
drastic measures as advised by Friar Lawrence.
In the film “Romeo and Juliet” by Baz Luhrmann, Tybalt’s
character, as interpreted by John Leguziamo, is portrayed in a
very effective manner. When Tybalt first appears he has a
confident grin on his face. When he smiles he has the
word ‘sin’ engraved in metal onto his teeth, which immediately
depicts his as a man without morals. Tybalt’s car and gun is
better than those of the Montagues, which I believe shows
Tybalt to be a supercilious, conceited and extravagant
character. When they put up their weapons and start to shoot,
Tybalt shoots with style, doing many classy tricks. Despite
feeling furious he looks entertained and amused while the
Montagues look scared and nervous. Tybalt looks sleek as he
walks with a straight, commanding posture. He exudes confidence
and arrogance as he literally looks down on the cowering
Montagues. When Tybalt starts a fire, it is symbolic of his
raging feelings of profound loathing and burning odium. His
anger blazes like a fire, he wants to destroy all Montagues as
fire consumes all in its path. Tybalt is like a self-
destructive, uncontrollable evil force that craves for rampage
and freedom.
