David
Opening statement
Our argument is that Tybalt is the most at fault for the eventual death of Romeo and Juliet. First, let’s start off by saying that Shakespeare portrays Tybalt as the villainous character that causes several deaths and misfortunes. Tybalt is known for causing the turning point in the story which is known as Act 3 Scene 1. We argue that if Tybalt never killed and provoked Mercutio, Romeo wouldn’t have been banished and the story would keep continuing as them secretly getting married and being together. We also argue that if Tybalt would never have died, Juliet would never be perceived as sad by Paris and the marriage wouldn’t have been rushed. In Act IV, scene 1, Paris explains to Friar Laurence his rush to marry Juliet. He says “Immoderately she weeps for Tybalt’s death, And therefore have I little talk of love”. In the same scene, he also states she has been spending too much time alone. Juliet’s father and Paris both say they think so much grief is unhealthy, and that a wedding and a companion to be with will help her to recover her equilibrium in life.Since the marriage was rushed it caused Juliet to act out and ask Friar Lawrence for a plan which then leads to the suicide of Romeo and Juliet. Tybalt also causes Mercutio’s death by confronting Romeo in Scene 3 Act 1 and saying “thou art a villain” which in the Elizabethan period was very insulting and had Tybalt not said this, Mercutio would probably not have been provoked to fight and consequently die. Tybalt’s ruthlessness and sense of family loyalty suggest that he is indeed to blame for this tragedy. To summarize our argument, Mercutio tried to protect Romeo, and Tybalt ended up fighting him. Unfortunately, after Tybalt killed Mercutio, Romeo had to step in and he killed Tybalt and found himself banished. It was this banishment that led Juliet to fake her death, and this fake death is that which caused Romeo to commit suicide. Tybalt was so caught up in his family feud that he did not think about the consequences. He tried to fight Romeo originally at the party where Tybalt is so angered by Romeo’s audacious act that he later sends a written challenge to the Montague household in which he wants the family to answer for what he believes was an insult to the Capulet name. Later on he caught up with Romeo again and made Romeo fight him even when he wasn’t interested.
Cross-Examination Questions
Do you have evidence for ____________?
Do you believe that Romeo was forced into fighting Tybalt by Tybalt?
Do you believe that the banishment of Romeo lead to their deaths?
If the banishment of Romeo has never happened do you think they would’ve still died?
Do you think Tybalt should’ve called Romeo a villain ( a bad word ) to invoke the fight?
If you beleive standing
Arguments that Tybalt is at fault
Mercutio tried to protect Romeo, and Tybalt ended up fighting him. … Unfortunately, after Tybalt killed Mercutio, Romeo had to step in. He killed Tybalt, and found himself banished. It was this banishment that led Juliet to fake her death, and this fake death is that which caused Romeo to commit suicide. Tybalt could’ve been mature about it and not fought him.
If Tybalt never challenged Romeo and died, Romeo would have never been banished
Tybalt has a clear and potent hatred of everything that the Montagues stand for. His loathing is most obviously displayed during the Capulets’ ball. When he notices Romeo, who has gatecrashed the occasion, he immediately wants to confront and remove him. When he informs his uncle, Lord Capulet, of his plan, he is harshly admonished and feels both insulted and humiliated, first by Romeo daring to enter their private celebration and, second, because his uncle protected Romeo.
Tybalt’s growing hatred towards the montagues
Tybalt forced Romeo to fight him.
Responses
Mercutio tried to protect Romeo, and Tybalt ended up fighting him. Unfortunately, after Tybalt killed Mercutio, Romeo had to step in. He killed Tybalt, and found himself banished. It was this banishment that led Juliet to fake her death, and this fake death is that which caused Romeo to commit suicide.
RESPONSE:
Arguments the opponents might use: If Romeo never went to the party, Tybalt’s growing hate wouldn’t exist.
RESPONSE:
Tybalt is, of course, partially to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet; however, he is not ultimately to blame. We must remember that, while Tybalt has his own character flaws such as a hot, fiery temper, Tybalt was only acting in response to a longstanding tradition, a longstanding tradition of hatred and feuding. We learn from the Prologue just how long the family feud between the Montagues and Capulets has been…
RESPONSE:
Friar is most at fault because he had kept the marriage a secret
RESPONSE:
Romeo made him mad first
RESPONSE:
You can’t make up the outcome of a story because you’d never know how it ends
RESPONSE:
Concluding Statement:
To conclude Tybalt had a long held grudge which further affected this play and pushed this play. Which was proven in the story when he says “This, by his voice, should be a Montague.— Fetch me my rapier, boy. What dares the slave Come hither covered with an antic face To fleer and scorn at our solemnity? Now, by the stock and honor of my kin, To strike him dead I hold it not a sin.” (1.5.61-67) This is Tybalt at the party as soon as he sees Romeo and which was followed up by Tybalt going to lord Capulet about the subject. Lord Capulet brushes it off and lets Romeo stay, which Tybalt’s hatred only grew from not only just towards the MOntagues now towards Romeo as a person. Tybalt then further challenges Romeo next he sees him, which ends up getting Mercutio killed. For example Tybalt says “Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries That thou hast done me. Therefore turn and draw.”(3.1.61) Which shows Tybalt willing to fight, and Romeo doesn’t want to because of his love for Juliet, which ends up getting Mercutio killed. Mercutio getting killed by Tybalt because of his hate for the Montagues thus makes a domino affect, which in result Romeo kills Tybalt, and gets Romeo banished, which Now greatly is what makes the story the tragedy that it is. Now Juliet’s only choice to be with Romeo is is to fake commit suicide, which is sequenced to Romeo seeing her and killing himself. Which that plan never had to see the light had Tybalt not killed Mercutio. Tybalt’s long grudge and hate for both Romeo and the Montagues is also the reason why he would challenge Romeo in the first place,IN PUBLIC, because of that fact he could care less killing any one of them which he does. Which made Romeo angry killing Tybalt. That is how Tybalt is mostly responsible.