Act 1 Scene 5 Flashcards
‘This, by his voice should be a Montague. Fetch me my rapier boy’.
• Instantly resorting to violence, Tybalt adheres to the Renaissance perception of men as violent and aggressive, especially when confronted by a threat to their honour.
• Tybalt is very quick to react despite not having any conclusive evidence. He only guesses that this voice belongs to a Montague.
• The immediate request for weaponry indicates how violence is always at the forefront of his mind with little thought of the consequences of such actions. His aggressive nature is powered and catalysed by anger for the opposing family.
• Through the sequencing of this scene, the direct contrast between Tybalt and Romeo’s approaches is made apparent as Romeo places a focus upon love with Tybalt directly opposing this with his ideas of violence.
‘What dares the slave come hither, cover’d with an antic face, to fleer and scorn at our solemnity?’
• Use of the derogative term ‘slave’ in reference to Romeo brings attention to Tybalt’s strong dislike of him.
• Tybalt believes that Romeo’s presence is a deliberate attempt to mock and disrespect him, again this comes with very little evidence to support his assertion.
‘Now by the stock and honour of my kin, To strike him dead I hold it not a sin.’
• The reference to the nouns ‘stock’ and ‘honour’ gives way to Tybalt’s strong sense of pride and duty. Using honour as a motive to fight allows Tybalt to garner support from a Renaissance audience who would largely support his actions.
• Reference to ‘kin’ seeks to further justify Tybalt’s actions as he uses family as an excuse to initiate conflict.
‘A Montague, our foe: A villain that is hither come in spite, to scorn at our solemnity this night’.
• The use of the nouns ‘foe’ and ‘villain’ highlight the strong sense of dislike felt by Tybalt towards a member of the opposing family.
• The sibilance found in ‘scorn’ and ‘spite’ and ‘solemnity’ indicate Tybalt’s hostility towards Romeo.
• Tybalt is convinced that Romeo deliberately made his presence known as a means to anger him however both the Renaissance and contemporary audience are aware that Tybalt does not need much encouragement to engage in conflict.
‘It fits, when such a villain is a guest: I’ll not endure him.’
• Tybalt repeatedly refers to Romeo as ‘villain’ – a term which would have been considered particularly offensive to others during the Renaissance period.
• Tybalt speaks with conviction as he states ‘I’ll not endure him’. He is unwilling to offer his company to Romeo. The use of ‘endure’ brings attention to the difficulty Tybalt experiences when in the presence of Romeo.
‘I will withdraw but this intrusion shall, now seeming sweet, convert to bitter gall’
• Tybalt will only remove himself from these circumstances by force as he is not a character to refuse the opportunity for conflict.
• He warns that his retreat from this situation may initially present him as compliant however he still harbours a strong resentment and dislike for Romeo which will be revealed in time.
• Use of rhyming couplet indicates the end of Tybalt’s interactions in this scene however his final words ‘bitter gall’ brings attention to the likelihood of his return being catalysed by violence and anger.
