Romeo and Juliet Advanced
Tybalt: The one who always wants to fight
Tybalt is a Capulet, Juliet’s cousin. He is aggressive and confrontational, driven by honour and loyalty to his family. It
is this which causes him to seek out Romeo in Act 3 Scene 1 and which leads to the disastrous chain of events
culminating in the death of Romeo and Juliet. Tybalt might seem to be a very one-dimensional character; he doesn’t
change or learn anything as the play progresses, in fact it could be argued that he is there only to cause the discord
between the Capulets and Montagues to come to the fore once again. However, he also embodies the Elizabethan
idea of male pride and honour, shown through violence and hostility. Through him, Shakespeare presents this as being
an extremely dangerous ideal; driven by the need to maintain his own and his family’s dignity and reputation, he dies
in Act 3 Scene 1.
Act 1 Tybalt appears in the very first scene. When the two sets of servants are fighting, and Benvolio is trying to
stop them, Tybalt arrives to keep the fight going. He asks Benvolio “What art thou drawn amongst these
heartless hinds?” immediately suggesting his arrogance as he can’t understand why a well-to-do man like Benvolio
would be associating with the servants, and when he follows that up with “Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy
death” we see his primary characteristic of aggression. Although he has just questioned why Benvolio would be in
this company, he will not turn down the chance to fight in it himself and act out his hatred of anyone associated with
the Montagues. His sense of superiority is highlighted here, to the servants and to Benvolio who he assumes he will
beat, hence the sword being “death”. When Benvolio explains he is trying to keep the peace, Tybalt scoffs “What
drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word as I hate hell, all Montagues and thee”. His use of the pattern
of three to emphasise his feelings shows us how bitter this quarrel is between the families as they rank their hatred
on a par with “hell”. Everything about Tybalt in this scene has been antagonistic and violent, inflaming and inciting
the other characters, preparing the way for his later appearances. And, even when Tybalt is not on stage, he is
described in terms which leave us in no doubt of his personality and his part in the play. He is “the fiery Tybalt”
and Benvolio says he “breathed defiance” and “hissed him in scorn”, all suggesting he is aggressive and hotheaded, easily angered and vengeful. In Act 1 Scene 5, he hears Romeo’s voice at the Capulet party and his immediate
response is to ask for his sword: “Fetch me my rapier, boy”. His language, as he discovers that a Montague has
gate-crashed a family party, is full of resentment and bitterness at a perceived slight to his family honour – he is
concerned that their “solemnity” has been insulted - and his reaction is typically one of aggression, as he says he will
“strike him dead.” He refers to Romeo as a “villain”. He is taken aback that Lord Capulet tells him to leave
Romeo alone, as is shown by his statement “I’ll not endure him” and cannot understand why he won’t allow the
hated Montague to be dispatched. He does give in to his elder’s wish, showing that he does value family and loyalty,
but not without an ominous threat, which from here continues to cast a shadow over Romeo and Juliet’s relationship.
He says “I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall/Now seeming sweet, convert to bitt’rest gall”. He means
that his feelings over this insult will fester in him until he is able to act on them. It is this hatred which builds to have
such tragic consequences for Romeo and Juliet. It is not insignificant that almost before Tybalt has finished speaking
these words, Romeo and Juliet meet for the first time and profess their love, linking this threat of violence to their
relationship in the audience’s minds. In Act 1, therefore, Tybalt has been presented as a stereotypical, hot-headed
young man, acting out notions of family and personal honour through violent outbursts.
Act 2 Tybalt is not seen or mentioned again until Act 2 Scene 4 when he is spoken of having sent a “challenge” to
Romeo by Benvolio and Mercutio. We can assume that this is a letter challenging Romeo to a duel and is a result of
Tybalt’s need to get revenge for Romeo’s insult to his family’s honour. He may have managed to keep his feelings
hidden at the party, but they have risen to the surface now and are beginning to make trouble for Romeo. It is in this
exchange between Mercutio and Benvolio that Tybalt is referred to as “Prince of Cats”. Mercutio is making fun of
his name, which he shared with a cat in a story popular at the time, but Shakespeare is also linking him with the qualities
associated with cats – cunning, a predatory nature and stealth. By doing this we are worried for Romeo’s ability to
overcome him or to avoid him, creating a sense of menace hanging over future events. Even as Romeo and Juliet are
married, we cannot forget the threat of Tybalt’s challenge.
Act 3 Act 3 starts in the same place as Act 1 and so we are ready for conflict, particularly as “The day is hot” and
Mercutio, quite clearly, is in the mood for a fight. Tybalt is uncharacteristically polite at first. He addresses both
Benvolio and Mercutio as “Gentlemen” and wishes them “good den”. He is, perhaps, acknowledging Mercutio’s
superior social status and connections to Prince Escalus, particularly as he refers to Mercutio as “sir”. Mercutio
provokes him quite deliberately, but he does his very best not to rise to it, ignoring Mercutio in favour of Romeo:
“Well peace be with you, Sir, here comes my man”. It seems that, as before with Lord Capulet, Tybalt can
choose to behave honourably and sensibly when it is necessary to show he is following the code of conduct associated
with men of his class. However, also as before, it seems that when Tybalt is forced to rein his feelings in, they explode
C Michael © Outwood Grange Academies Trust 2019
all the more violently later. Interestingly, Tybalt’s resolve to appear in control does falter during Mercutio’s
provocation when he says “Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo”, dropping into the familiar pronoun “thou”,
reminding us that Tybalt has to work at controlling his temper and behaving in the correct way. However, he continues
to do so, and shows his determination to duel honourably with Romeo, addressing him clearly and with intent when
Romeo enters the scene. He insults him calling him a “villain” and does not show him any respect, instead referring
to him as “thou/thee” and later calling him “boy”. He refuses to accept Romeo’s conciliatory words and instead
demands he draw his sword, initiating the conflict. So far, Tybalt has acted entirely in accordance with the code of
honour he deems so important. He has sought out the man who insulted him, and he has explained why he wants to
fight him. We can see here what motivates him to act as he does. He seems confused by Mercutio’s renewed
challenge on behalf of Romeo but tries to remain committed to his original target so that it is only when Mercutio is
actively daring him to fight that he draws his sword and fights, his emotions bubbling away under the surface all the
time, appearing first of all as confusion and frustration – “What wouldst thou have with me?” – and then as
determination to defend himself when Mercutio has insulted him by calling him “King of Cats” and threatened to
humiliate him – “I am for you”. It is when he is under the influence of his emotions that his façade of chivalry and
honour slips. He chooses to wound Mercutio in a dishonourable way “under Romeo’s arm”, showing that his
reputation for cat-like slyness is well-deserved. We see that Tybalt is ruled by his emotions after all. In fear of the
consequences of his actions he flees from the square but returns after Mercutio’s death has been reported. It is not
clear why he does so, as to be found would mean certain death according to the Prince’s earlier proclamation; perhaps
it is to emphasise how his emotional need for violence or his misguided belief in the need to stand up for his family’s
honour leads him to seek out Romeo for a second time, but it allows for the action to continue, with Romeo making
his fatal mistake to fight him and kill him. Tybalt is then killed by Romeo, as a consequence of which Romeo is banished
from Verona. Tybalt has shown that his aggressive and vengeful nature, unable to accept any attempt at peace or
believe that there is any way to solve problems other than through the traditional male route of violence, however
formalised the duelling process is, is a destructive, masculine trait which brings only violence and death. In this, he is
presented as the antithesis to the feminine characteristics which Romeo associates with love; it is when Romeo gives
in to the idea of male pride and honour, and the need to avenge his friend and assert his masculinity - “Oh sweet Juliet,
thy beauty has made me effeminate” – that he makes the impulsive, pivotal decision and fights Tybalt, creating a critical
link in the chain of events leading from his marriage to his death.
Key Ideas
Loyal to his family – Tybalt is driven by a sense of family honour. It is when Romeo and his friends gate-crash the
Capulet party that he takes offence and tries to avenge the wrong done to their family dignity. He references this
when he says, “Now by the stock and honour of my kin/To strike him dead I hold it not a sin.” He wants
to fight Romeo in the name of his family and uphold the pride he feels has been diminished by Romeo’s careless actions.
Honourable and Proud – Tybalt is also driven by a male code of honour and pride, which leads him to challenge
others and seek retribution for insults and slights in order to keep his reputation intact. As he says to Romeo “Boy,
this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me. Therefore turn and draw” meaning he cannot
ignore the affront Romeo caused him. Men’s reputations were built on their ability and their willingness to fight. To
be seen to back down or avoid confrontation in any way would lead to a weakened character in the eyes of others.
He has to be always ready to fight as is suggested by his response to Mercutio “You shall find me apt enough to
that, sir, an you will give me occasion.”
Masculine and Destructive – Tybalt is the epitome of masculinity. Aggressive, vengeful, driven by pride and honour,
his very first words are to do with hatred, and this continues throughout the play. He is “fiery”, he “hates” everyone
and everything, and he cannot “endure” being insulted. Forced to keep his violence in, it only festers and grows and
eventually results in fatal consequences, which is perhaps Shakespeare suggesting the dangerous nature of this type of
masculinity.
Aggressive and Defiant – Everything about Tybalt suggests violence and hatred. He joins in a fight which has nothing
to do with him at the start of the play, he voices opinions which are filled with hate and venom, he openly argues with
Lord Capulet at the party and only submits due to his innate acceptance of family loyalty, he actively seeks out Romeo
to gain revenge for an insult to the Capulet family, he fights a man he has no real quarrel with because his actual target
has refused, and he defies his own code of honourable conduct in order to win a fight. With Tybalt, anger and violence
is the answer to everything.
C Michael © Outwood Grange Academies Trust 2019