Benvolio In William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

“From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, / where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. / From forth the fatal loins of these two foes / A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life,” (I.prologue.3-6). William Shakespeare wrote this in the prologue of his famous play, Romeo and Juliet. It is a story of two lovers that ends fatally. In the beginning of the play, Romeo Montague is overly depressed about a girl named Rosaline and his father sends Benvolio, the only level-headed person around, to see if he can figure out what is up. A level-headed person is one who is wise and makes decisions based on knowledge, rather than impulse. However, this description really doesn’t fit Benvolio because when he gets involved, things start tumbling down

Benvolio even bet that Romeo would change his mind about Rosaline. Benvolio did this by saying, “I’ll pay that doctrine or else die in debt,” (I.i.38). He pushes Romeo by “threatening” his own life if Romeo does not find another girl. However, little does Benvolio know that by doing this, he is actually threatening Romeo’s life. Additionally, Benvolio pushed Romeo by telling him to go to a party being hosted by the Capulets. Benvolio tells Romeo that he will find a new girl there by saying, “At this same ancient feast of Capulet’s / Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so loves, / With all the admired beauties of Verona. / Go thither; and with unattainted eye / Compare her face with some I shall show, / And I will make thee think thy swan a crow,” (I.ii.83-88). By saying this, Benvolio encourages Romeo to compare Rosaline to other girls and find a new beauty, but really, he allows Romeo to look into Juliet and start a downward spiral to

After the Capulet’s party, Romeo wanted to stay with Juliet in the dark and hid in her garden. After Mercutio, Romeo’s close friend, tries to get Romeo to appear out of the dark, Benvolio decides they shall go home and let Romeo come home himself when he is done with Juliet. Benvolio does this by saying, “...He hath hid himself among these trees / To be consorted with the humorous night. / Blind is his love and best befits the dark,” (II.i.32-34). When Benvolio does this, he allows Romeo to stay with Juliet and lets it happen way too easily. He basically encourages their love right from the start when he should not have. If he would not have done this, Romeo and Juliet may have never had the chance to get so close to one