Importance Of Secondary Characters In Romeo And Juliet

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Whilst secondary characters are less important than the main characters of the play, they often have a noteworthy impact on the story. In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, three secondary characters, Friar Lawrence, Capulet and Tybalt all play vital roles throughout the play. The play takes place in Verona and focuses on Romeo and Juliet, two star-crossed lovers from two feuding families; the Montagues and the Capulets. Romeo and Juliet must profess their love in secret, due to the quarrel between their parents. This is a catalyst in triggering tragic events, consisting of the deaths of many other characters, including themselves. Friar Lawrence, Capulet and Tybalt all play crucial roles in the action, character development, and themes …show more content…

He is the son of Lady Capulet's brother, Juliet's short-tempered first cousin, and Romeo's rival. Tybalt is heavily involved in the build up to Romeo and Juliet’s deaths; Shakespeare portrays him as a villainous character who is the cause of several deaths and misfortune. Throughout the play, Shakespeare exposes Tybalt’s violent nature and his anger is particularly shown when Tybalt confronts Romeo and insults him saying, “Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford, No better term than this: thou art a villain.” This shows how quick Tybalt is to start fights, proving that he is hot-headed. Tybalt encourages a brawl by inviting Romeo to “turn and draw”. Had Tybalt not said this, Mercutio would probably not have been provoked to fight and consequently, die. As a result of Mercutio’s death, Romeo killed Tybalt, forcing Romeo to be exiled. This led to a chain of disastrous events resulting in Romeo’s, Juliet’s and Paris’ deaths. It can also be argued that Tybalt is to blame as he triggers the fights and seems to be the cause of the chain of unfortunate events.

In conclusion, Friar Lawrence, Capulet and Tybalt are all equally responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s deaths. Capulet is to blame because he is unsupportive, uptight and uncaring. Friar Lawrence is to blame because his scheme is not well planned, and is perhaps too sophisticated for the young lovers. And Tybalt is to blame because he is too hot-headed and

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