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How Shakespeare Presents Benvolio As A Foil Character For Tybalt

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In this extract Benvolio is presented as loyal, a peacemaker and mature. Benvolio is a foil character for Tybalt therefore he is known to be ‘benevolent’ as Shakespeare suggests in his name. Furthermore in this extract Benvolio is shown to give his recount of an earlier fight and the audience is shown his mature approach and his loyalty to his friends and family.

Shakespeare shows Benvolio as loyal in this extract as only two lines Into his recount Benvolio establishes that his cousin is not to blame for the fight . He says “ Romeo that spoke him fair” highlighting to the prince and others who hadn’t witnessed the fight that Romeo too way vying for peace and hadn’t instigated the fight. In addition Shakespeare uses words with positive and peaceful connotations such as “ nice” , “gentle” and “calm”. This shows how Benvolio was painting Romeo as innocent in the quarrel whilst letting others know that Tybalt couldn’t be dissuaded from violence. Furthermore the audience is shown that Benvolio doesn’t mention that Mercutio also goaded Tybalt on due to his loyalty for his friend, this may have made the audience at the time question how honest Benvolio actually is as he is leaving out key details. Also Benvolio exaggerates Romeo’s peace making by repeating things such as “bade him bethink” …show more content…

Showing how he intended to diffuse the fight but had not been able to Intervene as Romeo was driven by revenge. This echoes Shakespeare’s criticism of excessively passionate behaviour, highlighting how acting recklessly out of love can have equally negative consequences as acting recklessly out of hate. Also Benvolio highlights how Tybalt was extremely unreasonable during the fight as “ he could not take truce”. This emphasises that Benvolio is a foil character to Tybalt due to their completely contrasting views. While Benvolio is attempting to make peace Tybalt came seeking a

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”(1.1.60-61). Benvolio also shows an amount of restraint that Tybalt lacks. Tybalt’s ferocity leads to the beginning of two brawls, one of which brings about his death. Benvolio’s restraint is shown in the scene where Tybalt instigates the final brawl that leads to his death. In the resulting scene Benvolio can be seen refraining from lying about the tale of Tybalt and Mercutio’s deaths.

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Throughout the play, we noticed that he believed in keeping the peace and he did not like to fight. “I do but keep the peace; put up thy sword or manage it to part these men with me” (I.I.58-59). In this part of the play, Benvolio is asking Tybalt to help him get between a fighting men and put an end to it. Therefore, he clearly has good intentions and is one of the good guys. Another thing, Benvolio is a good friend and cousin to Romeo.

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Next he also warned the prince of what happened to Mercutio, Tybalt, and Romeo. After the fight Benvolio was the one to fess up to the prince about what happened. Benvolio told the truth about what Romeo did. Finally he told the prince that Romeo killed Tybalt because Tybalt killed Mercutio. Why would you punish someone who told the truth?

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In William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Benvolio often chooses to make bad decisions knowing the consequences, as well as kill 4 people just because he failed to help make the right choices for his friends. Benvolio is accountable for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet because he often encourages Romeo to make rash decisions, knowing Romeo could get hurt. First of all, Benvolio was the one who introduced the idea of finding a new girl to love to Romeo, at the Capulet's feast. In act 1 scene 2, line 85, Benvolio is talking to Romeo about going to the Capulet's feast, Benvolio then says ¨at this same ancient feast of the Capulet's Sups fair Rosaline whom thou

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This striking character foil in this timeless tragedy emphasizes by contrast the two juvenile men’s individual personalities. Throughout the play it becomes apparent that Romeo’s cousin, Benvolio, takes on the role as the peacemaker. For instance, Benvolio goes betwixt the Montagues and

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The feud between the Capulets and the Montagues intensifies so much that people start murdering others. Benvolio and Mercutio talk while walking together, and Benvolio says that he and Mercutio should go home and avoid the drama with the Capulets. Ironically, Mercutio and Benvolio end up seeing Tybalt and a few other Capulets. Tybalt and Mercutio start to fight, but Romeo shows up and tries to stop them. He shouts, “Tybalt!

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“We talk here in the public haunt of men. Either withdraw unto some private place, Or reason coldly of your grievances, Or else depart. Here all eyes gaze on us” (Shakespeare 3.1.51-54). In this scene, Mercutio and Tybalt are beginning to argue, and while Benvolio does ask them to stop, he is not forceful and only tries once. If Benvolio had really taken charge and forced the guys to stop, then Tybalt may have never killed Mercutio by accident, thus Romeo would never have killed Tybalt, and ultimately, Romeo would have never been

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