Motivation In Romeo And Juliet

A Motivated Character In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, many of the characters are complex in that their actions are influenced by multiple and even conflicting factors. In literature, as in life, a character’s motivation is what makes him unique and believable. If we all behaved the same way in similar situations, life would be boring. The characters in Romeo and Juliet are all motivated by different backstories. Each character’s actions are influenced by their family life, environment, habits, and their own desires. Some were compelled by their love for another character and some felt obligated by their family. When analyzing each character, it is easy to see how their actions have been shaped by their motivational factors. Romeo, Tybalt, and Paris each had a different set of …show more content…
Tybalt, in comparison to Romeo, was not a very complex character. The reader does not know much about him except that he was Juliet’s cousin and he hated the Montagues and felt love and devotion for his family. When he is prevented from fighting Romeo at the ball, he promises to strike him down at another time, as he states, "I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall, / Now seeming sweet, convert to bitt'rest gall" (1.5.102-103). He attempts to start a fight with Romeo later in the play, as promised, saying “Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford /No better term than this: thou art a villain” (3.1.55-56). He displays his macho, aggressive attitude towards Romeo by seeking him out, for no other reason but to kill him. Even before his own death he curses Romeo after killing his best friend, promising to send him to the same fate: “Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here, /Shalt with him hence” (3.1.123-124). Tybalt’s character is the personification of hate, yet his love and loyalty for his family are motivating factors throughout the