Foil's Feuding Facets In The Tragedy Of Romeo And Juliet

The Foil’s Feuding Facets William Shakespeare’s passionate drama The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet encaptures the salacious infatuation of two adolescents whose family’s strife ultimately causes the demise of both young lovers. Tybalt, a Capulet kinsman, and Benvolio, a kinsman of the adversary Montague family, aid in illustrating the acrimony of the households. As the drama ensues, the pacifistic and caring Benvolio and the violent, militant Tybalt develop into foils of one another. Benvolio, a gentleman of peace, fights throughout the drama to prevent conflicts from arising. As he comes upon two servants quarreling, Benvolio declares “Part, fools! / Put up your swords. You know not what you do” and, drawing his sword, speaks again saying …show more content…
At a Capulet party, Tybalt recognizes the voice of his foe, Romeo, and becomes enraged, immediately ordering a servant, “Fetch me my rapier, boy” and storms off declaring “Now, by the stock and honor of my kin, / to strike him dead I hold it not a sin” exemplifying his violent tendencies (1. 5. 62, 66-67). After the gathering, “Tybalt, the kinsman to old Capulet, / … [sends] a letter to [Romeo’s] father’s house” requesting a duel but Mercutio and Benvolio intercept it and begin speaking of him saying, “[he is] more than a prince of cats … he is … a duelist… a very good blade [and] a very tall man” showing his societal reputation as a combatant (2. 4. 7-8, 20, 25, 31). Tybalt continuously testifies to his bellicose reputation in the strife of Verona. Shakespeare introduces character foils to highlight the characteristics of both characters involved. Benvolio, the embodiment of peace, and Tybalt, the personification of violence enhance the drama by highlighting the difference and strife between not only the characters, but the households in themselves. Benvolio and Tybalt present a character foil by way of their contrasting