Comparing, Contrasting Shakespeare's Tybalt and Mercutio
Comparing, Contrasting Shakespeare's Tybalt and Mercutio
Tybalt and Mercutio are like a ying-yang, completely opposite of white and black, yet each has a part of the other somewhere inside. On the outside Tybalt and Mercutio are opposite on who they balance out the play. Tybalt is hot tempered and belligerent and Mercutio is the obvious comic relief and very carefree. Yet, they each have that same kind of feeling inside that keeps them each from comprehending the true love between Romeo and Juliet. Tybalt rejects the whole idea of then being together. He sees Romeo as a threat to his family name. Mercutio constantly makes fun of Romeo no patter who he is in love with, saying that love is just a mind game and to get his head out of the clouds. Nether of them comprehend the subject of love, because their priorities are of others when Romeo and Juliet’s is on love.
Tybalt’s purpose in the play is to cause conflict by dragging on the long time since hibernated feud between the two households. This is shown at Capulet’s ball. Tybalt sees Romeo and automatically thinks of him as a threat and that Romeo is challenging him, by just being at the party. He brings Romeo’s presence to the attention of Lord Capulet in order to cause conflict. (I, v, 52-71) This is an example of how Tybalt is a character that does not have the heart to just forget about the whole feud and find a way to settle it or seek revenge on anyone of the Montague family. Also, Tybalt causes conflict by picking a fight with Mercutio in the street. (III, i, 1-50) This led to the death of each character, but Tybalt provoked Mercutio, which led to his death and then Tybalt’s death by Romeo.
Mercutio purpose in the play is to be the comic relief, but at the same time being the one who trying to get Romeo to make the right decisions about his love for, well everyone. When he was trying to convince Romeo to go to the party to get over Rosaline, but at the same time was making fun of him. Telling Romeo that love was thinking of a fairy tale romance. (I, iv, 1-60) Mercutio causes Tybalt to cause conflict in this scene by getting Romeo to go to the party, so in a way they help each...