Tybalt is an agent of the tragedy.

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Tybalt is an agent of the tragedy. The tragedy was always going to happen because the two lovers were ‘star-crossed’ and were always going to end in a tragic manner. We know this because of the prologue and we know it because that is what happens in tragedies.

Tybalt is Juliet’s favourite cousin and he is also a prominent member of the Capulet gang which regularly fights the Montague gang. It is inevitable that Romeo should fight Tybalt after Tybalt kills Mercutio, one of Romeo’s best friends

who was killed protecting Romeo’s good name. Romeo unwittingly caused his best friend’s death, so he felt that he had to kill Tybalt in an act of revenge.

Tybalt, however, was one of Juliet’s favourite cousins and when she finds out who killed him, she nearly changes her mind about Romeo. However, as soon as the Nurse begins to criticise Romeo, she changes her mind and the tragedy really begins where the two lovers kill themselves.

The chorus tells us at the beginning of the play that Romeo and Juliet are a "Pair of star crossed lovers." The implication of this is that they are fated to die because it is written in the stars.

Both Romeo and Juliet have a sense of foreboding about the future and refer to the stars. In Act 1 scene 4 before going to the Capulets’ ball Romeo says:

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"My mind misgives some consequence, yet hanging in the stars…forfeit of untimely death."

Later when he is told of Juliet’s apparent death he says:

"Then I defy you, stars!"

In Act 5 scene 3, just before taking the poison he says:

"Will I … shake the yoke of inauspicious stars from this world wearied flesh."

One of the ingredients in a tragedy is that there is usually a tragic flaw or weakness in the central character, which leads to their downfall. However, in the case of Romeo and Juliet the central reason for their deaths lies outside ...

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