Friday, September 4, 2015

What was the problem with Tybalt?

Tybalt is aggressive, always looking for a fight and always ready to defend the Capulet family honor. Never once does he step on-stage in anything resembling a pleasant, easy mood. So essentially, he's like the majority of the young men in Verona.
Tybalt might be the epitome of Verona's male youth. This exaggerated macho behavior is presented as something all the men indulge in, be they servants or aristocrats. In this way, he is presented in some ways as a foil to Romeo, who is gentle and romantic and tired of the feud.
In the end, Tybalt's behavior gets him killed. At first, he appears a bit foolish (Capulet cuts him down to size by calling him "a saucy boy" during the Capulet ball), but once a fight with Mercutio ends in the latter's death, Tybalt ends up being killed by a vengeful Romeo. Like the love between Romeo and Juliet, Tybalt's anger and aggression burn at both ends essentially, and his life is cut very short because of his temper.


The problem with Tybalt is the same as that of many young men in Verona. He's headstrong, violent, always quick to take offense, forever spoiling for a fight. Like just about any self-respecting young man in the city, he also has a greatly exaggerated sense of family honor, and the name of Capulet is one he's prepared to defend to the death if necessary.
Although Tybalt must be held accountable for his actions, he is at the same time very much a product of his environment. If he's a violent hothead, then that's precisely how a young aristocratic male is expected to behave in Verona. Young men are supposed to be virile and aggressive, with great store being set by displays of reckless physical courage. Tybalt feels he has a lot to prove, so goes about with a chip on his shoulder, daring Montagues and their supporters to challenge him. Tybalt's aggression and violent temper ultimately lead to his death, but there seems little doubt that, so long as the prevailing macho culture of Verona does not change, then there will be many more Tybalts to come.

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