Loyalty In Romeo And Juliet

Inside the Walls of Verona The tragedy Romeo and Juliet boasts a wide assortment of characters. Many of whom are often at odds with one another. Three characters in particular, Tybalt, Mercutio, and Benvolio, are three very different men, and are driven by impulses and their different characteristics. Tybalt is driven by his rage and craving for violence, Mercutio is driven by his friendship with Romeo, and Benvolio is often driven by his love for peace. But these men do share one common trait, loyalty. Tybalt, Mercutio, and Benvolio are loyal to their families and their friends without question and with great passion. Tybalt is a man whose anger dominates his behavior. He would much rather fight than work problems with others out. He actually says he hates peace to Benvolio during the beginning of the play when Benvolio was trying to make peace between Montague and Capulet attendants; Tybalt exclaims,” What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and
His loyalty doesn’t lie with any family, but with his best friend, Romeo. His decisions are based mostly upon his friendship with Romeo. Mercutio’s decision to fight Tybalt, the choice which ultimately led to both his and Tybalt’s death, was made because Tybalt insulted Romeo. Mercutio being Romeo’s friend exclaims to Tybalt,” Tybalt, you ratcatcher! Will you walk?” Mercutio calls Tybalt a ratcatcher because his nickname is “Prince of Cats”, so Mercutio is using it as an insult to ask him to fight. Mercutio also often consoles Romeo such as when Mercutio wants Romeo to dance at the Capulet Ball, Romeo claims,”…I have a soul of lead, so stakes me to the ground I cannot move” prompting Mercutio to say to Romeo,” You are a lover; borrow Cupid’s wings, and soar with them above a common bound.” Mercutio is telling Romeo that he is a lover and so he needs to use Cupid’s wings to overcome his “soul of lead” and fly above a normal