Benvolio, the Friend You Always Wanted
In most plays, books, and stories the minor characters seem to be overlooked. Some minor characters should have the spotlight instead of not being noticed because they can play an important role in the theme of writings. The minor character is usually the ‘glue’ that holds together the main characters and helps the story’s plot thicken while assisting the main character in a way that forms the story. The minor characters in literature often are the author’s way of getting the storyline to take the path to a successful ending. In Romeo and Juliet, there are many minor characters that play an important role, but the one that is most important to the plot is Benvolio. Without Benvolio, Romeo would have been sent to death instead of being banished and the story would have ended right there. In the play Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare uses Benvolio as the nice guy who aids his friends in emotional support which keeps them sane while Benvolio tries his hardest to keep his friends out of trouble.
Shakespeare uses Benvolio as an emotional support system for Romeo. Benvolio is always there when Shakespeare needs guidance or help from a good friend. In the play, there is a lot of drama where Romeo is sad for the first act of the play. Romeo’s parents ask that Benvolio spy on Romeo and figure out why he is so sad. When Benvolio approaches him about being sad Romeo reveals that he is in love with a woman named Rosaline and that she does not love him back. Romeo describes to Benvolio that he is so sad that it makes the hours of the day too long and he does not know how he can get over a woman that he is so in love with. Benvolio tells Romeo, “Be ruled by me. Forget to think of her” (1.1.224). Benvolio wants Romeo to stop sulking because people are noticing his sadness and realizing he is absent from important gatherings. Benvolio spends time trying to get Romeo’s mind off of Rosaline and Benvolio being the good friend he is cannot just sit there and let his friend weep. Another example of Benvolio being good emotional support for Romeo is in Act 1 Scene 2 when he suggests crashing the dinner that the Capulets are having so that Romeo can see and experience other women to get over Rosaline quickly. Benvolio directs Romeo, “Go thither, and with unattained eye / Compare her face with some that I shall show, / And it will make thee think thy swan a crow” (1.2.87-89). Romeo agrees to go but he says that he is simply going to see Rosaline. When they attend the dinner Benvolio’s plan works when a masked Romeo meets another girl, Juliet, and suddenly forgets about Rosaline. These examples show how Benvolio is a good friend who is there for emotional support when his friend needs it.
Shakespeare also uses Benvolio as the moral compass in Romeo and Juliet. Benvolio is always making sure that his friends are safe and doing the right thing to stay out of trouble with the Capulets and the Prince. Within the group of friends, you have Romeo who is a hopeless romantic who will do anything and everything for love, Mercutio who is the friend who despises love until his death in Act 3 Scene 1, and Benvolio who is always trying to make sure his two friends stay out of trouble. The first instance of Benvolio’s influence is in the opening scene of the play Romeo and Juliet. In Act 1 Scene 1 Benvolio says, “… close fighting ere I did approach. / I drew to part them” (1.1.107-108). Benvolio did not want the fighting to happen in the first place because he knew it would end badly and he wanted to make sure his friend knew his positon in regard to fighting after the Prince stated that fighting would not be tolerated. A second example of Benvolio trying to make sure that his friends are not in trouble is when he and Mercutio cannot find Romeo. In Act 2 Scene 1 the friends see Romeo run and leap over the orchard wall into the Capulet garden. Benvolio cried, “Romeo! My cousin Romeo! Romeo!” (2.1.3) as he realized he did not know where his friend was. Benvolio wanted to make sure that Romeo was safe but Mercutio said to just let him go because there is no stopping Romeo. True to his character, Benvolio wanted to be a good friend and ensure the well-being of his whole group. Further in the play there is another fight between the Capulets and the Montagues. Before the fight even breaks out Benvolio gets a bad feeling and tells Mercutio, “The day is hot, the Capels are abroad, / And if we meet we shall not scape a brawl, / For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring” (3.1.1-4). Benvolio senses that a brawl is going to break out because the tensions are high between the families. Mercutio insists on staying while Benvolio suggests they simply walk away, realizing that if they leave at the moment they will not get in trouble with the Prince. Rather than walk away as Benvolio suggests, a fight breaks out and Mercutio dies. Benvolio is upset because he feels responsible for Mercutio’s death since he could not convince him to walk away. This demonstrates how supportive of a role Benvolio has in the play. Another way that Benvolio is a great friend is after Romeo kills Tybalt. Benvolio tells Romeo that he needs to run away so that the Prince, who said he was not going to tolerate anymore fighting, will not put Romeo to death. Benvolio says, “Romeo, away, begone! / The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain” (3.1.32-22). Benvolio wants Romeo to flee the scene of the sword fight so that he will not be put to death. Benvolio is the only one at the scene of the fight when the Prince shows up and he tells the Prince what unfolded right there on the street of Verona. Once Benvolio explains how the sword fight unfolded the Prince decides to banish Romeo instead of putting him to death. If Benvolio dose not tell Romeo to run he most likely would be put to death. Benvolio does not want to see Mercutio or Romeo get hurt or get into something mischievous, but he also recognizes he cannot always prevent that from happening.
Minor characters can play as important of a role in forming the plot as the main characters in many literary works. Throughout the Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet, Benvolio is very important in helping the plot move in the direction that William Shakespeare intended. Benvolio is used as a nice guy who is there for his friends and tries to keep them out of trouble. Minor characters should not be overlooked as they play a key role in most of the Shakespearean plays.