UNIVERSITATEA DIN CRAIOVA

FACULTATEA DE LITERE
SPECIALIZAREA: ROMÂNĂ-ENGLEZA, zi

LUCRARE DE LICENŢĂ

Coordonator ştiinţific:
Lect. univ. dr. BUDICĂ MIHAELA

Absolvent(ă):
BOBOC ADRIANA

Craiova
Iulie 2022
 UNIVERSITATEA DIN CRAIOVA
FACULTATEA DE LITERE
SPECIALIZAREA: ROMÂNĂ-ENGLEZA, zi

MINOR MALE CHARACTERS IN

SHAKESPEARE’S ROMEO AND JULIET
(PERSONAJELE MASCULINE SECUNDARE
IN ROMEO SI JULIETA)

Coordonator ştiinţific:
Lect. univ. dr. BUDICĂ MIHAELA

Absolvent:
BOBOC ADRIANA

Craiova
Iulie 2022
 CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 2
CHAPTER I
SHAKESPEARE' S BIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................ 4
1.1 SHAKESPEARE’S FAMILY LIFE ...................................................................................................4
1.2 SHAKESPEARE’S WORKS ..............................................................................................................5
1.3 SHAKESPEARE’S INFLUENCE ......................................................................................................7
1.4 WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S DEATH ..........................................................................................10
CHAPTER II
The TRAGEDY of ROMEO and JULIET .................................................................................... 11
2.1 DEATH in ROMEO and JULIET .....................................................................................................11
2.2 THEMES and SYMBOLS ................................................................................................................15
2.3 The PLAY’S CRITICAL EVALUATION .......................................................................................18
2.4 ANALYSIS of the MAIN CHARACTERS .....................................................................................21
CHAPTER III
MINOR MALE CHARACTERS in ROMEO and JULIET .......................................................... 25
3.1 MERCUTIO ......................................................................................................................................25
3.2 TYBALT ...........................................................................................................................................29
3.3 BENVOLIO ......................................................................................................................................32
3.4 PARIS................................................................................................................................................36
3.5 FRIAR LAURANCE ........................................................................................................................39
3.6 PRINCE ESCALUS ..........................................................................................................................41
3.7 LORD MONTAGUE ........................................................................................................................43
3.8 LORD CAPULET .............................................................................................................................44
CONCLUSIONS .........................................................................................................................................46
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................. 48

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 INTRODUCTION

The most known love story in English literature is Romeo and Juliet. The play's dominating
and most crucial theme is, of course, love. The drama focuses on romantic love, notably the
tremendous desire that develops between Romeo and Juliet at first sight.

The cast of characters in William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet is fairly distinct.
The play, which is set in Verona, Italy, features roles for members of their individual families and
houses, as well as Prince Escalus, the city's ruler, and his kinsman, Count Paris; and many
unaffiliated characters such as Friar Laurence and the Chorus. Furthermore, the drama features
two ghost characters (Petruchio and Valentine) as well as an unnamed character (Rosaline).
Characters are crucial to a play's success. Dramatis characters are what they're known for.

Characters have an important role in maintaining the momentum of a drama, in addition to

make it vivid. The numerous thematic issues of Shakespeare's romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet
are skillfully dramatized by a cast of main and minor characters. Male characters in Romeo and
Juliet have a greater dramatic influence on the audience than female characters. Because they act
before they think and are also more compulsive.
Each male character serves a purpose in the play, not only because they give comic relief,
but also because their personalities help to define the protagonists and their actions enrich the
story's outcome. The play would not be complete without these characters.

In my paper I will focus on the evolution of the minor male characters, I will characterize
them and frame them in the play.The paper is structured in three chapters: First chapter is about
William Shakespeare's life, about his work and family. I consider it appropriate to begin by
presenting some aspects of the life of the poet so appreciated and known throughout the world.

The second chapter shows the main aspects of the play Romeo and Juliet, this chapter is
dedicated to frame the characters in the play depending on their importance and the impact they
ame

have. Here I also approached various aspects such as: death, themes and symbols, the critical
evaluation of the work and the characterization of the two main characters.
Romeo and Juliet both commit suicide, they murdered themselves, however there were
other reasons that contributed to their death. Terrible choices, parental intervention, and bad luck
were the three principal causes of Romeo and Juliet's deaths. Romeo and Juliet's deaths were
caused in part by their poor decisions. Romeo and Juliet marry one day after they meet.
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 The themes and symbols I presentet are: love and hatred, youth and age, free will and fate,
light, dark and death. The most obvious topic in Romeo and Juliet is love, but the play also explores
a number of other key concepts. Shakespeare challenges us to think about fate, death, honor,
friendship, and contradiction. All of these ideas are still important today, which explains why the
play has been popular for so long.

Romeo and Juliet is a tragicomic love story set in a world where human life is too harsh to
thrive. Two beings formed for each other fall in love at first sight; every idea vanishes in the face
of the tempting need to live for one another; in the face of extreme opposition to their union, they
marry in secret, trusting exclusively on the security of an undetectable power.

The male lead in William Shakespeare's tragedy is Romeo Montague. He seretly loves
andcmarries Juliet, ac descendant of the rival House of Capulet, through a priest by the name of
Friar Laurence. He is the son of Lord Montague and his wife, Lady Montague. The most important
character in the love tragedy, excepting Romeo, is Juliet Capulet. Juliet, who is initially portrayed
as a gullible, naive young girl, significantly changes throughout the play. The intensity of her love
for Romeo plays a significant role in her development as a mature and perceptive person.

The third chapter focuses on the minor male characters, here are presented many aspects
of their personalities and their connection with the protagonists. Is emphasized the fact that they
are the ones who contribute to the succes of the play.

I chose this theme because it isn’t an easy play at all, the minor male characters are strong,
remarkable, with a lot of prominent features that I will talk about in detail, they are the ones around
which the whole play is outlined and without which the action does not have the same momentum.
Furthermore, it is a play that encourages teenagers to have strong personal beliefs, more than I
have thought. It's a play with a lot of lovely and unique language uses and transitions between
formats. It's a drama that, every time I read, elicits a new response, encouraging dialogue, debate,
and strong personal viewpoints. It's a drama with themes and ideas that are still relevant to today's
youth. To mention a few: obsession, sex, parent-child relationships, conflict, dishonour, and
friendships.

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 CHAPTER I

SHAKESPEARE' S BIOGRAPHY

1.1 SHAKESPEARE’S FAMILY LIFE

Shakespeare was an English poet, dramatist, and actor who was born in Stratford-upon-
Avon in 1564. Shakespeare's birthday is commemorated on April 23, which is also the date he
died in 1616.

During the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods of British theatre, Shakespeare was a prolific
writer (sometimes called the English Renaissance or the Early Modern Period). Shakespeare's
plays are undoubtedly his best famous works, yet they are far from his only works. Shakespeare's
poems are still widely read today.

Arden and had eight children with her. Because John and Mary had lost two daughters as
babies, William was the oldest of their children. John Shakespeare worked as a glove
manufacturer, but he also rose through the ranks of the Stratford community by holding civic
responsibilities. Because of his higher social standing, he was even more likely to send his children
to the local grammar school, including William.

Until he was eighteen, William Shakespeare would have resided with his family on Henley
Street. Shakespeare started his life with Anne Hathaway, who was twenty-six .
Anne was already pregnant at the time of the wedding, so it was a hasty affair. They had
three children together. Susanna, their first child, was born six months after the wedding, followed
by twins Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet was only 11 years old when he died.
John and Mary Shakespeare's eldest son was William Shakespeare. John Shakespeare was
making gloves and he married Mary Arden, a farmer's daughter from Wilmcote, a nearby village.
When William was born, John and Mary were residing in the house now known as Shakespeare's
Birthplace on Henley Street in Stratford-upon-Avon. They had a total of eight children.

John Shakespeare was a well-known local figure who spent several years on the town
council. In 1568, he became a high bailiff (the equivalent of Mayor). He dealt as a wool dealer and
was also active in money-lending in addition to his craft as a glover. In 1596, he and his heirs were
granted a Coat of Arms, raising them to the status of gentlemen.
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 William's parents had already lost two young daughters when he was born in 1564.
Margaret died a year after she was born, and Joan died within the first few weeks of her existence.
Gilbert (1566-1612), Joan (1569-1646), Anne (1571-1579), Richard (1574-1613), and Edmund
(1574-1613) were William's younger siblings (1580-1607).

Gilbert spent the majority of his life in Stratford. He may have worked as a haberdasher,
according to documents. He may have spent some time in London, as a haberdasher by that name
may be found in St Bride's London.

Joan Shakespeare was John and Mary Shakespeare's lone surviving daughter, she was the
only one of Shakespeare's siblings to outlive him. In the late 1590s, she married hatter William
Hart. The Harts lived in a cottage on Henley Street, within the west part of Shakespeare's house,
from 1601. Richard was most likely named after his paternal grandfather. Anne died tragically at
the age of eight.

Edmund was William's youngest sibling, born when he was 16 years old. Edmund, like his
brother William, became an actor in London. He died in 1607 and is buried in London's Southwark
Cathedral. William Shakespeare is said to have paid for his brother's interment within the church
and the ringing of the great bell in his honor.

1.2 SHAKESPEARE’S WORKS

Shakespeare wrote 38 plays, two narrative poems, 154 sonnets, and a variety of other
writings in total. There are no known original manuscripts of Shakespeare's plays today. We have
nearly half of Shakespeare's plays on the strenght of a group of performers from Shakespeare's
company. After Shakespeare's death, they gathered them for publication, preserving the plays.
These writings were collected in the First Folio (the term "folio" refers to the size of the paper).
While the exact chronology of Shakespeare's plays is difficult to pinpoint, he created 37 plays over
the course of two decades, from roughly 1590 to 1613, that revolved around many basic themes:
histories, tragedies, comedies, and tragicomedies.

Shakespeare's initial plays were primarily history, with the exception of the tragic love
narrative Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare's plays Henry VI (Parts I, II, and III), Richard II, and
Henry V emphasize the catastrophic effects of weak or corrupt rulers, and theater historians have
regarded them as Shakespeare's manner of defending the Tudor Dynasty's origins.

5
 Julius Caesar depicts political unrest in Rome, which may have connected with audiences
at a period when England's aging ruler, Queen Elizabeth I, lacked a legitimate heir, posing the risk
of future power clashes.

During his early years, Shakespeare penned several comedies, including the whimsical A
Midsummer Night's Dream, the romantic Merchant of Venice, the wit and wordplay of Much Ado
About Nothing, and the delightful As You Like It and Twelfth Night.

Titus Andronicus, The Comedy of Errors, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Taming of
the Shrew, Love's Labour's Lost, King John, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Henry V are just a
few of the other plays created before 1600.

The tragedies Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth were written during Shakespeare's
latter period, after 1600. Shakespeare's characters in these portray timeless and universal
impressions of human temperament. Hamlet, perhaps the most well-known of these works, deals
with betrayal, retribution, adultery, and moral failure. Shakespeare's stories are generally driven
by moral failures, which destroy the hero and those he loved.

Several tragicomedies were written during Shakespeare's final period. Cymbeline, The
Winter's Tale, and The Tempest are only a few examples. They are not the dark tragedies of King
Lear or Macbeth because they finish with peace and forgiving, yet they are graver in tone than the
comedies.

Shakespeare's impact is as varied as his work; his plays have produced countless
adaptations in a variety of genres and civilizations. On stage and screen, his plays have a long
history. All of Shakespeare's plays, sonnets, and other pieces are included in various editions of
the complete works of William Shakespeare. Shakespeare remains one of the English language's
most important literary personalities.

6
1.3 SHAKESPEARE’S INFLUENCE

Writing style influences

Shakespeare wrote some of the most brilliant plays ever written in the English language.
In The Tragedy of Othello, for example, Shakespeare created characters who were both witty and
serious. Shakespeare did something never done before: he combined poetry, theater, and verse. He
employed his rhetoric with greater emphasis for the versification of the English language. He
provided the language strength through poetry, and he gave clear concepts through theater that
rarely allowed for ambiguity. Shakespeare simply utilized the English language to make an
impression on the audience, he was the master of linguistic special effects and a major contributor
to the development of the English language as we currently know.

Shakespeare made a huge contribution to the English language by introducing a large

number of new terms. He coined around 1700 terms and phrases that are now widely used.
Shakespeare used the expression "it's Greek to me," which is still used today. It's a term for
something that's difficult to comprehend. Shakespeare also used the phrase "cold-blooded/hot-
blooded" in The Merry Wives of Windsor to correlate blood warmth with emotional excitation —
something that is now quite prevalent. All of these expressions were created by Shakespeare and
are frequently utilized by modern writers.
Adverbs and adjectives were substituted for verbs in Shakespeare's work. Before him,
connected words had never been used together. Many terms received suffixes and prefixes as well.
During Shakespeare's time, accurate spelling became commonplace. Grammar rules were not well
established before Shakespeare, and there was no fixed standard for English grammar.
Shakespeare, to be accurate, altered several features of the English language. In the 17th and 18th
centuries, his work was influential in the standardization of the English language.
Many other writers, like Edmund Spenser, Sir Philip Sidney, and Christopher Marlowe,
followed Shakespeare in using unique words and phrases to construct new creative worlds and
concepts. Shakespeare gave romance an entirely new meaning. He presented it as a crucial
component of tragedy. In tragic plays, Shakespeare broadened the scope of characterisation, plot
language, and genre. In Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare used this concept to explore the
human psyche and create classic duos like Beatrice and Benedick.

Shakespeare has dedicated his life to the advancement of English literature. He has 154
sonnets, 39 plays, two narrative poems, and a few other verses in his repertoire. Shakespeare's
works have been translated into many languages and his plays are still played in various theaters

7
across the world. Most people who study and comprehend Shakespeare's works become ardent
supporters of his work. He made the English language a lovely forte for creative and literary minds,
without a doubt. Shakespeare had a unique command of the English language, and his work
honestly incorporated themes of romance and tragedy.

Inspiration to others
Shakespeare's plays and writings have had a significant influence on modern writers,
novelists, and dramatists. Herman Melville, Charles Dickens, Thomas Dickens, and William
Faulkner were all affected by Shakespeare. Shakespeare's writings inspired nearly 25 titles in
Charles Dickens. He also used several Shakespeare quotations in his work. The character Moby
Dick in Herman Melville's novel Moby Dick was influenced by Shakespeare's Hamlet. Many of
Melville's works have titles that are based on Shakespeare's works. The majority of modern film
directors take concepts and plots from Shakespeare's works and adapt them into new scripts.
Twelfth Night and Romeo and Juliet were the inspiration for films like She is the Star and West
Side Story.

Wrapping up
Shakespeare is and will always be recognized for generating new concepts, familiarizing
the English language, and repurposing it. His words, phrases, and unique way of expression made
him one of the world's best authors. He wrote stories, novels, and plays that transcend time and
society and are still relevant today.
Shakespeare is a name that is not only familiar to literature buffs. While Shakespeare is no
longer among today's playwrights, his works and efforts to promote the English language will keep
his name alive for many years. There may never be another novelist like him in English literature.

Shakespeare's work is also an outstanding treasury of classic literature, which is yet another
of his achievements. His work is frequently utilized as a case study for students of modern
literature. His play Hamlet, for example, has a clear plot, a timeless setting, and compelling
dialogue. Students of literature might draw inspiration from such legendary passages of
Shakespearean writing.
For their thesis, many undergraduates choose to write a Hamlet essay. A Hamlet essay is
regarded as a tremendous achievement for the student who writes it at certain other universities.
On the internet and in libraries, there are several examples of Hamlet essays. Each outstanding
Hamlet essay, on the other hand, has its own writing style and point of view. William Shakespeare's
impact is breathtaking!

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 His work can be viewed from several angles and contains multiple messages for viewers
from various eras. When you read Shakespeare's work, you get a more in-depth understanding of
historic English culture and ideals. Shakespeare is considered the national poet and dramatist of
England since his works only represent English national sentiments. His work is a prime
representation of traditional Englishmen's lifestyles, enmities, attitudes, and hobbies. Most of his
well-known pieces examine traditional politics and social affairs in great detail.
Shakespeare's writing is also eloquent, which is another reason for his importance in the
development of the literary form. Shakespeare was a talented writer who knew how to combine
extravagance with his ideas and language. His grace and choice of words never faltered in any
scene he wrote.

This is why his work is so well received. He's not a mediocre author. Furthermore,
Shakespeare does not write in a style that is too tough for the average person to comprehend. His
usage of words and phrases is simple and works well with the stories he recounts.
Shakespearean writing is also well-known in the English literary genre for teaching writers
how to paint with words. He recounts each scene in a naturalistic manner that does not sound too
far off from reality. Both protagonists and antagonists in Shakespeare's plays have distinct features
that shape their lives. The tragic element in Shakespeare's plays is also intricately linked to the
overall plot.
Shakespeare kills his key characters in two methods that don't go overboard: betrayal and
character faults. He concentrates on every detail without using too many words to describe it.
Soliloquies are also used by Shakespeare to define his character and the plot of his play. His
awareness of human nature, its virtues and flaws, enables him to express himself directly via his
characters.
Shakespeare gave useful words and phrases to the English language, which is one of his
most significant literary accomplishments. He needed to be fluent in seven languages and
frequently merged their lexicon to create new words for English literature.

He possessed a knowledge of approximately 24,000 words, which he used to extend the

English dictionary throughout his work. This includes Jacobean-era words like thou and doth, as
well as more modern terms like manager, mediocre, and lonely. He created almost 1,700 new
terms to the English language in total. Many of his innovations are still in use today without our
even realizing it.
He standardized the English language and literature in this way during his lifetime. To this
day, no other writer has had the same impact as Shakespeare.
9
 Shakespeare has built a reputation for himself in English poetry as well as English prose.
His sonnets, like the rest of Shakespeare's work, are concentrated on the theme of the frail yet
powerful human nature.
Some of his most popular themes include love, passion, power, pity, hate, fury, and change.
He use his creative prowess to fascinate the reader and elicit debate about his thoughts. The
contrast between human goals and realities is a recurring theme in most of his sonnets.
Shakespeare's literary prowess cannot be denied. In his work, he's just as admirable as he
was four centuries ago. His writings have influenced authors, novelists, playwrights, and poets
throughout history.

1.4 WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S DEATH

At the age of fifty-two, English poet and playwright William Shakespeare died in Stratford-
upon-Avon on April 23, 1616. His death happened on or near his birthday (his exact birthday is
unknown), which may have inspired a later rumor that he fell ill and died after a night of excessive
drinking with two other poets, Ben Jonson and Michael Drayton.

Despite the fact that Shakespeare had achieved some acclaim and financial success during
his lifetime, writing for the stage was not yet considered a serious artistic pursuit at the time of his
death, and his modest burial at Holy Trinity Church was just more suited to a wealthy local retired
person than a celebrity.

Shakespeare's friends and fans, on the other hand, began laying the groundwork for his
literary immortality just a few years after his death. In 1623, John Heminge and Henry Condell
compiled a single large-format publication of his plays. This edition is known as the First Folio,
and it is one of the most famous works of English literature. Ben Jonson, a famous literary
person in his own right, predicted that the world would finally realize Shakespeare's talent,
declaring in the folio's prologue that his buddy was a writer "not of an age, but for all time!"

Since Shakespeare's death four centuries ago, Jonson's opinion has been verified, he is
regarded as one of history's finest writers, and his work is performed, read, and taught all over the
world. Shakespeare's legacy has also changed to keep up with changing times; for example, his
plays have been transformed into hundreds of feature films in the twentieth and twenty-first
centuries.

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 CHAPTER II

The TRAGEDY of ROMEO and JULIET

2.1 DEATH in ROMEO and JULIET

Imagine giving your life for a girl you've just known for a few days. In the play Romeo and
Juliet, this is what happens to Romeo. William Shakespeare wrote this play between 1591 and
1595. Romeo and Juliet both commit suicide at the end of the play. They murdered themselves,
however there were other reasons that contributed to their death. Terrible choices, parental
intervention, and bad luck were the three principal causes of Romeo and Juliet's deaths. Romeo
and Juliet's deaths were caused in part by their poor decisions. Romeo and Juliet marry one day
after they meet, which is an example of a poor choice in Act II, scene IV.
Because their families are adversaries, they had to make their marriage a secret, which led
to their deaths. When you have to keep things hidden, you nearly always end up hurting yourself
or someone you care about.

Another example of poor choices is Romeo kissing Juliet all night on the balcony in Act
II, scene II. This was a terrible decision since they would not have married if Romeo hadn't sneaked
back onto the Capulet property to make out with Juliet on the balcony. He paid with his life and
the life of the woman he loved because he let his passion drive him. Adult intervention was another
factor in Romeo and Juliet's deaths. Although they made wrong decisions, the wrong decisions
made by adults in their lives played a larger role in their deaths. Juliet's mother, for example, wants
Juliet to marry Paris in Act I, scene III. Juliet died as a result of this because after her mother urged
her to marry Paris, Juliet went to her room and drank a concoction that made her appear dead. She
despised the prospect of marrying a man she didn't adore, and was willing to die rather than marry
him. This led to her death because, believing she was dead, Romeo killed himself, prompting her
to murder herself when she awoke.
Romeo and Juliet's parents are fighting in Act I, scene I, which is another example of adult
meddling. This resulted in Romeo and Juliet's deaths because, while their parents were fighting,
Romeo and Juliet secretly married and didn't tell anyone. The concealment causes extra issues.
Romeo and Juliet might have made a fine match for each other and had their parents' approval if
their parents weren't so arrogant and full of animosity. Unfortunately, their children died awful
lives as a result of their parents' decisions to live a life of hatred and push that hatred on their son

11
and daughter. Romeo and Juliet died for the third and most important reason: bad luck. In Act III,
scene 1, Mercutio is stabbed as Romeo intervenes to mediate between Tybalt and Mercutio. Romeo
was merely attempting to break up the argument when he accidentally killed his best friend. When
Mercutio is killed, Romeo becomes enraged and kills Tybalt, resulting in the deaths of Romeo and
Juliet. Despite the fact that he definitely shouldn't have taken that decision, it all began with a very
unpleasant event that was simply a case of bad luck.
Another instance of bad luck occurs in Act IV, Scene II when Romeo's acquaintance
contacts him and informs him that Juliet has died before Friar Lawrence's message comes. Romeo
and Juliet died as a result of this since the message stated that Juliet was not dead, but Romeo finds
Juliet sleeping and believes she is dead, so he kills himself. Juliet wakes up moments later to find
him dead, so she stabs herself and dies. Friar John was imprisoned in a house due to the disease,
which made the situation even worse. As you can see, Romeo and Juliet died as a result of poor
choices, parental interference, and bad fate. Romeo and Juliet, for example, married in one day
and spent the entire night making out on the balcony. Juliet's mother wants Juliet to marry Paris,
and Romeo and Juliet's parents are fighting as an illustration of adult interference. Finally, two
instances of bad luck occur when Romeo's friend is wounded while attempting to make peace and
Romeo's other friend arrives before the messenger.

Mercutio’s death
Mercutio is known for stealing scenes. His great lines, as well as the intensity, humor, and
vigor of his personality, provide him with multiple possibilities to outshine Shakespeare's love
hero in Romeo and Juliet, allowing him to make a stronger dramatic impression whenever he and
Romeo appear together. Romeo also never quite manages to win Mercutio's approval. Romeo's
forbearance toward an insulting antagonist is an outrage to the quick-witted and high-spirited
Mercutio, while the gloomy lover is the butt of the mocker of love's jests. Only in Act II, scene
four, after Romeo has discarded his artificial pose as Rosaline's de-sparing lover, do the two young
men appear to be dramatic equals. Mercutio then accepts Romeo as a suitable companion, but on
his own terms: "Why, isn't this better now than yearning for love? Now thou art sociable, now
thou Romeo: now thou art what thou art, both by art and by nature ( Shakespeare 2.4. 86-88)
Recognizing the implied rivalry between these characters, Henry Hallam described how
Shakespeare dealt with an obvious significant problem. Thus, it has been tempting to interpret
Mercutio's death as a result of his character's remarkable vitality rather than his actual function in
the play. Dryden's well-known observations, to which Hallam alluded, have influenced this
attitude greatly. Dryden remarked that Shakespeare demonstrated the finest of his craft in his

12
Mercutio. The attractiveness of Mercutio's role can be seen in arrangements for players to alternate
playing Romeo and Mercutio, as well as Romeo's appropriation of some of Mercutio's words.
Through the fruitful imagery of the voyage, Romeo and Juliet's uncontrollable passion is
also linked to their demise. According to Bradbrook, Shakespeare frequently associates the water
with "the oceanic emotion," or "the impression of being lost, or lapsed, into a reciprocal life," as a
modern poet put it. As a result, cut off from the rest of the world, the lovers fully commit to the
hazardous turbulences of an exalted passion. Significantly, the sea could also represent fate's
unpredictability. Romeo uses voyage imagery in the balcony scene to emphasize his real desire to
adopt any course of action, no matter how severe, in order to keep his love for Juliet:
” I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far
As that vast shore washed with the farthest sea,
I should adventure for such merchandise”. ( Shakespeare 2.2.82-4)
When Romeo addresses the poison (thou desperate pilot) with which he is ready to end his
life, the same ingredients are disturbingly retaken by Romeo in his final soliloquy:
”Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavoury guide!
Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on
The dashing rocks thy seasick weary bark!” ( Shakespeare 5.3.116-8)
Viewing the play as the actualization of the Liebestod myth, the tragic passion always
seeking its own destruction, is incorrect: it should be noted that the lovers consider suicide only
when some external force (banishment, death, etc.) prevent them from sharing their love together.
Shakespeare plays on the twin meaning of death as extinction and "sexual ecstasy" in a number of
ways to highlight the merging of love and death (Shakespeare3.2.21-2). In some ways, death is the
price Romeo and Juliet must pay for their love's immortality.
Perfect love, once consummated and then shattered by death, appears to be given a second
chance. Those of us who remain, the elderly, responsible, and wise in the world, will erect golden
monuments and endeavor to right our wrongs; but aren't we inextricably worse off, imprisoned in
our lives, than the dead lovers?

Isolation's perils: social death -The Capulets and the Montagues' feud (whose motivations
are hidden from the viewer) provides the most significant societal contribution to the expectation
of death. The conflict is both an internal force that separates the lovers from the environment in
which they live and, an external factor that favors the play's violent figure Francisco
Santib•ez. Their love is prohibited in Verona's social setting, forcing Romeo and Juliet to separate
themselves from their groups of relatives and friends and strive to construct their universe. But we
all know that this massive undertaking is certain to fail (at least in the sense that the lovers will
13
have to die for achieving it). The seeming contradiction of Juliet's statements after learning of
Romeo's identity is due to the struggle between social restraints and individual feelings:
”My only love, sprung from my only hate!/Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
Prodigious birth of love it is to me/ That I must love a loathed enemy.” (Shakespeare
1.5.138-41)

We can tell which words are spoken from a societal standpoint and which are spoken from
Juliet's heart right away. The hatred between Romeo and Juliet's families contrasts sharply with
their love. The lovers' deaths at the end of the play will have a direct impact on Verona's ruined
social life. The folly of the quarrel is finally acknowledged through the two families' reconciliation,
a movement that entails the restoration of harmony within the so-called chain of being. In terms
of Juliet's character, social death can also be read through the lens of feminist criticism . This
viewpoint is amplified by the fact that, unusually, the tragic character of the female figure is
developed farther than that of Romeo.

The cruel treatment that Juliet receives from her parents when she rejects to marry Paris,
that is, when she goes against socially accepted standards, is a noteworthy example of patriarchy's
destructive influence. Juliet, according to Peck and Coyle (1995: 199), " seems to be destined to
die not for reasons of fate or character but because of the culture that shapes her life and death."
This viewpoint may provide some useful insights, but it frequently tends to oversimplify the
complexities of the play's dramatic universe. Finally, language is an example of the influence that
social forces can impose on individuals since it subordinates personal identity to a public code;
language is a publicly coded norm that must meet societal requirements. It cannot be utilized to
transmit truth values, and hence fails to suit the framework of Romeo and Juliet's genuine love.
Lucking describes the lovers' demise as a result of their inability to escape a world of names. The
tension is symbolized in the play's suggested cosmology by a number of letters and messages that
never reach their intended target.

Romeo foresees his own death in part, but the bleak foreboding is changed into a source of
joy: Juliet's kisses bring him back to life, despite the dream's unreality (Mercutio's Queen Mab
speech comes to mind). Despite the fact that we know the play will end tragically and hence there
will be no resurrection, we have the impression that Romeo and Juliet's genuine love will continue
on beyond death. The moments when the forces of comedy and tragedy combine on stage are also
governed by a wonderful feeling of determinism. Thus, in the midst of the joyful and celebratory
atmosphere in which genuine love is about to be formed between Romeo and Juliet, the image of
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Tybalt acts as a reminder of Death's and foreboding's impending turns in Romeo and Juliet - 163
the story. The brash young Capulet, who believes he has the right to kill Roemeo, foreshadows
problems when he promises that ”this intrusion shall, / Now seeming sweet, convert to bitterest
gall” (1968: 1.5.91-2). The irony in these menacing words works on two levels: it is Romeo who
will kill Tybalt, not the other way around, but it is also true that the event's pernicious ramifications
will play a role in the sad development of the play. Shakespeare emphasizes the effect by putting
the following anticipatory statement in Romeo's mouth in couplet form:
”This dayís black fate on more days doth depend.
This but begins the woe that others must end” (Shakespeare 3.1.109-10).

2.2 THEMES and SYMBOLS

Love and Hatred

Romeo and Juliet is perhaps Shakespeare's most renowned play, and the core theme of love
is immediately apparent. However, the concept of opposing forces is equally vital, and hence
hatred plays an important part.

Love is depicted in a variety of ways, the most prominent of which is the idealized
'Petrarchan Love' that Romeo feels for the unattainable Rosaline. Petrarch was an Italian poet who
became famous in Tudor England for his sad sonnets. He, like Romeo, reveled in the sorrow of
unrequited love, which the play satirizes – especially through Romeo's pals, Benvolio and
Mercutio.
With all the trappings of courtly love, Paris moves forward to win Juliet. As one might
expect from a man of his station looking for the daughter of a prominent family. Love is also

15
present in terms of sexuality, as evidenced by the Nurse and Mercutio's use of harsh and bawdy
innuendo.

The 'real love' experienced by Romeo and Juliet, on the other hand, stands in stark contrast
to all of this. It is immediately identifiable as such. It evolves as the tale unfolds, appearing only
to be endangered by the hatred of others.

The drama is full with hatred. Beginning with a old animosity between two feuding
families, as we discover in the introduction, and rapidly rendered actual by ferocious street fights
and duels that end in such catastrophe.

Youth and Age

The apparent contrasts between young and old frequently fuel the events of the play. The
contrast is drawn between the youthful, sometimes rash emotions and the more cautious wisdom
that appears to come with adulthood. The connection between Romeo and Friar Lawrence
exemplifies this: "I stand on sudden haste," Romeo implores, "wisely and slow; they stumble that
run fast"(Shakespeare 2.4.100). Juliet is plainly at odds with the older generation, specifically her
parents. This is a classic case of youth versus experience.

This comparison, however, is nuanced and should not be dismissed. Juliet's maturity
contrasts with her father's hasty, hot-headed rage at times. Indeed, considering the 'wise' friar's
schemes and the dangers he poses to the young couple, one would wonder how much wisdom age
has actually given. Nonetheless, his gained knowledge of herbs impresses us, and his capacity to
remain cool in the face of adversity reassures us.

Free Will and Fate

The outcome of Romeo and Juliet is influenced by free will, but fate also plays a significant
role. Because there are events in the play that none of the characters can control or modify, fate
plays a significant role in the outcome.
The fact that Romeo is a Montague is an example of a factor that none of the characters
could have influenced. Juliet expresses her dismay at learning that he is a Montague when she says:
“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; Or
if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I’ll no longer be a Capulet” (Shakespeare 2.2. 33–36).

16
This demonstrates that their love will never be successful. Juliet explains that they could live
happily ever after if he wasn't a Montague.
Juliet's family forces her to marry Paris, which is the second example of fate. Lord Capulet
compelled her to marry by saying: ”But fettle your fine joints ‘gainst Thursday next, To go with
Paris to Saint Peter’s Church, Or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither” (Shakespeare 3.5.153–155).
Lord Capulet would not take no for an answer, as seen by this piece of evidence. Romeo and Juliet's
marriage would have been doomed from the start since Lord Capulet would only allow her to marry
Paris and no one else. Juliet had no option in the matter. The third and final illustration of fate is
how Friar Lawrence could do nothing further to save their marriage. He recognized this after
hearing Friar John say: “I could not send it — here it is again — Nor a messenger to bring it thee”
(Shakespeare 5.2 17–18). Friar Lawrence had gone to great lengths to ensure Romeo and Juliet's
happiness. The couple will never be able to live happily ever after due to fate. Because of the
uncontrolled events that transpired, fate is still vital to the play's result, but free will still plays a
larger role.
There are even more opposing viewpoints here. The prologue warns us of this right at the
start of the play, beginning with the idea of pair of star-crossed lovers for whom fate has already
decided the outcome. The stars have it in their hands.
Tension is developed when Romeo and Juliet have forebodings of doom, but neither of
them loses their capacity to act freely, defying what others believe to be their fates. When Romeo
learns of Juliet's death, he directly defies fate “Then I deny you, stars!” (Shakespeare 5.1.25)

Light and Dark

The contrast between light and dark is one of the most striking and reoccurring symbols in
the drama. Romeo and Juliet meet at night, and we spend much of our time with them together in
the dark. But Romeo keeps seeing nothing but brightness from Juliet “Juliet is the sun” he said
(Shakespeare 2.2.4). A lot of their common language is about light and dark. Juliet expresses her
desire for the dark night to arrive sooner when she is impatiently expecting the arrival of her love.
“Come, night, come Romeo; come thou day in night”. ( Shakespeare 3.2.17)

This motif can be followed from beginning to end. Romeo, besotted with Rosaline
who makes himself an artificial night to the Capulet tomb's actual blackness, where even in
seeming dead “Her beauty makes this vault a feasting presence full of light”. (Shakespeare 5.3.86)

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 Darkness conjures up images of dread, hate, and violence, whilst light conjures up images of
purity and love. Shakespeare twists the symbolism in Romeo and Juliet, blurring the distinction
between good and evil. This sends the idea that not everything appears as it first appears. Romeo
and Juliet, the play's central protagonists, learn that love can be both calming and challenging. Hatred
is nefarious, but it can also lead to justice. The contrast shows how love and hate are two sides of the
same coin, with love arising from hate and hate arising from love. This intertwining demonstrates
that they are two halves of the same whole, and that one cannot exist without the other. As a result,
fororder for the Montague and Capulets' hate to end, Romeo and Juliet's love must be sacrificed to
pay the price, increasing the sad ending. The day is represented by symbols of heaven and light,
whereas the night is represented by images of rage and darkness. Shakespeare, on the other hand,
reverses this symbolism, denouncing the day and romanticizing the night.
The use of light and dark imagery alludes to how good things, such as the day, can become
wicked, while white negative things, such as night, can become good.

Death
All of these themes eventually come back to the question of life against death. The play is
full of serious and amusing references to death. The fact that death is never far away in Verona
appears to be mirrored in the richness of the vocabulary employed to express it: “death-mark’d
love”, “canker death”, “love-devouring death”, “death-darting eye”, “death becomes thy friend”,
“womb of death”, “death’s pale flag” etc. The young are the ones who die here, their lives cut short
far too soon, while the older people ponder mortality. As Capulet sees it, "we were born to die."
Death is eventually personified, becoming a persona in the thoughts of the players. The
most stunning instance is when Lord Capulet imagines himself as Juliet's bridegroom: “Death is
my son-in-law, Death is my heir; My daughter he hath wedded”. (Shakespeare 4.5.46)

2.3 The PLAY’S CRITICAL EVALUATION

Without a question, Shakespeare is one of the finest British authors of all time. Many of
his writings are still admired around the world about 400 years after his death, and they deal with
topics such as life, love, death, revenge, mystery, and tragedy. It is one of the most commonly
produced plays and a magnificent work to read or see at any time, especially in Romeo and Juliet,
where the transition between tragedy and humor is regularly but delicately underlined. Romeo and
Juliet is a tragicomic love story set in a world where human life is too harsh to thrive. Two beings
formed for each other fall in love at first sight; every idea vanishes in the face of the tempting need
to live for one another; in the face of extreme opposition to their union, they marry in secret,
18
trusting exclusively on the security of an undetectable power. Bad events occur in rapid succession,
putting their valiant fidelity to the test in a matter of days, until they are coercively split apart by a
voluntary death and rejoined in the hopes of meeting again one day.

In terms of ingredients and treatment, this play differs little from the great bulk of
Shakespeare's comedies. It is simply the title that lends it a tragic tone. A tragedy is typically
renowned for having a "tragic hero," which in this case is Romeo, and Juliet is the heroine, making
it unique in that it contains two tragic heroes, twisting the plot into something more exciting and
expected by the audience. As Eva Richardson clarified in her book, “something well expected of
a Shakespearean tragedy. Shakespeare had a unique style of presenting things, building up the
storyline of the story with dramatic irony by having the audience and reader know everything
while the characters are completely unaware of what is going on. The fact that the audience knew
about Juliet's pill arrangement but Romeo didn't was an excellent illustration of the theatrical irony
required in a Shakespeare play. But it wasn't all his idea; some of it came from years of handed
down literature that landed in his capable hands. Shakespeare did not write the tragic yet brilliant
narrative of Romeo and Juliet, contrary to popular belief. In fact, he did not even bring it into the
English language. Arthur Brooks, a poet, was the one who first introduced the narrative of Romeus
and Juliet to an English-speaking public in a long and ponderous poem that was not original, but
rather a compilation of variations that spanned over a century and two more languages.

Many parts of Shakespeare's storyline are taken directly from Arthur Brook's poem, such
as Romeo and Juliet's meeting at the ball, their secret marriage, the sleeping potion, and the time
of their deaths. Shakespeare's adoption of previous stories is well-known, as he frequently wrote
plays based on prior works that he transformed into something new, making it his own. Instead,
readers should consider how Shakespeare reinvents his materials while demonstrating a deep
understanding of the literary tradition in which he works, and his rendition of Romeo and Juliet is
no exception. Their love acts as a horrible catastrophe in Romeo and Juliet. Their devotion causes
them to reject the foundations of family, and their love for one another destroys them and their
families. The core theme is the conflict between the two families, and the play's numerous limits
stem from that central theme. As a result, romance is positioned in opposition to retribution, love
in opposition to hatred, day versus darkness, sex versus war, youth versus age, and "tears to fires"
(Shakespeare). The difficulty between both families has converted Romeo's affection to death,
according to Juliet's monologue in Act 3, Scene 2. If Shakespeare appears to miss the family theme
in his expressive interest in the lovers on occasion, this reality only serves to heighten their sorrow
against the backdrop of the unreasonable and illogical rivalry between the Capulets and

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Montagues. Overall, the story has a conventional comic ending for the families; their feud is buried
alongside the lovers which is, by all accounts, the aim of the fate that initiates the event. The lovers
never forget their families, and their awareness of the struggle leads to the play's other major
theme: identity.

Early in the play, Romeo challenges Benvolio about his identity, and Juliet asks him:
“Wherefore art thou Romeo?” (Shakespeare 2.2. 36). He agrees to change his name and be known
just as a star-crossed lover at her request. When Juliet addresses the nurse after Romeo's murder
of Tybalt, she, too, questions her own identity. Later, Romeo asks the priest to assist him in
locating his name's lodging in order to cast it from his hateful mansion, thereby bringing a plague
upon his own home in ironic fulfillment of Mercutio's death curse. The two lovers find peace from
the persecution of being Capulet and Montague only when they are in their graves together; they
are only remembered by their first names, Romeo and Juliet, an ironic evidence that their story has
the advantageanous political influence of the Prince, who would like the dispute to end.

In a similar vein, the play's language alternates from pure and poetic simple phrases of
tremendous emotion. It's full of conceits, puns, and wordplay, and it introduces the two lovers as
highly expressive young people.

Their verbal wit is not due to Shakespeare's explanatory excess, but rather to their
personalities. It reinforces the audience's idea of their otherworldly natures by displaying their
affection as an intellectual gratitude for beauty combined with bodily intensity. Their first
exchange, for example, is a sonnet written by each of them. The imagery in no other early drama
is more elaborate and detailed, making Romeo's balcony speech, in which he compares Juliet to
the sun, so beloved. Not to mention Juliet's nightingale-lark monologue, in which she compares
Romeo to a "day in night" in which Romeo progresses as he observes “more light and light, more
dark and dark our woes.” (Shakespeare 3.3.36).

Benvolio paints Romeo as an ordinary pastoral "love-struck swain" near the beginning of
the play. Rosaline's real name isn't revealed until later in the play, so he's passionately in love with
love, as the cliché goes. He is a bundle of youthful energy in quest of an outlet, as well as a sensitive
gratefulness in search of a lovely thing. Mercutio and the friar both make remarks about his
inconstancy. Romeo's youthful and carnal passion with Juliet is instantly transformed into sincere
and lasting love. Only the audience understands his maturation since Shakespeare makes Romeo

20
contemplative and eloquent in his monologues, generating total dramatic irony throughout the
play.

Even in love, Romeo does not abandon his previous romantic ideas. "You kiss by th' book,"
( Shakespeare 1.5.122). Juliet observes astutely; his death is the death of an idealist, not a foolish
lad. He is aware of what he is doing, as evidenced by his remark after killing Tybalt, "O, I am
Fortune's fool" (Shakespeare 3.1.141). Juliet is as quick-witted as Romeo and has forewarnings of
their untimely demise. Her combination of girlish purity and a seductive foresight that is "smart"
when juxtaposed to her father, mother, and Count Paris' superficial feelings makes her entirely
alluring. In addition, Juliet is both realistic and romantic. When the friar remarks, upon her arrival
in the wedding chapel, that she has a womanly delicate quality, the audience feels both poignancy
and irony. “O, so light a foot/ Will ne’er wear out the everlasting flint!” (Shakespeare 2.6.17).

Nonetheless, it requires a strong person to carry out the friar's scheme; Juliet succeeds in
the ruse only because everyone else regards her as physically and mentally weak. After dismissing
her mother and the nurse, she tells the audience, “My dismal scene I needs must act alone”
(Shakespeare 4.3.20). When her "scene" approaches reality, her quiet wisdom grounds the
audience's horrible sadness all the more.

It has become a heavenly melody of admiration for that indescribable feeling that praises
the spirit and gives it its astounding sublimity, which uplifts also the sanities into the heart, while
at the same time being a melancholy elegy on its innate and conveyed frailty; it is, at the same
time, the apotheosis and the obsequies of love, under his direction. The drama, however, will
always be known as Juliet and her Romeo.

Shakespeare will always be, in my perspective, one of the most admirable and gifted poets
and authors of all time, and Romeo and Juliet will be, for more than 400 years, one of the most
often performed plays all over the world, not to mention a people's favorite.

2.4 ANALYSIS of the MAIN CHARACTERS

”Tis but thy name that is my enemy:/Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? It is nor hand nor foot,/Nor arm nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!/What's in a name? That which we call a rose”
(Shakespeare 2.2.38–49)

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 Act 2, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet opens with Juliet sitting on her bedroom balcony,
talking to herself. This is known as the 'balcony scene.' She considers how unjust it is that the
handsome gentleman she kissed minutes before is Romeo Montague, a young man from the
Capulet family with whom she is at odds. Romeo overhears Juliet's comments when he sneaks into
the Capulet grounds in search of her. Romeo emerges from the shadows to confront Juliet, and the
two engage in a passionate discussion in which they attempt to describe their sentiments and
confess their love for one another. Juliet sneaks away from the Nurse and comes to the balcony
before Romeo finally leaves. At this moment, Juliet's portrayal flits between numerous stances,
reminding the audience of her inexperience and emotional instability. For starters, her speech,
which appears to be delivered in private, gives the audience insight into the thoughts of a young
girl on the verge of becoming an independent woman. 'What's Montague?' she asks frequently as
she wrestles with the delicate topic of Romeo's identification. … What's in a name, anyway? These
are not the words of a subservient youngster who is happy to follow the rules as she is told. They
are difficulties that arise when a person develops a unique, personal perspective on the world. They
are the words of someone is unsatisfied with the current situation.

This audacity continues throughout the almost-soliloquy, peaking at the end of the speech
when Juliet offers her "self" to Romeo in return for him shedding his "name." This hypothetical or
proposed transaction is revolutionary because it challenges patriarchal assumptions. One of these
is the notion that women should lose their names after marriage. Second, her pledge now opposes
the Elizabethan notion that fathers should 'pilot' the destinies of their young daughters rather than
the daughters controlling themselves, by articulating clearly how she envisions her future.

The unexpected presence of Romeo, on the other hand, causes Juliet to temporarily retreat
into a more traditional role: that of the scared, humble female. She claims that her cheeks 'blush'
at the thought that Romeo heard her earlier emotional outpouring, despite the darkness of night.
She is also frantic for confirmations regarding Romeo's affections for her, and her voice has an
almost begging sound to it when she outlines how she can adjust her behavior till Romeo approves:

”Or if thou thinkest I am too quickly won,/I’ll frown and be perverse, and say thee nay,/So
thou wilt woo, but else not for the world.” (Shakespeare 2.295–97)

But Juliet's submissiveness is fleeting, and she quickly reclaims her obstinacy. Juliet
controls Romeo's smooth talking as the action unfolds and Romeo begins to offer Juliet oaths as a
way of expressing his affection. She interrupts and modifies his comments like a much more
worldly and mature woman.

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Juliet's linguistic fussiness brings us back to our earlier discussion of her conceptual discomfort
with language's limitations in general.
The harsh retort to Romeo's provocative, saucy lament that he leaves their encounter'so
unfulfilled' is also due to this more controlled Juliet. Similarly, this Juliet wishes for the
relationship's fast pace to be slowed, agreeing with the viewer that the couple's love is:
”too rash, too unadvis'd, too sudden,/Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be/Ere one can
say it lightens”. (Shakespeare 2.2.118–119)

It is also this more composed, mature Juliet who, towards the end of the extract, adopts a
practical outlook in her attempt to make level-headed plans for the lovers’ next course of action.

In this scene, Romeo's impetuous personality is on full display. The audience can see how
Romeo's ego is dangerously inflated by the power of love by his location Romeo has shamelessly
penetrated beyond enemy lines – and his boasting that he has no fear if the Capulets 'find him' in
their midst. As soon as he strikes up a discussion with Juliet, and in attempt to win her over, he
denies his genealogy and heritage, claiming his Montague background is now 'hateful'
(Shakespeare 2.2.55). In response to Juliet's sensitive attempts to comprehend how he came to be
on her family's property, his bombastic declaratives and intricate parallels are dazzlingly swift and
decisive. He argues, for example, that he has adopted the vocabulary of chivalric valor and flattery
of the treasured lady “… there lies more peril in thine eye/ Than twenty of their swords!”
(Shakespeare 2.2.71–72)

He describes his search for Juliet in terms of a risky voyage, in which he must bravely scale
'stony limits' (Shakespeare 2.2.67) and cross the 'farthest sea' ( Shakespeare2.2.83) to find his love.
However, Juliet's sway over him finally diminishes the grandness of his self-presentation. By the
end of the action, Romeo depicts himself as Juliet's pet bird a small toy governed by her every
whim.

The pretense that both lovers maintain — at different moments – that it is not yet daylight
in Act 3, Scenario 5 adds a tone of childishness to the scene. These individuals appear to be hesitant
or ill-equipped to deal with the grownup realities of their predicament by lying to themselves and
one other, and thus escape into a magical universe where they may control the passage of time and
extend the secrecy of night. This youthful quality goes well with Romeo's rashness and Juliet's
greenness, which we discussed before

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 This scene contrasts with the beginning of Act 3, Scene 5, which features another heartfelt
separation between the two lovers. Romeo and Juliet sleepily debate about whether it is dawn and
if Romeo must leave Juliet's chamber before he is caught, just as they did in Act 2, Scene 2. Both
characters appear to concur in the earlier scenario that linguistic indicators, particularly names, are
problematic. The meaning of other kinds of indications – nightingales, larks, and what these may
imply – worries the lovers in Act 3, Scene 5, in the renowned aubade - a song between lovers
commemorating the dawn.

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 CHAPTER III

MINOR MALE CHARACTERS in ROMEO and JULIET

3.1 MERCUTIO

Shakespeare makes incredible use of his minor characters in Romeo and Juliet. Mercutio, Romeo's
friend, is a character who, while not the major subject of the play, plays an important role in the lives of
Shakespeare's central characters. The presence of Mercutio in the story is crucial to the plot. Each character
serves a purpose in the play, not only because they give comic relief, but also because their personalities
help to define the protagonists and their actions enrich the story's outcome. The play would not be complete
without these characters.

The humorous skeptic Mercutio serves as a counterbalance for Romeo, the young
Petrarchan lover. Mercutio mocks Romeo's romantic vision and the literary means he employs to
convey his feelings: ”Romeo, Humors! Madman! Passion! Lover!/Appear thou in the likeness of
a sigh,/Speak but one rhyme and I am satisfied.” (Shakespeare 2.1.7-9)

Mercutio, like Juliet's Nurse, is an anti-romantic character who sees love as solely a
physical pursuit. He promotes an antagonistic view of love, which contrasts dramatically with
Romeo's idealized romantic relationship. Mercutio mocks Romeo's use of the metaphor of love as
a rose with thorns in Act I, Scene 4, when Romeo depicts his love for Rosaline as a rose with
thorns: ”If love be rough with you, be rough with love;/Prick love for pricking and you beat love
down.”(Shakespeare 1.4.27-28)

Mercutio's eloquence and rich imagination are on display in the Queen Mab speech in Act
I, Scene 4, which also shows his cynicism. Unlike Romeo, Mercutio does not believe dreams can
predict the future. In Mercutio's dream world, fairies rule, and dreams are nothing more than the
concerns and wishes of humans who sleep.

While Mercutio's statement builds tension for Romeo's first contact with Juliet at the
Capulet ball, it also demonstrates that, while he is Romeo's friend, he could never be his confidant.
Mercutio stays uninformed of Romeo's love and subsequent marriage to Juliet as the play unfolds.

Mercutio is amused by Tybalt's challenge to Romeo because he sees Romeo as a lover who
has only seen strife in the realm of love. "And is he such a man to encounter Tybalt?" he scornfully
questions. (Shakespeare 2.3.16-17). Mercutio appears to exist outside of Verona's two major

25
spheres since he takes neither love nor feud seriously. Mercutio, like Tybalt, has a short fuse and
is ready to draw his sword at the first provocation.

Mercutio is hostile to Tybalt, implying that Tybalt is a follower of the new swordsmanship
techniques, which he considers effeminate. Mercutio, like Tybalt, has a strong sense of honor and
is perplexed by Romeo's hesitation to fight Tybalt, describing it as "o calm, dishonorable, filthy
acquiescence" (Shakespeare 3.1.72). Mercutio shows his loyalty and bravery by accepting Tybalt's
challenge to defend his friend's honor.

Mercutio's description of his deadly wound, "No 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as
a church door, but 'tis enough, 'twill suffice" (Shakespeare 3.1.94 — 95), affirms his humorous
appeal. Romeo's outraged, emotional reaction in avenging his friend's death is made more
understandable by Mercutio's death. His death is a significant turning point in the play, as tragedy
overtakes comedy and the heroes' destinies darken.

Mercutio as the Skeptic Foil

In Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio is a counterpart figure. A foil is a person who contrasts with
another person so that the viewer can easily notice the other character's attributes. This is
frequently done to assist define the story's protagonist, or main character. In the case of Mercutio,
he is the polar opposite of Romeo, the hero. Romeo, as we all know, is a romantic, a man who
readily falls in love and believes beyond hope that pure love will overcome all obstacles, including
an epic family feud.

Yes, Mercutio is cynical; perhaps he does not believe in the concept of true love. More
than that, Mercutio is openly opposed to women in general. Romeo is distraught at the start of the
play because his love for Rosaline has gone unrequited. What does Romeo's best friend do when
he is heartbroken? He mocks him with a crude monologue in which Rosaline's body is objectified.

With this attitude toward love and sex, it's not surprise that Mercutio appears to be averse
to the concept of male-female love. When Romeo expresses his sadness over his unrequited love
for Rosaline, Mercutio encourages him to get over it: ”If love be rough with you, be rough with
love./Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down.” (1.4.27-28)

Mercutio has issues with more than simply "love." He's also a big fan of women and
feminine sexuality in general. In a vulgar monologue mocking Romeo and a common poetic

26
tradition (the "blazon," a poetic method that catalogues a woman's bodily parts and compares them
to objects in nature), he names Rosaline's body parts:

”I must conjure him./I conjure thee by Rosaline's bright eyes,/By her high forehead and her
scarlet lip,/By her fine foot, straight leg, and quivering thigh,/And the demesnes that there adjacent
lie,/That in thy likeness thou appear to us!” ( Shakespeare 2.1.19-24)

Is Mercutio's aversion to women and heterosexual love an indicator that he prefers men?
Maybe. He makes a lot of jokes about penises, and Tybalt claims Mercutio "consortes with
Romeo" (Shakespeare 3.1.46). On the other hand, applying 21st-century sexual desire categories
to a 16th-century play may not make much sense. One thing is certain: men in Shakespeare's
writings put male friendship and comradeship over male-female partnerships.

Other interpretations give Mercutio's bizarre, inventive outbursts a psychiatric spin. Take,
for example, his Queen Mab speech, which begins with an odd diatribe about the mythological
fairy Queen Mab and finishes with (of course) sex: ”This is that very Mab/that plats the manes of
horses in the night/And bakes the elflocks in foul sluttish hairs,/Which once untangled, much
misfortune bodes./This is the had, when maids lie on their backs” (Shakespeare 1.4.93-99)
The backdrop here is that cases of sleep paralysis were frequently attributed to a demon or
succubus sitting on the victim's chest possibly having sex with him or her. Mercutio claims that
Queen Mab's "hag-ridden" women are only learning how to "bear" that is, carry the weight of a
man on top of them and, by implication, bore children. The takeaway, we believe, is that sex is
always a little filthy and dirty and always a little crazy for Mercutio.
Mercutio and the nurse
Mercutio and the nurse both add to the play's subject of 'young love' by contrasting their
levelheaded ways with the main characters' passion-driven ways. The nurse's persistent sexual
references and Mercutio's filthy language emphasize the naiveté of Romeo and Juliet's love. Both
are obsessed with sex, but Romeo and Juliet choose to express their undying love for one another.

Both of these minor individuals serve as antagonists to the main characters. The nurse is
both elderly and, despite her good intentions, a fumbling fool. Juliet is well-spoken and appears to
be much more educated than her confidante, yet she frequently mistakes terms and repeats herself.
Similarly, if Juliet represents youth at its peak, the nurse is considerably older, having given birth
and married, albeit both her husband and kid are supposed to have died. Mercutio is very different
from Romeo, just as the nurse is the polar opposite of Juliet. Romeo is a romantic at heart, while
Mercutio is a pragmatic realist. Romeo is disturbed by his unrequited emotions for Rosalind in the
first act. He starts to doubt love and states: “Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too
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boisterous, and it pricks like a thorn.” (Shakespeare 1.4. 25 – 26). As a result, Mercutio says:
“If love be rough with you, be rough with love;/Prick love for pricking you and beat love down.”
(Shakespeare 1.4. 27 – 28).

Romeo is melodramatic, and he probably expects a similarly exciting and sympathetic

reaction to his predicament. Mercutio, on the other hand, is far too practical to give Romeo's 'woe
is me' sentiments any weight, telling him to 'get over it' and move on. Mercutio's clear declarations
also help to bring the audience back to reality, allowing us to realize Romeo's overdramatic
tendencies. Shakespeare underlines the elements that he thinks vital in Romeo and Juliet by giving
us two opposing characters.

While the nurse and Mercutio are vital to the plot's development, they also help to promote
ideas within the story and to make the reader recognize specific attributes in the protagonists.
Mercutio's death marks the beginning of the story's transformation from comedy to tragedy.
Because Romeo does not tell Mercutio about his newfound love for Juliet, Mercutio is unable to
influence the storyline with his comments. His death, on the other hand, inspires Romeo to seek
vengeance against Tybalt, and so has a significant impact on the fate of the two lovers.

In opposition to this, Juliet and her nurse have a very intimate relationship, and she chooses
to seek help from the nurse in her relationship with Romeo. This allows the nurse to have a direct
influence on the story's outcome. Aside from expressing powerful words, the nurse's actions play
a vital role in the plot's growth. To begin with, the nurse is the one who first reveals Juliet's true
identity to Romeo. It should also be noticed that the nurse agrees to meet up with Romeo on several
occasions in order to acquire information and deliver messages from Juliet. During one of their
meetings in act three, scene four, the nurse agrees to accept the delivery of a rope ladder so that
Romeo might enter Juliet's room and marry her. When Mercutio dies and the nurse's position turns
tragic, she still manages to have an impact on the connection between the two young lovers by
betraying Juliet's confidence and encouraging her to marry Paris. When Juliet seeks solace from
the nurse, she is surprised when she tells her that Romeo is not the right man for her:
” I think it best you married with the County./ O, he’s a lovely gentleman./Romeo’s a dishclout to
him.An eagle, madam,/ Hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eye ” (Shakespeare 3.5. 217 – 220).

In Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio and the nurse are both essential characters. It's possible that
Juliet would have had a much harder time learning about Romeo without the nurse's help, and that
she may not have gone through with the marriage if it hadn't been for her words of encouragement.
Similarly, if Mercutio had not died, the tale would have lacked a pivotal point, and Romeo would
not have been as ruthless against Tybalt. It's also worth noting how these people influence the

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viewer's perception of the heroes. When the major characters' traits are juxtaposed to the secondary
characters' opposite qualities, the main characters' qualities become accentuated.

These contradicting features give the play a feeling of humour and a humorous feel in the
first half of the plot. The narrative of Romeo and Juliet would not be the same today if it weren't
for Mercutio and the nurse.
Tybalt and Mercutio
Even a fencing bout has a romantic undercurrent. Even in the first scene, when the two are
just fencing partners, swords whip the air as Mercutio and Tybalt parry and strike in a curiously
personal dance. Yes, each choreographed thrust is executed with the aim of fighting. The
lighthearted dialogue, on the other hand, alludes at deeper emotions that even the characters are
unaware of.

3.2 TYBALT

In his plays, Shakespeare frequently employed foils to highlight the disparities between
characters. A foil is two characters who are placed next to each other so that the audience may
observe their great differences. Romeo's cousin Benvolio (whose name also implies good will or
kindness) and Tybalt are foils in Romeo and Juliet. While Benvolio is a good guy who does
everything he can to avoid a confrontation and protect the peace, Tybalt can't seem to get his sword
out fast enough.

In Act 1, Scene 1, we encounter Tybalt for the first time. Benvolio is attempting to prevent
the Capulet and Montague servants from fighting. When Tybalt arrives, he tries to stoke the fire
and provoke the servants. ”Turn thee..., ”he says, attempting to instigate a battle with Benvolio.
'Take a look at thine demise.' Benvolio does draw his sword, but he makes an effort to keep the
peace.

The Prince of Verona is forced to intervene and break up the brawl. The spectator gets the
impression that Tybalt is not only enraged, but also takes the Montagues-Capulets dispute more
seriously than any other character in the play.

At the Capulet's masked party, Tybalt, true to his namesake, finds a battle. Romeo,
Mercutio, and Benvolio decide to join the celebration in an attempt to cheer Romeo up after his
love for Rosaline is rejected. Tybalt recognizes Romeo's voice when the men are walking around
the ball in masks and wants to beat him up for being a party crasher. Tybalt's uncle, however,
intervenes, not wanting to cause a ruckus during the party. Tybalt is enraged, but he listens to his
uncle and walks away for the time being. He promises to catch up with Romeo later in his classic
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snarl and rhymed couplets: “Patience perforce with willful choler meeting/ Makes my flesh
tremble in their different greeting. I will withdraw: but this intrusion shall/Now seeming sweet
convert to bitt 'er gall.” (Shakespeare 1.5.100).

Despite the fact that the play is situated in the Romeo and Juliet universe, Klebanoff
steers the "forbidden romance" part of the story away from the Capulet-Montague feud. Mercutio
declares the Capulet garden a politics-free zone, revealing Tybalt and Mercutio's latent devotion.
When Mercutio reminds Tybalt that they "decided there'd be no mention of Montagues and
Capulets" here, he hints to mutual yearning. Even though the protagonists acknowledge to being
confused about their homosexual impulses, especially in orthodox Verona, they never dismiss
the relationship as only a physical encounter, but rather as a genuine, emotionally sensitive bond.

When remembering the first time Mercutio saw Tybalt under the moonlight, Tybalt, the
more straight-laced of the two, confesses. Within the play, Klebanoff and director Lola
Hourihane '20 try to mainstream this type of connection, giving it the subtlety and relatability
that youthful, bewildered love deserves.

The drama references the narrative of Thisbe and Pyramus from Ovid's "Metamorphoses"
as well as the story of Apollo and Hyacinth, adding to the lyricism and tragedy of a
Shakespearean spin-off. A stoic Tybalt, emulating the playboy Mercutio, reads in Latin for his
sweetheart, explaining classic literary tragedies; nonetheless, he constantly refers to their
personal relationship. While Klebanoff's play follows the original work's forbidden-romance
motif and mythologies, the root of "forbidden-ness" is still relevant today. The impediment is no
longer an exaggerated family rivalry or a fight between the Greek gods, but rather the
relationship's same-sex nature.

Despite the fact that audience members are aware that Romeo and Juliet, like Thisbe and
Pyramus, eventually murder themselves, Tybalt adds that Apollo is the most tragic since he does
not have the option of suicide as a god. Tybalt regretfully grins, perhaps alluding to a hardship
that some same-sex couples have faced throughout history.
Tybalt comes across as a cold-blooded killer with a thick head. He can be regarded of as
a compassionate guy once you get beyond his harsh exterior. Tybalt attempts to put his family's
interests first, but his fury can get the best of him at times. Despite the fact that he died halfway
through the play, his character developed quickly. Tybalt is propelled by his family's hatred of
the Montagues, the Capulets. The constant competition between the Montagues and the Capulets
is the source of this hatred. He acted violently towards them several times as a result of his

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hatred. He always drew his sword on each of these times. Because of their rivalry, Tybalt would
do anything to spark a battle with them. A Montague was expected to despise a Capulet, and
vice versa. Tybalt was simply doing what his forefathers had done in previous centuries. Tybalt
seeks to safeguard his family's honor and display his hatred for the Montagues on one occasion.
One instance of this occurred near the start of the play. He gets into a fight with two of the
Capulet's slaves, as well as Benvolio. Tybalt, of course, drew his sword and attempted to battle
Benvolio in order to protect the family's servants and defend them in the name of his family.
Tybalt acts on instinct, yet his family's best interests are at the forefront of his mind, as seen in
the following quotation.

Romeo has just joined the masquerade ball that the Capulets are giving on another
occasion. At the party, Tybalt had observed Romeo, a member of the Montagues family, and his
companions. Tybalt noticed this and informed his uncle, Lord Capulet, of the intrusion. Lord
Capulet was unconcerned and told the Montague to have a good time because he wasn't causing
any trouble. Tybalt desired to provoke a brawl. As evidenced in this quotation, Tybalt is
concerned about his family's honor. “This, by his voice, should be a Montague. Fetch me my
rapier, boy. What! Dares the slave come hither, covered with an antic face, to fleer and scorn at
our solemnity? Now, by the stock and honor of my kin, To strike him dead I hold it not a
sin.”(Shakespeare 1.55-60). This clearly demonstrates that Tybalt only behaved in the best
interests of his family in order to protect their home's honor.

Tybalt is likewise prone to losing his temper. When he kills Mercutio, for example.
Tybalt has a boiling rage and a desire to murder anyone from the opposing family or friend.
Tybalt was on a mission to kill, and he was successful. Tybalt was out for Romeo, as mentioned
in the book, but Mercutio got on his nerves while they were there. He recognized he had just
slain a member of the Prince's family when he killed Mercutio and fled the area. This is an
excellent example of his wrath. He let his emotions get the best of him, and it was too late to
undo what he had done. Tybalt made yet another error in judgment. Tybalt returned to try to kill
Romeo for no apparent reason other than the fact that he was a Capulet. But Romeo was lucky
this time because he was acting solely on the basis of the death of his best friend, and he was
fighting Tybalt to uphold the law. According to the law, if someone is killed, the killer's life
must be taken. The next comment demonstrates how he let his temper flare and acted out against
the Montague family once more. “Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here, shalt with
him hence.”(Shakespeare 3.1.129 – 130) Romeo lost control as a result of his harsh comments
and killed Tybalt, not for the sake of rivalry, but for the sake of the life of his now-dead friend.

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Tybalt is far more than an uneducated assassin. He is willing to risk his life for the sake of this
family's honor. Despite the fact that Tybalt's adherence to the family's tradition was regarded as
commendable at the time, it allowed the animosity to go beyond the family and into secondary
relationships, as it did with Mercutio. Because of his bravery and familial loyalty, he reveals a
deeper side of himself beneath his thug-like façade. He lacked fearlessness in standing up for
what he believed was right, demonstrating a great sense of bravery.

Tybalt character quotes:

”look upon thy death”

Tybalt tells Benvolio to 'look upon thy death' as the first thing he does. Because Tybalt
intends to kill Benvolio only because he is a Montague, this demonstrates the severity of the feud.

”Now, by the stock and honour of my kin / To strike him dead, I hold it not a sin'.

When Tybalt hears the voice of a Montague at the celebration, he instantly instructs a
servant to grab his sword. A rhyming couplet is used by Shakespeare to emphasize Tybalt's belief
that murdering a Montague is totally acceptable and not a sin. Maybe he's saying that Montagues
are less-than-human and terrible, and it's his job to get rid of them. Despite the fact that he has no
idea who the Montague is who he heard, he claims this. He only rhymes when he talks about
killing, which we may deduce that he enjoys murder and revenge.

'Thou art a villain'

This insulting and enraged statement, shouted by Tybalt at Romeo, implies that he is
dishonest and of a lower social class. Tybalt employs this taunt to try to make Romeo fight back
during the Elizabethan era, when honour was vitally important. It actually prompts Mercutio to
intervene to save his best buddy, resulting in Tybalt's death.

3.3 BENVOLIO

In Romeo and Juliet, Benvolio is a nice Montague family member. He is Romeo's best
friend, but he is also Romeo's father and the prince of Verona's protector. In Romeo and Juliet,
Benvolio is an important figure. His scenes and speeches significantly progress the plot of the play.
The name 'Benvolio' means 'goodwill,' 'well-wisher,' or 'peacemaker,' and comes from the
Latin roots of bene, which means good, and volo, which means wish,' so Shakespeare is
emphasizing his role right away. However, there are hints, as he is willing to spy on Romeo for
Romeo's parents and inform them of what is going on with their son.
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 When queried about violent episodes by the Prince, Benvolio, rather than shrugging in a
non-committal manner as most youths would, is willing to spill the beans, and the Prince appears
to know that he can rely on Benvolio to do so. However, performers frequently portray Benvolio
as 'that very nice guy.' Bevolio has a calm demeanor. When the Montagues and Capulets are at
odds, he tries to be a mediator and a voice of reason. Regrettably, he is unable to prevent violence.
Benvolio gives Romeo some crucial advise, which, surprise, leads to Romeo and Juliet's fateful
meeting.

Does Benvolio Die?

In the play Romeo and Juliet, Benvolio does not die, although this is a popular trick
question asked by teachers. You'll be prepared to answer numerous inquiries about this character
after reading this page. You'll also be able to answer that difficult question about Benvolio's
"death" in Romeo and Juliet with confidence. By reading the Benvolio passages and explanations
in this article, you can clear up any confusion and improve your comprehension.

Benvolio is Part of the Montague Household. Benvolio is considered to as Romeo's cousin

because of his strong relationship with the Montague family. The term "cousin" is used as a term
of endearment to indicate the depth of the friendship between the two young men, despite the fact
that he is not officially a blood relative. Lord Montague expressly requests Benvolio's assistance
with Romeo's emotions. Romeo is avoiding his family and acting in a sad manner at the start of
Romeo and Juliet. Romeo even flees from his companions. Lord Montague hears Benvolio's
account of the incident. He explains that he saw Romeo before daybreak, but that Romeo fled into
the woods and evaded Benvolio on purpose.

Romeo's Parents Get Help From Benvolio. Lord and Lady Montague are seeking advice
on how to best assist their son. Benvolio offers to investigate the source of Romeo's irritability.

”Benvolio. My noble uncle, do you know the cause?/Montague. I neither know it nor can
learn of him./Benvolio. See, where he comes: so please you, step aside” (Shakespeare 1.1.157).
Benvolio is devoted to Romeo, but he also has a strong attachment to the Montague family. He
aspires to assist Romeo's parents. Some see this as Benvolio spying on Romeo on behalf of the
Montague family's parents. However, in most circumstances, Benvolio's behaviour is recognized
as demonstrating his positive motivations and decent character.

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 To refresh your memory, Romeo is head over heels in love with Rosaline at the start of the
play. Rosaline has turned Romeo down because she intends to join a nun. Rosaline is not interested
in marrying a man. Romeo had spent the entire early morning hours alone and wondering around
town, sad. Romeo is advised by Benvolio to "examine other beauties" instead of Rosaline. This is
crucial advice, as it leads to Romeo and Juliet meeting at the Capulet feast. Romeo is still depressed
when Benvolio finds him. Benvolio tells Romeo to forget about Rosaline and focus on other
women: "Be dominated by me, forget about her." Examine various beauties by allowing your eyes
to roam freely.

Attending the Capulet Party Is Benvolio's Idea? Benvolio specifically proposes that he
attend a banquet being held that evening at the Capulet home. Rosaline will be present during the
gathering. The Montagues will not be invited to the feast, but he is unconcerned with the family
feud.

Benvolio claims that when Romeo compares Rosaline to other women, she will not appear
to be as attractive. "I shall make thee think thy swan is a crow," he says to Romeo. In comparison
to others, the woman Romeo thinks is so gorgeous right now will appear to be nothing more than
normal.

Benvolio has excellent intentions, and his advise is always intended at helping Romeo
achieve his emotional equilibrium. That suggestion, unfortunately, has unforeseen repercussions.

Benvolio's motivation appears to be solely for the betterment of all throughout the play.
His character appears to be benevolent, kind, and dedicated to finding peaceful solutions to
difficulties.

Is Diplomatic, Benvolio's character, is a peacemaker. He heroically attempts to stop a brawl

between the Montagues and the Capulets. The servants of both houses have started a near-riot and
are fighting fiercely in the streets of Verona in the play's first scene. Benvolio tries to persuade the
brawlers by saying: ”Part, fools!/ Put up your swords; you know not what you do.” (Shakespeare
1.1.65). He is unsuccessful in bringing the battle to a halt, but he does his best to diffuse the
situation. In this situation, Benvolio employs as much diplomacy as possible.

Benvolio is a character who interprets events. Lord Montague hears Benvolio narrate the
first fight scene. He lays out the action step by step for Lord Montague, explaining how Tybalt (a
Capulet) escalated the violence by refusing to listen to Benvolio's plea for peace.

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 ”Here were the servants of your adversary,/And yours, close fighting ere I did approach:/I
drew to part them: in the instant came/The fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepared,/Which, as he
breathed defiance to my ears,/He swung about his head and cut the winds” (Shakespeare 1.1.110-
111). In this speech, Benvolio presents an accurate assessment of the situation and attempts to
explain it to Lord Montague. Later in the play, there is another brawl that Benvolio tries to
explain.

Benvolio is seeking retribution. Another fight occurs in the first scene of Act Three. This
one has grave ramifications. That quarrel ultimately results in the terrible death of Mercutio,
another of Romeo's pals. Romeo Montague kills Tybalt, a Capulet, as a result of that tragic demise.
Romeo and Juliet's tragic collapse begins with Tybalt's death, which leads to their double suicide.

Prince Escalus is informed about the fight by Benvolio. In an attempt to save Romeo from
death, he justifies Romeo's conduct.

In his explanation, from act 3, scene 1 Benvolio seemed to be protecting Romeo. Benvolio
makes an attempt to intervene on Romeo's behalf. The Prince of Verona relents at the end of the
scene, and Romeo's penalty is changed to exile. Romeo is spared from death.

Reasons for Confusion About Benvolio's "Death".

Romeo has a large group of acquaintances. It's not uncommon for individuals to mix up
the names. In act 3 of the play, Romeo's pal Mercutio dies. It's understandable if some students get
Benvolio and Mercutio mixed up.

Benvolio does not have any more speeches after act 3 of Romeo and Juliet, which is an
interesting coincidence. Benvolio does not appear onstage after that point in the original stage
instructions. As a result, it's feasible that some individuals will believe Benvolio has died. Even
though his character is given little attention toward the end of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet,
Benvolio survives the tragedy.

Although he has no dramatic role, Benvolio's presence and participation in Romeo's life
assist to flesh out the play: if a writer wishes to show a 'gang' of young men, he or she must populate
it, and Benvolio partially fills that role.

The most remarkable aspect of Benvolio's demeanor is his maturity and good sense, as
contrasted to Romeo's immaturity and hasty behavior, and Mercutio's dashing, swashbuckling

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style. All three boys are brilliant, but Benvolio is more careful and thoughtful than his cousin. He
is a sympathetic listener, which is why we learn the account of Romeo's lovesickness from him.

3.4 PARIS

Paris is depicted in the same way that Benvolio is. Escalus, the Prince of Verona, is a
kinsman of Count Paris, who is wealthy and young. He is honorable, courteous, and honest. He is
the man whom Lord and Lady Capulet desire Juliet to marry. We first meet Paris in Act I, Scene
II, when he asks Lord Capulet if he can marry Juliet, despite the fact that she is still only fourteen
years old.
Count Paris is a youthful nobleman in Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. We meet him
in Verona, where he is negotiating with Capulet, a wealthy merchant and community leader, on a
vital matter: his proposed marriage to Capulet's thirteen-year-old daughter, Juliet.

During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, this was a common sort of transaction. An
arranged marriage was one of the things a wealthy person could do with his money to buy an
aristocratic link for his family. Aristocrats did not engage in business and relied on their property
and other traditional sources of income to support themselves. They were often poor, and the
greatest thing a poor young nobleman could do for himself was find a wealthy man willing to sell
his daughter and a large dowry for an aristocratic tie, resulting in grandchildren with their own
aristocratic connections. It was a win-win situation for both parties.

Paris is a nice capture for the Capulets because it is attractive and kind. Naturally, there
would be no issue with Juliet because it was assumed that she wouldn't need to be consulted at all.
She had been raised to be obedient, as had all daughters, and she would do as she was told. In any
event, many daughters were compelled to marry men twice their age, if not older, so Juliet got a
terrific bargain. Despite Paris's push and Capulet's concern that she is a little too young, the two
men reach an agreement that is satisfactory to both parties, and Capulet organizes a party to bring
the two together and to present Paris off to his extended family and a large number of
acquaintances.

In the play, Paris isn't quite a "genuine" figure. Shakespeare employs him as a tactic to set
up the sad circumstance. All of Shakespeare's characters are dramatic devices, yet practically all
of them are described in the sense that something important about their personalities is revealed in
those few words, even if they have just a few lines.

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 Apart from a few cliches, which reveal more about his social class than his personality,
this is not the case with Paris. As a result, he comes out as stiff, courteous, and lacking in
personality.
He comes at the grave where Juliet is assumed dead in the last minutes of the play and
challenges Romeo. That encounter, on the other hand, is more about portraying Romeo's
personality than it is about presenting anything about Paris. In this clash, Romeo addresses Paris
as 'boy,' implying that the impetuous, immature youth we witness at the beginning of the play has
matured into a man who can view the mature aristocrat as a boy.

As a result, we have no idea who Paris is whether he is stupid or bright, good or evil,
amusing or sad. A formal young man in a formal circumstance is what we find. Shakespeare is
primarily interested in the fact that he is a nobleman who has been tasked with marrying Juliet. He
could pass for anyone. However, making him young and attractive draws parallels with Romeo,
who is similarly young and attractive but also thrilling, adventurous, affectionate, witty, and more.
None of that can be found in Paris. All we have is a man dressed like an aristocrat. This is hardly
a job that performers aspire to, and those who are offered it after auditioning for Romeo would be
extremely disappointed.

Juliet understands why Romeo is in Verona, but she has no idea that the bargain has already
been made when the celebration begins. As far as she is aware, this is her chance to summarize
him and provide feedback on him. She is aware that she will be married off in the near future, but
she also expects to have a say, even if it may not be taken into account. It would be a formality in
this situation since she would be happy that her future spouse was not an elderly man, who would
definitely be terrible, as all elderly men are to adolescent girls. But, as we all know, when her
father tells her she is to marry Paris, she rejects because she is already married to Romeo.

The celebration has begun, and the people are beginning to arrive. Almost everyone in
Verona has been invited - everyone who isn't a Montague, because the Montagues and Capulets
have a historic enmity that prevents them from attending. Romeo, the Montague patriarch's son,
hears about the party and, believing that a girl he likes will be present, gatecrashes it with his pals,
all dressed in masks, as was the custom at the time.

The ultimate 'falling in love' scene follows, which is the best depiction of two individuals
falling in love in all of literature. As the two youngsters fall in love, that moment pulls Paris out
of the picture. They have arranged to marry the next day by the end of the evening.
The plot takes off, heading inexorably towards its devastating conclusion. They marry,
Romeo is banished after killing Tybalt in a quarrel, he travels to Padua, misses the news that Juliet
37
is asleep but alive in the Capulet tomb, travels there, finds her presumably dead, kills himself
before she wakes up, and Juliet kills herself after discovering him dead. All of this occurs as a
result of Capulet's insistence on her marrying Paris, and her denial.
Act 5, scene 3 opens with Paris visiting the churchyard late at night, carrying flowers to
lay next to what he believes to be Juliet's body. "Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I
strew." he says to Juliet's lifeless body. Paris's fondness for Juliet is demonstrated by his figurative
reference to her as a "sweet flower." Furthermore, the fact that he has gone to the trouble of
bringing flowers to Juliet's tomb shows that he truly loved her. If Paris was simply interested in
Juliet because of the family tie that the marriage provided, he would not have gone out of his way
to bring flowers to her tomb.

Paris also vows to "wet" Juliet's tomb "nightly with sweet water." The suggestion is that
he will visit Juliet's tomb every night, and that each night he will "water" the ground beside the
monument with his tears. This underlines Paris's anguish at the moment, which in turn emphasizes
his love for Juliet. In fact, when Paris says he is referring to Juliet's commitment to grieve nightly.
The fact that Paris repeats this commitment shows how much he loves Juliet, or at least how much
he believes he loves her.

When Romeo confronts Paris later, the two begin fighting outside Juliet's tomb. Paris is
killed by Romeo, but as he dies, he tells Romeo, "Open the tomb, lay me with Juliet."
(Shakespeare5.3.73) This request implies that Paris adores Juliet and want to be buried next to her
when he dies.

He wishes to spend the rest of his life with her, side by side. This is a request that would
normally only come from someone who genuinely cares about the other person.
While it's impossible to tell whether Paris actually loves Juliet because Romeo and Juliet
is only three days long, there are signs that Paris cares deeply about Juliet Capulet. In Act I, for
example, he tries to persuade Lord Capulet to let him marry Juliet, but Capulet refuses, claiming
that she is too young. "Younger than her are joyful mothers formed," Paris argues
(Shakespeare1.2.13), implying that he genuinely desires Juliet. . Lady Capulet later begs Juliet to
look at Paris to see if she may love him, implying that Capulet has disclosed Paris' suit to his wife
and is consequently considering marriage.
Paris does not appear again until Act 4, when he speaks with Friar Laurence about
performing the wedding ceremony for Juliet and him. He expresses his concern to the priest, and

38
Juliet's father, too,"counts it dangerous" that she is grieving so much. As a result, Capulet now
wishes to rush the wedding.
"Poor soul, thy face is much abused in tears", Paris says affectionately to Juliet as she
enters the friar's cell (Shakespeare 4.1.30). Juliet, on the other hand, is unresponsive and wants to
confess to the priest. As a result, Paris kisses her before leaving.
When Paris arrives at the Capulet home in anticipation of his marriage to Juliet at the end
of Act IV, there are more indicators of his love for her. Paris, taken aback by Lord Capulet's
expression, says: ”Have I thought long to see this morning's face/And doth it give me such a sight
as this?” (Shakespeare 4.5.44-45)
When Paris learns that Juliet has died from the Nurse, he says with true emotion:” Beguil'd,
divorced, wronged, spited, slain!/ Most detestable Death, by thee beguil'd,/By cruel cruel thee
quite overthrown!/ O love! O life! not life, but love in death!” (Shakespeare 4.5.58-61).Paris rushes
to Juliet's tomb in his misery, arriving before everyone else. Paris says something poignant as he
walks in:
Paris, desirous of marrying Juliet, bemused by her anguish and concerned for her well-
being, grief-stricken at her seeming death, protective of her body and memory, and dedicated to
her even in death, demonstrates that he is passionate about Juliet.

3.5 FRIAR LAURANCE

Friar Laurence is shown as a pious man that the other characters trust and admire. The
Friar's role as Romeo and Juliet's companion and advisor underscores the play's tension between
parents and their children. The Friar's significance in the story shows a significant loss of parental
love. Because of the feud between the two families, Romeo and Juliet are unable to tell their
parents about their love.

In their loneliness, Romeo and Juliet seek out the Friar, who can provide them with
objective guidance. The Friar is initially taken aback by Romeo's haste in abandoning Rosaline
and falling in love with Juliet, and he reminds Romeo of his haste. The Friar emphasizes Romeo's
need for care by using formal language like as rhyme and proverbs. He does, however, agree to
marry Romeo and Juliet in the hopes of mending the divide between the Montagues and the
Capulets. His decision to marry the lovers is well-intentioned, but it shows that he is ignorant in
his appraisal of the dispute and hasn't considered the consequences of Romeo and Juliet's secret
marriage.

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 The Friar's relationship with Romeo and Juliet reflects the tension between youth and old
age. When Friar Laurence tries to console Romeo's sadness over his banishment with rational
argument, Romeo instantly argues that the Friar would not accept such advise any better if he were
young and in love.

The Friar's understanding of plants, particularly their dual properties of healing and
harming, is crucial in the action that follows. His attempts to end the conflict by reversing nature
causing Juliet's "death" in order for her life with Romeo to be accepted are notably inhuman.

In order to preserve Juliet's life, the Friar must remove her from the tomb – yet another
natural reversal. Many of the ramifications of this manipulation of nature for unnatural reasons
lead to the tragic conclusion of the play. Finally, the Friar shows his humanity by fleeing the tomb
and abandoning Juliet.

Friar Laurence marries Romeo and Juliet because he is kind, thoughtful, and worried about
the quarrel that is blighting what is otherwise an affluent and lovely town. He is shocked when
Romeo approaches him and tells him he loves Juliet and wants to marry her.

They're both so young, and wasn't it just the day before that Romeo was lamenting his
unrequited love for another girl, Roseline? He continues to advise Romeo in the hopes of
persuading him to change his mind, but eventually views it as a means of bringing peace between
Verona's two most powerful houses, and agrees to marry them. It's an old quarrel, and he's ecstatic
at the idea of putting an end to it by orchestrating the marriage of the two family patriarchs'
offspring.

First of his plot drivers is this. He then proceeds to make decision after decision, all of
which are errors and all of which are crucial plot points. Some bad luck (such as his letter not being
delivered due to the quarantine of Padua and his messenger being denied entry into the town) adds
to the developing chaos. If Romeo had gotten the note informing him of the plot, his plan to drug
Juliet and make her appear to be dead, only to be awakened and carried away by Romeo, would
have worked. When Juliet awakens in the grave and discovers that Romeo has committed suicide,
Laurence is unable to persuade her to accompany him out of the tomb. He rushes away without
her, fearful of being apprehended by the guard in the midst of the chaos. She also commits suicide
as a result of his failure.

Friar Laurence, on the other hand, is a kind guy, and when the parents come, he admits his
part in the tragedy. Ironically, he has achieved his goal of bringing the two families together in

40
harmony, though not in the way he had envisioned. The two family leaders shake hands and agree
to erect a memorial in honor of the two young individuals, thus putting an end to their conflict:

Personality:

• Religious - Friar Laurence is a member of the mendicant orders and has committed his
life to religion.

• Unusual - The Friar offers to secretly marry Romeo and Juliet, which is against the law.
As a man of sacredness, he was required to obey and defend religious standards, but this went
against them.

• Honest - He uses his power to marry Romeo and Juliet in the hopes of putting an end to
the feud between the two families. His commitment to the marriage is genuine.

• Trustworthy - The Friar has a realistic outlook on life. As Romeo's confidant, he gives
him honest and sensible advice/counsel. When Romeo is in the wrong or acting unseemly, he
doesn't hesitate to put him in his place. Romeo's fickleness, for example, is chastised when he
immediately abandons his emotions for Rosaline when he meets Juliet.

• Aware - Friar Laurence is a self-aware and level-headed character who is well-versed in

a variety of topics. He recognizes that plants have a dual nature, with the power to both harm and
heal, which serves as a metaphor for the play's activities. He advises Romeo and Juliet to "love
moderately" because love can end tragically, foreshadowing their deaths as a result of their
emotions.

• Unintentionally damaging - despite his wisdom, the Friar makes a lot of blunders. For
example, despite his repeated warnings that there could be grave consequences, he marries Romeo
and Juliet. He is sometimes unequipped to grasp their position because he is older and a monk. He
also encourages Juliet to fake her own death rather than tell the truth about Romeo or marry Paris,
but the plan goes awry. He arrives late at the Capulet tomb and then escapes; Juliet commits suicide
during this period. These examples demonstrate his inadvertent ineptness.

3.6 PRINCE ESCALUS

The absolute ruler of an autonomous Italian city-state is Prince Escalus. He is more of a

personality type than a personality. He wields absolute influence over the city's well-being. He
appears as a director at the beginning of the play, as a careful observer in the middle, and as a

41
judge at the end. Regardless matter how much he chastises the heads of the two houses for failing
to establish peace in his city, Fate, a higher power, takes charge and brings about the tragedy of
Romeo and Juliet, as well as the ensuing peace that Escalus had demanded.

The Prince comes in Act III, Scene 1 after Mercutio and Tybalt's deaths have interrupted
his night's sleep. When he discovers the circumstances behind the deaths, he pronounces Romeo
exiled. The Capulets are punished for their nephew's death, and the Montagues' son Romeo is
exiled. Personal retribution is not a factor in the Prince's decision. Both houses get hefty fines for
inciting hostility against his wishes. He ignores Lady Capulet's ravings but pays attention to
Montague's plea for Romeo.

Escalus, who makes his third appearance in the final scene, represents a higher force and
believes he is somewhat to blame for the tragedy. He promptly takes command of the issue,
attentively analyzes the witnesses, and makes his decision, obliterating all evidence of his personal
loss in the awful events.

The Prince is stiff and pretentious in his speech. He is swift and decisive when it comes to
action. In his decision, he is fair in his cross-examination of witnesses before reaching a decision.
He takes pleasure in not letting the deaths of his two close relatives influence his inquiry. He makes
an effort to treat everyone of his subjects equally, whether they are wealthy or impoverished.
Though he is the undisputed king of Verona, he lacks character understanding and practical
wisdom, as his orders do not stop the city's squabbling and violence. His idealism and drive make
him a very lovable character, despite his impulsiveness and immaturity. He is caught in the center
of a blood feud between his family and the Capulets, but he is uninterested in fighting. Love is all
he cares about.

Why does Prince Escalus express rage at the Montague and Capulet families in scene one?
They're fighting for the third time, causing Verona's streets and quiet to be disrupted. Romeo, he
believes, has decent manners and is trustworthy enough to enter the Capulet's home.

He is the undisputed monarch of a self-governing Italian city-state. He is more of a

personality type than a personality. He wields absolute influence over the city's well-being. He
appears as a director at the beginning of the play, as a careful observer in the middle, and as a
judge at the end.

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 3.7 LORD MONTAGUE

Lord Montague is apathetic throughout the novel, neglecting to assist his son when he most
needed it. "Many a morning hath he there been seen, With tears augmenting the fresh morning
dew," he says when he is anxious about Romeo(Shakespeare 1.1.90) . This demonstrates that he
is aware that Romeo is depressed and sulking. This also demonstrates that, despite the fact that he
is aware of Romeo's depression, he has not actively searched out the cause. We'd be just as happy
to cure as we'd be to learn. This shows that Lord Montague is curious about Romeo's illness. This
also suggests that Lord Montague has tried to sort it out but is now delegating Romeo's problem
to someone else. In conclusion, Lord Montague failed as a parent by allowing his son to roam
around in a depressed state rather than providing him with the assistance he required, which led
him to attend the Capulet ball and act rashly.

Next, while Lord Montague is passive, he is also overly deferential, lacking the strength to
defend his son's honor. For example, after the second major street brawl, Lady Capulet delivers
Prince Esclalus her contaminated report, saying: “I beg for justice, which thou, prince, must give;
Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live”(Shakespeare 3.1.189). This demonstrates Lady
Capulet's willingness to deceive and exaggerate Romeo's accusations. This also demonstrates
Romeo's need for someone to defend him. Lord Montague appears to be attempting to justify
Romeo's conduct, but he stops there. This also suggests that Lord Montague is unwilling to fight
for his son in order to protect him from execution or exile. Finally, Lord Montague should have
made a stronger effort to prove his son's innocence or reduce his son's sentence, avoiding the
banishment and Juliet's misery.

Lord Montague could have prevented Romeo and Juliet's deaths if he had been more
assertive in his parenting. When Romeo was depressed and burdened, he did not turn to his father
for help; instead, he sought guidance from other people, including Friar Lawrence, who led him
astray. Sadly, Lord Montague, like many other parents these days, failed to see all of Romeo's
warning indications. Parents should not put off dealing with major issues with their teenagers until
a catastrophe occurs.

Quotes:

Act 1, Scene 1 (while discussing Romeo's depression):

”I neither know it nor can learn of him”.
Act 1, Scene 1 (if he knew, he'd heal R's depression, but he can't be bothered to try hard
enough just to figure it out):
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 ”Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow.
We would as willingly give cure as know.”
Act 3, scene 1: (He could be his son, but this kind of treatment is what caused you to have
a violent son):
”His fault concludes but what the law should end, /The life of Tybalt”.

3.8 LORD CAPULET

Lord Capulet is the leader of the Capulet family, and everyone looks up to him because he
wields immense authority and social duty. He hosts the Capulet party, which exacerbates the feud
between the Montague and Capulet families. Because Capulet is used to getting his way, he is
taken aback when Juliet refuses to follow his directions, prompting him to become obstinate and
assert that she is not his daughter. When he and Montague ask for pardon and repentance at the
end of the play, he regrets his fury.

Capulet is powerful since he is the leader of the Capulet household. Tybalt informs Capulet
that Romeo is present at his celebration, and that he is dishonoring the family name. Capulet
reprimands Tybalt, stating that Romeo is a guest, and that they must treat their visitors with respect.
This enrages Tybalt, but he unwillingly does what he is instructed.

Capulet's power is demonstrated when he urges Tybalt to leave Romeo alone. Capulet
becomes enraged when Tybalt questions him later in his speech. Capulet's power is demonstrated
by the fact that he is the head of the family and is in command of a renowned household. Capulet
is obstinate; he sows obstinacy by being horrified by his daughter's unwillingness to marry Paris
and threatening to disown her as a result of his displeasure. "I tell you what: get to church on
Thursday or you'll never look me in the eyes again." (Shakespeare 3.5.167) This demonstrates
Capulet's obstinacy, as he tells Juliet that she will no longer be a member of his family if she does
not obey him. The use of the "I" emphasizes Capulet's authority, as it is only his view that matters.

Capulet is shown as a caring and sympathetic father at the start of the play, as he permits
Juliet to wait two more years before marrying Paris. He understands her ignorance and youth, and
he considers her feelings. This goes against societal norms, as it would have been perfectly normal
and appropriate for a girl to marry at such a young age as Juliet's, under her father's direction, in
the Elizabethan era. He certainly cares about her and has shown himself to be a responsible and
caring father.
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 However, as the act progresses, we notice a significant shift. Capulet is enraged by Juliet's
disobedience and ungratefulness when she refuses to marry Paris in Act 3 Scene 5; he is perplexed
by her conduct. The man of the house held the most power and authority during the Elizabethan
age, and women were supposed to be submissive and follow his orders. Juliet's refusal would have
been unthinkable at the time, and Capulet's reaction is entirely justified. This scenario contrasts
sharply with the first time we see him speak about Juliet and the marriage - his attitude has plainly
changed, and the affection he once felt for her appears to have vanished.

Capulet's sentiments had changed again near the end of the play, when Juliet's parents
discover her dead on the day of her arranged wedding in act 4 scene 5. He speaks passionately and
lovingly of her, which is in stark contrast to how he felt previously. He is despondent and
completely perplexed by the tragic events. The dispute between Juliet and her father was the last
time the two characters communicated with one other, therefore it was left unresolved before her
death. The viewer can feel Capulet's remorse and anguish when he discovered her lifeless.

The deaths of Romeo and Juliet create a crucial turning point in the play by the finale. The
Capulets and Montagues reconcile, putting an end to their ”ancient grudge”. We could never have
predicted Capulet's willingness to make changes at the start of the play, demonstrating his growth
from beginning to conclusion with a radically different attitude and perspective.

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 CONCLUSIONS

Minor male characters have a significant role in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet,
as they are responsible for key events that lead to Romeo and Juliet's fate.

F. T. Prince says that two tragedies of love, Romeo and Juliet and Antony and Cleopatra,
span the period of the great tragedies. The first appears to be simple, while the second appears to
be complex. The impact of Romeo and Juliet is largely determined by the audience's concentration,
as well as the story's direction and presentation. Shakespeare did not invent this narrative, but he
gave it a reality that his sources could not have imagined. Romeo and Juliet is difficult to identify
using the Aristotelian criteria that are still used to classify tragedies, but the play succeeds in
isolating and fixing the quintessential feeling of love.

Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is the first true tragedy he ever wrote. The victory of
dramatic lyricism and a dramatic ending that overwhelms the audience are featured in this play.
According to Harold Bloom, Romeo and Juliet is unique in global literature as a portrayal of
reciprocal and unconditional love that is shattered by its own idealism and passprinceion. This
work analyzes minor male characters in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in order to
demonstrate how important they are to the development of the lovers' story.

In my paper I focused on: Mercutio, Tybalt, Benvolio, Count Paris, Friar Laurance, Prince
Escalus, Lord Capulet and Lord Montague, the minor male characters from the play. Each of them
have a crucial role and power over the other characters.

Mercutio, Romeo’s friend, is a character who, while not the major subject of the play, plays
an important role in the lives of Shakespeare’s central characters. The presence of Mercutio in the
story is crucial to the plot. Each character serves a purpose in the play, not only because they give
comic relief, but also because their personalities help to define the protagonists and their actions
enrich the story’s outcome. The play would not be complete without these characters.

In his plays, Shakespeare frequently employed foils to highlight the disparities between
characters. A foil is two characters who are placed next to each other so that the audience may
observe their great differences. Romeo’s cousin Benvolio (whose name also implies good will or
kindness) and Tybalt are foils in Romeo and Juliet. While Benvolio is a good guy who does

46
everything he can to avoid a confrontation and protect the peace, Tybalt can’t seem to get his
sword out fast enough.

The most remarkable aspect of Benvolio’s demeanor is his maturity and good sense, as
contrasted to Romeo’s immaturity and hasty behavior, and Mercutio’s dashing, swashbuckling
style. All three boys are brilliant, but Benvolio is more careful and thoughtful than his cousin. He
is a sympathetic listener, which is why we learn the account of Romeo's lovesickness from him.

Count Paris is a youthful nobleman in Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. We meet him
in Verona, where he is negotiating with Capulet, a wealthy merchant and community leader, on a
vital matter: his proposed marriage to Capulet’s thirteen-year-old daughter, Juliet.
Friar Laurence is shown as a pious man that the other characters trust and admire. The
Friar's role as Romeo and Juliet's companion and advisor underscores the play’s tension between
parents and their children.
The absolute ruler of an autonomous Italian city-state is Prince Escalus. He is more of a
personality type than a personality. He wields absolute influence over the city’s well-being.
Lord Capulet is the leader of the Capulet family, and everyone looks up to him because he
wields immense authority and social duty.
Lord Montague is apathetic throughout the novel, neglecting to assist his son when he most
needed.
Often dismissed as " minor " characters, these individuals are crucial for understanding the
events that led to the couple's death when viewed closely. We could argue that there would be no
play without them, or that it would have to evolve in a new way. In fact, we are intrigued by these
individuals since we know nothing about their lives except when they are in contact with or
performing behaviors related to Romeo and Juliet. Perhaps this is why some of Shakespeare's
"minor" characters have risen to prominence as protagonists in postmodern rewrites.

Although people admire Shakespeare for the geniality of his works, they often overlook
the fact that even the most minor characters in his plays are incredibly important and complicated.
Psychological, political, social, and economic factors all have an impact on their lives and play,
and have helped to define their personalities and identities.

47
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