Anyone ever heard of peace in a Shakespearean tragedy? Believe it or not, there is one character in Romeo and Juliet who becomes known as a peacemaker throughout the entire play. The story is about two high-class families from Verona who have an ancient grudge, causing them to constantly be fighting with each other. In fact, the play begins with a street fight between the two families in which Benvolio, who is a Montague, and Tybalt, who is a Capulet square off. Soon after the fight, one of the main characters, Romeo, is introduced. He is a cousin of Benvolio and carries a deep love for a girl named Rosaline; she dedicated herself to becoming a nun, causing Romeo to become upset. Benvolio attempts to make him feel better by taking him to a party, where he instantly falls in love with a Capulet named Juliet with the help of Benvolio. Benvolio is the peacemaker of the play, as seen through the character motivation to avoid negative situations, the theme of violence, and the dichotomy of hope and despair. …show more content…
Benvolio is motivated to avoid negative situations and prevent violence and consequence for everyone.
He always puts others before himself in any situation he is presented with. All Benvolio wants is peace and happiness for everyone, which was shown in Act 1 of the play multiple times. Trying to prevent a fight between two families from ending in catastrophe, Benvolio says "Part, fools! Put up your swords; you know not what you do " (Shakespere 1.1.56-57). When he found out Romeo was upset because he found out he can not date Rosaline, he wanted to help him. So, he took the risk of going to a Capulet party to help him meet another girl. In a statement of foreshadowing, Benvolio says to Romeo: "Go thither; and, with un attained eye, compare her face with some that I shall show" (Shakespeare 1.1.86-89). Benvolio's laid back and people pleasing personality really helps himself and others around
him. Benvolio desperately tries to prevent any violence and believes that violence can only lead to more violence. He always tries his best to break up any violence that he sees. Throughout Romeo and Juliet, the violence theme is one of the most established in the play. The violence theme states that violence will not solve the conflict, but actually lead to more fighting. In Act I, the Montague's and Capulet's had a brawl in the streets, until the king came and used a peace/fight dichotomy saying: "If ever you disturb our streets again, you shall pay the forfeit of peace. Put up thy sword or manage it to part these men with me" (Shakespeare 1.1.67-68). Benvolio draws his sword in order to prevent more violence, and says in iambic pentameter: "I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword or manage it to part these men with me " (Shakespeare 1.1.69). No matter the amount of violence, Benvolio will always attempt to keep the issue from escalating. Not only does Benvolio attempt to prevent violence, but sadness as well. Benvolio just wants to make others happy, especially those he cares about. A dichotomy is two big ideas that are opposites. The hope/despair dichotomy is shown in Romeos relationship with Benvolio. Romeo is in despair because he so badly wants to be with Rosaline who he knows he can not have. Benvolio holds onto hope and helps Romeo find another girl to get his mind off of Rosaline. Benvolio says to Romeo: "By giving Liberty unto thine eyes; examine other beauties" (Shakespeare 1.1.12). Benvolio is saying this to hopefully distract Romeo, but he responds in couplets: "I'll go along, no such sight to be shown, but to rejoice in splendor of my own" (Shakespeare 1.2.101). This is something that few characters do in RJ, in fact, Benvolio acts as a dramatic foil of a character named Tybalt, who is a Capulet. Although it was risky, Benvolio got Romeo to the party. There, Benvolio ended Romeo's despair when he instantly falls in love with Juliet. Overall, readers can conclude that Benvolio has helped those whom he cares about as much as he can. Benvolio also avoids negative situations and violence for himself and those around him; therefore, making him the peacemaker of the story. As readers know from act 1, Bevolio's overall goal is peace. The prologue states that at the end of the play, Romeo and Juliet commit suicide because they know they couldn't be together, forcing their families to end the ancient grudge they have held and finally make peace. Therefore, Benvolio does reach his goal of overall peace at the end of the play. Everyone needs to learn from Benvolio; he had many skills such as a great personality, and always finding a way to better the situation. Be a peacemaker. In a constantly changing world, where fights and violence will always be present, be the person who puts an end to the fighting. Peacemakers have a quality that can impact and improve others lives, and can make a huge difference in our word today.
In “The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare, two very young people fall in love but cannot be with each other because of the feud in between their families. The feud ends when Romeo and Juliet both kill themselves because of heartbreak over the other. The minor characters Mercutio, Tybalt, and Friar Lawrence serve as foils to Romeo, to help support the theme of patience.
In Romeo and Juliet it stays true that the noble character Benvolio knows the diversity between what to do and what not to do. Benvolio is the character to help others out of situations that can be heated,and offering guidance when needed.Although in Act 3,of the play during the fight between the Capulet and Montague it drove how Benvolio was a deceiver to his friends. Benvolio's character reflects on many people today,showing that there is good and bad in the world;and as people we need to learn how to help each other when situations go
Throughout Shakespeare's “Romeo and Juliet” we learn of the string bond Romeo has with his two friends, Benvolio and Mercutio. However, Benvolio proves himself time and time again to be there better of friends to Romeo. Benvolio is honest, loyal, and cares deeply for Romeo, all of which are excellent characteristics which make a great friend.
In Act 1 Scene 1 lines 228-229 Benvolio tells Romeo “By giving liberty unto thine eyes.Examine other beauties.” This is Benvolio tells Romeo that he isn’t in a commitment any more so he can look at other women. I personally think he should have left Romeo alone and let him work through his emotions for a little longer, because it takes more than a day to get over someone. Then, at the Capulet party, Romeo experiences love at first sight when he sees Juliet, the enemy.Benvolio had encouraged Romeo to go to the party at the Capulets houses, through challenging his saying that Romeo could find someone better than Rosaline at the party. Since it was a Capulet house, Romeo was not supposed to be there. If Romeo had not gone to the party, he would have never met
Throughout the play Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare in the 16th century, there is consistent theme of conflict featured in terms of both mental, physical and emotional means. The way this dispute is embodied throughout the duration of the play alternates subject to subject to the character in question- but can be represented through many means.
Mercutio: Menî–¸ eyes were made to look, and let them gaze. I will not budge for no manî–¸ pleasure, I. This is just a small sampling of crime and violence versus peace and law. Later in this scene, Mercutio challenges Tybalt in a duel, then when Mercutio is slain, Romeo goes on to challenge Tybalt, killing him. If Mercutio, Tybalt and Romeo would have listened to Benvolio, the fights would have not occurred, and the outcome of the play would be changed. An example of love versus hate occurs through the relationship Romeo and Juliet and the hate between their families.
Shakespeare cunningly gives the audience an early indication of Benvolio’s personality through his name. Benvolio translated literally means “good-will” or “well wisher” a role he consistently fills, although sometimes unsuccessfully throughout the play, striving to keep himself and others around him out of any conflict. In the very first scene of the play, Benvolio quickly establishes himself as the peacemaker as he tries to stop the fight between the Montague and Capulet servants by saying, “Part fools! Put up your swords, you know not what you do.”(I.i.64-65) Wanting peace he warns them to stop arguing before things evolve into a grave situation. In that statement, Shakespeare references the Gospel of Luke “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34), using his skillful use of the written language to allude that Benvolio was taking on a Christ like peacemaker role in the play. Benvolio’s moral convictions do not change over the course of the play. His stance on peace is evident in all three scenes. In Act III, as Mercutio and Tybalt begin to fight, Benvolio once again attempts to be the voice of reason, “We talk here in the public haunt of mean: eithe...
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy of an ancient feud where the children of two families at war fall deeply in love with each other. Set in the 16th century William Shakespeare’s play has many different themes running throughout it, which include love, hate, death and conflict. The play opens with a fight but ends with suicide that creates peace between both families who unite from their losses. The conflict, violence and aggression in the play happen from revenge and an ancient family grudge. An audience from the 16th century would have enjoyed Romeo and Juliet because of the real life drama and tragedy the play goes through. The patriarchal society gave women absolutely no rights and they had to obey their man’s ordering a patriarchal system. The theme of conflict is revealed as the characters argue over Juliet’s disobedience.
Your lady’s love against some other maid/ That I will show you shining at this feast, /And she shall scant show well that now seems best” (I.ii.103-106). Benvolio's definition of love shows the audience two things about Benvolio: he is a womanizer and he has never before experienced true love.
brings out solutions to conflicts of Romeo & Juliet throughout the play with good intention but with
In the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare there is a large amount of underlying motifs, and morals, but non seem to be as present as the concept that when two factions of any kind war either faction can be happy. Within this play Shakespeare brings in to play the ideal that even the power pure love cannot overcome the horridness of war, and the stupidity of hatred within the confines of life. Romeo and Juliet were two children of two different worlds that came into contact by the slimiest of chances, and when they did they forged a love through hate, and through war a love that no other love could rival a love a pure as the clouds in the sky. Yet it was their love for each other that was also the downfall of their two households Romeo and Juliet the pair of lovers that toppled the world. Their love though as strong as it may be it was in fact not pure, but rather Romeo and Juliet’s love for one another was a curse not a gift a curse that used two foolish loves struck children to rebind the
Ultimately`, William Shakespeare shows in many different ways throughout the play, ‘Romeo and Juliet’, that love is the more powerful force than hate. The readers see how the characters continuously forgive one another, even when the conditions are tough. The friendships between specific characters display a loving bond that cannot be broken with hate. Shakespeare demonstrates that Romeo and Juliet’s love can overpower the hate of many events in the play. He shows that their love can even overpower the death of one of their own family members. Romeo and Juliet’s love brings friendship between their feuding families. This story is a true example of how love can conquer all.
The sharp clangs of the shiny, metal swords sound throughout the still air. One sword is fueled by burning anger, while the other is merely moving in self-defense, not choosing to cause such a racket. There is always going to be people in the world who are nothing alike… and many times those people don’t get along. A prime example of this is Tybalt and Benvolio, two characters in one of the world's most well-known tragedies. In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Benvolio, a kindhearted peacemaker, and Tybalt, an impulsive swordsman, are character foils because of how their opposite traits complement each other.
Montague asks Benvolio to help him in finding either the cause or the cure. Providence ensures that Benvolio’s cure consists of Romeo falling in love with other women “By giving liberty unto thine eyes/ Examine other beauties.”(1.2.221-222). Providence’s manipulation makes the illiterate servant of the Capulets ask Benvolio and Romeo help reading the invitation list for Capulet’s feast, which coincidentally Rosaline will be attending, which creates a reason for Romeo to attend. Providence also ensures that Mercutio is also one of the attendees of the feast, granting Benvolio and Romeo access to the event as part of Mercutio’s group. Providence makes sure that Capulet is making Juliet choose a suitor, from his selection which will attend his
Written by William Shakespeare, the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is a heartbreaking story about two young star-crossed lovers who belong to two different noble conflicting families, and therefore are unable to be together. Despite them not being able to be together, they decide to intertwine their love for each other through secretive matrimony. Throughout the story of Romeo and Juliet there is a constant theme of conflict which manifests itself through physical conflicts such as the feuds and quarrels between the two families, as well as internal conflicts such as Romeo and Juliet’s affections for each other which collides with the responsibilities and duties towards their families. The major foundational conflict throughout the whole story is the constant dispute and fighting between the Montague and the Capulet families; the two families are in a bitter feud which according to the prologue has lasted for several generations. This “ancient grudge” and deep hate between the families affects not just whole of Verona but also Romeo and Juliet’s love for each other. Shakespeare immaculately heightens the intensity of these conflicts throughout the story with his brilliant usage of stylistic devices, themes and imagery.