Romeo & Juliet's Benvolio vs Tybalt

In William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, Benvolio and Tybalt are portrayed as characters with distinctly opposing personalities that is apparent in many different instances throughout the play. Romeo's best friend, Benvolio is depicted as the classic nice guy, incorporating all the personalities necessary to be one. He is calm, patient, an advocate of peace between the two rival families, and always viewing the cup as half full instead of half empty. During the first quarrel between the Montagues and the Capulets in the play, Benvolio tries to bring peace by saying " I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword, / Or manage it to part these men with me " ( , , 62-63). It is apparent that Benvolio has good intentions and that he favours peace over mutiny. In addition, his control over himself allows him to carefully analyze the situation. Shakespeare intended for him to be the typical protagonist that tries to save everyone from a crisis, where in this case the crisis is a civil battle between two noble households. Furthermore, Benvolio has the ability to empathize with people and understand their feelings. Proof of this is shown when Lady Montague questions Romeo's missing to which he responds with "So early walking did I see your son;/ Towards him I made, but he was 'ware of me/ And stole into the covert of the wood; / I, measuring his affections by my own,/ Which then most sought where most might not be found,/ Being one too many by my weary self,/ Pursued my humor not pursuing his, /And gladly shunned who gladly fled from me. ( , , 117-124). Benvolio was able to figure out that something was wrong with Romeo, and that he wanted to be alone, and so Benvolio responded with just leaving him alone. He shows all the ch...

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...ic face, / To fleer and scorn at our solemnity? / Now by the stock and honour of my kin, / To strike him dead I hold it not a sin." ( , , 53-58). Tybalt's attitude toward the boy he calls to get his sword is very unkind. He shows no respect to his peers and he is often found ordering people or provoking them to fights. His loyalty towards Also, Tybalt wants to go to the lengths of frightening the guests to go fight with a Montague. This shows how unsympathetic Tybalt is to people even though, his actions are not necessary. In Tybalt's place, Mercutio would have let it go or at least called him aside and then fight with him. Mercutio is a very loyal friend especially to Romeo where Tybalt treats the boy like trash. In the end, Mercutio and Tybalt have diverse families and personalities where Mercutio is the typical nice guy and Tybalt is the typical bad guy.